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There are several networking options available for smart city planners. Phil Beecher of Wi-SUN Alliance makes the case for wireless mesh networks when it comes to rolling out IoT solutions The Internet of Things (IoT) is growing fast. Connecting thousands of sensors and control systems in bi-directional networks is paving the way for a new generation of smart city and transport infrastructures. For many of these applications, wireless connectivity is essential where cable installation is not practical.

Cyber threats are increasing rapidly and conventional security measures are unable to keep up. Ben Spencer talks to SafeRide’s Gil Reiter about what OEMs can do now As more vehicles become connected, so the potential threats to their security increase. Gil Reiter, vice president of product management for security firm SafeRide, says the biggest ‘attack surface’ for connected cars is their internet connectivity - and the in-vehicle applications that use the internet connection. “The most vulnerable co

Indra says its Davaq free-flow identification system has scored the highest overall accuracy rate – 88% - in a US trial to detect high-occupancy vehicles.

VeoRide is to launch an electric scooter with a swappable battery in the US – which it says sets the product apart from anything on the market. The company could not resist a dig at commercial rivals, saying that its R&D team designed vehicles “from the ground up for commercial/shared use, rather than sourcing the same Ninebot or Segway scooters that Lime, Bird and others use”. VeoRide claims that its scooter will last four to eight times longer than others – and suggests that it will also improve safet

Videalert is launching a refit service for mobile enforcement vehicles (MEV), which it says will allow UK councils to extend the operational life of existing assets. The firm claims that the service will allow councils who obtain MEVs from suppliers such as TES and SEA to replace analogue technology with high-definition cameras which offer capture rates up to 98%. The vehicles achieve this capture rate by making a single pass at normal road speeds rather than having to make multiple passes at speeds

Init has launched a simulation and planning tool which it says will allow transit agencies and bus manufacturers to integrate electric vehicles (EV) into fleets The company says the eMobile-Plan can be used to simulate scenarios using different types of electric buses, different placements of charging stations within a network, as well as route profiles and temperature ranges to generate efficient timetables, blocks and duty schedules. Also, agencies can use the solution to define the medium- and long-term

MTR Nordic has launched its MyHeadsapp travel app which it says will provide public transport updates for service disruptions on routes in Stockholm, Sweden. MTR (Mass Transit Railway) operates and maintains the city’s metro and commuter trains in cooperation with public transport company SL (Storstockholms Lokaltrafik). Mark Jensen, CEO of MTR Nordic, says: “We have developed an app that gives travellers information about any disturbances on their own journey from start to finish, no matter how many cha

Lucid Vision Labs has launched four Triton GigE vision cameras which it says can be used for ITS applications and traffic systems due to its IP67 protection rating. The cameras, which feature an interface for long cables up to 100m, come with M12 Ethernet and M8 I/O connectors to provide a robust connection resistant to shock and vibration - and an optional lens tube which protects against dirt, dust and water. Also, the range is expected to offer an operating temperature ranging from -20°C to 55°C ambi

It’s easy to talk about MaaS in the abstract – but MaaS isn’t going to work if it’s just a theory. Colin Sowman speaks to one woman about the practical benefits - and difficulties - of getting out of her car and switching to public transit in Atlanta, Georgia One of the first goals of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) inventor Sampo Hietanen is that MaaS should persuade households they don’t need a second car. This is starting to happen - even in the car-dominated US. Last year, authorities in the state of Ge

Israel-based ERM Telematics has partnered with Altair Semiconductor to develop a range of low-powered and installation-free automotive Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. ERM says its new set of IoT and asset management solutions utilise Altair’s optimised cellular IoT chipsets to provide installation-free solutions for IoT, asset management, stolen vehicle recovery and financial services. These will include event-based platforms for automatic vehicle location and asset management applications using vari

New ITS systems on either side of the Atlantic – such as an intriguing piece of connected clothing – aim to reduce the casualty toll among road maintenance personnel, says Alan Dron t’s not a lot of fun working on road maintenance or road construction worksites. By definition, you’re out in all weathers. You’re not popular with motorists, who blame you for hold-ups. It’s frequently physically arduous. And, worst of all, the sector has an unenviable record of injuries - even fatalities. Often working jus

McCain has been chosen by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) to control more than 500 signalised intersections in the Canadian province. The company will deploy its Transparity traffic management system (TMS) to manage traffic flow and promote mobility with real-time traffic data and management tools. McCain’s Canadian partner and distributor, Innovative Traffic Solutions, secured the agreement. Frank Rao, president of Innovative, says: “Upgrading their current traffic management so

Dayli Blockchain is taking part in a smart city challenge to build a solution to help improve parking in the city of Bicheon in South Korea. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation’s (MOLIT) smart city challenge supports collaboration between local governments and private corporations to solve transportation, environmental and other urban issues, and to create new business models. Dayli, Yello Mobile’s smart city solution company, says it will provide a service portal to manage individua

UK cities must learn from the Netherlands and Denmark if active travel and increased safety for vulnerable road users are to co-exist, says TRL’s Marcus Jones Active travel’ refers to modes of transport in which physical effort is required to undertake purposeful journeys - for example, walking or cycling to school, work or the local shops, as well as walking and standing as part of accessing public transport. The benefits of replacing short car journeys with more active forms of transport are obvious. Act

Trade association ITS America has expressed disappointment that Toyota is pausing its Vehicle to Everything (V2X) deployment in the US. The Japanese car maker sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) saying that a lack of activity from other manufacturers on V2X – plus uncertainty over the regulatory position – had led to the decision. In a statement, ITS America said it was ‘disappointed’, adding: “We appreciate Toyota’s leadership and commitment to life-saving V2X technology.” Th

If you live in one of the world’s poor countries you are three times more likely to die in a road accident than if you live in a richer country. This sobering finding comes from the latest World Health Organisation report on road safety (p41). That simply isn’t good enough. As WHO points out, proven solutions are available to improve the chilling statistics. These include better legislation and strong enforcement, of course, but technology must also be part of the mix. This is an economic issue - but it’s

Bird is to roll out an app feature which allows people to report poorly parked or damaged electric scooters to the company. It is an attempt to solve one of the biggest bugbears surrounding the deployment of scooters and dockless bikes – the issue of what happens when users abandon or abuse the vehicles. Bird says the app’s new ‘Community Mode’ will improve parking and safety in the cities where it operates, such as Portland and Salt Lake City. The company will use reports to reposition poorly parked e-s

Europe is seen as leading the charge as providers battle to gain traction for their Mobility as a Service apps. But that could be about to change with the roll-out of Cowlines in North America It is widely agreed that Mobility as a Service (MaaS) platforms have the potential to replace a lot of urban private car journeys – more than 2.3 billion of them by 2023 in fact, according to Juniper Research. Implementation of MaaS options is likely to be quicker in Europe than in the US for a number of reasons (

Karhoo has opened an office in Krakow, Poland, to serve as a development, engineering and operational hub in Eastern Europe. The company says local fleets using the Karhoo platform will benefit from accessing more exposure, enabling them to win big contracts. According to Karhoo, the firm’s ride-hailing marketplace brings together regulated, licensed taxi and private hire vehicle fleets in the form of an electronic platform which can integrate with travel and leisure operators’ platforms and apps.

Masabi has secured £20 million in a funding round to accelerate the expansion of its mobility platform Justride. Masabi says Justride removes the need for passengers to buy a ticket by allowing them to tap a contactless bank card, mobile phone or smart card to travel. The round of investment, led by venture capital firms Smedvig Capital with MMC Ventures, is expected to allow the company to bring its ticketing and payments technology to more cities and transit operators around the world. Addition