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Elmo gains approval for higher-speed driverless teledriving with AI-braking technology

Posted on by Elmo

Elmo, the Estonian company behind the world’s first road-legal teledriving technology, has achieved a major milestone in remote technology innovation. The Estonian Traffic Department has officially validated Elmo’s AI-powered autonomous braking system, enabling its teledrive technology to operate without a safety driver at higher speeds and without area restrictions. This advancement in driverless mobility further solidifies Elmo’s leadership in the teledriving sector, offering safe, scalable, and robust communication protocols for technology solutions in urban mobility, road safety, and military applications.

Enn Laansoo, Jr., CEO and co-founder of Elmo, commented, “Our team is very happy with technological and regulatory progress we have made in the past year, which allows us now to focus on delivering our solutions to our clients. Our pipeline of clients includes multiple car-sharing operators, road safety, and military players in the EU, including Germany, with further potential expansion into the Middle East and the U.S. Parallel to sales, we’re also advancing AI and machine learning upgrades to ensure an even safer teledriving experience, focusing on both functional safety and operational safety standards.”

“This milestone underscores Elmo’s technological leadership in remote driving technology and strength of its technical resources, capable of efficiently developing road ready driverless AI powered solutions.” stated Ragnar Meitern, Managing Partner of Highgoal Capital, an early investor in Elmo and other fast growing tech companies in the mobility sector, including Bolt. “Their goal-oriented progress and operational experience position Elmo uniquely for large-scale expansion, making them an even more attractive deep-tech company in the transport sector.”

Since launching the first road-legal teledrive service in public car sharing in Estonia and Finland, Elmo has deployed its technology on public roads in Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Helsinki, Zurich, Krakow, Los Angeles etc and soon on Ontario highways. This extensive deployment makes Elmo the most widely tested and applied teledriving solution on the market, showcasing its commitment to regulatory compliance and safety features. Elmo’s remotely controlled 4×4 vehicles are also in active use on the frontlines in Ukraine, supporting crucial operations in challenging conditions.

Elmo has further demonstrated cross-border teledriving with a record 2,500 km journey between teledriver in Croatia and e-car in Finland using 4G and 5G, in partnership with Nokia and Deutsche Telekom‘s Croatian operator Hravtski Telekom. This achievement highlights the potential of human-machine collaboration in long-distance remote vehicle control and operation.

Jürgo Vahtra, Head of the Estonian Traffic Department, praised Elmo’s systematic approach to safety, stating, “Elmo has balanced technology development with practical experience, making their progress safe and reliable. Their AI-driven SOS braking system, performed flawlessly in our tests, which was instrumental in granting approval for driverless high-speed operations”.

Elmo’s technology provides a practical alternative to fully autonomous vehicles, offering the efficiency of teledriving with lower hardware and deployment costs. Richard Woller, Co-Founder & CEO of technology consulting firm schwarzenberg.tech, commented, “Elmo’s combination of regulatory achievement and real-world deployment across sectors based on a smart technology sets the stage for a next era of adaptable mobility services. We believe that tele-operated driving is key in automated mobility and are impressed by the strong and solution-driven team at Elmo.”

With its ongoing fundraising round, Elmo is actively seeking to expand its capabilities and build on its global footprint. The company is planning to enhance its European operations and is considering a launch to enter to Northern American market, potentially introducing technology licensing to car rental, road safety and military companies. This latest approval not only sets the stage for Elmo’s next phase of growth but also presents a compelling opportunity for investors, clients, and cities interested in cutting-edge teledriving technology for a variety of use cases, including driverless taxis and affordable transportation options.

For more information, please visit www.elmoremote.com.

For media inquiries and further information, please contact:

Enn Laansoo Jr. 

