Autonomous systems: tomorrow's business opportunities

The Eindoven-based Avular develops modular autonomous robots and drones (driving and flying) that are widely applicable, from agriculture to inspection and logistics. In doing so, Ceo Albert Maas emphasizes that autonomous systems are not simply an extension of AI. "Let's be careful with the idea that AI is going to solve everything for us. We think about that differently than Tesla. Large Language Models create language; that is not yet a physical system. We have specific ideas about that, including a strong position in terms of intellectual property. A complete patent family is in the works."

This is the third part of a short series leading up to the first National Autonomous Systems Congress to be held in Drachten on April 2.Read part 1 hereandhere part 2.

Maas is one of the speakers at the first edition of the first National Autonomous Systems Congress on April 2 in Drachten. This event brings together experts from industry, science and government to explore how autonomous technologies are transforming the economy and society. One of the three central tracks focuses on the business opportunities offered by autonomous systems. This "industry track" focuses on companies developing and deploying autonomous technologies for economic growth and sustainability.

During his presentation, he will show how Avular combines technological innovation with a pragmatic approach to provide feasible and scalable solutions.

Maas also calls attention to Europe's position in relation to the other superpowers. "Here in Europe we have the very best technology around autonomous systems and the right knowledge, but if we wait too long we will be behind the times, just as happened with AI," he warns. The ceo sees a worrying trend in which both China and the United States are investing heavily in autonomous technologies, while Europe is too slow to shift gears. "In Beijing, you can already have a Starbucks order delivered by drone. In Europe this is still far from conceivable, because regulations are stricter and investments lag behind."

Avular's autonomous systems can serve in a variety of places, sometimes as a solution to labor shortages, sometimes because people prefer to avoid repetitive or dangerous jobs. "It could be in construction, it could be in agri, it could be in the inspection spheres. That's also where the biggest labor shortage is." So his company is developing robots that can take over these tasks - from an autonomous car that cuts asphalt to a drone that inspects chimneys completely autonomously.

Another company highlighted on the business track is Bollegraaf Recycling Solutions. The Groningen-based company is the world market leader in turn-key waste management recycling systems and plays a crucial role in the circular economy. Vice Chairman of the Supervisory Board (and ceo until November 2024) Edmund Tenfelde underscores the importance of autonomy in this sector: "We build factories that convert waste into raw materials, but the requirements for recycling are getting stricter. To meet those standards and at competitive prices with so-called virgin raw materials, we need to use AI-driven solutions and autonomous systems more often."

Tenfelde points to European regulations: "In 2019, the EU adopted new rules to address the plastic problem. It includes a target of 25% recycled content in plastic bottles by 2025 and 30% by 2030." The EU's primary focus is on limiting their use by introducing labeling requirements. It also focuses on informing consumers about the plastic content of products and introducing waste management and disposal obligations for producers, including extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes. Specific targets here include incorporating 25% recycled plastic in PET beverage bottles by 2025, and 30% in all plastic beverage bottles by 2030.

According to Tenfelde, data is the key here. "A PET bottle cannot simply be recycled into a new PET bottle. We need to know exactly what the composition of the plastic is and preferably separate it into food-grade plastic and non-food-grade plastic. Our AI-driven systems help our customers and manufacturers detect and separate." To strengthen their competitive position, Bollegraaf Recycling Solutions recently acquired a large stake in a London-based AI company. This company specializes in advanced AI data analysis and autonomous systems for recycling processes.

The transition to a circular economy is not just an ambition, but a necessity, Tenfelde argues. "We will not achieve the European goals if we continue as we are now. There are simply not enough natural raw materials to meet the growing demand. We will have to." He sees autonomous systems as the key to this change, but stresses that laws and regulations play a crucial role. "In some countries, producers are already required to use 30% recycled plastic. That goes up to 50%. But in the Netherlands and many other European countries, that process is too slow."

Both Avular and Bollegraaf Recycling Solutions emphasize that cooperation with science and government is essential. "We sell autonomous platforms to academics like from the RUG, and to corporate researchers, thinking of customers like Vanderlande and Philips Research. They can build their own applications on that, without having to develop the entire robotic infrastructure themselves," Maas explains.

Such cooperation also plays a key role in innovation for Bollegraaf Recycling Solutions. "We work intensively with universities and knowledge institutions to optimize our processes. But we want to go even further. Not for nothing are we in discussions in the Northern Netherlands about the development of an AI factory that can be a gamechanger for the circular economy."

Both companies see the conference as an opportunity to accelerate business and technological developments around autonomous systems. "Events like this bring the right parties together and accelerate cooperation," said Maas. "Europe has enormous potential, but we need to invest faster and more decisively in strategic autonomy." Perhaps the defense industry can provide a push in that regard. "Defense can be an accelerator and catalyst for autonomous systems in the broader sense."

For Tenfelde, success during the congress is all about concrete collaborations: "If at the end of the day we have reached agreements and companies, knowledge institutions and policy makers go home motivated, then this congress has been successful. Not only for Bollegraaf Recycling Solutions, but for the entire circular economy."

More information about the conference and registration can be found here