Drive C2X project hosts final demo event
The European project Drive C2X has hosted its final major demonstration, Making cooperative systems cooperate, in a two-day event at the Lindholmen Science Park in Gothenburg, Sweden. The event featured an experts’ day and a public day, where visitors gained hands-on experience of the Drive C2X functions in a running field operation test (FOT) and the unique opportunity to drive cars equipped with the DriveC2X system that provides warning and information based on car-to-infrastructure (C2I) and car-to-car (
Smart payment ticket for LA commuters
Xerox’s universal payment system, TAP, now makes it faster and simpler for passengers in Southern California to transfer between passenger trains, buses, subway and light rail. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) and Metrolink recently teamed up with Xerox to develop TAP-enabled Metrolink tickets that are compatible with the Metro TAP smart fare payment system.
Indian vehicle tracking market set to double in size by 2017
A newly updated report by industry analysts TRN, Indian Vehicle Tracking and Fleet Management Market, 2013-17, investigates opportunities in the vehicle tracking and fleet management sector in light of economic and policy development in India in late 2012 and the first half of 2013. Implications of recent changes to laws governing foreign investment in retail, tax reform, the policy response to the Delhi bus rape, and the spring 2013 budget are all covered in the new edition, and are used to inform scenari
Switzerland expands flexible speed limits
The Swiss department for roads, Astra, is to expand its flexible speed limit systems. It already runs flexible speed limits on the approach to the Baregg tunnel and on the Zurich western bypass, but it is planning to expand this to include whole routes, such as the motorway between Zurich and Bern or Geneva and Lausanne.
Christchurch trials traffic management during rebuild
Trials are being set-up throughout Christchurch to look at ways of improving traffic management around road works sites to help reduce motorist delays and minimise driver frustration. Following the earthquakes, New Zealand’s Christchurch City Council and New Zealand Transport Agency have been working closely with Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team (SCIRT) and Environment Canterbury to find ways to keep people, goods and services moving to support the rebuild.
DC cameras target over-sized trucks
Washington, DC, Department of Transportation is rolling out a new system of traffic cameras designed to target over-sized trucks driving on residential streets. Police and the DOT have received complaints about trucks ignoring signs warning truck drivers not to pass through residential areas, so they’re testing the eight new cameras. The cameras are portable, so they can be easily moved to different locations. The District plans to have them fully operational and issuing tickets within the next two months
Imtech issues significant announcements
Following the recent announcement of its agreement with its main financiers, Dutch company Royal Imtech has published a series of significant announcements, including: Report to Shareholders on Investigations; Audited annual report, which confirms preliminary results; First Quarter results; New Supervisory Board members; and extensions to the Board of Management. The Report to Shareholders provides a comprehensive overview of the irregularities, their impact and related corrective actions. The investigatio
Kapsch next generation transponder technology for Canada’s 407 ETR
Kapsch TrafficCom North America is to supply the next generation technology of its TDMA V6 interior transponder to the Canadian Tolling Company International (Cantoll) for 407 ETR, the world's first all-electronic, barrier-free toll road, in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada.
