Birmingham firm MoniRail and its partners have secured £50 million funding to further aid development and commercialisation of its quantum navigation system for use on London Underground.
The firm’s tech has the ability to locate train and track faults precisely, where satellite signals can’t reach.
As part of the Government’s investment focus on quantum technology in the UK, MoniRail has been awarded a contract from Innovate UK as part of the Quantum Missions Primer Phase 2 initiative.
MoniRail’s project builds on previous Innovate UK SBRI Quantum Catalyst funding which demonstrated the project’s concept. The next phase of the project will focus on bringing the first commercial version closer to market.
MoniRail leads the consortium which brings together Imperial College London, University of Sussex and their spinout company Spectomiq Ltd, PA Consulting, Transport for London (TfL), GBRX, Durham University and QinetiQ.
Imperial and Sussex provide the novel quantum sensors that underpin the positioning system. QinetiQ will support the project by developing advanced map-matching capabilities along with Durham University who will be embedding software in hardware.
Transport for London (TfL) is the direct end-user and will support the project by providing access to testing facilities and enabling live operational trials on the London Underground network for evaluation purposes. PA Consulting will contribute technical and system integration expertise.
The project is further supported by the involvement of GBRX, the strategic technology and innovation body for Great British Railways, which is working with the consortium to ensure the system is designed for application on the UK heavy rail networks.
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“Understanding train-position with high degrees of accuracy is critical for the ongoing safety of the railway,” said Peter Ainsworth, CEO of MoniRail. “It means that a detected fault can be located and fixed quickly, reducing potential delays.
“The funding awarded as part of the Government’s investment in quantum technologies provides the key next step in the ongoing development and commercialisation of the concept and will help us to take it from proven concept to a commercially viable product that can be used on a live railway.”
Science, Innovation and Investment Minister Chris McDonald said: “Quantum has long been an exciting technology, but now real world applications are within our grasp.
“UK innovators are showing us what these breakthroughs could mean for our lives in the near future, from cutting down on train delays, to earlier appointments at in-demand areas of the NHS, to keeping our armed forces safe and connected as they protect our country.
“We’re backing teams across the UK to turn bright ideas into products that make a real difference, growing the economy, creating new jobs, and ensuring we can be leaders in Quantum technology for decades to come.”