Knorr-Bremse is acquiring an additional 19.8% of Israeli start-up Rail Vision for USD 10 million. As a result, the company now holds a 36.8% stake in the start-up, which specialises in sensor technology and obstacle detection based on artificial intelligence and deep learning.
“We are delighted to further strengthen and expand our strategic commitment to Rail Vision. The systems developed by Rail Vision hold great potential for numerous new applications as train operation becomes progressively more automated in the future. For us as a global technology leader, this makes the young company an exciting and highly attractive partner in designing mobility and transport solutions for rail,” said Nicolas Lange, Chairman of the Management Board of Knorr-Bremse Rail Vehicle Systems.
Knorr-Bremse and Rail Vision have been partners in the development of object and obstacle detection systems for rail vehicles since March 2019. At that time, Knorr-Bremse acquired an initial stake of 21.3% in the Israeli company, thereby taking another important step towards system solutions for automated rail travel. The initial transaction had a value of USD 10 million. With the transaction, Knorr-Bremse is pursuing its objective of offering highly integrated support systems in the field of automated driving to its railway customers.
“Having Knorr-Bremse as partner gives us the opportunity not only to think big but to further develop our systems and execute our projects on a bigger worldwide scale”, Sam Donnerstein, executive chairman of Rail Vision said.
Recently, Knorr-Bremse and Rail Vision announced that they will equip shunting locomotives of the Swiss rail operator SBB Cargo with remote-controlled electro-optic systems for obstacle detection. After prototype testing is successfully completed at the end of the first quarter of 2021, the partners will examine further business opportunities for integrating these systems into rail freight vehicles.
Rail Vision’s solutions offer detection and classification of objects or obstacles, rail path recognition, distance measurement and opportunity infrastructure condition monitoring, required for ATO.
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