Telvent rolls out Saudi Arabia’s first smart transportation system
Telvent GIT has announced the completion of the company’s SmartMobility Road Suite, on King Abdullah Road in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Claimed to be the first smart transportation system to be implemented in Saudi Arabia, this solution manages interurban expressway traffic through a centralised platform. It controls and manages the four tunnels and the entire range of field devices in place along the expressway’s six kilometre length, increasing user safety and security and improving infrastructure maintenance.
European safety drive
The European Commission is keen to boost road safety and analysis of road accident statistics. A key component of this move will be improving transparency over the safety of road infrastructure, in accordance with their obligations under European law. So far 11 European member states have been warned by the European Commission to be more open about the safety on infrastructure networks.
Siemens to build streetcars for Atlanta
Siemens Industry has been awarded a US$17.2 million contract from Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), on behalf of the City of Atlanta and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District, to provide Atlanta with four new streetcars. The first car is expected to be delivered in September 2012 with revenue service beginning in early 2013. These will be the first streetcars in Atlanta since 1949 and will mark Siemens entry into the streetcar market in the United States.
TRW introduces roof airbag technology
TRW Automotive Holdings has unveiled its new 'bag in roof' airbag system which replaces passenger airbags typically mounted in the instrument panel. The company claims the new airbag can help to mitigate passenger injuries and can allow for improved interior design aesthetics, ergonomics and functionality while saving space in the instrument panel. In addition, TRW claims this new design concept enhances development efficiency: by eliminating the need to package a passenger airbag in the instrument panel, t
Systra wins Bagdad underground metro contract
During a visit to Paris, a delegation from the Bagdad Mayoralty in Paris has signed a contract with Systra for the design and tender services for the Bagdad Underground Metro Lines 1 and 2, which are intended to be the backbone of future transport development in the Iraqi capital. Systra’s contract involves the basic design, preparation of tender documents, and selection of EPC Contractor for two underground metro lines.
UK to tackle US$1.6 billion cost of motorway closures
A UK government strategy to tackle congestion caused by motorway closures and drive down the £1 billion (US$1.6 billion) annual cost to the economy has been unveiled by Roads Minister Mike Penning, who also announced the launch of a £3 million ($4.87 million) fund for police forces to purchase laser scanning technology to speed up of the investigation process and incident clear up times.
Project to develop inductive charging for EVs
Volvo Car Corporation is participating in an inductive charging project. Together with Belgian technological and development specialists Flanders' Drive and others, Volvo is developing systems and methods that need neither power sockets nor charging cables. With inductive charging, energy is transferred wirelessly to the car's battery via a charging plate buried in the road surface.
BRT alternative to trams presented to Stockholm
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has been presented as a good and cheaper alternative to new tramways in Stockholm, according to a report from the consultancy WSP. If the BRT buses are operated on biofuel or electric-hybrid then this form of transport is also as green as trams.
New Developments in Active Safety Technology book released
SAE International has released the second in its ‘Safe, Green and Connected’ trilogy of books edited by 2010 SAE International president Dr. Andrew Brown Jr., P.E., FESD, NAE. Active Safety and the Mobility Industry features 20 SAE technical papers originally published in 2009 and 2010, which showcase how the mobility industry is considering all aspects of safety in designing and producing safer vehicles. The book details the latest innovations and trends in active safety technologies and driver distraction
AmeriTram demonstrated in Dallas
Kinkisharyo International, a supplier of low-floor, light-rail vehicles in North America, has undertaken a demonstration in Dallas, Texas, for officials and invited guests of the AmeriTram, the company’s prototype of the 100 per cent low-floor, electro-hybrid streetcar specifically designed for North America.
Electric vehicle future for Norway
Innovative fast-charging systems for electric vehicles are now being supplied to Norway. The country is buying the high speed charging technology from Epyon, a Belgian supplier. Norwegian firm Lysi Energi is purchasing the commercial charging stations for electric vehicles in a bid to build a nationwide network. Epyon recently installed a Terra 51 Charge Station in Sandnes, near the E39 highway to Stavanger, and plans installations at least at two more locations in the next two months.
Vitronic PoliScanspeed systems to be deployed in Latvia
German company Vitronic and its subsidiary Vitronic Baltica together with the Latvian company SIA Komerccentrs DATI Grupa have won a tender for 130 speed enforcement systems to be deployed throughout Latvia. 100 systems will be operated in 160 stationary housings, while 30 units will be used for mobile speed enforcement.
TagMaster, Richor and FTRD sign LoI
TagMaster, together with its Chinese distributor Richor and FTRD, a technology supplier to the rail industry in China, have signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) which covers the joint development of an RFID system for use on mainline railways in China. The RFID system will form part of a new onboard warning system which will be used to improve train safety when passing temporary speed limits and work sections along the line.
Alternative fuel buses gaining significant traction
According to a recent report from Pike Research, the trend toward cleaner transit buses will continue over the next several years, and by 2015 the cleantech market intelligence firm forecasts that alternative fuel vehicles will represent more than 50 per cent of the 64,000 total transit buses that will be delivered worldwide during that year, up from 28 per cent of total bus deliveries in 2010.
Nedap AVI picks up award for uPass Reach reader
Nedap AVI has won a Best Innovation Product award in the Access Control and Visitor Management systems category at the 16th Moscow International Protection, Security & Fire Safety exhibition for its uPass Reach long-range RFID reader. Using the latest in UHF technology, the uPass Reach reader guarantees long range vehicle identification up to four metres. Based on the use of battery free, passive UHF transponders, the reader output allows the access control or parking system to open the gate when authorised
INIT gains another customer in the US
Germany-headquartered INIT has announced the signing of a contract with California’s Gold Coast Transit (GCT) to provide an advanced scheduling solution (Mobile-Plan) for its fixed-route fleet. The software solution is already in operation in numerous projects around the world and will assist GCT in realising a more efficient schedule planning and resources allocation.
Eptisa TI supplies IT system to Aragon for road management
Spanish IT firm, Eptisa TI, has developed a new computer which will allow the Spanish regional government for Aragon and road concession companies to maintain control of their road network and manage possible incidents. The system, based on ESRI’s Geographic Information System (GIS), will allow companies to manage eight sectors which contain some 2,400 km of roads which are the responsibility of the Aragon government.
The new system is part of the RED Project, which is budgeted at over US$949 million for
TagMaster AVI deployed in West Africa
TagMaster has announced the installation of automatic vehicle identification for access control in Conakry Harbour, West Africa. The installation is being handled by TagMaster’s systems integrator, ETL Security of Conakry West Africa.
TagMaster AVI deployed in West Africa
TagMaster has announced the installation of automatic vehicle identification for access control in Conakry Harbour, West Africa. The installation is being handled by TagMaster’s systems integrator, ETL Security of Conakry West Africa.
China aims to boost road safety with drink driving crackdown
The authorities in China claim that tough new laws against drink driving are already having a major benefit for road safety, according to the official news agency Xinhua. The latest official statistics reveal a sharp drop in road accidents caused by drink driving over a recent long holiday weekend. The newly amended law imposes harsher punishments on drunk drivers, with police also taking a tough line on enforcement.