OTIV

OTIV is a Belgian company founded in February 2020 by Sam De Smet and Niels Van Damme that specializes in developing artificial intelligence-based automation solutions for the rail sector. The firm's objective is to enhance the safety and efficiency of railway vehicles through a phased approach that includes driver-assistance systems, remote operation, and fully autonomous driving.

The founders identified an opportunity to apply autonomous technology to the European rail market, which they saw as having potential for immediate impact compared to the autonomous car industry. Sam De Smet has a background in mechanical engineering and business development in Silicon Valley, while Niels Van Damme also contributed to the company's founding. They established OTIV to address challenges in the rail industry such as labor shortages, operational inefficiencies, and safety concerns, with the goal of making rail a more competitive and sustainable mode of transport.

OTIV offers a modular platform with a suite of products designed to progressively automate rail operations. This includes OTIV.ONE, a camera system to improve visibility during shunting; OTIV.TWO, an advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) that uses sensors like cameras and LiDAR to prevent collisions in complex urban environments; OTIV.THREE, a remote supervision and control center; and OTIV.FOUR, a full self-driving system. The company's business model involves collaborating with rail operators, industrial companies, and rolling stock manufacturers to implement these solutions. Its clients operate in three core markets: industrial rail (e.g., steel works, chemical sites, ports), urban transit (trams), and mainline networks for both freight and passenger traffic. Notable partners and clients include Deutsche Bahn, SNCF, ArcelorMittal, and NS (the Dutch national railway).

Since its inception, OTIV has achieved several milestones. The company was recognized as Belgium's fastest-growing tech scale-up according to Deloitte's Technology Fast 50 in 2025 and won the European Start-up Prize for Mobility in 2022. It has secured multiple rounds of funding, including a Series A round in late 2022 and a €9 million growth investment in 2025, co-led by investors such as Miles Ahead, SHIFT Invest, and Finindus. These funds are intended to accelerate international growth, deploy commercial products, and further develop fully autonomous train technology.

Keywords: rail automation, autonomous trains, ADAS for rail, railway safety systems, remote train operation, AI in transportation, shunting automation, tram collision avoidance, freight train automation, sustainable mobility, computer vision, LiDAR sensors, mainline automation, industrial rail solutions, modal shift, De Lijn, ArcelorMittal, Deutsche Bahn, SNCF, NS