News

Berlin has become the latest city seeking to convince travellers of the benefits of Mobility as a Service

Ultimate Visual Solutions (UVS) has developed an alarm system which it says can be used in a traffic control centre where on-screen colour changes represent major fluctuations. The system, which operates within UVS’ Lucidity video wall controller and control software, allows staff to set pre-set alarm points. UVS managing director Steve Murphy says the solution provides an audible and visual alarm on the video wall. “We are now adding this feature as an option to the standard Lucidity control software o

Car2go is to remove its free-floating car-share service from the North American cities of Austin, Calgary, Denver, Portland and Chicago by the end of the year. Car2go released a statement, in which it admitted mistakes: “We have had to face the hard reality that despite our efforts, we underestimated the investment and resources that are truly necessary to make our service successful in these complex transportation markets amid a quickly-changing mobility landscape.” The company is now refocusing on the c

Lyft is tweaking its app in a bid to make it easier for users to switch between different modes of travel - including scooters, bikes, public transit and car rentals. The ride-share firm has added shared bikes and scooters to its app over the past year and says more people are opting for its ‘greenest ride options’. The app displays mobility options in a city and Lyft says it helps users find the safest routes for bikes and scooters. The app will also allow users to compare the time and cost acro

The city of Chicago has unveiled a plan to help improve traffic safety in its poorer areas, focusing on the south and west sides. Mayor Lori Lightfoot says studies show that residents living in communities experiencing “economic hardship” are three times more likely to die as a result of a traffic crash. “We must change how we design and use streets, as any traffic-related death is unacceptable when we, as a city, have the tools and strategies to prevent the conditions that lead to these tragedies,” Ligh

E-con Systems has launched a 5MP monochrome USB 3.1 Gen 1 SuperSpeed Camera which it says captures images in visible and near-infrared regions. The See3CAM_CU55M camera includes a high level of signal to noise ratio – which, E-con says, guarantees a low noise in all conditions. E-con president Ashok Babu says: “With its low noise and excellent image quality, this will be an ideal camera for applications such as iris recognition, NIR imaging, driver monitoring and digital microscopy.” See3CAM_CU55

Bombardier Transportation has provided propulsion and signalling systems for trains running on China’s Changzhou Metro Line 1 in a bid to reduce travel time. Bombardier says its Cityflow 650 communications-based control solution enables automatic train operation at speeds of up to 80km/h on the line, which is expected to transport around 950,000 passengers per day. The company’s Chinese joint venture Bombardier NUG Signalling Solutions (BNS) and Bombardier NUG Propulsion System is to provide the technol

A collaboration led by DTE Energy called Project Kinetic has launched an initiative which allows drivers to charge electric vehicles (EVs) at Beacon Park in downtown Detroit, Michigan. DTE says the ChargeD initiative is offering access to four DC fast-charger stations. Project Kinetic – whose partners include the city of Detroit and General Motors – has a mission to identify solutions that address mobility challenges. Detroit’s director of sustainability Joel Howrani Heeres says: “ChargeD will allow r

Uber is combining its ride-hailing and food delivery apps, while polishing its green credentials and launching a range of new features and partnerships. There is a particular focus on micromobility: bikes and scooters will be displayed on the map inside the ride-hailing giant’s app in 28 cities to make it easier for users to view their options. The company is also expanding its in-app Transit option to include San Francisco, Mexico City and Paris. New Uber Jump bikes and scooters will come with batteries

Via Mobility Japan is providing a free ride-sharing service for employees living within a seven-mile zone of Itochu’s HQ in the capital, Tokyo. General trading company Itochu is hoping the BlueVia service will reduce transportation costs and allow employees to dedicate journey time to work. The Via subsidiary says the service comprises regular sedans that can carry four employees, and vans which can fit up to six people. Passengers can use the BlueVia app to request a ride to Itochu within the operating

Sixty per cent of transit agencies looking to use account-based ticketing are struggling with bespoke technology which is slow to deploy and costly to maintain, claims Masabi. Masabi CEO Brian Zanghi says agencies have been “denied access” to systems that keep pace with technology in a cost-effective way and have had to invest in bespoke automatic fare collection (AFC) systems. “This has led to limited innovation with some agencies able to purchase the latest systems but leaving many underserved and left

San Miguel Corporation is seeking a high-level solution to congestion in Metro Manila in the Philippines. The company - whose flagship product is the San Miguel beer – is proposing an elevated toll road on top of the EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue) highway, stretching from Macapagal Avenue in Pasay City to either Samson Road or Balintawak in Quezon City. A report by ABS-CBN News says the toll road would have five lanes northbound and southbound and may also include dedicated lanes for a bus rapid tr

A new scheme in France aims to give highway police a first-hand view of what to expect in high speed incidents – without putting anyone at risk. Egis has launched the training module for motorway patrollers using a virtual reality (VR) headset and handheld controls. In conjunction with French start-up Immersive Factory it offers training on motorway safety and callout procedures as part of Egis’ contract to operate the A63 motorway between the villages of Salles and St. Geours-de-Maremne. Egis says th

The news that former French president Jacques Chirac has died, aged 86, should be of note for those in the road safety sector. His political legacy is well known. Chirac was prime minister of France from 1974-76 and again from 1986-88, mayor of Paris from 1977-95 and finally president of France from 1995-2007. But his political reputation ended under a cloud following his suspended sentence on corruption charges. Perhaps less well widely known, however, is that Chirac had a tremendously beneficial eff