Quantum to develop hydrogen vehicle for Mahindra & Mahindra in India
Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, a specialist in natural gas, hydrogen and hybrid electric vehicle technologies, has been awarded an engineering development contract from the leading Indian automaker Mahindra & Mahindra to develop hydrogen systems for a mini-bus platform. Under this contract, Quantum will engineer and modify Mahindra's 2.5L engine to run on clean hydrogen, while improving vehicle performance characteristics through enhanced electronic control software strategies and engine calib
Bosch completes takeover of Taiwan’s Unipoint Group
The Bosch Automotive Aftermarket division has completed the takeover of the Unipoint Group, based in Taipei, Taiwan, which achieved sales of US$124 million in 2010 and currently employs around 2,360 people at two production locations in mainland China and Taiwan, as well as at various sales locations.
Autodesk and Pitney Bowes Software announce strategic alliance
Autodesk and Pitney Bowes Software have entered into a strategic alliance agreement that will serve as a framework for both companies to provide resources, services and solutions to help infrastructure owners and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) organisations make more informed decisions and drive greater efficiencies across the plan, design, build, manage lifecycle of infrastructure.
PTV extends cooperation with Gevas
German software provider PTV has taken a minority stake in Gevas software, a leading traffic engineering firm, further strengthening the companies' close ties. PTV has also acquired product rights for important ITS software components, while Gevas will be able to sharpen its profile as project and integration solutions partner.
Automotive telematics and smart energy will lead M2M market growth
According to ABI Research’s new study, Cellular M2M Connectivity Services, the M2M market has become a fully mainstream segment of the cellular industry. By the end of 2011, most major mobile operators in North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region had established M2M business units to focus their efforts in this fast growing market. ABI Research predicts that the market for cumulative cellular M2M connections will rise from about 110 million connections in 2011 to approximately 365 million connectio
Superior Quality Manufacturing established
INIT Innovations in Transportation, a leading provider of ITS located in Chesapeake, Virginia, has partnered with Simtech, a supplier of customised electronic products, to launch a new business venture in the city of Chesapeake. Superior Quality Manufacturing (SQM) was established to produce a variety of electronic modules and devices featuring components such as computer boards and LED panels.
Decline in global shipments of PNDs
According to a new research report from the analyst firm Berg Insight, global shipments of personal navigation devices (PNDs) declined to about 33 million units in 2011, while the number of subscribers using a turn-by-turn navigation app or service on their handset doubled in 2011 and reached 130 million worldwide. The subscriber base is forecasted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.9 per cent to reach 340 million users worldwide in 2016.
New MD for TKH Security Solutions USA Office
TKH Security Solutions has announced the appointment of Bob McCarthy as managing director of the TKH Security Solutions USA Office, with responsibility for expanding the scope of the company in the Americas for complete and integrated access control, video surveillance, security management, intercom communications, and intrusion detection systems. Prior to joining TKH, McCarthy spearheaded the launch of Alarm.com’s Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS) business, a platform that allows users to easily mana
Full house for BedrijfsautoRAI 2012 event
All the major truck brands have signed up for BedrijfsautoRAI 2012 (formerly known as The European Road Transport Show, TERTS), one of Europe’s leading platforms for sustainable road transport. The final missing manufacturer confirmed its participation last week, which means that DAF, Iveco, MAN, Mercedes, Renault, Scania and Volvo will all be exhibiting their latest models at Amsterdam RAI from Tuesday 17 April to Saturday 21 April 2012.
PTV establishing subsidiary in Mexico
German software provider PTV AG is opening a new subsidiary, PTV América Latina, with headquarters in Mexico City, to offer cities, engineering offices and universities advanced software solutions and professional consulting services for traffic and transportation planning. The new company will be in charge of opening up new business opportunities in all Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America - from Mexico and the Caribbean countries in the North to Argentina and Chile in the South. PTV's Support Cent
Smartcard scheme expanded in UK
East Midlands Trains in the UK, part of the transport operator Stagecoach Group which operates trains and buses throughout the UK, is expanding its smartcard scheme that will allows rail users to purchase and store rail season tickets on a re-usable electronic smart card instead of using traditional paper tickets. The programme is operating under the UK government’s ITSO smartcard scheme for interoperable transport.