CEO and Founder 

Elmo

Email: enn@elmoremote.com

Hrvatski Telekom and Nokia announce API pilot projects with Elmo to expand 5G application development in Croatia

Posted on by Elmo

  • Pilot projects to use Nokia’s Network as Code platform with developer portal to enable developers to leverage Hrvatski Telekom’s 5G network capabilities and create high-value applications.
  • The agreement highlights the increased collaboration and progress among Nokia’s open and growing network of API ecosystem partners, such as Infobip, the global cloud communications platform, and Elmo, a leader in teledriving technology, to utilize network capabilities beyond connectivity.
  • Nokia has 27 partners in Europe, North and South America, and Asia that utilize its platform.

Nokia and Hrvatski Telekom (HT), the largest operator in Croatia and part of Deutsche Telekom Group, are collaborating on pilot projects that connect Nokia’s Network as Code platform with developer portal to HT’s network assets. The aim is to enable developers to harness and monetize the operator’s market-leading 5G network assets and capabilities through the creation of new consumer, enterprise, and industrial applications for Hrvatski Telekom customers in Croatia and other parts of Europe.

5G-era software-based networks are programmable and monetizable beyond connectivity through Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), which provide developers standardized access to network functions, without having to navigate the complex underlying network technologies. Removing that burden allows developers to create new value and applications faster for their customers.

The pilot work highlights the increased collaboration and progress among Nokia’s open and growing network of API ecosystem partners, such as Infobip, the global cloud communications platform, and Elmo, a leader in teledriving technology, to utilize 5G and 4G network capabilities and generate new revenue streams. 

Growing API ecosystem

Connecting Nokia and Infobip API platforms to Hrvatski Telekom’s 5G network gives developers access to a wider array of network and CPaaS APIs, allowing them to develop new use cases more easily.

Infobip’s market-leading cloud Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) provides developers with APIs for integrating real-time omnichannel communications features such as SMS, voice, and video into their applications. Nokia’s Network as Code platform offers developers APIs for using 5G network capabilities like Quality of Service on Demand.

Through Hrvatski Telekom’s 5G network, Elmo uses Infobip’s communications API and Nokia’s Quality of Service on Demand capability to ensure flawless video connections for the safe, secure, and reliable delivery of Elmo’s teledriving technology. 

Teledriving, an emerging use case, entails the remote operation of a vehicle via software, cameras, and sensors, in which a human driver controls the vehicle to a destination point in situations where safety, accessibility, or efficiency is a concern. Elmo is the first company, who has been teledriving in public roads and offered doorstep deliveries in car sharing with its road-legal technology since 2022 in Europe and US, some involving thousands of kilometers across national borders between the driver’s location and the car.

Developers using Nokia’s platform can access 5G and 4G network capabilities through Software Development Kits (SDK), which give them the technical ingredients to create new applications easily. Nokia SDKs support functions such as Network insights, Quality of Service on Demand, and Device location. 

Nokia currently has 27 partners in Europe, North and South America, and Asia that utilize its platform, including operators such as BT, DISH, Orange, Telefonica, and Telecom Argentina. Nokia’s partnering expands well beyond the operator base to include hyperscalers like Google Cloud, CPaaS platform providers, large system integrators, and vertical Independent Software Vendors (ISVs).

Boris Drilo, CTIO, at Hrvatski Telekom said: “Through collaboration on piloting projects, with Nokia and other partners, we are exploring the great opportunities that could arise from unlocking the full potential of connecting new platforms with 5G network capabilities. Ensuring high-performing networks, foundational for the launch of new use cases across industries and businesses not only Croatia but across the globe, is essential for developers in creating new game-changing applications.” 

Matija Ražem, VP of Business Development, at Infobip said: “Offering a simplified developer experience is key to making network APIs commercially attractive. The strong partnership between Nokia, Hrvatski Telekom and Elmo is yet another demonstration of how the growing ecosystem of APIs is producing tangible solutions for providers and end users. Infobip is playing a key role as a CPaaS platform by offering APIs to enrich the services available in the market.”

