News

July 19, 2019

Bike Share Toronto expands service

Bike Share Toronto is to add 1,250 bicycles, 105 stations and 2,292 docking stations to its network and will expand into new neighborhoods in the Canadian city. The deployment follows a commitment by the city’s mayor John Tory and the Toronto Parking Authority to extend bike-sharing services in the region. Tory says: “We will continue to push for the expansion of Bike Share to new neighbourhoods because we know it leads to increased ridership and membership for this important service.” Bike Sha
July 19, 2019

AV drivers need help for safe handovers, says RAC

Drivers will need help preparing for unexpected situations where their autonomous vehicle (AV) hands back control, warns the RAC Foundation. RAC carried out a study in the UK with the Human Factors Research Group at the University of Nottingham on 49 people of varying ages using a driving simulator on a ‘commute-style’ journey for five days in a row. During the trial, the drivers demonstrated significant lateral movement (lane swerving) when control was handed back to them, even after being provided
July 18, 2019

WSP appoints Virginia DoT exec to ITS post

WSP USA has appointed Virginia Lingham as a consultant for its ITS and connected and autonomous vehicle (C/AV) divisions. She will focus on key projects in ITS and C/AV deployment in California as well as efforts across the US. Lingham was previously C/AV programme manager for the Virginia Department of Transportation (DoT), where she served as chair of the Connected Vehicle Pooled Fund Study - a coalition of 27 state DoTs which collaborate on C/AV projects. She also organised the SmarterRoads Hackathon
July 18, 2019

Toyota unveils online map for traffic in Japan

Toyota has released an online map which provides information on road closures and natural disasters in Japan. The company says users can check data from the past hour to 24 hours and carry out searches on areas of heavy traffic. The real-time data is based on the T-Connect/G-Book telematics service information from communications systems in Toyota’s vehicles, and the map is accessible from a smartphone, computer or other devices.
July 18, 2019

AVs for seniors from Via in New South Wales

Autonomous vehicle (AV) developers seem to targeting ‘closed’ communities such as retirement complexes or universities and Via is also joining this trend. The company has launched a free AV service called BusBot for a retirement community in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. In partnership with local bus operator Busways, Transport for NSW and EasyMile, BusBot is operating in the Marian Grove Retirement Village in Toormina, a suburb of Coffs Harbour. Via says its technology allows the vehicle
July 18, 2019

VW and Ford partner on AV tech and EVs

Volkswagen and Ford are expanding their global alliance to focus on autonomous vehicles (AV) technology and electric vehicles (EVs). VW is to invest $2.6 billion in Argo AI, an AV technology company backed by Ford. The partners will integrate Argo AI’s self-driving system into purpose-built vehicles to support initiatives focused on moving people and goods. As part of the deal, Ford is to use VW’s EV architecture and Modular Electric Toolkit - or MEB - to deliver zero-emission vehicles in Europe f
July 17, 2019

GMV to modernise Rabat’s bus transit system

GMV is to provide fare collection, fleet management and passenger information systems for 350 buses operating in Morocco’s capital Rabat. The technology business group is carrying out the project in support of an agreement between Spanish transport operator Alsa and local firm Citybus Transport to manage Rabat’s urban transport system. GMV says its advanced fleet management system will allow the whole service to be managed and monitored based on vehicle positioning information. The fleet’s movements will
July 17, 2019

Transdev trials AVs on open roads in Montreal

Transdev is trialling two EasyMile autonomous shuttles in daily traffic conditions in Montreal, Canada, until 4 August. Arthur Nicolet, chief executive officer of Transdev Canada, says: “Each step of this deployment allows us to address technological challenges, as well as to test consumer acceptance of these new modes of transport.” Transdev says the shuttle will cross intersections equipped with intelligent traffic signals with which they will communicate, thereby providing a service between Olympi
July 17, 2019

North Carolina explores Hyperloop feasibility

North Carolina’s Regional Transportation Alliance (RTA) is exploring the feasibility of Hyperloop as a potential regional and inter-city transportation platform. Virgin Hyperloop One and consortium partner Aecom discussed the findings and implications of a pre-feasibility hyperloop study at a recent RTA event. The study included example corridors which could connect Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and Raleigh-Durham International Airport near the Research Triangle Park as well as a hyperloop network across
July 16, 2019

Proterra supplies battery-electric buses to Virginia

Proterra is to supply battery-electric buses and charging stations to the Virginia Department of General Services in the US. Proterra says the contract allows transit agencies, universities and institutions to purchase its battery-electric buses and charging systems. Transit agencies from other US states can also utilise the contract to simplify the process of purchasing electric buses, the company adds. Ryan Popple, Proterra CEO, says: “We can be on a quicker path to reduce our dependence on fossil fuel
July 16, 2019

ABB delivers 20 EV chargers to Egypt

4540 ABB is supplying 20 DC fast chargers across Egypt which it says can recharge electric vehicles (EVs) in 15 minutes.

The company says the deployment supports Egypt’s plans to reduce air pollution by 50% by 2023.

The Terra 53 DC fast chargers are being installed at National Petroleum Company gas stations across the country’s road network, car dealerships and busy urban areas.

Each charger comes with ABB Ability connected services, which continuously collects data to remotely monitor and control the operation of the chargers.

July 16, 2019

Volvo and Nvidia to develop AV decision-making system

Volvo has partnered with Nvidia to develop a decision-making system which it says will allow autonomous commercial vehicles to operate safely on public roads. The solution will be built on Nvidia’s full software stack for sensor processing, perception, map localisation and path planning to enable a range of autonomous driving applications such as public transit and freight transport. The contract includes accelerated computing technology in the data centre for training deep neural networks, large-scale si
July 16, 2019

Man convicted of driverless car terror plot in UK

A man has been found guilty in a UK court of plotting to use a driverless car for terrorism. Farhad Salah was convicted at Sheffield Crown Court after prosecutors argued that he was planning to put an explosive device in a vehicle which could then be controlled remotely. He will be sentenced on 24 July after the jury found him guilty by a majority of 10 to two. His co-defendant Andy Star was found not guilty of the same offence at the trial. It is the second time that both men, who are Iraqi nationals,
July 15, 2019

NeoRide brings EZfare to seven Ohio transit agencies

NeoRide, a consortium of seven Ohio transit agencies and Masabi, is to launch a cashless mobile ticketing and fare payment app called EZfare. Ben Capelle, NeoRide board chair, says users “won’t need cash, they won’t have to stand in line at transit stations to pay fares or obtain transfers”. EZfare is available to riders in Laketran, Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority and Portage Area Regional Transit Authority. NeoRide’s other partner agencies - the Stark Area Regional Transit Authority, Metro RTA, M
boombox1

Highlighted Content

boombox2