Skip to main content

Automated vehicles coming to Ontario roads

Ontario, Canada, is supporting innovation in the transportation sector by launching the first automated vehicle (AV) pilot program in Canada, led by the University of Waterloo, the Erwin Hymer Group and BlackBerry QNX. The pilot brings together a range of expertise from the research, manufacturing and technology sectors to advance innovation and capability in Ontario's AV sector. The WATCar Project at the University of Waterloo's Centre for Automotive Research will monitor a Lincoln MKZ for performan
November 29, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Ontario, Canada, is supporting innovation in the transportation sector by launching the first automated vehicle (AV) pilot program in Canada, led by the University of Waterloo, the Erwin Hymer Group and BlackBerry QNX.

The pilot brings together a range of expertise from the research, manufacturing and technology sectors to advance innovation and capability in Ontario's AV sector.

The WATCar Project at the University of Waterloo's Centre for Automotive Research will monitor a Lincoln MKZ for performance and test it on-road at different levels of automation.

Auto manufacturer The Erwin Hymer Group will test and monitor a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van at different levels of automation.

Canadian software development specialist BlackBerry QNX will test a 2017 Lincoln with automated features.

In January 2016, Ontario became the first province in Canada to create a pilot regulatory framework to test automated vehicles on its roads. The pilot aims to help attract and enable research and development in Ontario in this emerging industry, positioning the province as a global leader in the AV market.

Related Content

  • Blockchain: the next big thing for ITS? Really?
    October 8, 2018
    Everyone’s heard of blockchain – but most people are less sure about what it really is, and how it might be used in transportation. Andrew Williams peers into cyberspace to find some answers. A growing number of organisations in the ITS industry are exploring how blockchain technology could be used for ITS and mobility applications. So, what exactly is blockchain technology? What are the key current and potential applications in the mobility and ITS sector? And what practical benefits might it bring?
  • Cognitive boss on AV safety: ‘It’s about human life, not just big money’
    March 3, 2020
    Olga Uskova, founder and president of Russia-based Cognitive Technologies, puts herself in the hotseat with ITS International to answer questions about advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), dominating the global market – and, of course, The Beatles…
  • CES 2024: Wideye and Seyond crack in-vehicle Lidar
    January 12, 2024
    Developers say prototype shown at CES is "closer than ever to being market-ready"
  • Shock therapy: jolt for EV charging needed
    October 2, 2018
    As sales of electric vehicles accelerate, the growth of charging infrastructure is in need of a big boost. Graham Anderson reports on whether Europe is up to it. Utilities, technology companies and vehicle manufacturers are battling to put in place new charging networks for electric vehicles (EVs) across Europe in response to a predicted dramatic surge in demand. Market experts believe that rapidly falling battery costs – which make up about one third of the costs of an electric car – and growing