Enn Laansoo, Jr., Founder and CEO, at Elmo said: “Through tremendous collaboration with Nokia, Infobip, and Hrvatski Telekom, we are overcoming network challenges, such as peak time overload which can degrade video quality, to ensure the flawless connectivity required for remotely and securely operating Elmo vehicles, even during periods of high network traffic.”

Shkumbin Hamiti, Head of Network Monetization Platform, Cloud and Network Services, at Nokia said: “With Nokia’s Network as Code platform and open and growing ecosystem of API partners, Hrvatski Telekom will benefit from having more choice, flexibility, and extreme automation to create new value for its customers. As a B2B technology innovation leader, Nokia is driving the next evolution of networking to unlock new network applications with our platform.”

About Nokia
At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.

As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs.

With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.

Read also, how Elmo sets new cross-border teledriving record with Nokia: 2500km between Croatia and Finland

Nokia Communications, email: Press.Services@nokia.com

or

Elmo, email: info@elmoremote.com

Drive into the future with Nokia’s Network as Code, Elisa and Elmo cars

Posted on by Elmo

Original post by Shkumbin Hamiti from Nokia blog.

In “Back to the Future,” Doc Brown famously said, “Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.” While we haven’t quite reached that level of futuristic travel yet, a groundbreaking proof of concept (PoC) took place in late spring 2024. A car was remotely driven through the public streets of Espoo at Nokia Headquarters, Finland, and during the Imagine Metaverse expo in Tampere.

This successful PoC was the result of a collaboration between Elmo Cars, a pioneer in remote driving technology and the holder of the title for the world’s first road-legal teledrivable cars in car-sharing services since 2022, and telecommunication leaders Elisa and Nokia.

How does this remarkable technology work? Priit Haljak, co-founder and CTO of Elmo, explains: “Elmo develops teledriving technology by equipping cars with multiple cameras and a custom controller for remote driving. With two years of experience in heavy traffic worldwide, our technology is mature. We are proud to be working with global players like Nokia and Elisa.”

Navigating crowded areas presents significant challenges. Network issues and peak time overload can degrade video quality, making it difficult for remote drivers to clearly see the road, surroundings, and traffic signals, thus ensuring the highest safety.

To overcome this challenge, Elmo integrated Nokia’s Quality of Service on Demand (QoD) capability from the Network as Code platform. This capability dynamically adjusts the network to ensure connectivity for Elmo cars, guaranteeing that even during periods of high network traffic, the cars receive the high-quality video feed necessary for safe operation. Juha Saarinen, Technological Manager at Elisa, comments on Elisa’s role in today’s Proof of Concept: “For Elisa, collaboration with partners like Elmo and Nokia is fundamental, especially when it comes to proving the true value of the latest 5G technologies.”

The PoC demonstrated real-time integration and immediate improvements in video quality during network congestion. Network as Code also enables critical device status and network insights, offering valuable information about device connectivity and potential network issues.

Additionally, Nokia’s Network as Code (NaC) serves as an aggregator, allowing for the seamless management of connections through a single interface, regardless of the network provider or country.

Want to know more? Check out this video!

Experience the future of programmable networks with Nokia’s Network as Code. Buckle up and enjoy the ride!

About Shkumbin Hamiti

Shkumbin is a twenty-five-year Nokia veteran based in Espoo. His distinguished career with Nokia includes  successful track record of spearheading, leading, developing and influencing some of most significant developments within the mobile industry. Shkumbin held key technology leadership positions in standardization, ecosystem development, devices, GTM partnerships, and business line management. He is named as inventor in 12 granted patents and author of several technical publications. He is currently heading Nokia’s Network Monetization Platform Business Unit helping industry to unleash the power of 5G networks.
Born in Prishtina, Kosovo, Shkumbin studied in Zagreb, Croatia and after a brief time in Bangkok, Thailand he moved to Finland where he has lived since 1996. Married with two teenage sons, he is passionate about aviation and enjoys playing chess.

