Railergy has selected Mountain View, Calif.-based Aeva to supply 4D LiDAR™ technology for its automatic train operation (ATO) system used in switching, main line and last-mile applications at ports, freight railroads and mines.
Aeva’s Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) 4D LiDAR™ technology can “simultaneously detect precise range and the velocity of small obstacles on and around” railroad tracks that could prevent safe operation of autonomous locomotives, Aeva reported Aug. 7. Its “instant velocity data enables the real-time segmentation of moving and non-moving objects … Velocity data also powers Aeva’s Ultra Resolution perception capabilities, which provide higher resolution than conventional time of flight LiDAR sensors. Together, these features enable Railergy to meet use-case requirements that could not be achieved using conventional LiDAR.” Additionally, Aeva’s FMCW technology is said to be resistant to interference from sunlight and other LiDAR sensors.
“Aeva’s 4D LiDAR technology has been transformative in enabling safety for our automatic train operation solution,” said Jakob Gärtner, Founder of Germany-based Railergy.
“[W]e are excited to support the development of [Railergy’s] automatic train operation solution for customers, starting with one of Europe’s largest cargo train operators,” Aeva Vice President of Global Sales Barrs Lang said. “We look forward to working closely with them to scale their solution using our commercially available Aeries II LiDAR technology to deliver safer and more efficient automated trains.”
