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Stradot, this Toulouse start-up that imagines the parking lot of the future Tetris style

2023-03-09T18:46:31.146Z


With its solution based on an autonomous robot, the company intends to optimize the organization of car parks.


Optimizing the storage of vehicles in car parks while limiting the environmental impact of these spaces: this is what the start-up Stradot offers.

Based in Labège, near Toulouse, the start-up has been developing a solution since 2019 to improve the management of these places, increase their capacity and make life easier for users.

It relies in particular on an autonomous valet robot and software “

operated by an AI

” adapted to the specificities of the car parks using it.

Company founder José Iriarte describes his innovation as

“a straddling autonomous robot”

.

Argentinian and married to a Frenchwoman, the businessman settled in Toulouse about ten years ago.

An engineer in the space field, he noticed, during his travels, significant and recurring parking problems in his region.

He therefore imagined this robot transporter with other fellow engineers and launched his company in 2019. Last February, the company won the prize for intelligent and sustainable mobility at the 41st regional competition in Occitanie, Les Inn'Ovations.

Resembling a large gantry on wheels and equipped with sensors, the robot is able to lift a vehicle weighing up to three tonnes to two meters in height, move between cars and identify the model it is transporting for itself. find the location suitable for its volume.

The cars are therefore better positioned and the aisles are eliminated.

This system significantly increases the number of available spaces, a real financial gain for operators.

The “autonomous straddle” robot from the Toulouse start-up.

Stradot

For users, no more endless rounds to find an available space: on each arrival, the vehicle is received by the robot in a "

transfer cabin

" at the entrance to the car park, which is responsible for finding the right place for it.

This optimized management notably offers a solution to deal with the high peak of activity in the morning when all motorists arrive at the same time to get to work.

A responsible and environmental solution

Stradot's initiative also enables car park operators to align with new environmental regulations.

In particular, it contributes to limiting the artificialization of soils, a point that has been closely scrutinized for several years.

With the start-up's solution, "

a grass slab can be installed over the entire surface, including traffic lanes

", explains the general manager.

José Iriarte also hopes that his solution will enable conurbations to alleviate their recurring parking management concerns, by participating in the deployment of park and ride facilities on the outskirts of towns.

The citizens' convention for the climate in 2019

notably highlighted the benefits of the use of relay parks on the urban outskirts

” to create low emission zones (ZFE).

"

However, it is very complicated to find new locations, and for an affordable price,

" he says.

In addition, the construction of a new high-rise building or an underground car park is extremely expensive.

Stradot's solution would thus make it possible to increase the capacity of existing car parks while reducing traffic jams and pollution.

The car park of the future imagined by Stradot.

Stradot

Two prototypes are already ready

The company currently has “

two prototypes in Toulouse.

The first demonstrators will be deployed in the coming months, in the Toulouse region and in Île-de-France initially.

The objective is to first present the system to players in the sector.

In April, we will begin to manufacture an additional robot which constitutes the start of a pre-series which will last one year and will include between 5 and 10 robots

”, explains José Iriarte.

This gives us time to consolidate the industrial plan,

” he specifies.

These robots will be produced in France, thanks to funding from the BPI as part of its

France 2030

plan and the Occitanie region.

The company has entered an acceleration phase with this fundraising in 2021. New commercial avenues are emerging, including the recent signing of several demonstration contracts with major European logistics groups, themselves often linked to manufacturers. of vehicles.

The automotive industry has indeed recently experienced problems on “

the routing of electronic chips

”, explains the general manager.

Many of them ended up with entire fleets of unmarketable cars to store.

So they absolutely seek to optimize their storage sites

,” he adds.

New markets under study

In addition, Stradot is sometimes contacted directly by car manufacturers.

Some dealers or companies specializing in long-term car rental are also interested.

Any activity that requires handling experiences the same difficulties: lack of manpower and space, risk of breakage and damage,

describes José Iriarte.

This is particularly the case at the moment in air transport.

»

In Toulouse, the young firm can count on a dense network of engineers and companies specializing in robotics to innovate.

There is for example Naïo Technologies, specialized in agricultural robots, or large companies such as Airbus or Thalès.

An ecosystem that promotes "

meetings and exchanges

", vectors of ideas in the development of the technologies of the future.

Source: lefigaro

All business articles on 2023-03-09

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