Elmo’s teledriving technology successfully validated with Starlink and Nokia

Posted on by Elmo

Last week, Elmo made significant progress in advancing teledriving technology, successfully validating our system across two cutting-edge network connections in diverse geographic settings.

Advanced network prioritization in Finland’s urban centers

In the dynamic public streets of Tampere and Espoo, Finland, our collaboration with industry leaders Nokia and Elisa showcased the robustness of our road-legal teledrivable electric cars. Despite heavy network traffic, our teledrivable vehicles were prioritized for “quality network on demand,” ensuring seamless operational capability even under challenging conditions. This trial not only demonstrated the effectiveness of 5G networks in supporting high-demand teledriving scenarios but also reinforced our technology’s reliability and efficiency.

Pioneering teledriving with Starlink in Kyiv and other remote areas of Ukraine

Concurrently, our team extended validation to include remote operations in Ukraine, utilizing SpaceX’s Starlink technology to ensure uninterrupted communication between our teledrivable Nissan Navara and its control station. This validation was pivotal in proving the viability of satellite communications in supporting our teledriving solutions across vast distances and varied terrains.

Future outlook and global impact

These breakthroughs across both terrestrial 4G and 5G networks, as well as extraterrestrial Starlink connections, signify a crucial advancement for Elmo’s teledriving applications. Our technology is now validated to function flawlessly in a wide range of network settings worldwide, enhancing safety and efficiency and different price ranges. As we progress, Elmo is committed to broadening the reach of our teledriving technology into new markets, extending beyond car sharing to include innovative applications in sectors such as logistics, military, private vehicles and other.

Keep an eye on our journey as we continue to innovate and reshape the future of transportation with our safe, dependable, and cutting-edge teledriving solutions. Follow us on Linkedin.

More information:
Enn Laansoo, Jr.

Ceo, co-founder

enn@elmoremote.com

Elmo unveils 3rd generation teledriving workstation at Intertraffic Amsterdam

Posted on by Elmo

Elmo proudly unveiled its 3rd generation workstation at the recent, World’s leading traffic and mobility expo Intertraffic in Amsterdam, a milestone in advancing remote driving technology.

This latest iteration incorporates cutting-edge enhancements that improve operator ergonomics and system responsiveness. The event featured live teledriving, allowing attendees to experience the capabilities of the new workstation firsthand. The launch not only highlights Elmo’s dedication to innovation in teledriving but also sets a new standard in the industry.

Tele-Driving Breakthrough: Canadian TMA Truck Makes Global Debut in Amsterdam

Posted on by Elmo

Canada’s first tele-driven TMA truck, utilizing groundbreaking technology from Estonian company Elmo, will debut at Intertraffic in Amsterdam, potentially revolutionizing road safety and construction practices across the globe.

Amsterdam, NL– The debut of Canada’s first tele-driven TMA truck is set to take place at Intertraffic in Amsterdam, the world’s premier international trade fair dedicated to traffic infrastructure, management, road safety, and parking.

RSG International, a global leader in road safety infrastructure recently inked a licensing agreement with Elmo, the Estonian company behind groundbreaking road legal tele-driving technology. Significant progress has been made after an early Christmas gift in the form of a Ford F550 arrived last year from Canada into Estonia, since then, the truck has been retrofitted and soon will be on display in the North American market.

“This project hasn’t been without its hurdles. While we’ve had prior experience and were proficient in upgrading electrical vehicles in past projects, the Ford F550 posed unique challenges with its hydraulic power steering and braking system. However, after overcoming some trial and error, our team of great engineers successfully adapted our technology. Now, we possess the necessary skills and experience to retrofit an entire fleet of crash trucks,” adds Enn Laansoo, Jr., CEO and founder of Elmo.

The technology will have a live presentation at Intertraffic demo area D1, hall 7. The vehicle which is still in Tallinn EST will be driven remotely from Amsterdam by a licensed tele-driver under the Estonian Traffic Department.

