Location Based Systems

Ethernet could be catalyst for bringing the automotive industry a step closer to connected vehicles. The latest report from Frost and Sullivan indicates that the need to integrate multiple consumer electronic devices into the car offering connected services and maintaining brand identity has led to a situation where original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are shifting toward higher connectivity options which could power prioritised and personalised services, catering to varied consumer needs. With the parad

The Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) in South Africa, which included the addition of new lanes to most of the freeways in the province, has succeeded in reducing commuter travel times, historical data by navigation specialist TomTom showed on Tuesday. In a presentation at an Intelligent Transport Society South Africa conference, TomTom Africa sub-Saharan Africa account manager Tom Westendorp noted that the cumulative travel time between 4 pm and 7 pm on an 18 km of the N1 North had reduced from 23

In response to fatal school bus accidents at intersections in New Jersey and Florida last year, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recommended that the government should set performance standards for new safety technology that allows cars and trucks to talk to each other and then require the technology be installed in all new vehicles. Vehicles equipped with the technology can continuously communicate over wireless networks, exchanging information on location, direction and speed ten tim

According to Frost and Sullivan, Apple’s new iOS 7 for the automotive industry is too late and too limited for the automotive market. The device has notable changes to the interface and improved voice capabilities of personal assistant SIRI. Auto OEMs however, with their respective partners have moved many a mile without the need for Apple’s involvement. The announcement may be seen as a phased approach after last year’s announcement of SIRI EyesFree by Apple at WWDC. “If compared to other players, such as

Hungarian navigation software supplier NNG is to supply its iGO primo software to European consumer electronics retailer Expert Italia, in a partnership that will see the software supplied with the Explorer Tablet, a special edition of the Android-based Samsung Galaxy Tab 2. Italian customers will now have access to a free edition of the iGO primo navigation software with the maps and content of 24 European countries. The turn-by-turn software comes with lifetime map updates and a wide range of NNG’s naviga

Engine oil manufacturer Castrol has partnered with TomTom to study the impact of stop-start driving patterns across the world. The study will uncover the traffic conditions in fifty key cities and regions around the globe, including New York, Sydney, Beijing, Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Moscow, Rio de Janeiro, London, Istanbul and Hong Kong. The report published by Castrol and TomTom in September 2013. Castrol’s studies already show that drivers can experience as many as 18,000 stop-starts every year.

A consortium comprising Indra and its local partners Esteio and Dataprom is to install an integrated monitoring system, Sistema Integrado de Monitoramiento (SIM), for the Brazilian city of Curitiba. The US$19.7 million project will expand the urban traffic management solution that prioritises public transportation throughout the city and equip it with new intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and an operations support system (OSS) for the city’s fleet of 2,500 buses. The project also includes variable me

According to Paris-based Sesame Active System, close to 60 per cent of all European long-distance light commercial vehicles return empty to base. The company has developed its pan-European Express-online platform to provide a real time online matching service between vehicle journeys and the demand for express freight deliveries across thirty European countries. Via the website, haulage companies provide details of journeys to be made by empty vehicles, while freight forwarders provide information on the po

The INTRASME Smart Mobility Market Opportunity Workshop in Turin, Italy on 25 September will see successful SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) share their insights into emerging opportunities in intelligent transport systems (ITS). The workshop will hear from leading policy makers in ITS, research on future trends in the transport industry and experts in funding opportunities. The Smart Mobility Market Opportunity workshop will appeal to policy makers, researchers and SMEs that are keen to understand

Schneider Electric is working with Microsoft on CityNext, an initiative designed to help governments, businesses and citizens envision what is next for their cities. Through the CityNext initiative, Microsoft and Schneider Electric will help leaders to do “new with less,” by combining the power of technology with innovative ideas to connect governments, businesses and citizens with city services that increase efficiencies, reduce costs, foster a more sustainable environment and cultivate communities where