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Mercedes-Benz and Glympse, a mobile technology company that pioneered temporary real-time location sharing, are teaming up to provide real-time location sharing to their drivers by integrating Glympse into the new Mercedes-Benz Digital DriveStyle application, set to launch in the new A-Class in September. Drivers will be able to select a recipient, set a timer, and ‘send a Glympse’ to anyone they choose. The recipient will receive a text or email link, which will show the driver’s real-time location on an i

Google launches NFC-enabled transit payment card in Kenya Google has launched Beba in Kenya, a pre-paid NFC (near field communication)-enabled card to allow cash-free payment of bus fares by transit travellers. According to TechMtaa, an African technology website, the move was expected, and is rolling out first in Nairobi. The card, which can be loaded with up the local equivalent of US$115, is likely attractive to customers, as it may help them dodge rising rates, or bus drivers that don’t provide exact or

Cale Group’s newest subsidiary, Cale America, has been selected by the Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh (PPAP) to upgrade its parking meter system. The new programme will introduce pay-by-license plate technology which Cale has successfully implemented in cities such as Calgary in Canada, and Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Customers will enter their vehicle license plate number at a solar-charged multi-space meter and the company’s system will inform parking enforcement staff which vehicles are paid in

BMW of North America has selected Inrix's premium traffic information service for next generation connected navigation systems in North America. As part of a multi-year contract, BMW is teaming with the company to provide drivers with real-time traffic, traffic-influenced turn-by-turn directions and alerts to accidents and other incidents along their route.

Telematics Update has announced the 12 winners of its Annual Telematics Update Awards at the Telematics Detroit 2012 Conference & Exhibition. The entries were judged by a selection of independent consultants and industry experts.

Nissan has confirmed plans to make its "Easy-Fill Tyre Alert" system available on all future models it brings to market in the US beginning in 2013. This safety feature, one of the automaker's latest innovations, currently comes standard on all 2013 Nissan Altima, 2012 Nissan Leaf and 2012 Nissan Quest models, with standard or optional availability on more products to follow later this year as the automaker continues its launch of five all-new models in the next 15 months.

An island which is home to the Netherlands’ first National Park is about to launch Europe’s cleanest bus fleet. The city of Schiermonnikoog in the province of Friesland, Netherlands is nestled on this 16 km long island and is virtually car-free. While home to about 1000 residents, over 350,000 people visit the island every year and will now ride in six new, long-range, all-electric BYD buses set to launch on Schiermonnikoog early next year. In a European legal tender and open bid supported by four major bus

Nokia has announced plans to release a new version of Ovi Maps for its smartphones that includes high-end walk and drive navigation at no extra cost, available for download at www.nokia.com/maps. This move has the potential to nearly double the size of the current mobile navigation market.The new version of Ovi Maps includes high-end car and pedestrian navigation features, such as turn-by-turn voice guidance for 74 countries, in 46 languages, and traffic information for more than 10 countries, as well as de

Green Automotive Company, a US public company involved in the conversion, import and distribution of eco-friendly vehicles, has entered into detailed discussions with Liberty Electric Cars, a UK-based developer of electric drive trains, battery management systems and provider of full support programmes for all types of electric vehicles. These discussions will lead to Liberty technology being used to convert conventional internal combustion engine driven vehicles into zero emission electric vehicles.

Inrix, a leading provider of traffic information and driver services announced an exclusive partnership with MapLink, a leading provider of traffic and location-based services in Brazil. “Traffic congestion is one of Brazil’s biggest problems because the country’s infrastructure has not kept pace with its rapid economic growth,” said Inrix senior VP of business development Kush Parikh. “It’s come to a point where gridlock on the country’s roads is stalling further economic growth at a time when they can lea

ITS America has recognised the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DoT) for Midtown in Motion, the sophisticated traffic management system launched last July that uses ITS to ease traffic congestion, improve traffic flow, and reduce greenhouse emissions and air pollution on the city’s most congested streets. Coinciding with the award, NYC DoT announced that it is expanding the system, which currently covers 110-square blocks, to cover 270-square blocks in the city’s most heavily congested neighb