In a bid to introduce Level-2 autonomy and advanced driver assistance systems to its electric bus models, EKA has announced its partnership with NuPort Robotics.
According to the official statement from the company, through this strategic partnership, NuPort will provide AI-enabled autonomous solutions, and EKA will provide the electric vehicle platform.
The Canadian company NuPort Robotics will be following a ‘Made in India’ approach, thereby contributing to the advancement of economic development and innovation ecosystem within the country, the release added.
With an investment of INR 150 crore, following a period of testing, the technology will be deployed in over 5,000 buses. As a result, the company believes that with commercial vehicles associated crashes can be reduced by nearly 50%, the release said.
Dr Sudhir Mehta, Chairman, EKA & Pinnacle Industries, said, “Our partnership with NuPort ensures that our electric buses are not only environmentally friendly but also futuristic through incorporation of Artificial Intelligence thereby making our buses efficient and safer to operate on Indian roads.”
Raghavender Sahdev, CEO, NuPort Robotics, said, “The current project with EKA allows us to set the first precedent in India for a Level-2 AI-enabled smart Electric bus.”