NuPort Celebrates Forest Sector Demonstration For FPInnovations
Earlier last month, NuPort performed a technology demonstration for FPInnovations, a Canadian research organization driving forest industry transformation for increased competitiveness.
FPInnovations is supporting its members to tackle the growing problem of truck driver shortages in the forest sector. Difficult road conditions, cold climates and long hours makes recruitment a challenge. To address this, FPInnovations’ autonomous trucking initiative is evaluating technologies in the Class 8 trucks space and is working towards developing autonomous corridors with industry and government partners to support the forest sector in staying competitive.
When FPInnovations reached out to see NuPort’s technology in action, it was a valuable opportunity to build shared confidence in the solution we trust.
The challenge? A limited prep window. No problem.
With a team of talented experts that focus on retrofitting existing fleets with cutting-edge software and hardware, we’re always ready for any situation, scenario, or challenge that arises. The demonstration ultimately showcased our system’s capabilities and highlighted the flexibility, reliability, and scalability of our technology in real-world scenarios.
Safety was the highest priority during this demo, which had a driver behind the wheel, in a controlled environment for a forestry company. The operation was closely monitored at all times with remote supervision, escort vehicles, and the driver actively engaging the SAE Level 2 autopilot system.
Figure 1. NuPort team with FPInnovations assessors
Here are just a few of the use cases our technology handles:
Figure 2. Truck autonomously maneuvers around obstacle
Obstructions: Logs
Unexpected obstacles are inevitable regardless of the vehicle, path and plan. During the demonstration on snow-covered roads a log was placed in the vehicle’s path. NuPort’s technology reacted by analyzing the situation and maneuvering smoothly around the obstacle.
Crossing A Bridge
Bridges are a test of precision with narrow lanes, limited margins for error, and no room for mistakes. NuPort’s self-driving stack approached a single-lane bridge on our demo route with expected accuracy, maintaining an appropriate speed throughout.
Figure 3. Truck autonomously crosses a single lane bridge 5 m wide
Adjusting Speed
Autonomous Vehicles must replicate the same effectiveness of human drivers in making split-second decisions to reach the destination safely while staying aware of road signs, obstacles, and changing environments.
In this demonstration, NuPort’s technology showcased its capability to adapt and react to dynamic weather conditions, road signs, obstacles, and traffic.
Oncoming Traffic
Even when operating on a private route, it’s common for a truck to encounter vehicles parked on the shoulder or vehicles operating in the vicinity. NuPort’s retrofitted truck intelligently assessed oncoming traffic to determine when to proceed, stop, or safely navigate around stationary vehicles.
Figure 4. Truck maintaining appropriate speed in presence of other vehicles
Why forestry?
After this initial demonstration, NuPort is keen on exploring further collaboration with FPInnovations that works towards scalable autonomy to transform forest operations.
NuPort’s technology can adapt to any industry (forestry, mining, retail, trucking, etc.). Many industrial operations share challenges that the forest sector experiences and can benefit from greater efficiency, safety, and cost savings.
This demonstration marks another significant milestone, and we’re eager to share how our technology can drive efficiency, reduce costs, and have a direct impact on our customers’ bottom line.
Figure 5. Truck autonomously navigates snow covered gravel road
What does this mean for the future of NuPort?
NuPort is proud to be working with some of the largest corporations in Canada and is now expanding its operations into the United States. We’re redefining the way autonomy is viewed by shifting the focus to a customer-centric approach that prioritizes simplicity and a focus on cost savings. Our mission is simple: deliver seamless and scalable automation.
“I’m incredibly proud of NuPort’s growth as our team’s hard work and dedication have been pivotal in delivering successful demonstrations like this one; We prove that no challenge is too big, no timeline too short - all you need is the right mindset, an aligned vision and the right team for execution.”
Watch the highlights of our demo below:
