News

Australian technology company Tritium has appointed three PR consultancies and a brand development agency to increase global penetration of the electric vehicle fast-charging market. The PR consultancies include California-based Thinkshift Communications, EMG in the Netherlands and Sydney's Watterson. In addition, New Word Order from Brisbane will help develop Tritium's brand for a global market.

Governor of Ohio John Kasich has signed an executive order allowing autonomous vehicles (AVs) to be tested on public roads in the state. The move is intended to lay out a road map for how the automotive industry can test their technologies. The AVs are required to meet safety standards and comply with Ohio’s traffic regulations. All vehicles would also need to be registered with the state's one-stop shop for hub for mobility projects, DriveOhio. Each car must have a company employee behind the wheel who

Campaigners in Wales are worried that plans to allow heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) to use bus lanes will put vulnerable road users at risk and affect the reliability of buses. The Campaign for Better Transport, along with four other non-government organisations and charities, has written to Ken Skates, the cabinet secretary for economy and transport. Philippa Edmunds from Campaign for Better Transport, says: “We are writing to voice our concern about Nick Jones’ plans and we believe just a cursory

Gridsmart Technologies has formed a cyber security group to help transportation industry technology and infrastructure partners build security programmes for their organisations. The Gridsmart Information Security and Threat Intelligence Division (ISTI) will provide vulnerability and threat assessments and tailored security strategies to private companies, state and municipal Departments of Transportations and other groups working to enhance their technical infrastructure. ISTI, led by cyber security

Mobility analytics company StreetLight Data has released its Traffic Diagnostics tool to help transportation planners diagnose the cause of traffic jams and identify solutions. The product is available to new and existing clients in the US. Streetlight Data says the platform compares thousands of traffic jams in minutes and helps planners save money by ensuring that infrastructure is put in the right place. In addition, users can create visualisations that tell the story of traffic jams to stakeholders.

An expanded US bike share scheme in Boston will replace the city’s Hubway system and offer residents in four municipalities a free ride day on 18 May. The launch stems from a six-year agreement between Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and the Metro Boston public bike share system. The Blue Bikes will be available to cyclists in Boston, Cambridge, Brookline and Somerville. For a limited period, riders will be able to save $15 on an annual membership and have the option to purchase a single ride far

Provider of video synopsis solutions BriefCam is expecting to deliver stronger solutions and serve its global clients more effectively through an acquisition placed by digital imaging company Canon. Canon says that the transaction will help them deliver a broader range of cameras, video management software and video content analysis.

Electric vehicle (EV) firm Poterra has released three high-power charging options which it claims will make a completely electric bus fleet in North America more achievable. The new products are intended to be compatible with J1772 CCS plug-in, as well as J3105 inverted and roof-mounted overhead charging systems. The company says the systems are capable of bi-directional, vehicle-to-grid power flow.

Auto manufacturer Jaguar will make 50 of its fully-electric I-Pace vehicles available to passengers travelling to and from London’s Heathrow airport this summer. The agreement, which is part of Heathrow’s commitment to improving air quality around the airport, includes travel services company WeKnowGroup.

Self-driving car company Drive.ai is to introduce an on-demand transportation service in the City of Frisco, Texas, from July. The six-month programme is intended to offer rides to over 10,000 people within a geofenced area comprising retail, entertainment and office space. Initially, the route will include pickup and drop-off locations around Hall Park and The Star. An extension is planned to follow into the Frisco Station.

Transport design firm STV has been chosen as lead designer for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA’s) $1.3bn Green Line Light Rail Extension (GLX). MBTA expects the 4.3 mile expanded route to reduce up to 26,000 regional daily vehicle miles travelled, improving air quality and reducing congestion. Once completed, the increased line will provide commuters in Cambridge, Somerville and Medford with journeys to downtown Boston. Construction is expected to begin later this year, with the se

Italian industrial solutions company Nidec ASI has launched a charger which it claims can recharge electric vehicles up to 80% of their capacity in under 15 minutes. The company says that its Ultra Fast Charger (UFC) will provide drivers with 500km travel and minimise the impact on the electricity grid.

Bus manufacturer New Flyer of America will deploy ten Xcelsior hydrogen fuel cell electric, heavy-duty transit buses to the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA). The order is intended to expand zero-emission public transportation across California. The forty-foot vehicles will operate in Anaheim, Garden Grove, Orange, Santa Ana and Westminster. New Flyer and OCTA are partners in the Fuel Cell Electric Bus Commercialization Consortium project, which aims to establish these vehicles as an industry

Kapsch TrafficCom is celebrating after a landmark patent decision went in its favour. The US Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) has agreed with the company that Neology cannot patent technologies in its 6C switchable tolling tag. The tag uses radio frequency identification (RFID) technology at highway toll zones, and is manually activated and deactivated using a switch device. The PTAB agreed with Kapsch’s arguments that Neology’s claims for its product were “unpatentable and invalid”. The decision reinf

European telematics provider Microlise has appointed Luke Olsen as director of sales for the Asia Pacific region to help grow its customer base in the region. Olsen was previously head of business development at TomTom where he developed partnerships with original equipment manufacturers, system integrators and re-sellers to the transport and logistics sectors. Additionally, he has spent over 15 years working in the telematics and technology sectors in Australia and New Zealand.