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The last few years have been an exciting time for alternative vehicle development. New concerns about the environmental impact of personal transportation and about the United States' dependence on imported oil have pushed energy efficient, ultra-low, and zero emissions vehicles to the forefront of automotive design. California's own mandate for Zero Emissions Vehicles (ZEV) takes effect in 1998, creating a tremendous push towards the difficult goal of producing a commercially viable, practical electric vehicle for sale in 1998. Beyond California, most of the world's automakers are simultaneously committing tremendous research and development resources towards the technology necessary for a viable electric vehicle. The University of California at Davis is one of seven California universities participating in the 1993 Ford Hybrid Electric Vehicle Challenge.

The goal of this paper is to discuss and evaluate audio and video human feedback systems for use in the control of remotely operated heavy earth moving equipment. A CASE 621 mid sized front end loader is used as the basis for evaluating remote vehicle systems for use in heavy earth moving equipment where removal of the operator from the vehicle cabin may reduce operator injuries and deaths resulting from operations in dangerous environments. This is the objective of the Teleoperated Automated Maintenance Equipment Robotics project (TAMER). A remote vehicle workstation which can be mounted in a pick-up truck bed has been developed to evaluate remote control of the vehicle and operator feedback requirements. The primary means of feedback for successful control of the remote vehicle is through the use of a transmitted three dimensional video image used to duplicate the operators on-board visual environment.