Rise in number of children in serious road accidents, new report reveals
Road safety experts are alarmed by increase in road traffic casualties among children under eight, girls in particular, following the release today of the AXA car insurance RoadSafe ‘Facts about road accidents and children’ report. In the ten years since the publication of the AA Motoring Trust report into child accident rates, 32,849 children have been killed or seriously injured on Britain's roads. The AXA report, which is produced in conjunction with RoadSafe - a group of the country's leading authoritie
Second eCall interoperability event
The second eCall interoperability event will be held in Essen, Germany from 9to 13 September 2013, organised in cooperation with CETECOM and the HeERO project. eCall participants are invited to join the event to test their in-vehicle systems (IV) and/or Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) implementations. Interoperability and eCall service harmonisation are critical challenges to be taken into account for successful deployment and operation of the eCall service. The event will enable participants to check
Melbourne installs smart road technology
Work is now underway on installing the latest electronic freeway management technology along Melbourne’s West Gate Freeway in Victoria, Australia, with the entire project to be completed by the middle of next year. Installation of the freeway management system along more of Melbourne’s road network will be fully integrated with the one already in use on the M1 east of Williamstown Road as well as that proposed for the M80 Ring Road, according to Victorian Roads (VicRoads) minister Terry Mulder. “Indeed, ou
Volvo launches ElectriCity bus project in Sweden
Buses that glide noiselessly without emissions, that pick up passengers indoors and which are powered by a renewable source of electricity – this will become a reality in 2015, if a new initiative in the Swedish city of Gothenburg is successful. Behind the initiative, known as ElectriCity, is the Volvo Group, in cooperation with the Swedish Energy Agency, the City of Gothenburg, Västtrafik, Lindholmen Science Park and Johanneberg Science Park. The aim is to make buses powered entirely by electricity from r
Vital sign of the times
Part of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council’s Anita Scheme to improve traffic management as well as accessibility and information for cyclists, pedestrians and bus passengers, UK company Vital Technology’s Vital Tri-Sign variable message sign has been installed at key locations in the area. The Highways Agency-approved Vital Tri-Sign is a series of rotating prisms; one face of the prism advises vehicles of normal running conditions, the other faces give information on unusual circumstances such as a predi
TransCore and Sensys Networks partner on real time travel data
TransCore, provider of intelligent transportation system (ITS) products and services to fifty US state departments of transportation, and California-based Sensys Networks are to integrate the Sensys arterial travel time system into TransCore’s TransSuite advanced traffic management system, used by more than forty state and local governments. The Sensys Networks arterial travel time system employs signature re-identification technology to measure and report real-time travel data along a city corridor. This i
More tolls on Greek roads
Plans have been announced to install 43 new toll stations on Greek motorways over the next few years. Toll prices are expected to go up as private companies take on contracts, with some suggesting that the price of journeys could triple. A total of 21 toll stations are to be constructed on the Egnatia Odos highway, eight on Ionia Odos, seven on the Trikala-Domokos motorway and six on Olympia Odos.
IBM advises Lagos on future transportation system to aid growth
A team of IBM experts completing a month-long pro bono consulting assignment has presented recommendations to Nigeria's Lagos State Government to ensure that private traffic and public transportation flows more efficiently in Africa's most populous city, Lagos. Working with the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority and the Lagos State Ministries of Transportation, Works and Infrastructure, Science and Technology, the IBM team of experts proposed technology-driven strategies to make travel easier.
Imtech reaches final agreement with its main financiers
After the identification of the irregularities in Germany and Poland, it became clear that Imtech was not going to meet its year-end 2012 financial covenants. On 19 March 2013, Imtech reached agreement with its main financiers on the provisional continuation of the outstanding facilities, and on 15 June 2013, the company reached final agreement with its main financiers regarding a waiver and amendment agreement for the outstanding facilities.
Australia's 2013 NeTC forum debates revenue collection
The challenging issue of revenue collection was under discussion at the 2013 Australian National Electronic Tolling Committee (NeTC) Forum hosted in Brisbane in May by ITS Australia. ITS Australia chief executive officer Susan Harris said the collection debate focused on ways to educate customers about the rationale for charges, payment processes and tactics to avoid repeat deliberate non-payers. The Forum provided an opportunity for industry and government to explore case studies about the costs of process
Study shows lifetime cost of EVs is comparable to conventional vehicles
Consumers who purchase an electric vehicle will find that costs to own the vehicle are competitive with conventional and hybrid vehicles, according to an analysis conducted by the US Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The study compares the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf with petrol-fueled cars that reflect average costs for different makes and models. Nissan lowered the price of the Leaf by about US$6,000 in January. It looks at several factors, including petrol and power prices, incentives, financi
eCall mandatory in cars from 2015
The European Commission has adopted two proposals to ensure that, from October 2015, all new models of passenger cars and light duty vehicles will have to be fitted with 112 eCall, enabling them to automatically call emergency services in case of a serious crash. eCall is activated automatically as soon as in-vehicle sensors detect a serious crash. Once set off, the system dials the European emergency number 112, establishes a telephone link to the appropriate emergency call centre and sends details of the