Image: Canadian Tire
On March 11, Canadian Tire announced a new project with NuPort Robotics — a Toronto-based firm that designs driver assistance technology for truckers — to equip its middle-mile semi trucks with autopilot and collision avoidance tech, according to a report from Electric Autonomy.
NuPort Robotics is a Canadian firm that has established itself in the niche area of automated middle-mile trucking.
By focusing on driver assistance technology for the shorter routes driven by tractor trailers, NuPort has been able to make significant strides in innovation and development.
The project will see the Canadian retailer’s diesel-powered trucks making middle-mile deliveries between distribution centres and warehouses fitted with NuPort’s autopilot system, high-tech sensors, obstacle and collision avoidance technology, and touchscreen navigation.
Raghavender Sahdev, CEO of NuPort Robotics, had the following to say about the project:
“When these drivers are driving the trucks, [they] need to be alerted if there’s some immediate obstacle in front of them — like a kid…or bicyclist — that the truck might not be able to see for some reason. Our sensors basically form a safety cocoon around the truck. They have a clear 360-degree coverage, so they don’t miss any blind spots. That allows us to increase the safety, reduce the accidents and also increase the operational efficiency for our clients.”
Canadian Tire, which has recently also focused on green transportation by installing electric vehicle chargers at many of its retail locations, finds the partnership to be a natural marriage.
“Over the last three years, Canadian Tire has made a significant effort to solve complex business problems by using the Canadian start-up Artificial Intelligence ecosystem, and NuPort Robotics exemplifies what we look for in a start-up with a focus on innovation, automation and artificial intelligence”, said Cari Covent, Vice President of Intelligent Automation at Canadian Tire.
The project weighs in at $3 million CAD, and the bill will be footed by Canadian Tire, NuPort Robotics, and Ontario’s Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Network (AVIN), all of whom will contribute $1 million CAD each.
