Knorr-Bremse expands its stake in Rail Vision: Capital increase in start-up for obstacle detection and classification

• Knorr-Bremse acquires an additional 19.8% of Israeli start-up Rail Vision, giving it a 36.8% stake in the company’s share capital
• Strategic follow-on investment forms basis for continued partnership in the development and integration of electro-optic sensor systems including object detection and classification for rail vehicles

Knorr-Bremse, the global market leader for braking and other systems for rail and commercial vehicles, has subscribed a capital increase in the Israeli company Rail Vision. Knorr-Bremse has acquired an additional 19.8% of the shares for USD 10 million. As a result, Knorr-Bremse now holds a 36.8% stake in the start-up, which specializes in sensor technology and obstacle detection based on artificial intelligence and deep learning.

"We are delighted to further strengthen and expand our strategic commitment to Rail Vision," says Dr. Nicolas Lange, Chairman of the Management Board of Knorr-Bremse Rail Vehicle Systems. "The systems developed by Rail Vision hold great potential for numerous new applications as train operation becomes progressively more automated in the future. For us as a global technology leader, this makes the young company an exciting and highly attractive partner in designing mobility and transport solutions for rail."

“Having Knorr-Bremse as partner gives us the opportunity not only to think big but to further develop our systems and execute our projects on a bigger worldwide scale”, says Sam Donnerstein, executive chairman of Rail Vision.

By paying USD 10 million, Knorr-Bremse has acquired an additional 19.8% of Rail Vision and now holds 36.8% of its share capital. However, Knorr-Bremse and Rail Vision have been partners in the development of object and obstacle detection systems for rail vehicles since March 2019. At that time, Knorr-Bremse acquired an initial stake in the Israeli company , thereby taking another important step towards system solutions for automated rail travel.

Recently, Knorr-Bremse and Rail Vision announced that they will equip shunting locomotives of the Swiss rail operator SBB Cargo with remote-controlled electro-optic systems for obstacle detection. After prototype testing is successfully completed at the end of the first quarter of 2021, the partners will examine further business opportunities for integrating these systems into rail freight vehicles.

Rail Vision is an Israeli startup founded in 2016 designing, developing and manufacturing state-of-the-art cognitive vision sensor systems to improve safety, maintenance and big data services for the train industry, using advanced electro-optic sensors, artificial intelligence and deep learning technology. Its unique systems enable every train to detect and classify objects on and along the tracks from up to 2 kilometers in real time in all weather and light conditions. The tailor-made systems are available for Main Lines, Shunting Yards, and Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs) operating in urban environments. In addition, Rail Vision offers a range of optional complementary features based on collected and analyzed data: Image-based Navigation, GIS Mapping and Predictive Maintenance.
For more information please visit https://railvision.io/