News

Lyft is tweaking its app in a bid to make it easier for users to switch between different modes of travel - including scooters, bikes, public transit and car rentals. The ride-share firm has added shared bikes and scooters to its app over the past year and says more people are opting for its ‘greenest ride options’. The app displays mobility options in a city and Lyft says it helps users find the safest routes for bikes and scooters. The app will also allow users to compare the time and cost acro

The city of Chicago has unveiled a plan to help improve traffic safety in its poorer areas, focusing on the south and west sides. Mayor Lori Lightfoot says studies show that residents living in communities experiencing “economic hardship” are three times more likely to die as a result of a traffic crash. “We must change how we design and use streets, as any traffic-related death is unacceptable when we, as a city, have the tools and strategies to prevent the conditions that lead to these tragedies,” Ligh

E-con Systems has launched a 5MP monochrome USB 3.1 Gen 1 SuperSpeed Camera which it says captures images in visible and near-infrared regions. The See3CAM_CU55M camera includes a high level of signal to noise ratio – which, E-con says, guarantees a low noise in all conditions. E-con president Ashok Babu says: “With its low noise and excellent image quality, this will be an ideal camera for applications such as iris recognition, NIR imaging, driver monitoring and digital microscopy.” See3CAM_CU55

Bombardier Transportation has provided propulsion and signalling systems for trains running on China’s Changzhou Metro Line 1 in a bid to reduce travel time. Bombardier says its Cityflow 650 communications-based control solution enables automatic train operation at speeds of up to 80km/h on the line, which is expected to transport around 950,000 passengers per day. The company’s Chinese joint venture Bombardier NUG Signalling Solutions (BNS) and Bombardier NUG Propulsion System is to provide the technol

A collaboration led by DTE Energy called Project Kinetic has launched an initiative which allows drivers to charge electric vehicles (EVs) at Beacon Park in downtown Detroit, Michigan. DTE says the ChargeD initiative is offering access to four DC fast-charger stations. Project Kinetic – whose partners include the city of Detroit and General Motors – has a mission to identify solutions that address mobility challenges. Detroit’s director of sustainability Joel Howrani Heeres says: “ChargeD will allow r

Uber is combining its ride-hailing and food delivery apps, while polishing its green credentials and launching a range of new features and partnerships. There is a particular focus on micromobility: bikes and scooters will be displayed on the map inside the ride-hailing giant’s app in 28 cities to make it easier for users to view their options. The company is also expanding its in-app Transit option to include San Francisco, Mexico City and Paris. New Uber Jump bikes and scooters will come with batteries

Via Mobility Japan is providing a free ride-sharing service for employees living within a seven-mile zone of Itochu’s HQ in the capital, Tokyo. General trading company Itochu is hoping the BlueVia service will reduce transportation costs and allow employees to dedicate journey time to work. The Via subsidiary says the service comprises regular sedans that can carry four employees, and vans which can fit up to six people. Passengers can use the BlueVia app to request a ride to Itochu within the operating

Sixty per cent of transit agencies looking to use account-based ticketing are struggling with bespoke technology which is slow to deploy and costly to maintain, claims Masabi. Masabi CEO Brian Zanghi says agencies have been “denied access” to systems that keep pace with technology in a cost-effective way and have had to invest in bespoke automatic fare collection (AFC) systems. “This has led to limited innovation with some agencies able to purchase the latest systems but leaving many underserved and left

San Miguel Corporation is seeking a high-level solution to congestion in Metro Manila in the Philippines. The company - whose flagship product is the San Miguel beer – is proposing an elevated toll road on top of the EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue) highway, stretching from Macapagal Avenue in Pasay City to either Samson Road or Balintawak in Quezon City. A report by ABS-CBN News says the toll road would have five lanes northbound and southbound and may also include dedicated lanes for a bus rapid tr

A new scheme in France aims to give highway police a first-hand view of what to expect in high speed incidents – without putting anyone at risk. Egis has launched the training module for motorway patrollers using a virtual reality (VR) headset and handheld controls. In conjunction with French start-up Immersive Factory it offers training on motorway safety and callout procedures as part of Egis’ contract to operate the A63 motorway between the villages of Salles and St. Geours-de-Maremne. Egis says th

The news that former French president Jacques Chirac has died, aged 86, should be of note for those in the road safety sector. His political legacy is well known. Chirac was prime minister of France from 1974-76 and again from 1986-88, mayor of Paris from 1977-95 and finally president of France from 1995-2007. But his political reputation ended under a cloud following his suspended sentence on corruption charges. Perhaps less well widely known, however, is that Chirac had a tremendously beneficial eff

Telekom Innovation Laboratories (T-Labs) is launching a blockchain-based electric scooter pilot for employees at its HQ in Bonn, Germany. John Calian, senior vice president of T-Labs, says the Xride service will decentralise identity management, data verification and storage, payments and charging. “This allows for a less costly, more secure and more efficient vehicle sharing that benefits both providers and the user,” Calian adds. T-Labs says Xride will be powered by Ståx, a platform which conn

Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS) has completed the roll-out of Sydney’s Opal contactless payment system, with final installations this week across the Australian city’s bus network. CTS says commuters can now travel on buses, ferries, trains and light rail by tapping their contactless credit or debit card, mobile phone, mobile device or Opal card. Tom Walker, senior vice president and managing director, CTS, Asia-Pacific, says contactless travel provides commuters with access to an “integrated multi-s

Dublin-based Aptiv has partnered with South Korean automotive manufacturer Hyundai Motor to develop SAE Level 4 and 5 autonomous vehicle (AV) technologies. Aptiv says the joint venture will begin testing fully autonomous systems in 2020 and have an autonomous driving platform available for robo-taxi providers, fleet operators and automotive manufacturers in 2022. As part of the deal, Aptiv is dedicating around 700 employees to develop AV solutions. Hyundai and its affiliates Kia Motors and Hyundai M

It is perhaps the best-known image of vulnerable road users (VRUs) in history: the Abbey Road pedestrian crossing in north London is famous from the photo gracing the cover of Abbey Road, the last studio album released by The Beatles, recorded at the nearby EMI studios. The iconic cover art shows the four celebrated VRUs - John, Paul, George and Ringo - walking across the road. And on the 50th anniversary of the release of the album, the crossing has now had a makeover. In addition, Wrekin and Thames Water