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PTV Group is to model how transport networks can be integrated with future electricity network requirements as electric vehicle (EV) charge points are rolled out. It has joined a consortium, led by SP Energy Networks, which will look at ways of facilitating the increase in electricity demand which will be caused by the anticipated growth of EVs. “It is becoming increasingly important to understand the interaction between the take-up and demand for EVs and the capacity and supply within the electricity

Aimsun is to work with Transport for London (TfL) to provide new transport modelling tools for the UK capital’s roads. The deal with London’s transit authority – announced at Traffex this week - will see Aimsun deliver a static (macroscopic) and dynamic (mesoscopic) model which covers everything within London’s orbital motorway, the M25, encompassing 53,000km of lanes. This includes all of the city’s cycle superhighways. Aimsun MD Gavin Jackman admitted the project was challenging, but says that it ha

Renault is trialling large-scale pilot schemes in Vehicle to Grid (V2G) charging for electric vehicles (EVs) in Europe. The company says a fleet of 15 Zoe vehicles with V2G charging will be introduced over the course of 2019 to help lay the groundwork for future standards. V2G, also called reversible charging, modulates the charging and discharging of EV batteries between the users’ needs and the grid’s supply of available electricity, the company adds. The pilot schemes are currently taking place in

The European Commission (EC) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) are launching a CEF transport blending facility, a funding instrument to support projects contributing to environmental sustainability and transport efficiency. With an initial budget of €200 million from the EU budget, the CEF (Connecting Europe Facility) will finance investments in the European Railway Traffic Management System and alternative fuels infrastructure. It will utilise funds from the EIB, National Promotional Banks and the p

Video data platform provider Videalert has been bought by Marston Holdings, the UK-based transportation and enforcement services group. The announcement, made at Traffex this week, comes as Videalert extends its existing work for Bath & North East Somerset Council with more CCTV enforcement for the city of Bath’s clean air zone. Videalert’s technology is used to identify parking and moving traffic offences, supporting traffic management, police ANPR programmes – and, increasingly, clean air and low emissi

“Origin/destination information derived from MaaS-style operations could be the key to reducing future gridlock caused by autonomous vehicles.” That was the message RideFlag’s chief technology officer Mark Feltham delivered to the IBTTA’s Annual Technology Summit in Orlando. “Once they have removed the costly driver, Uber and Lyft will be able to offer very affordable rides, tempting people doing long commutes on transit to pay those few extra dollars to take an Uber. The combination of long distance co

Tolling specialist Q-Free has signed multiple contracts with an unnamed customer in the US. The company says it will therefore reduce pollution caused by drivers searching for parking spaces. The 29 million NOK (£2.5m) contract includes the delivery of ultra-sonic single space sensors, intelligent signage, a suite of statistical reports and an application programming interface tool to show real-time parking availability. Håkon Volldal, Q-Free’s president and CEO, says: “This contract is a substantial con

WiTricity is to test an advanced wireless charging system prototype for electric vehicles (EVs) using materials and components developed by Japanese supplier Furukawa Electric. WiTricity says Furukawa offers copper wiring and thermal components which help otpimise the cost and performance of wireless charging, thereby increasing the adoption of wireless charging by carmakers and charging infrastructure providers. The partners will test WiTricity’s Drive 11 park and charge system, designed for intero

Bolt, the ride-share company which was formerly called Taxify, has launched electric kick scooters in central Madrid. The firm piloted the vehicles in Paris last year – making it the first to combine scooter sharing and ride-hailing together in one mobile app, Bolt claims. “Beating the traffic is a big issue in cities like Madrid and a lot of trips are much more efficiently covered with an electric scooter rather than a car with a driver,” says Markus Villig, CEO and co-founder of Bolt. He says the dep

ChargePoint Services is to install its GeniePoint Network electric vehicle (EV) chargers across all Morrisons supermarkets in the UK. ChargePoint says its 50-100kW rapid chargers will allow customers to refuel their EV in around 20 minutes. The firm’s managing director Alex Bamberg says: “By offering another useful local service, customers are provided with choice for grocery, café and comfort stops, and green vehicle refuelling.” The first chargers will be running by the end of this month and 100 are e

Cohda Wireless is to apply Vehicle to Everything (V2X) technology at an open test environment for connected and autonomous vehicle (C/AV) technologies in the centre of Berlin. Cohda will deliver its MK5 on-board units for large-scale field trials and roadside units at the Diginet-PS site, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure. The test site in the Strasse des 17. Juni is fitted with advanced vehicle positioning technology. Dr Manzoor Ahmed Khan, technical lead

Siemens Mobility has won a $6.2m contract to trial enforcement technology on New York City’s buses.

Optimus Ride is to launch autonomous vehicle (AV) mobility services for residents and workers in Brooklyn, New York and Paradise Valley Estates in Fairfield, California. The company says it will deploy the AVs (or ‘self-driving vehicles’, as it calls them) at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, a 300-acre modern industrial park, before June. The service will run on private roads, providing a loop shuttle service to connect NYC Ferry passengers to Flushing Avenue, outside the yard’s perimeter. David Ehrenberg, presid

MEPs have backed a funding programme which will include money for the digitalisation of transport and the development of 5G systems. The European Union policymakers have voted to support the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) programme for 2021-2027 in a meeting between European Parliament industry and transport committees. The provisional agreement sets the framework for continuing the CEF programme to fund transport, digital and energy projects over the seven-year period. The budgetary provisions for the

Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors are investing $300 million in ride-hailing firm Ola to develop smart mobility solutions in India. The partners will also work together to develop fleet solutions as well as electric vehicles (EV) and infrastructure. Hyundai will work with Kia and Ola to develop cars for a ride-hailing service. Data gathered during the service operation will allow the companies to make vehicle improvements. Ola drivers will receive various financial services including lease and instalment pa