The truck can be taken throughout the European Union for promotions until May when it will be delivered back to Canada.

“The integration of this technology would in theory allow us to remove drivers from TMA truck vehicles, ensuring their safety during operations. Our research and development team are eager to do our testing to see if tele-driving will be a good fit for the road and construction industry across Canada,” explains Elliot Steele, Vice President of Technology at RSG International.

Remotely controllable Ford F550 crash truck live presentation in the Netherlands is organized together with Dutch Automated Mobility (DAM), a pioneer in autonomous vehicle technology. Partnership agreement with DAM also includes teledriving technology promotion and licensing in Netherland market.

Elmo’s road legal tele-driving technology has been used in public car-sharing services since 2022 and is legal today in 3 countries. The company, which is developing similar technology for military use, has run testing and started road legal permitting in Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands, the US and other countries.

About RSG International:
RSG International is a global leader in the road safety sector, creating cutting-edge solutions for life-saving problems. Its companies cover all areas of road safety infrastructure, including construction and installation, product distribution, new product development, and auxiliary services. See RSG International.


About Elmo:
Elmo is the company behind the world’s first road-legal tele-driving technology development that has been in operation in public car-sharing services since 2022. Elmo’s tele-drivable cars operate daily on public streets in two cities in Estonia and Helsinki, Finland, and have gathered valuable experience from Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, and the US. For more information, please visit Elmo.

About Dutch Automated Mobility

Dutch Automated Mobility stands at the forefront of autonomous and remote-controlled systems, specializing in automated transport solutions for both people and logistics. With a proven track record in the Netherlands, they are committed to the safe and successful implementation of autonomous technology. See Dutch Automated Mobility

Elmo revolutionizes urban mobility with World’s First road-legal teledriving technology

Posted on by Elmo

Innovative teledriving solution delivers electrical cars directly to users’ doorsteps, transforming car-sharing services.

Elmo, a leader in teledriving technology solutions, proudly announces the successful deployment of its road-legal teledriving technology on public streets, marking a world-first in the automotive industry. This revolutionary technology now powers car-sharing services, enabling vehicles to be remotely controlled right to the user’s doorstep.


Elmo’s teledriving technology represents a significant breakthrough in urban mobility, having successfully navigated extensive regulatory and technical hurdles to ensure the utmost safety and reliability on public roads. This innovative system enables users to effortlessly order a vehicle through a dedicated app, which driverless navigates to their location without the need for a human driver.

The introduction of this technology markedly enhances user convenience while substantially reducing the number of parked vehicles required in city centers. This reduction plays a critical role in decreasing urban traffic congestion and lowering pollution levels, heralding a new era of sustainable urban transportation solutions.

“This milestone isn’t merely a triumph of technology; it’s a transformative shift for urban mobility,” remarked Enn Laansoo, Jr., CEO and co-founder of ELMO. “Our team is excited to be at the forefront of integrating sophisticated teledriving technologies into daily life, thereby redefining standards for transportation efficiency and safety.”

Looking to the future, Elmo is committed to scaling this technology globally and beyond its current applications. Plans are already underway to introduce teledriving solutions to additional cities and to penetrate new market segments such as logistics and personal transportation, promising a wider impact on global mobility paradigms.

Elmo is an Estonian company primarily engaged in the development of innovative deep tech technology for remotely controlled vehicles (see elmoremote.com) and in providing eco-friendly car-sharing services (see elmorent.ee). Elmo is the first car rental company in Estonia to be certified with a responsible company quality mark.

Video from Estonian National Television main news program “Aktuaalne Kaamera”, see https://www.err.ee/1608799978/elmo-rendiautod-hakkavad-kliendini-soitma-kaugjuhtimise-teel

For more information, to schedule a demonstration, or to interview a company representative:

Contact Information:

Enn Laansoo, Jr.

CEO

enn@elmoremote.com

www.elmoremote.com



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