Artificial intelligence mapping company Ecopia AI will make a high definition map of Toronto, ON, to aid the deployment of autonomous cars in the future.
The goal of the 3D map is to create a digital twin of Toronto using artificial intelligence for mini geospatial and Street View images of the city to generate a digital recreation of the largest city in Canada.
The key to these maps is to accurately map things like sidewalk heights, crosswalks, stop signs, potholes, and all the other specific driving characteristics autonomous vehicles need to navigate a space on their own. These are normally missing from traditional maps.
Ecopia is doing this with the support of the Ontario Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Network (AVIN), an Ontario government organization that funds research and development projects in Ontario to promote autonomous car-related technology. AVIN has pledged $ 994,706 and Ecopia invests the remaining $ 2 million needed for the project itself.
This company was founded by a few graduates from the University of Waterloo in 2015 and has worked on digitization projects in more than 100 countries since its inception.
A report from Electric autonomy Canada claims Toronto was planning to be ready to roll out autonomous vehicles in 2022, and while this partnership and the possible 3D map will help with that, I am skeptical that everything is ready by next year.
Source: Ecopia Via: Electric autonomy Canada
