Canadian winter is a thing to talk about and is one of the harshest winters known. But, we’re on the brink of witnessing a technological innovation that eases the burden of winter maintenance. The City of Montreal has unveiled a fleet of autonomous snowplows infused with AI to take charge and ensure consistent winter maintenance even in difficult conditions.
Snow removal is a lot of labor-intensive work and is an expensive process. A large number of workers, specialized equipment, and also compensations for tougher working conditions, are too many difficult factors in the mix. To ease this effort, a company named VICONTECH developed snowplows to utilize AI and machine learning to maneuver complex roadways for efficient winter management.
These harsh winters require operations around the clock and in diverse weather conditions. When the effort is made autonomously, it involves the least variable conditions and is expected to result in fewer traffic delays and the least disruptions to resident lives. These autonomous snowplows are also designed for precision and accuracy to leave no missed roads or places. It is an absolute improvement in comparison to the traditional process leaving piles of snow on sidewalks, driveways, and parking spaces.
With Montreal’s goal of becoming a carbon-neutral city by 2050, these snowplows with less emissions and less noise pollution are contributing factors to achieving it. This is one of the applications of sustainable technology in a series to come. Machine learning and AI are expected to reduce the costs of these winter management efforts in the long run where proper effort will in time come at a much affordable cost for cities.
VICONTECh’s innovation is also a testament to Canada’s growing AI industry. With technology evolving rapidly, Canada is stepping into an age where citizens are supported by AI in more than a few ways in their daily lives. According to the Brookfield Institute, Canada has over 1000 AI-specialized companies employing over 22,000 people. AI sector is also expected to contribute heavily to the economy with a projected market size of CAD 191 billion by 2025.
However, as with any innovation, these too come with concerns and cons to overcome. One of the major issues is the displacement of the human workforce through automation. As these have traditionally been labor-intensive work, replacing them with robotic processes risks putting these people out of work. These issues must be also addressed alongside appropriate policies implemented to minimize the negative impact led by automation.
In conclusion, the development and adoption of autonomous snowplows powered by AI is an exciting turn for winter maintenance. This technology ensures that the work is done on time despite harsh weather conditions efficiently and with reduced cost. Resident lives are improved for the better and so is the economic impact of low-cost winter management. Although there are concerns about job displacements, with the right policies, welfare plans, and job diversions implemented, this is one big step towards a sustainable Canada.