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(Sharecast News) - Transport-focussed artificial intelligence analytics developer Cordel announced on Wednesday that, in partnership with Holland LP, it has been awarded a contract to deliver its lidar-based solutions to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) in the United States.
The AIM-traded firm described SEPTA as "one of the largest transit systems" in the US, serving five counties in the Greater Philadelphia area and connecting to systems in Delaware and New Jersey.
SEPTA operates bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolley bus services for just under four million people.
Cordel's specialist rail analytics subsidiary, Cordel Technology, announced the start of its partnership with US-based rail inspection company Holland LP on 27 September.
Its sensors "piggyback" on Holland's testing vehicles, allowing customers to benefit from the inspection data streams of both partners without requiring additional track time.
Through the new contract, Cordel said it would deliver lidar point clouds, high-definition video, and automated clearance assessments of multiple types of track to SEPTA across its network.
The lidar data would enable any stakeholder at the agency to conduct virtual site visits and make "centimetre-accurate" measurements without needing to deploy staff to the field, saving costs and increasing safety.
It said the customer planned to use the technology for clearance validation, construction layout and staging, legal scene investigations, storm drainage analysis, slope assessment, and visual condition assessments, among other things.
"After a number of trials, we are pleased to see the first commercial contract arising from our partnership with Holland LP," said chairman Ian Buddery.
"We are confident that this will provide a proof point and reference case for other potential customers, leading to further contracts in the year ahead."
At 1052 BST, shares in Cordel Group were down 1.43% at 6.9p.
Reporting by Josh White at Sharecast.com.
