Hydrogen mobility and clean energy company, HYZON Motors (“HYZON”) has announced an agreement with AIDRIVERS Ltd (“AIDRIVERS”), a leading autonomous mobility company, to develop an integrated vehicle platform to produce autonomous zero-emission trucks, buses and coaches for off-road industrial mobility operations.
Under the agreement, HYZON and AIDRIVERS will jointly collaborate on the design, manufacture and delivery of autonomous-drive hydrogen-powered trucks, buses and coaches with an initial focus on ports in the Asia-Pacific region as end-users. The first trial of a fully autonomous hydrogen fuel-cell powered truck is expected in 2021, with the first fleet of operational trucks to be deployed in 2022.
AIDRIVERS is a leading autonomous mobility provider focused on industrial operations, delivering Ai enabled autonomous mobility solutions to seaports, airports and logistic operations around the world. AIDRIVERS’ Ai enabled algorithms and 3D sensors deliver superior safety performance for industrial applications which focus particularly in the dynamic and noisy environment of seaport terminals.
AIDRIVERS has two key solutions: the Autonomous Intelligent Operating System (AIOS) and the Autonomous Intelligent Fleet Operator (AIFO) management system. AIOS is equipped with precision 3D mapping and localisation to perform in dynamic environments. The operating system combines 3D perception with situation awareness to enable autonomous driving. AIFO provides the operator with a live visualisation platform and predictive analytics for intelligent path planning and scheduling.
Craig Knight, CEO and Co-Founder of HYZON Motors, commented: “We have seen, over the past few years, many industrial operators around the world get serious about decarbonizing their operations. To this end, HYZON and its parent company Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies have been supplying hydrogen-powered vehicles and fuel-cell solutions to seaports and other industrial operators for many years.
“However, today’s partnership with AIDRIVERS, which is a leader in the autonomous mobility automation sector, combines two of the most innovative aspects of mobility – zero-emission fuel and autonomous driving – to create a safer, smarter and cleaner solution for ports, logistics, airports and other industrial operators around the world. This is the ultimate future of mobility; zero emissions with zero drivers.”
Industry operators have been automating equipment and vehicles for many years, allowing greater handling of equipment, faster operations with more precision and better safety. However, the use of traditional fossil fuels is still dominant in most operations. As industrial operators embrace the energy transition, the combination of automation and clean fuels marks a new chapter for many seaports and airports.
Dr Rafiq Swash, CEO and Founder of AIDRIVERS commented: “While automation is already common in industrial operations, AIDRIVERS is re-shaping industrial mobility by bringing zero-emissions to autonomous driving. This agreement delivers sustainability and truly looks at the future of mobility.
“We are excited to be working with HYZON, an established and pioneering group in global zero-emission mobility, a world leader in fuel-cell technology and already a supplier of hydrogen-powered trucks to ports. This is an exciting partnership, and we look forward to delivering the future of sustainable and safe mobility in the coming years.”
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