Digital Catapult, the UK authority on advanced digital technology, has announced its collaboration with seven pioneering technology firms in conjunction with prominent transport authorities including Transport for London (TfL). The aim is to spearhead transformative initiatives within the transportation domain.
Transport for London is set to embark on a novel venture aimed at enhancing the user experience for its patrons, particularly those reliant on bus services and wheelchairs.
The unveiling of this partnership comes as part of the Innovate UK BridgeAI initiative, signifying a strategic move by Digital Catapult to integrate seven forward-thinking companies nationwide into its High Growth AI Accelerator for transport. This coalition is poised to propel the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), thereby catalysing economic growth and capital investment opportunities. Collaborating with transport leaders, the cohort seeks to address operational hurdles, notably enhancing optimisation and efficiency, aligning with the forecasted surge in the AI transportation market to £5 billion by 2027.
TfL, overseeing a bus fleet of around 9,300 vehicles traversing 675 routes across London, will collaborate with OpenCapacity and PodTech. The focus will be on bolstering productivity and efficiency while bolstering the accessibility of bus services. Key to TfL’s agenda is to explore innovative solutions that elevate the user experience, particularly for bus commuters with mobility challenges. The anticipated AI-driven solution aims to dynamically communicate the real-time availability of wheelchair priority spaces aboard buses to customers via smartphone technology, integrated with TfL’s journey planning app, TfL Go. Recognising that approximately 87% of the UK population utilise smartphones, this initiative is poised to streamline journey planning, boost customer satisfaction levels, and sustain operational efficiency, especially during peak hours.
Additionally, the cohort will explore novel approaches to support transport and infrastructure firms. Bahut Limited and Hackney AI Ltd are set to tackle a container placement optimisation challenge in collaboration with the Port of Tyne. The endeavour seeks to streamline the arrangement of shipping containers, minimising the need for frequent repositioning upon retrieval. Currently, container reorganisation accounts for 35% of all movements within the terminal, with an AI-infused solution potentially mitigating fuel consumption and carbon emissions, ushering in a new era of sustainable logistics optimisation.
Furthermore, Atera Analytics Ltd, Singular Intelligence Limited, and iPurvey are poised to closely collaborate with RailX to automate and optimise rail and road freight bookings via RailX’s digital platform. Central to RailX’s objectives is the decarbonisation of the booking process without compromising efficiency, underscoring the pivotal role of AI and ML in driving sustainability within the transport sector.
The announcement heralds the inception of a 14-week programme wherein Digital Catapult will equip each startup with an array of resources, encompassing computational prowess, strategic counsel, comprehensive diagnostics, tailored support, and a platform for showcasing AI and ML solutions. Programme participants will gain access to a dynamic ecosystem comprising AI developers and adopters, along with opportunities for workshops, masterclasses, and peer-to-peer knowledge exchange sessions.
The High Growth AI Accelerator for BridgeAI is architected to serve as a launchpad for startups and scaleups, fostering an environment conducive to experimentation aimed at developing responsible, ethical, and marketable AI and ML solutions. These solutions are meticulously crafted to address prevailing challenges while remaining adaptable to future operational exigencies, thereby fostering collaborative synergies between the cohort and industrial partners, paving the way for sustainable growth within the transport sector.
Jessica Rushworth, Chief Strategy and Policy Officer at Digital Catapult, asserted,
“The BridgeAI transport accelerator holds immense promise in addressing critical sectoral challenges, unlocking new avenues for economic growth and investment. Attaining efficiency, productivity, and sustainability gains within the transport realm will be pivotal in nurturing sustainable sectoral expansion.”
Sara El-Hanfy, Head of AI & ML at Innovate UK, expressed enthusiasm for the strides made by the High Growth Accelerator cohort, underscoring its potential to catalyse the adoption of AI. She highlighted the transformative impact of AI on enhancing efficiency and productivity across diverse transportation projects, spanning from London to North-East England and encompassing various modes of transport, promising far-reaching benefits for the sector.
