Location Based Systems

Satellite navigation provider Garmin is teaming up with Inrix, a leading company in the field of traffic intelligence technology, to provide up-to-the-minute traffic information across the DAB (Digital Audio Broadcast) network. By leveraging the latest breakthroughs in DAB technology, INRIX will help Garmin deliver better, more detailed live traffic data, updated more frequently and without an internet connection. Garmin says this new generation of “Garmin 3D Traffic Live” will provide their customers acce

US-headquartered WABCO has introduced what it says is the next step in advanced driver assistance systems with OnLane technology, a lane departure warning system (LDWS) for trucks and buses. OnLane increases vehicle safety by providing the driver with visual and acoustic warnings or an optional seat-vibration warning, in case of unintentional lane departure, which is one of the most common causes of accidents involving commercial vehicles. OnLane integrates a camera and an electronic control unit into a sin

Nexcom’s ruggedised vehicle mount computer VMC 3000 series is designed for use in heavy-duty vehicles and, says the company, can increase productivity and safety within harsh environments. Featuring scalable computing power, 10.4” touch screen and a range of wireless communication technologies and combining a robust design and IP65-compliant enclosure, the VMC 3000 series can gather, display, transmit and receive information to help optimise route planning, increase situational awareness, and monitor vehicl

The results of a four-year study by the Field Operational Tests of Aftermarket and Nomadic devices in Vehicles (TeleFOT) Consortium were presented at a recent conference in Brussels. The study focused on the assessment of the impact of driver support functions provided by in-vehicle aftermarket and nomadic devices on driving and driver behaviour. Coordinated by the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) and with a budget of US$19.5 million, the four-year TeleFOT project is one of the biggest traffic IC

Improved reporting functions and a new set of 40 comprehensive reports for online fleet management application Webfleet means customers now have access to the richest reporting suite on the market, according to TomTom Business Solutions. The new reports will provide businesses with better insights into fleet operations to help them reduce costs, comply with legal obligations and improve efficiency, productivity and customer service. Customisation capabilities enable users to home in on their management pr

Prospects for a vision of vehicles fully connected to traffic information, safety and entertainment services are being boosted by a $100 million investment from Intel. Pete Goldin reports. Hear the name Intel and what comes to mind is processing power. What may not be realised is that Intel is positioned to become a major player in the automotive technologies market, including connected vehicle technology. To strengthen this position, the company’s investment arm, Intel Capital, has established a $100 milli

Swedish telematics service provider WirelessCar was selected by Sprint to be a key technology provider in the launch of their Sprint Velocity Program. As an integral part of Sprint’s ecosystem, WirelessCar helped to build and implement an end-to-end global solution targeted to the connected vehicle industry. Sprint Velocity delivers a new capability for the auto industry, encompassing the development, integration and marketing of in-vehicle communications systems. Automakers can use Sprint Velocity as a com

VeriFone Systems has installed its open-architecture vehicle tracking TransitPAY system on more than 1,000 buses serving the Bronx, following the award of a US$8.5 million contract by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) of New York. The Bronx contract award follows a similar contract in 2011 for the Staten Island fleet component of the MTA Bus Time system, which uses VeriFone on-board systems to generate location data that is communicated wirelessly to the Bus Time server that passengers can acc

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is undertaking a pilot project to test the next generation of a road usage charge system designed to address funding gaps caused by a rise in fuel efficiency and a decline in gas tax revenue. Around forty volunteers have begun testing the new system, where, instead of paying the gas tax, automatically added at the pump, pilot participants will pay a per mile charge based on the number of miles they drive. The charge is roughly equal to the amount of gas tax the

In the US, NaviGAtor 511, Georgia’s traveller information system, has partnered with Waze to provide enhanced traffic information. Waze, a crowd-sourced social GPS and real-time traffic application for smartphones and Android phones, will provide enhanced traffic data to the current 511 system, and create a special 511 user group, specifically for Georgia travelers, within the existing Waze mobile app. The arrangement was provided for under an existing marketing contract with Iteris, the firm that has opera