Chinese urban rail transit signaling system provider FITSCO and Cognitive Pilot have contracted to create an AI-based computer vision system for autonomous trams in China
One of China’s main urban rail transit signaling system providers, FITSCO, and Cognitive Pilot, an autonomous driving technology joint venture of Russia’s Sberbank and Cognitive Technologies Group, are excited to announce that they have signed a contract for the development of an AI-based computer vision system for urban trams with the possibility of autonomous control and movement.
According to Jack Wu, the CEO of FITSCO,
the joint AI-based solution will increase the level of safety and efficiency of
public transport. “The new technology will reduce the number of transport
accidents in the city and will minimize their dependence on the human factor”,
says Jack Wu.
The joint project will consists of R&D,
testing and commercialization stages in harmony with the business expedition
and technology innovation of both parties.
“The implementation of all stages will be
facilitated with all the ongoing projects.” says Olga Uskova, the CEO of
Cognitive Pilot, “The result of the project’s first stages will be the development
of AI-based Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS). In the absence of a
proper reaction from the driver, the tram will automatically control its speed
and will brake in front of the obstacles. During all the upcoming tests, the
tram operator will still be in the cab, but he will act as a safety
controller”.
“We expect that with the successful
implementation of our joint project, we will continue increasing the AI level
of the tram autopilot and in the nearest future we will demonstrate its fully autonomous
prototype”, concludes Jack Wu.
FITSCO (Shanghai Fuxin Intelligent
Transportation Solutions Co., Ltd.) - the company was founded in 2012 and is
controlled by China Railway Electrification Bureau (Group) Co. Ltd. FITSCO
mainly provides urban rail transit signaling and communication solutions on
fields like metros, light rail, monorails, trams, APM, commuter trains. FITSCO
has successively undertaken the comprehensive signaling and communication
construction for Shanghai Metro Line 8 APM project, Shanghai Pudong Airport
Express Project, Qingdao Metro Line 6 Demonstration Project (Train Autonomous
Circumambulation System), Taiyuan Metro Line2, as well as many constructions on
Tram signaling and communication integration projects in Shanghai, Suzhou,
Huai’an and Wuhan etc.
COGNITIVE PILOT – is a joint company of
Russia’s biggest bank Sberbank and Cognitive Technologies Group. The company
develops autonomous driving solutions for agricultural and rail machinery and
develops components for self-driving cars. Among the company’s clients there
are Hyundai Mobis, Russian Railways, Rusagro Group, PC Transport Systems and a
number of other large international manufacturers and TIER-1 companies. The
company’s technologies have been recognized at multiple international forums
and exhibitions, including Tech.AD Berlin 2019 where it has got “The Most
Innovative Active Safety or ADAS Technology /Product/ of the Year” Award.