Ohmio’s setting smart technology in motion

This story first appeared in the March issue of EVtalk – CLICK HERE to download the magazine FREE

Kiwi autonomous electric vehicle company Ohmio Automotion expects to make its first commercial delivery in May.

The east Auckland company displayed a fully operational driverless test vehicle at the Digital Nations 2030 event in Auckland on February 19.

It took the Lord Mayor of London Charles Bowman for a ride at MOTAT the same day he was leading a business delegation here.

Founded in New Zealand, Ohmio has developed world-leading autonomous vehicle (AV) technology and plans to have its first self-driving vehicle in active service by May.

The first commercially ready model under construction is the Ohmio Lift. It can carry up to 20 passengers as a “last mile” transport solution.

Another is the Ohmio Hop – the smallest in a planned range of electric, self-driving passenger or freight vehicles, and the one displayed at Digital Nations 2030.

A freight-only version, the Move, is also planned among the four prototypes expected to be available.

The shuttles can have a variety of chassis for specific purposes, such as transporting up to 30 people or carrying freight, whichever body design buyers want. Parts can be swapped as well.

It is understood the freight version will probably be used in a major residential precinct to transport food, drinks and waste between buildings.
Ohmio is a new business from the HMI Global group of companies, a global intelligent transport systems (ITS) company which has expanded from Auckland into Australia, Asia and Europe.

It has developed scalable, connected AV technology so its vehicles are designed to connect with other vehicles, traffic management networks and positioning systems.

They can easily be deployed, alone or connected, forming efficient convoys that require less road space and can safely navigate their environment with sensors and artificial intelligence.

The connectivity of the Ohmio vehicles sets them apart from existing last mile AV vehicles.

HMI is raising $6 million to help fund the Ohmio projects and has spent nearly that already. The money will help expand Ohmio’s engineering team from the current 20, assist with research and development and be put towards worldwide marketing.

A new Ohmio sells for about $400,000 and Ohmio Automotion chief executive Stephen Matthews hopes around 60-100 will be sold in the first year.
He reckons Ohmio Automotion could sell up to 2000 of its shuttles annually within about five years as world demand expands, particularly in the United States and Asia.

Christchurch airport could trial the shuttles later this year.

Meanwhile, Ohmio representatives are in demand for various events similar to the Digital Nations 2030 summit.

Ohmio Automotion’s research and development coordinator Mahmood Hikmet is among about 20 speakers at AI Day on March 28. It’s described as “New Zealand’s premier artificial intelligence event”.

One of the Ohmio shuttles will be on display near the event at the ASB Waterfront Theatre in Auckland, presented by AI Forum NZ and NewZealand.ai.

Hikmet, who has just gained a PhD in electronic and electrical engineering from the University of Auckland, is a son of Mohammed Hikmet who founded HMI Technologies (Ohmio’s parent company) with his brother Ahmed in 1999.

AI Day will explore opportunities, impacts on business, customers and workforce, developing an AI capability, benefits to people and society, and the future of AI.

An Ohmio shuttle is also expected to be on show during the Leading the Charge EV tour of New Zealand from March 14 to April 3.

Visit www.ohmio.com for more information.