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Published: March 16th, 2021
National retailer Canadian Tire and Toronto-based autonomous trucking startup NuPort Robotics have partnered with the Ontario government to commercialize automated trucking technology.
As part of the process, the three partners will be investing $1 million each to
undertake a two-year automated heavy-duty trucking project to test the technology. The Ontario government is supporting the project through
Ontario’s Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Network (AVIN).
The
project is applying proprietary, artificial intelligence (AI) technology from NuPort Robotics to retrofit two conventional semi-tractor trailers – which will always be attended by a driver – with high-tech sensors and controls, a touchscreen navigation system, and other advanced features such as obstacle and collision avoidance.
Technically, no matter what the claims from certain manufacturers, current semi-autonomous vehicles require that a driver keep their hands on the wheel at all times. Even most experimental vehicles for instance, the ill-fated Uber-ized Volvo that was involved in a fatality in Phoenix are supposed to have an “emergency driver” who is supposed to remain alert at all times just in case of computer failure.
That said, our inclement weather not so apparent as I write this on a record-setting warm March 11 does provide us with an opportunity to become a “global hub” of autonomous research. Raed Kadri, head of Ontario’s Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Network, claims that, with “our existing strengths in automotive and IT, coupled with our strong entrepreneurial cluster and our innovative startups,” we have everything necessary to remain leaders in the autonomous and mobility sectors. In other words, if we play our cards right, Ontario’s frozen winters and our abund