The new company, VTT SenseWay, which will be based out of Turku, aims to meet the increasing demand for autonomous solutions within shipping, transport, logistics, mobile machinery, mining and other sectors.

President and CEO of VTT Antti Vasara said the future need for varying degrees of automation was pushing the centre to look for solutions and innovations to tackle global challenges, including resource sufficiency and industrial renewal.

"We want to ensure that the results of cutting-edge research reach the markets and become a part of the business world and people's everyday lives more rapidly than before. At the same time, we are helping Finnish industries and society to adopt the changes in modes of operation and business practices enabled by the new technologies," he added.

The centre estimated the global value of the autonomous solutions sector would exceed €70 billion (US$77 billion) by 2023.

The new company will leverage VTT's existing technological and scientific expertise, as well as offer a new channel for using its intellectual property rights.

Partner company Sansvik's director of research and technology development Jani Vilenius said: "VTT's new autonomous solutions company VTT SenseWay will further strengthen the productisation of research results into hi-tech products."

From December 1 onwards, Jere Laaksonen will act as CEO of VTT SenseWay. Prior to this he was vice president of the remote and autonomous ship intelligence unit at Norwegian marine systems provider Kongsberg Maritime.

To begin with, 15 specialists within autonomous systems will be responsible for the service production of VTT SenseWay.