Move over Johnny Cabs, Waymo and robotaxis, this Aussie robot is built of tougher stuff.

When Ford needed to test their Ranger Super Duty in the toughest conditions imaginable, no ordinary test driver would do. Conquering the brutal Silver Creek durability track required a driver that could handle whatever was thrown at them and do so at its maximum limits.

Loaded with 4500kg the Ford Ranger Super Duty took on the bone-rattling bumps at Ford’s You Yang proving ground, with the “driver” in this case being autonomous. With wires, cables, pipes, straps and tubes aplenty our intrepid “Johnny” may not have been humanoid but he sure was impressive with the track containing over 300 randomly spaced “bumps” designed to test every nut, bolt and mount in Ford’s upcoming mega-ute.

Utilising the robot driver enabled Ford to test 24/7 in rain, hail or shine and to do so using a consistent driving method

Ford’s program manager, Justin Capicchiano described the test. “It stressed the Ranger Super Duty from the wheels to the roof; simulating the wear and tear you’d typically experience across a decade of driving on the world’s harshest road conditions.”’

“The forces punching through the truck when its unladen are immense, but when it’s loaded to maximum GVM and tested on Silver Creek they become even more brutal. This is an incredibly important test for a truck that must do the toughest jobs or most extreme adventures in the harshest conditions,” Capicchiano concluded

Billed a mid-sized pickup designed with heavy-duty capabilities, the Ford Ranger Super Duty is set to be released in 2026 with a carrying capacity of 4500kg GVM plus towing capacity of 4500kg. Ford state that have reworked the Ranger from bumper to bumper, strengthened the drive train and armoured the underbody with a wider stance and greater range. The 2026 release will incorporate the 3.0L V6 turbo diesel engine and come with the same 5-year factory warranty as the rest of the Ranger line-up

Web: Ford