Autonomous robots guarding nukes in Nevada. Who thought this was a good idea?

In an effort to both improve security and save money, the Nevada National Security Site, home to a shitload of nuclear waste and some Cold War era nukes is now being guarded by robot sentries. Because it’s not like the robots couldn’t figure out how to use the nuclear waste for their own evil purposes, right? RIGHT? Someone tell me I’m right.

The first of a planned trio of Mobile Detection Assessment Response Systems, or MDARS, is currently patrolling some of the more remote sections of the 1,360 square mile facility.

The camera-equipped MDARS can scoot around pre-determined paths on its own, alerting flesh-and-blood guards when it encounters an intruder or a broken lock. In development by the Navy and General Dynamics since the early 1990s, the diesel-fueled sentry bot can operate for up to 16 hours, and reach a top speed of 20 mph. The U.S. military has experimented with using the MDARS machines to patrol some of its Hawthorne Army Depot in Nevada. The bots have even been tested with automatic weapons — though I doubt that’s the plan at the nuke site.

Via