Networking & Communication Systems

Sanef ITS and connected car company Intelligent Mechatronic Systems (IMS) have been awarded a road usage charge contract by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). Debuting on Oregon's roadways in July 2015, this voluntary distance-based road usage charging program is said to be North America's first implementation of a mileage-based charging solution. Diminishing fuel tax returns led Oregon decision-makers to look for a fair, reliable source of revenue to fund transportation projects for the state.

Sanef ITS and connected car company Intelligent Mechatronic Systems (IMS) have been awarded a road usage charge contract by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). Debuting on Oregon's roadways in July 2015, this voluntary distance-based road usage charging program is said to be North America's first implementation of a mileage-based charging solution. Diminishing fuel tax returns led Oregon decision-makers to look for a fair, reliable source of revenue to fund transportation projects for the state.

Inrix is continuing its collaboration with Samsung on driving-related apps and services and now includes real-time traffic and travel time apps for the new Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge smartphones. Car mode, which enables users to set their S6 to automatically switch to a driver friendly user interface that uses voice controls and larger, crisper fonts and button sizes to make it easier to get up-to-the-minute traffic information, place and receive calls, listen to messages and play music on the road. Car

The Alberta Motor Association (AMA), IBI Group and GreenOwl Mobile have joined forces to deliver a big leap forward in keeping drivers in Alberta, Canada, informed of traffic issues. The next generation AMA Road Reporter app allows motorists to share their own reports, adding shared real-time road condition and traffic information to the already useful road condition data available. Available to both Android and Apple device users, the app is free and can be used to receive and share immediate, real-time ro

Boston, US, has formed a new data-sharing partnership with Google-owned traffic app Waze, to enable the city’s drivers, cyclists and pedestrians to check real time traffic conditions on Boston’s streets. The partnership aims to help improve traffic flow in Boston in two principal ways. As part of the partnership, the City will share information on expected road closures with the 400,000 users of Waze in Greater Boston, helping them find the best way to get around town. In addition, aggregated information o

New standards are needed to plug security and privacy gaps in cars and trucks, according to a report by US Senator Edward J. Markey. The report, Tracking & Hacking: Security & Privacy Gaps Put American Drivers at Risk and first reported on by CBS News’ 60 Minutes, reveals how sixteen major automobile manufacturers responded to questions from Markey in 2014 about how vehicles may be vulnerable to hackers, and how driver information is collected and protected. The responses from the automobile manufacturer

US Senators Marco Rubio and Cory Booker have reintroduced S. 424, the Wi-Fi Innovation Act, legislation to expand unlicensed spectrum use by requiring the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to test the feasibility of opening the upper 5 GHz band to unlicensed use. At a time when demand for spectrum is drastically increasing, the legislation aims to provide more of this valuable resource to the public to bolster innovation, spur economic development, and increase connectivity. According to Rubio,

Vehicle identification and detection technology specialist Nedap has announced its first group Certified Partners as part of the dedicated partner program that was introduced at end of 2014. Partner programs have been developed for the Long-Range Identification, Wireless Vehicle Detection and Smart City Access product lines. The Certified Partner Program gives partners obtain access to benefits such as additional sales tools, marketing resources, combined marketing opportunities and additional access to

His daily quest to find a parking space gave Amir Ehsani Zonouz, a student at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, USA, the incentive to look for an effective solution, leading to him winning the inaugural Siemens Mobility IDEA (Improving Design and Engineering for All) Contest. Zonouz proposed using quadcopters, or drones, which can quickly find unoccupied parking spaces, identify the shortest path to the closest free spot and immediately guide the driver to the space using a mobile app or direct

Laser Technology (LTI) has released an updated LaserSoft SpeedCapture App for Android operating systems.