Jaywalkers. Cyclists. Spring slush. Welcome to Kitchener’s toughest driving test.

Autonomous vehicles aren’t ready for the real world … yet. But with the help of local startup GeoMate, they’re getting a crash course in downtown Kitchener. (Minus the crashing.) The company’s ultra-detailed, simulation-ready maps are helping smart vehicles train for anything city streets can throw at them.

The local startup recently announced a partnership with the City of Kitchener to map the downtown core for a future with autonomous shuttles, delivery bots and smart city planning. The project is supported by $580,000 in provincial funding through the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN), along with more than $1.1 million in industry contributions.

“This is very meaningful to me and the team,” said GeoMate CTO and co-founder Nastaran Saberi. “It’s incredible.”

With a PhD in remote sensing and geomatics from the University of Waterloo, and more than a decade of experience in artificial intelligence (AI) and geospatial science, Saberi’s been building toward this moment for years.

“To see that this technology is contributing to the future of mobility and transportation in our city is special to us,” she said.

What makes Kitchener the perfect place to start?

GeoMate’s technology turns aerial imagery into precise, AI-powered, simulation-ready maps that can be used for everything from autonomous vehicle testing to sidewalk accessibility scoring. And according to Saberi, Kitchener ticks all the right boxes for launching this kind of work.

“We have a city that has a strong geographical information system (GIS) team, understands data well, and can provide good mapping data to partners,” she said. “Kitchener is a great place for deployments.”

The idea is to build what GeoMate calls simulation-ready content, highly detailed, data-rich maps that can run thousands of virtual miles of AV testing before a single vehicle hits the road. The maps capture everything from lane changes and bike paths to jaywalking scenarios and slushy spring intersections.

“With our maps, companies can run thousands of miles without hitting the road and facing scenarios that are not plausible,” said Saberi. “These simulation-ready parts give them a good chance to get their models trained before facing reality.”

GeoMate’s mission is about making future mobility safer and smarter.

“We are building a safety foundation,” said Saberi. “Because when we have data, we create redundancy, and when vehicles know their space better, they can navigate more safely.”

The idea is that AVs can train on virtual versions of real-world environments, such as dense residential streets, tricky intersections, and pedestrians crossing mid-block, before ever rolling out in the real world. That means fewer surprises, better preparation, and safer streets for everyone.

“When you have the real world and you’re faced with those scenarios, you’re well prepared,” said Saberi.

What success looks like

The immediate goal is to build the simulation-ready maps, test them, and get autonomous shuttles rolling downtown between parking facilities and public transit hubs. The long-term vision for GeoMate is to go national.

“We have scalable, transferable technology and we would love to see this nationwide and across the continent of North America,” said Saberi.

GeoMate is already partnering with other municipalities and working with delivery robots and trucks in Toronto. But Kitchener is still a critical proving ground for the technology, and for how cities can prepare for a smarter future.

“The technology, being ready to deploy, having the simulation-ready content, helps companies go to the next stage,” said Saberi.

Building a better city

For the City of Kitchener, it’s a win-win. The partnership supports the city’s Make It Kitchener 2.0 strategy and aligns with broader goals tied to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

By providing infrastructure data and GIS support, the city helps enable future-focused innovation without compromising on public safety.

“When we have the foundation, it’s one level closer to reality,” said Saberi.

And with GeoMate at the wheel, the road ahead looks more mapped out than ever.

 

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