FPInnovations announces collaboration agreement to develop automated electric vehicles in Québec Français
MONTRÉAL, June 13, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - FPInnovations, in collaboration with Motrec International Inc., Technoparc Montréal, ABB Inc., and Ericsson Canada Inc., is pleased to announce a collaboration agreement to develop and create an electric autonomous shuttle, adapted to Canadian winter conditions. This project will make it possible to tackle the various challenges and needs relating to electric and smart mobility and will contribute toward the development of the electric vehicle sector as well as toward supporting the Grappe industrielle des véhicules électriques et intelligents (Industrial Cluster for Electric and Smart Vehicles).
Backed by its experience in innovative, collaborative projects and through its expertise in electric mobility, FPInnovations has succeeded in rallying world leaders in technology and Québec manufacturers to obtain the necessary global and local expertise to design, develop, produce, and market this shuttle. Vision, object recognition, artificial intelligence and navigation systems, as well as vehicle-to-vehicle, vehicle-to-user and vehicle-to-infrastructure telecommunication systems will be integrated into the vehicle in addition to battery management and automatic recharging.
The first series of shuttles will be implemented at Technoparc Montréal before being integrated into the public transit network. Technoparc Montréal will be the first demonstration site.
This collaborative effort falls within the Québec strategy on research and innovation presented last month by Dominique Anglade, the Québec government's Minister of Economy, Science and Innovation and Minister responsible for the Digital Strategy, who supports the innovation ecosystem in order to significantly contribute toward Québec's economy.
The name and identity of the product will be chosen through a contest between high school, college, and university students, which will be launched when they return to classes this fall. Nadine Bernard, President and CEO of the Grappe industrielle des véhicules électriques et intelligents, will chair the contest selection committee.
"As a leader in the field of innovation, we are pleased to bring together stakeholders from various sectors around an innovative, international, made-in-Québec project and, in this way, contribute toward reducing the risks associated with innovation for each stakeholder, while contributing to Québec's economy."
- Pierre Lapointe, President and CEO, FPInnovations
"Motrec is excited and proud to be the manufacturing partner in this cutting-edge project. Together, we will show the world what Canada and Québec can do in the electrical transportation space".
- Blair McIntosh, President and CEO, Motrec International Inc.
"This exciting project consolidates our objective at Technoparc Montréal, which is to welcome innovative companies to our site in order to innovate, develop and experiment. We are very proud to be taking part in this project."
- Mario Monette, President and CEO, Technoparc Montréal.
"ABB is proud to be associated with this innovative collaboration project, which is aligned with ABB's decision, announced earlier this year in Davos, to establish its North American electric mobility centre of excellence in Montréal's Technoparc. ABB will apply its know-how in electrification of transportation within the framework of this initiative aimed at developing clean, autonomous, and intelligent mobility, thereby fostering the sustainable development of public transportation."
- Nathalie Pilon, President and CEO, ABB Canada
"Ericsson believes it takes a connected ecosystem to transform the world, and that the future of transport lies in connected, cooperative and automated systems. This project gives us a look at the networked society of tomorrow."
- Eric Boudriau, Head of Industry and Society, Market Area North America, Ericsson.
"This project is a concrete step demonstrating the industry's desire to position Québec as a leader in the field of electric and smart ground transportation. Through this promising, mobilizing project, I'm delighted to see the student community's involvement in defining the brand image of this vehicle and am looking forward to presiding over the panel of judges that will select the winning team."
- Nadine Bernard, President and CEO, Grappe industrielle des véhicules électriques et intelligents
"Electric and intelligent vehicles, both individually and together, represent the future of transport. Montréal is now recognized as a hub in the field of artificial intelligence and has the know-how in electricity required to position itself as a major player in this new industry. FPInnovations' initiative represents a superb showcase for enhancing this expertise and contributes to improving urban transport in the metropolis."
- Michel Leblanc, President and CEO, Chambre de commerce du Montréal métropolitain
"This initiative further validates the richness of our ecosystem and represents a unique growth opportunity for our ICT companies, which are great generators of innovative solutions in the field of electric and intelligent transportation. Our industry is a powerful economic lever for the development of the Québec electrical sector."
- Lidia Divry, President and Executive Director, TechnoMontréal
About FPInnovations
FPInnovations is a not-for-profit world leader that specializes in the creation of scientific solutions in support of the Canadian forest sector's global competitiveness and responds to the priority needs of its industry members and government partners. It is ideally positioned to perform research, innovate, and deliver state-of-the-art solutions for every area of the sector's value chain, from forest operations to consumer and industrial products. FPInnovations' staff numbers more than 500. Its R&D laboratories are located in Québec City, Montréal, and Vancouver, and it has technology transfer offices across Canada. For more information about FPInnovations, visit: www.fpinnovations.ca.
SOURCE FPInnovations
Terry Knee, FPInnovations, Communications Director, 514-442-1598, [email protected]
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