Sasil has signed an agreement with the Spanish technology multinational GMV to develop a prototype autonomous system for the installation and collection of traffic cones.
The project, called Automatic Cone Machine Safe Signaling System (ACM3s), being developed by Sacyr Conservación, involves the design of an autonomous cone handling system.
The two-year contract is being funded by the Center for Technology Development and Innovation (CDTI), a Madrid-based government agency that promotes the development of new technologies within Spanish companies. The autonomous machine, which eliminates the need for human workers to be on the road or exposed to physical risks, uses GMV’s uPathWay solution.
Equipped with autonomous navigation and leader-follower technology, the trailer tracks the lead maintenance vehicle, places cones according to safety protocols, detects obstacles and maintains necessary signals. When the job is finished, the trailer is automatically re-coupled to the lead vehicle.
For precise cone placement and pickup, the trailer incorporates a robotic arm that uses an artificial intelligence-based algorithm that takes into account the relative position of each cone. Sacyr said ACM3 will improve road safety and help detect the presence of vulnerable road users.
Sacyr is a global infrastructure and services company with operations in 20 countries and a focus on public and private P3 projects.
Founded in 1984, GMV is a privately owned global technology group with more than 3,000 employees with locations in Europe, the Americas and Asia. We operate in the areas of intelligent transportation systems, automotive space, aviation, defense, cybersecurity, and IT for government authorities and major corporations.