Location Based Systems

Swiss-based u-blox has launched what it claims is the world’s smallest stand-alone positioning module, the EVA M8M, bringing multi-GNSS performance into the ultra-compact EVA footprint. The cost-effective module supports US GPS, Russian GLONASS, Chinese BeiDou, Japanese QZSS and SBAS augmentation systems.

The latest research by ReportsnReports.com, Global Connected Car M2M Connections and Services Market indicates that big data analytics and smart phone apps will foster the growth of the global connected car M2M connections and services market, which will see a 32 per cent CAGR for 2014-2019. According to the report, many big data analytic and automobile companies are joining forces with smart app providers to form partnerships to better understand vehicle performance and automotive businesses. Smart apps

The ECo-AT (European Corridor – Austrian Testbed for Cooperative Systems) is the Austrian part of the Cooperative ITS corridor crossing Germany, Netherlands and Austria. It aims to specify and implement harmonised and standardised cooperative ITS applications. The related system specifications documents will be developed in four releases and the first release is available now. It comprises: Explanatory note to Release 1 documents Use case Overview Document Use case Road Works Warning (RWW) Document

With an increasing need to use electric vehicles in city centres to reduce pollution, David Crawford looks at various solutions to power delivery. The UN’s September 2014 Climate Summit has added fresh momentum to the drive to increase urban electric vehicle (EV) takeup. It has launched the Urban Electric Mobility Initiative, which wants to see EVs accounting for 30% of all urban travel by 2030, and make cities worldwide more friendly to their use. Encouragingly, the plan is being well supported by commerci

Satellite-based tolling opens up new options for authorities and can be integrated with DSRC systems as David Crawford discovers. As the proud custodian of the European Union (EU)’s longest road network covered by a single (truck) charging scheme – and the only one to include all major roads - Slovakia has become the continent’s poster-nation for the virtues of GNSS/CN (Global Navigation Satellite System/Cellular Network)-based tolling. It is also proved to be a very fast implementer. Speaking at the 2014 I

The M2M World Alliance has added a new member, Telenor Connexion, to its operator coalition. The M2M World Alliance is a global partnership of telecommunications providers committed to bringing technology to market that will simplify the process of global M2M deployments. Telenor Connexion is a leading enabler of connected business solutions, with more than 15 years of experience in M2M/IoT solutions deployed across the globe.

Harold Worrall ponders the effect of autonomous vehicles on transportation infrastructure. For the last century the transportation industry has been focused on the supply of infrastructure to support the ever growing fleet of vehicles and the greater number of miles covered by each vehicle. Our focus has been planning, funding, designing, building and maintaining roadways. Politicians, engineers, planners, financial managers … all of us have had this focus. We have experienced demand growth since the first

The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) has brought together key industry stakeholders and policy makers to review the opportunities and challenges related to passenger car connectivity. The conference explored how automotive connectivity technologies could revolutionise personal mobility, as well as examining some of the challenges faced in rolling out connected cars. ACEA president Carlos Ghosn, European Commissioner for Digital Society and Economy Günther Oettinger, and Director Gene

According to Init, its new Mobile-Eco2, a vehicle health and driver behaviour management system, improves the economy and ecology of public transit.

The new raft of sensor technology can provide cost savings as well as additional functionality, as David Crawford discovers. Austria’s third-largest city, Linz, with a population of around 200,000, is recording substantial savings in its urban tram network within 18 months of introducing a new, high-technology approach to its public transport management. Tram, bus and trolleybus operator Linz Linien forms part of city utilities management company Linz AG, which has been carrying out a wide-ranging Smart Cit