Search

Wavetronix is to carry out what it calls a first-of-its-kind installation of its SmartSensor Matrix in the city of Tustin, California for the Tustin Ranch Road Extension project. As part of the project, the city is incorporating cycle detection technology and is using Wavetronix radar in a unique ‘in-the-box detection designed to ensure that cyclists can safely pass through signal-controlled intersections before the light changes to red. SmartSensor Matrix is able to detect cycles and register them

In what is said to be an Australian first, infrastructure firm Global Road Technology (GRT) has been awarded a contract by the Indonesian military to build and develop roads across 1500 kilometres of the country’s border regions for civilian use with its specifically developed rapid deployment road stabilisation technology. The technology has been specifically designed using in-situ material that can be rapidly deployed across border regions by the Indonesian military. These road stabilisation products

Jenoptik’s Traffic Solutions division has received an iF design award 2014 in the public design category for its new camera housing, TraffiTower 2.0. The iF design awards recognise outstanding design as assessed by international expert juries. Jenoptik says its TraffiTower 2.0 combines design and high functionality for traffic monitoring using laser or radar. Two completely independently functioning measuring systems can be built into the housing, enabling users to flexibly monitor speed or red light vio

The regional European Electronic Toll Services (EETS) initiative is about to be kick-started by over US$3 million of co-financing from the European Union TEN-T Program. A a series of studies aimed at deploying EETS on a cross-border regional scale, selected for funding under the 2012 TEN-T multi-annual programme, specifically cover the electronically tolled primary road network of seven member states: Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain, and Switzerland, which receives no EU suppor

Responding to reports that the UK Highways Agency is to roll out speed cameras on stretches of ‘smart’ motorways, road safety charity Brake has spoken in support of the proposal. Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive, Brake, the road safety charity, said: "Speed cameras are an extremely well evidenced, cost-effective way to improve safety and reduce deaths and injuries on roads where they are placed, preventing families going through the trauma of a sudden bereavement or life-changing injury. Put simpl

The US Department of Transportation's (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is to begin taking steps to enable vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology for light vehicles. This technology would improve safety by allowing vehicles to communicate with each other and ultimately avoid many crashes altogether by exchanging basic safety data, such as speed and position, ten times per second. DOT research indicates that safety applications using V2V technology can address a large

The latest report from Transparency Market Research, “Connected Car Market – Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2013 – 2019,” provides in depth analysis, market size estimates, market shares, and forecast covering the period 2013-2019 for the connected car market across the globe. It discusses market drivers, restraints, opportunities, and market trends. The global connected car market is primarily driven by the changing consumer preference and growing awareness about sa

The UK’s Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) is to participate in a large European Commission project which aims to directly address the technological feasibility, economic viability and the socio-environmental effects of dynamic on-road charging of electric vehicles (EV). Known as FABRIC (FeAsiBility analysis and development of on-Road charging solutions for future electric VehiCles), this four-year project is in response to the need to assess the potential and feasibility of a more extensive integratio

Drivewyze is to offer a free alert service to go with the latest version of its PreClear weigh-station bypass mobile app. The new weigh station heads up alert service, available without a subscription to PreClear’s bypass service, provides audio and visual alerts two miles and one mile before a weigh station so a driver knows when to move to the correct lane to pull in to the station. It works in all 50 states and recognises permanent weigh stations and temporary inspection sites at more than 700 locatio

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) in the Philippines has awarded the first of its many projects under the public-private partnership (PPP) program to a joint venture led by the Ayala and Metro Pacific groups. The award is for the automatic fare collection system (AFCS), a tap-and-go ticketing scheme for the light rail transit (LRT) and metro rail transit (MRT) rail systems, which it is hoped will cut queuing time and allowing seamless transfers from one rail line to another. A

The Canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland has opted for the latest generation of Clearview Traffic’s M680 loop classifier system, following its long-term use of the company’s M660 system. According to Clearview, the M680 delivers precise, reliable and impressive download data with rapid response times. The system enables data to be classified according to the Swiss10 scheme, the official classification requirement in Switzerland adopted by road authorities through OFROU. With a number of options available t

Following the suspension of the eco-tax on heavy vehicles in October 2013, a number of possible changes are being studied which could lead to its eventual implementation. The tax is expected to generate some US$1.63 billion per year, which would be used to finance the construction of railways and canals in order to reduce haulage activity on the road. Possible changes include re-naming the tax, increasing the current 3.5 tonnes minimum vehicle weight, increasing the number of regions which benefit from a

Brazil's São Paulo state governor Geraldo Alckmin has announced a tender to concession the state capital's metro line 18, budgeted at around US$1.73b billion. The public-private partnership involves construction as well as the 25-year operation of the line, which will be a monorail stretching 15 kilometres between São Paulo city and the neighbouring ABC region, with 13 stations. The ABC region includes the cities of Santo André, São Bernardo do Campo and São Caetano do Sul. The new line will connect t

Cubic Transportation Systems has been recognised for its work with the UK’s Southern Railway in providing the ITSO travel card for commuters on the London to Brighton route with the award of the Best Smartcard Ticketing Service provider at the 2014 MasterCard Transport Ticketing Awards. The card enables passengers to “touch in” and “touch out” at 30 major Southern stations outside London, including Brighton and Gatwick Airport. In addition, Southern Railway customers can also use the gate terminals at Tr

UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has announced that government will invest more than US$15 million to boost the number of charging points for electric cars. Major car manufacturers BMW, Nissan, Renault, Toyota and Vauxhall are all backing the Go Ultra Low campaign in a ground breaking partnership with government to debunk common myths and misconceptions that put drivers off switching to electric or hybrid cars, such as cost and how far the vehicles can travel before being recharged. Electric car o

TrafficLand, US distributor of live traffic video is to install its TLX™ video aggregation technology in Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s (MassDOT) highway operations centre to distribute real-time video from its road-side camera network to multiple stakeholders in the region. Under the agreement, TrafficLand will serve live video from 375 MassDOT traffic cameras to the DOT website. The number of cameras will expand to 500 by the end of 2014. TrafficLand will also provide specialised access

The National Transportation Coalition, a US bipartisan group of governors, is calling on Congress to take immediate action to avoid a looming national crisis – the expiration of national highway funding. Seventeen Governors have signed a letter urging congressional members to act and avoid a potential nationwide transportation funding crisis. The Highway Trust Fund, the funding mechanism that drives the US investment in transportation infrastructure, is facing its fifth revenue shortfall since 2008. Mo

A specially adapted Sideway-force Coefficient Routine Investigation Machine (SCRIM) manufactured by UK company WDM and used by the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) to survey the country’s road network has been, says NZTA ‘a very efficient and effective safety strategy’. SCRIM measures wet road resistance and uses lasers to scan the road surface. Video technology helps delivers a complete set of highway asset data. WDM has also helped NZTA develop the first state highway skid resistance policy. As a r

According to the latest research from ABI, although the penetration of telematics in the construction equipment industry on the whole remains low, operators are gradually beginning to realise the benefits as more and more OEMs include telematics solutions as standard in their vehicles. Most operators cite the tracking capability of their telematics systems as providing the most immediate initial benefit to their businesses, as it helps to reduce vehicle theft and misuse, thus reducing insurance premiums.

Officials in Luxembourg are planning to install fixed and mobile speed camera in a bid to improve the accident rate in tunnels and dangerous roads in the country, and to reduce the number of traffic fatalities. A feasibility study estimates the cost for the project at US$15 million. The total cost for the installation of 35 fixed cameras and five mobile devices is predicted to be US$1.6 million, together with US$13 million for a control centre. The project is scheduled to start in summer 2014.