Applied Autonomy establishes Swedish hub
Applied Autonomy establishes Swedish hub
Applied Autonomy, known for innovative work in autonomous transportation, has chosen Kista as a strategic hub for their Swedish operations. This decision marks an important step in the Norwegian company’s expansion and commitment to grow within the Swedish market.
Swedish base
Choosing Kista as a Swedish hub reflects Applied Autonomy’s commitment to being closer to key partners and to becoming part of the dynamic tech landscape in the area. CEO Olov Medland shares his perspective on this strategic decision:
– Kista’s unique combination of technological expertise and collaborative culture made it an ideal choice for us. We are excited about being part of this tech community, contributing to and benefiting from the synergies it offers.
Applied Autonomy is positioned to play a significant role in the evolving landscape of urban transport in Stockholm and Sweden. The company is enthusiastic about sharing its insights and experiences in autonomous transport and collaborating with other companies and innovators in this field. “The possibilities are endless, and we’re eager to explore them,” says Medland.
5G Ride
Applied Autonomy has recently joined the 5G Ride project. Central to their contribution is the xFlow® platform, an innovative solution that ensures a seamless link between vehicles, operators, and end-users, thereby enabling safe and efficient transport. Medland emphasizes the importance of this project:
– Joining 5G Ride was a natural decision for us. The project aligns perfectly with our capabilities, including xFlow®, and our commitment to shaping the future of autonomous transportation. Our participation in this innovative project is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate how our technology can be integrated into existing urban transport systems, enhancing safety, efficiency, and overall user experience.
Cross-border dialogue on autonomous public transport
In November 2023, the 5G Ride project partners from Ericsson, RISE, & Kista Science City, in collaboration with Drive Sweden Policy Lab, Trafikverket, and Transportstyrelsen visited Stavanger, Norway, to observe a full-scale autonomous bus in a real urban setting. This visit allowed the teams to witness the operation of a self-driving, full-scale bus navigating complex urban conditions, including traffic lights, roundabouts, lane changes, and a tunnel, at speeds of up to 40 km/h.
Observations from Stavanger
The primary objective of the Norway trip was to discuss and understand the challenges and opportunities of advanced pilot projects in autonomous public transport. The discussions highlighted the importance of close collaboration between different stakeholders – including tech developers, public transport authorities, and regulatory entities – to drive progress in this complex field. This approach is crucial for combining expertise, sharing insights, and aligning efforts towards common goals in autonomous transportation. Additionally, local Norwegian partners emphasized the value of continual development, focusing on real-world testing of these systems to enhance safety and efficiency in urban mobility.
A key topic during the Stavanger visit was the comparison of the regulatory environments for autonomous vehicle testing in Sweden and Norway. Each country’s approach to regulations and funding for research projects has significant affect for the development of autonomous transport solutions. This highlighted the importance of adaptable regulatory frameworks in supporting advancement and innovation within this field.
Applied Autonomy
The visit to Norway was hosted by Applied Autonomy, a new partner in the 5G Ride project. As a company specializing in software solutions for autonomous transportation, Applied Autonomy brings crucial expertise to the project. Their involvement is expected to enhance the project’s capabilities, particularly in terms of scalable and adaptable autonomous solutions. This partnership marks a big step in the collaborative effort to develop and implement advanced autonomous transport systems.
In addition to Applied Autonomy, the Norway visit saw participation from several organizations, including Adastec, Vy, and Kolumbus, along with representation from Statens vegvesen. Each of these organizations contributed to the success of this trip, bringing unique perspectives and expertise to the discussions and demonstrations.
Future Directions
Looking ahead, the 5G Ride project plans for new demo days and test with autonomous vehicles in Stockholm in 2024. As the project enters its next phase, the project remains committed to leveraging international learnings and local expertise to revolutionize urban mobility. The combined efforts are key in our journey towards a more connected and sustainable future in public transportation.
Seeing through obstacles and around corners, the 5G Ride project rolls on
Drones
Seeing through obstacles and around corners, the 5G Ride project rolls on
The 2022 5G RIDE Demo Day on October 13 gathered more than 50 special invited guests and project partners who got a sneak preview of the latest technology updates.
This year’s demonstration focused on how new technology can be used to increase safety and security around autonomous vehicles in commuting traffic, hence offering a safer experience for travellers and other road users. The visitors got to experience how smart sensors on vehicles and in the surrounding infrastructure makes it possible for the vehicle to see through obstacles and around corners.
The sensors are an important addition to the project, as they measure positions and paths/route for all road users and sends this data in real time to Ericsson Innovation cloud, via 5G, where the data is processed, combined with other sources, and shared with the connected vehicle. The vehicle is acting upon the combined picture, from sensors, traffic tower, own cameras and the surrounding. In real time. During the demonstration we could see what happens if a person crosses the street if there is an obstacle on the path and how buildings and people are plotted on the onboard screens.
The technology enabling this is the 5G network and the traffic tower, as they fetch and share real-time data from the vehicle.
The ambition of the 5G RIDE project is to create conditions for an efficient and sustainable public transport where operators in traffic towers can support fleets of autonomous, electric vehicles to improve traffic planning, safety and reduce energy consumption. By taking a unified approach and combining technologies, the next step in the development of driverless automated vehicles is taken.
This project takes place in a collaboration between some of Sweden’s leading companies in mobility and technology. Kista Science City AB, Keolis, Ericsson, Telia, T-engineering, Viscando, Scania, Region Stockholm, intel and KTH. Working together to create a more environmentally smart and cost-efficient transport system.
For more information about the project
project manager Eleonor Sjödin Turah
eleonor.sjodinturah@kista.com
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5G Ride
5G Ride
Autonomous vehicles
The project
5G Ride is a concept for self-driving, 5G-connected electric vehicles used in public transport.
The purpose of the project is to develop and test connected autonomous vehicles to get closer to an implementation of autonomous vehicles on public roads.
The 5G network’s unique technical features, including enhanced security, extremely high data speeds combined with low latency, means that the connected buses can respond in real time to commands from the centralized control tower.
In 2021, additional funding was added to the project and the focus for the continuation of the project is the further development of the Connected Control Tower. One part of this is how to use more data, for example about the route, the vehicle or the connection strength, to make it possible to prevent any problems, plan routes and schedules better and act more swiftly should problems arise.
Project period
2020-2025
Partners
Keolis
Ericsson
Telia
Intel
Scania
Viscando
T-Engineering
Royal Institute of Technology
City of Stockholm
Region Stockholm
KTH
AppliedAutonomy
VY
Contact
Eleonor Sjödin Turah
eleonor.sjodinturah@kista.com
Summary
5G Ride is a concept for self-driving, 5G-connected electric vehicles used in public transport.
The pilot
The pilot in 2020 was the result of a unique collaboration between some of Sweden’s most prominent and well-known organizations within the fields of mobility and technology.
The knowledge hub and testbed Urban ICT Arena managed the initiative, with Keolis as bus operator. Ericsson provided the technical solution for the connected control tower, a solution that will be further developed during 2021.
Telia provideded the 5G-connectivity in collaboration with Ericsson and deployed 5G at Djurgården specifically for this project. Intel delivered analytics capabilities and the technology for the processing across the network including the IT-system in the vehicles and the control tower, as well as the mobile network. T-Engineering, a Swedish technology firm, delivered vehicle and self-driving technology.
HRH Prince Daniel was among the dignitaries to attend the official inauguration ceremony outside Tekniska museet.