With internationally renowned researchers in artificial intelligence, the province plays a leading role in the development of intelligent navigation systems.
We've come a long way since the advent of ABS brakes. These driver-assistance technologies were, however, the first breakthroughs of vehicular intelligence and today promise to transform transportation profoundly. Experts agree: we are on the brink of a major revolution.
Technology is now advanced enough that many cities are jumping in with both feet to implement pilot autonomous driving projects. In Quebec, Bill 165 now allows the minister to authorize such initiatives for autonomous vehicles and shuttles on public land. The Canadian government is also working with the provinces on a national strategy that should be known in 2019.
The climate remains a major challenge in Quebec. Intelligent navigation systems still have difficulty coping with all weather conditions, and particularly with snow. Vehicles may not be 100% autonomous yet, but one thing's for sure, it won't be long. The PIT Group research center, one of the groups affiliated with the organization specializing in advanced technological research FPInnovations, is currently working in a consortium with several Quebec companies to design and assemble an autonomous shuttle that would operate in Quebec’s difficult conditions, within three years.
The autonomous shuttle, a truly intelligent transport
The autonomous vehicle will first and foremost serve to improve public transit, for example by picking people up and dropping them off at their door to take them to an efficient public transit system, such as the REM.
"What we hope to see in the long term is a reduction in single-occupancy vehicles," concedes Yves Provencher, director of emerging markets at Groupe PIT.
The autonomous vehicle revolution could indeed turn into a nightmare if everyone owned an automated car. "Imagine that every person working downtown Montreal is dropped off by their autonomous car in the morning. And that all those cars then return home to avoid paying for parking. Those cars would then come back to pick up their owners at the end of the day. There would constantly be cars on the road! Congestion would be endless!" warns Yves Provencher.
"At a minimum, we need to develop shared-vehicle services, like car2go, for example, in an autonomous version. Better yet, we should have shuttles that can carry about fifteen people at once."
For Marie-Hélène Cloutier, vice-president, passenger experience, marketing and commercialization at Keolis Canada, "modern and reliable autonomous shuttles would have the potential to discourage people from using their cars. This would allow better traffic flow while reducing the number of road accidents, driving-related stress and greenhouse gas emissions."
Quebec in a good position
Quebec is in an excellent position to stand out globally in vehicular intelligence, particularly regarding autonomous shuttles. With internationally renowned researchers in artificial intelligence, the province plays a leading role in the development of intelligent navigation systems.
Furthermore, over the years Quebec has developed expertise in the design of collective transport vehicles (as opposed to passenger vehicles), which gives it an undeniable competitive advantage for the development of intelligent vehicles destined for public transport.
Autonomous transport, a prosperous future
The arrival of autonomous transport and the reduction of costs related to congestion, fuel and road accidents would generate a potential saving of 65 billion dollars per year for Canadians. These new technologies would also lead to the creation of hundreds of jobs and the development of new economic sectors.[1]
[1]Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications. Paving the Way. Technology and the Future of the Automated Vehicle. January 2018
