News

Nedap has launched two automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras for vehicle access control applications. The company says its advanced ANPR Lumo uses deep learning algorithms to capture number plates which include different font formats. The ANPR Access V2, a successor of Nedap’s ANPR Access, is expected to offer improved performance while being compatible with existing installations. Both cameras integrate parking and traffic management systems as well as third-party security systems using

Bike-share and electric scooter company Lime has launched a ‘free-floating’ car-share service in Seattle and intends to make 1,500 vehicles available in early 2019. Bloomberg says the company has deployed 50 Lime-branded vehicles and intends to increase this number to 500 by the end of the year. Users can unlock a LimePod vehicle, a customised two-door Fiat 500, via the company’s app for $1 and are charged 40 cents per minute while driving. Toby Sun, Lime’s chief executive officer, says the company is a

The European Parliament (EP) and European Council (EC) have agreed on rules to improve the tracing of drivers who fail to pay road tolls when travelling within the European Union. The informal agreement is expected to improve information exchange on vehicle data. Additionally, the agreed rules are intended to allow service providers to develop a system which allows drivers to use a single on-board toll payment device when travelling across the EU. Rapporteur Massimilano Salini (European People’s Party

Spain-based technology firm Minsait is to launch its smart city solution in two European cities: Helsinki and Antwerp. Its Onesait Digital Platform for Cities was chosen in a competition, Select for Cities, which is part of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 innovation project. The open-data platform utilises the Internet of Things to integrate and manage data from multiple sources and devices using predictive models, helping city authorities make informed decisions about transit and generating useful info

The Road and Transport Authority (RTA) of Dubai has approved the expansion of its smart traffic systems project valued at د.إ 590 million (£125m). RTA says the initiative also includes the development of a control centre for traffic management in the Al Barsha area to help manage bottlenecks. The project’s initial package includes the installation of traffic monitoring systems and information gathering, including the installation of cameras, vehicle detectors, Bluetooth devices and weather sensors.

RATP Dev is upgrading one of its London bus depots to house a fleet of 36 electric buses. The Shepherd’s Bush location will house the vehicles for two all-electric Transport for London (TfL) bus routes, and the French company says it plans to turn the location ‘all-electric’, making it RATP’s first zero-emissions garage in London. The firm already operates four all-electric buses out of Hounslow, and 246 hybrid buses within the UK capital altogether.

People in the UK resort of Bournemouth are being warned not to use a ‘lifts-for-cash’ service which is operating in the town. A closed Facebook group called ‘Bournemouth & Poole town lifts’ has more than 7,000 members but council leaders say the service could be illegal. Members communicate via social media. Once accepted, they can ask for trips, talk to drivers or make money by using their vehicle as a taxi. But Nananka Randle, licensing team manager, planning and regulatory services, at Bournemouth Bo

NKM Mobilitas has installed a Tritium liquid-cooled DC fast charger for electric vehicles (EV) at the Koki Terminál P+R, a parking facility in Budapest. NKM Mobilitas is a subsidiary of National Utilities, the state Hungarian provider which supplies gas and electricity to households in the country. Tritium’s Veefil-RT 50kW DC fast charger is expected to provide NKM Mobilitas’ customers with 125km of range in 30 minutes. The solution offers Chademo and CCS connectors as well as an interface and inte

BlaBlaCar is hoping to expand its carpooling service by making an offer to acquire Ouibus, a subsidiary of SNCF and French bus operator. BlaBlaCar believes adding buses to its current offering will help optimise vehicle occupancy rates for buses and cars and offer a convenient door-to-door solution for travellers. Nicolas Brusson, co-founder and CEO of BlaBlaCar, says the project supports the company’s ambition to grow a broad mobility offering across Europe which combines cars and buses. Frédéri

The A254 between the junction with A28 in Margate and the junction with the A255 near Ramsgate is the UK’s riskiest road, according to an interactive Dangerous Road Map. There were 26 fatal and serious crashes per billion vehicle kilometres on this road, say motor insurer Ageas and the Road Safety Foundation (RSF). Both organisations are now calling on an immediate investment from the UK government of £75 million, and the same amount annually for five years thereafter to improve the country’s riskiest

Beat, a Daimler ride-hailing firm, is opening offices in Mexico City during the first quarter of 2019 and expects to recruit thousands of drivers. Beat says the move is part of a strategy to expand its presence in Latin America. The service and user app are currently available in Lima (Peru), Santiago (Chile), and Bogota (Colombia). Nikos Drandakis, founder and CEO of Beat, says the company initially deployed it service in Mexico City five years ago but did not have the resources at the time to succe

Beat, a Daimler ride-hailing firm, is opening offices in Mexico City during the first quarter of 2019 and expects to recruit thousands of drivers. Beat says the move is part of a strategy to expand its presence in Latin America. The service and user app are currently available in Lima (Peru), Santiago (Chile), and Bogota (Colombia). Nikos Drandakis, founder and CEO of Beat, says the company initially deployed it service in Mexico City five years ago but did not have the resources at the time to succe

EVgo has expanded its deployment of electric vehicle (EV) fast-chargers to six locations across Los Angeles in a bid to accelerate adoption of the technology. EVgo says the power ratings from its fast-chargers range from 50 kW to 350 kW and is convenient for drivers using their EV for ride-sharing and those without home or workplace charging. The chargers are located at the following locations:

Masabi has added contactless EMV ticketing capabilities to its Justride platform in the city of Bilbao, Spain. The technology will allow commuters travelling on Bilbobus vehicles to pay for fares via contactless bank cards. The company says fare collection is enabled via a cloud-based system which reduces the cost of running and maintaining IT infrastructure. Also, the system can be configured to meet specific fare and policy requirements such as entitlements, fare capping and best fare finding.

Tolling specialists Kapsch TrafficCom and Axxès will form a joint venture called MoKA to launch solution for European electronic toll collection services (EETS). Kapsch says EETS helps to simplify toll processing for commercial vehicles over 3.5 tonnes. It also allows truck drivers to travel internationally via a single contract with an EETS provider and on-board unit (OBU). Companies must be accredited in their home country to achieve this service. Once approved, an EETS provider must be certified by