Strabag wins Vienna underground extension contract
Construction group Stabag has been awarded a US$119 million contract for the two construction lots U1/9 – Altes Landgut and U1/10 – Troststraße, forming part of the extension of underground line U1 into the south of Vienna, Austria. The client, Wiener Linien, is extending underground line U1 from Reumannplatz station to Oberlaa to provide a direct link between the densely populated areas of the Per-Albin-Hansson-Siedlung housing estate and the city centre from 2016. This will link up the residential distric
Pöyry wins metro contract in Vietnam
Pöyry`s Urban Business Group has been awarded a contract to provide services for the design, tender documentation and site supervision phases for Line 2 of the Ho Chi Minh City Metro, Vietnam. The assignment will be carried out with Helsinki-headquartered Pöyry as the technical leader of a consortium that includes ILF Beratende Ingenieure, Germany, Obermeyer Planen + Beraten, Germany and Tedi South, Vietnam. Pöyry's share of the contract is approximately US$16.7 million.
Johnson Controls advances 3D display technology
Johnson Controls has developed an innovative instrument cluster concept that combines multiple layers of information to generate a three-dimensional (3D) interface. It is claimed that the multilayer instrument cluster concept, which is targeted for full- and mid-size luxury vehicles, creates a more realistic view of the external environment for increased driving efficiency and safety.
Thales wins signalling contract for Hong Kong APM
Thales has been awarded a contract by IHI Corporation to re-signal the automated people mover (APM) located within Hong Kong international airport, with a state-of-the-art solution. The company will supply its radio-based SelTrac CBTC system for the existing lines and for a planned extension to the Midfield Concourse, which will service a third runway. The CBTC technology will also be applied to both existing and new trains circulating on the line. Project completion is scheduled for 2014.
APRR opts for LED lighting in Chamoise Tunnel
French road operator APRR (Autoroute-Paris-Rhin-Rhône) has opted to replace obsolete sodium lamps with LED lighting in the 3.3km Chamoise Tunnel. The LEDs have four times the lifespan of high pressure sodium bulbs and are expected to cut energy use by 45 per cent, or some or 400,000kWh. Moreoever, APRR says the LED units also make lighting more uniform and colours are truer to their normal values, which helps drivers and the cameras that record incidents. Each tube of the tunnel will have 600 LED lamps, cos
MyTaxi attracts US$13 million in growth investment
German company myTaxi, which has revolutionised the European taxi market in less than a year, has extended its group of current investors. Daimler AG subsidiary company Car2go joins the board of the Hamburg-based company acquiring a minority stake. Lars Hinrichs, founder of XING and Hackfwd, is also added to the group of myTaxi shareholders. The existing investors T-Venture, the venture capital arm of Deutsche Telekom, and KfW Bankengruppe, all contributed to the capital increase to promote the rapid growth
Idle Free supplier partnership
Idle Free Systems, a leading provider of year-round idle elimination solutions for trucks and school buses, has announced a new business partnership with AmeriQuest Transportation Services through which the Idle Free electric APU system will be the first electric idle-elimination solution to be available directly to AmeriQuest members. AmeriQuest Transportation Services, with more than 1,500 customers representing 700,000 vehicles, is a privately-held transportation services company. As Jim Sweeny, VP of ca
Slovenian police get smart with truckers
Writing in the newsletter of TISPOL, an organisation established by the traffic police forces of Europe to improve road safety and law enforcement on the roads of Europe, Danijel Kumberger, National Traffic Police Unit, Slovenia, has revealed how smart the force has had to become to catch law-breaking truckers. As he points out, with automotive technical progress, it is vital to keep in touch with innovation because in modern vehicles, it is all about electronics, data sharing and processing of all kinds of
Bosch in $1.15 billion acquisition of SPX Corporation
Bosch Automotive Aftermarket division is in the process of undertaking its largest ever acquisition with plans to acquire the service solutions business of US-headquartered SPX Corporation which develops, manufactures and sells diagnostic and service tools, workshop equipment, and software for the global automotive aftermarket. For 2011, the business, based in Warren, Missouri and which employs some 2,700 people in 17 countries, primarily in the US, Germany, France, and China, is expected to generate sales