Container handling vehicle with extendable wheel base

A container handling vehicle with a cantilever for operating on an automated storage and retrieval system comprising a framework structure forming a three-dimensional storage grid structure for storing storage containers for storing items, the container handling vehicle occupying a footprint of more than one cell on the grid structure, wherein the grid structure forms vertical storage columns each having a horizontal area defined by the size of an access opening of the vertical storage columns and wherein a rail system is arranged on the framework structure, rails of the rail system extending in an X-direction and a Y-direction to define a grid and to define a perimeter of each access opening on top of each storage column, the rail system providing available routes for container handling vehicles handling and transferring the storage containers to and from the storage columns, each rail of the rail system has a first track and a parallel second track allowing two container handling vehicles to pass each other using the first track and the parallel second track, the container handling vehicle having a vehicle controller for communicating with a central computer system controlling the container handling vehicle, and the container handling vehicle has a container handling platform with a set of grippers for handling the storage containers,

• wherein a first pair of wheels on a cantilever side of the container handling vehicle, used for manoeuvring the container handling vehicle in the Y-direction, are positioned or are positionable with respect to the container handling vehicle to allow the first pair of wheels to use an outer track of a first rail of the rail system in the Y-direction to manoeuvre the container handling vehicle when a second pair of wheels on an opposite side of the container handling vehicle are using an inner track of an adjacent rail in the Y-direction, wherein the opposite side of the container handling vehicle is opposite the cantilever side, wherein the first pair of wheels on the cantilever side of the container handling vehicle are positioned with respect to the container handling vehicle to provide an extension of a wheelbase of the container handling vehicle in the X-direction.