Classification & Data Collection

TfL describes reports of closer ties with Uber as ‘nonsense’

December 14, 2018

Transport for London (TfL) has described claims that it is deepening its relationship with Uber as ‘nonsense’. Media reports suggested that London’s transit authority might be going to offer customers access to public transport services via the ride-hailing firm's app. The Financial Times reported that Uber is attempting to add TfL's data about tube and bus timetables into the app. But a spokesperson from TfL told ITS International that the only thing it is putting out is open data – and does no

Populus and Lime enter vehicle data partnership in Seattle

December 11, 2018

A partnership between data and car-share providers has been formed in the US city of Seattle to help improve parking utilisation. Data solutions company Populus will receive real-time GPS data from Lime’s free-floating car-share fleet, LimePod, which launched last month in the city. The Populus platform will then deliver reports to the Seattle Department of Transportation in a bid to evaluate the use of curb space and develop parking strategies that will help reduce vehicle ownership. Populus says its

When will Google wake up to MaaS gold mine?

December 3, 2018

Mobility services are a potential gold mine for data-hungry tech companies. That being the case, Andrew Bunn asks: what exactly happens when giants such as Google and Amazon decide to get their teeth into MaaS? There are many different perspectives on Mobility as a Service (MaaS), with many different views on what the latest and future applications of technology are going to bring to transportation infrastructure. However, there is one question that does not seem to come up at all. Up to now, MaaS-relate

Detroit pilots new data standard for dockless mobility

November 16, 2018

Several organisations are coming together in Detroit, US, to pilot a new tool to analyse mobility data for dockless bikes and scooters. The aim is to allow urban authorities which work with dockless mobility providers to share and analyse trip data, including trip origins and destinations, neighbourhood availability, travel times and usage. This should give them the chance to allocate street space to sustainable transportation, improve safety and provide more equal access to transport services. Detroit M

The long road to Spanish enlightenment

October 22, 2018

Julián Núñez, immediate past president of ASECAP, gets his teeth into the vision of a European strategy for toll roads. David Arminas reports from Madrid. Getting European politicians to agree to a long-term cross-border highway infrastructure programme for toll roads is extremely difficult. It’s a bit like pulling teeth: people want to avoid the pain. But pain is something that Spanish operators, including Abertis, OHL, ACS, FCC and Acciona, have been going through for the past decade. The country has

Six easy steps to security

October 22, 2018

As security threats become increasingly vast and varied, multinationals are beginning to see the need for an effective global security operations centre to protect their organisation. James I. Chong spells out what is required. You know you need a global security operations centre (GSOC) to support what you’ve built, identify threats, and prevent disasters before they happen - but how do you know if it’s truly effective? There’s no shortage of information coming into operation centres. Too often, it’s the

Inrix’s platform for HAV testing

October 17, 2018

Inrix says its new platform will help cities and road authorities communicate with operators for safe deployment of highly automated vehicles (HAVs) on public roads. Called AV Road Rules, the solution will allow users to validate and manage traffic rules and restrictions for these vehicles. The platform also creates a channel to communicate road infrastructure needs from HAVs back to transportation agencies to improve safety. The company says the solution will allow cities and road authorities to

AI ‘won’t live up to the hype’, warns thinktank

October 16, 2018

Governments must gain the trust of their citizens when it comes to increasing the use of artificial intelligence (AI), warns a new report. The Centre for Public Impact (CPI) thinktank, which was founded by consultant Boston Consulting Group, said that public trust in AI is low. While AI has the potential in mobility to make public transport responsive to traveller needs in real time, for example, the influence of AI is viewed negatively by some. Launching an action plan for governments at the Tallinn Digi

Lufft’s all-in-one weather sensor

October 15, 2018

Lufft says its new all-in-one weather sensor has a temperature accuracy of 1% and can be used to monitor smart city and smart home applications. The device is expected to cover ten measurement parameters simultaneously. The WS10 sensor comes with an integrated compass which enables a direction-independent installation to help it suitable for building management systems, the company adds. WS10 measures temperature, relative humidity, air pressure, wind speed and wind direction, precipitation intensity and

Blockchain: the next big thing for ITS? Really?

October 8, 2018

Everyone’s heard of blockchain – but most people are less sure about what it really is, and how it might be used in transportation. Andrew Williams peers into cyberspace to find some answers. A growing number of organisations in the ITS industry are exploring how blockchain technology could be used for ITS and mobility applications. So, what exactly is blockchain technology? What are the key current and potential applications in the mobility and ITS sector? And what practical benefits might it bring?