Artificial intelligence automates and controls the salt spreader in real-time
Epoke, a leading equipment manufacturer of the winter industry in Europe and North America, has launched the world's first product for salt spreaders, called dynamic dosage, which means that the spreaders are controlled directly through Klimator's AI-based road weather application, Road Status Information (RSI). The high-resolution AI-based forecasts mean that the salt spreader automatically produces the right amount, and the right type of salt application on the road, depending on the slippery conditions that are about to occur. The forecast contains detailed information about road sections and the amount and type of salt with which the road should be treated. The forecast is combined and optimized with Epoke's software EpoSat, which is connected directly to the salt spreader.
Epoke's new advanced technology, dynamic dosage, does not only enable safer roads during the winter months, but does also contribute to significant savings from an environmental and cost perspective. Salt consumption optimization will reduce the impact on the local environment and costs are at the same time saved by implementing the right action at the right time. This is a big difference from today's manual solutions that are tied to a driver's knowledge and decisions.
“Adaptive salting was one of many applications identified around an automated winter industry when we started the development of AI-based road surface forecasts in 2008. Fast forward to today, advancements in technology and the availability of diverse data types have propelled it towards reality. The automation of these processes stands as a crucial element, offering manifold benefits to the industry and its clients. It enables enhanced decision-making support for drivers during operations and ensures quality assurance for deliveries in the field. By curbing salt consumption and CO2 emissions, it also presents opportunities to trim costs and minimize the environmental footprint at the local level.", says Søren Pedersen, Head of Winter Maintenance, Klimator.
“In 2022, we were introduced to Klimator and their AI-based software. We immediately saw the opportunity to integrate our solutions, as our spreader software is already prepared for dynamic dosage with our EpoTherm solution. By transferring the road condition forecast to our EpoSat routes, we were able to control the injectors in a completely dynamic way based on the road condition forecast that Klimator delivers. We have fully implemented this during the winter and are very proud to be able to present this world first for dynamic dosing of salt for winter services all over the world.”, says Peter Bertelsen, CEO Epoke.
Today, an entire industry works with many manual steps depending on people with very high skills in the field. In addition to using resources smarter, dynamic dosing will help to simplify the decision-making chain, which today has many time-consuming steps with start-up decisions, manual spreader control, and documentation of measures as some important parts.
For more information, please contact:
Klimator AB
Søren Pedersen
Head of Winter Maintenance
+45 2966 4424
E-mail: Søren Pedersen
EPOKE A/S
Peter Bjorn Bertelsen
CEO - Chief Executive Officer
Mobile +45 61 55 30 90
E-mail: Peter Bjørn Bertelsen
