The EDAG Group presents the AI prototype of the "EDAG CityBot" for the first time at the "EDAG Tech Summit 2020" on 26th October, 2020.
The AI prototype, which constitutes the further development of the CityBot mobility concept presented at the IAA 2019, impressively underlines its technical feasibility. In the fields of artificial intelligence, autonomous driving, robotic technology and trajectory planning, the robot vehicle demonstrates concrete technical solutions for transferring the "EDAG CityBot" vision to the real world. This once again demonstrates the acknowledged expertise of the EDAG Group in the future fields that will shape the networked and digital mobility of tomorrow.
When the EDAG Group, the world's largest independent engineering company, presented the "EDAG CityBot" mobility concept for the first time at the IAA in Frankfurt a year ago, it was a huge success. The CityBot does not belong to any particular type of vehicle. In fact, what it represents is an all-round, networked and radically different mobility concept. EDAG CityBots are networked, autonomous robot vehicles which are coupled up with various utility modules such as trailer and rucksack modules, to enable them to master any transport and work situations in urban or industrial areas. Far from being a stand-alone solution, they are an integral part of a demand-oriented, fully integrated transport system. Permanently in motion, and therefore enormously efficient. "With everything operating under a self-contained software system, to facilitate the intelligent interlinking and efficient coordination of the diverse tasks and logistic processes in the Smart City."
The EDAG Group will be presenting the AI prototype of the "EDAG CityBot" for the first time at the EDAG Tech Summit 2020 from 26.10.2020 to 5.11.2020. Trade visitors will be able to see the extended skills of the CityBot as it handles the task of waste disposal is a test area (playground) for themselves - either in person at the Fulda site or via live stream. By means of innovative trajectory planning and self-localisation, the AI prototype can autonomously move around the playground and approach an identified waste object with pinpoint accuracy. Thanks to AI and machine learning, the EDAG specialists have developed an object recognition system capable of identifying objects such as a ball of scrunched up paper, a beverage can or a bottle, and then using its robotic arm to pick it up and dispose of it accordingly.
To enable it to perform a wide variety of tasks in the future, in even the tightest of spaces, a chassis and drive concept that ensures maximum manoeuvrability was developed for the AI prototype: as a result, the CityBot is capable of driving straight ahead and around bends, as well as diagonally and transversely, and can turn on the spot if necessary. These are functions that no standard road vehicle in the world can offer.
"We are proud of the fact that, with the AI prototype, we have demonstrated the technical feasibility of the vision of our fully integrated "EDAG CityBot" mobility concept. What is more, it is a competence carrier and a visible sign of the successful transformation process of the EDAG Group. With our software and digitalisation expertise, we offer exactly the right skills that will be needed for the vehicles of tomorrow: networked, autonomously driven and versatile. This puts us in an excellent position to provide our customers not just with our acknowledged expertise in 360-degree engineering for vehicles and production plants, but also with all-round support in the future fields of mobility," emphasises Cosimo De Carlo, CEO of the EDAG Group in the run-up to the EDAG Tech Summit 2020.
The EDAG Group will be working on the continual development of the CityBot concept. The roadmap provides for a first application in a "living laboratory". The engineering company is already in advanced discussions with a major Spanish city which has already indicated a very clear interest in carrying out an initial test run using "EDAG CityBots". On a timescale up until 2025, the EDAG Group considers the industrial use of CityBots at airports or in the field of distribution/logistics to be a realistic goal, as there is no mixed traffic in these areas, and the influencing factors are easier to control than in real city traffics.
The EDAG Group invites customers, trade visitors and the technical press to the world premiere of the AI prototype of the "EDAG CityBot" at the EDAG Tech Summit 2020, and to engage in dialogue with the developers of the AI prototype.
There are a number of possibilities: you can take part in person on-site from 26.10. to 5.11.2020, via live stream, where the various technical focuses are dealt with, or in webinars. Registration and facilities for arranging appointments have been available online at https://www.edag.com/en/tech-summit-2020 since mid-September.