Quebec government awards grant to Tangente AI to develop innovative solutions to further smart transportation in Quebec

Pierre Fitzgibbon, Quebec Minister of Economy and Innovation and Minister responsible for the Lanaudière region, announced the Tangente AI Project will receive C$5.6 million (US$ 4.246 million) in funding to support the development of mobilizing projects in the field of intelligent transport. 

This investment is part of the provincial government's plan to mobilize key technology stakeholders in a bid to develop projects within the field of transportation intelligence and to further position Quebec as a leader in the development of innovative solutions for mobility and smart cities.

With a total cost estimated to be C$11.6 million (US$8.799) over a period of three years, the project will be conducted by BusPas, KPI Digital and Enseicom. It will also be carried out in close collaboration with Quebec and Canadian academics, including McGill, Concordia, Polytechnique, HEC, Université de Sherbrooke, UQAM and UQTR, for all aspects related to data processing, consequently involving a strong contribution from the academic community. 

In addition to this, the Tangente AI project will also be developed in collaboration with the Société de transport de Laval (STL) to create an open and participatory data platform for stakeholders within the intelligent mobility sector. 

"This collaboration is in line with our company philosophy of putting innovation at the heart of what we do to consistently improve the experience of customers," said Éric Morasse, Board chairman, STL.

Based primarily on the applications Internet of Things (IoT) technology, the project will employ solar-powered smart devices at bus stops, integrated sensors capable of taking measurements including bus stop traffic, air pollution and noise in the surrounding area. These sensors will allow the collection of data on passenger mobility conditions, road mobility and the city's environment. A web application for public transport network operators, as well as a mobile application for passengers, is also planned in this project.

This is a unique opportunity for these organizations to showcase the capabilities and real-world applications of new IoT and artificial intelligence technologies, highlighting the skills of Quebec's innovation sector on a city-wide scale and further promoting the notion of smart city. 

"The integration of Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things in our activities is unavoidable. This project will allow us to experiment with these tools and their seemingly infinite possibilities," said STl Managing Director Guy Picard.

The project will debut its first phase by fall and an initial pilot project will consist of testing sensors at some 40 bus stops and bus shelters on several STL bus lines.

"Québec is recognized around the world for its technological genius and its advances in leading-edge fields such as transportation intelligence. By combining their efforts and expertise, the partner companies in these mobilizing projects will be able to develop new innovative solutions that have the potential to propel Québec to the rank of leader in this promising sector," said Minister Fitzgibbon. "Our government's support reaffirms our determination to further stimulate innovation and investment in transportation intelligence to make it one of the sources of growth and prosperity of the Quebec economy."