News

UK engineering and environmental consultancy Ricardo has lent its expertise to the first European Truck Platooning Challenge of the EcoTwin project, commencing in Westerlo, Belgium. Led by the Netherlands, the European Truck Platooning Challenge will involve various brands of automated trucks driving in platoons on public highways from several European cities to the Netherlands. The aim of the Challenge is to bring truck platooning one step closer to implementation, with the vision that it could soon be

Online car parking marketplace YourParkingSpace.co.uk is joining forces with recently launched new mobility app Ubeeqo, owned by Europcar. Ubeeqo already operates in cities across France, Belgium, and Germany and was launched in the UK during the second half of 2015. It provides a range of transport solutions: a 24/7 car club service called Matcha, traditional car rental for longer journeys and taxis. YourParkingSpace will be sourcing new parking spaces for Ubeeqo’s Matcha cars as they expand across London

Kapsch TrafficCom has named technology veteran Japjeev Kohli as chief technology officer for the North American region effective 1 April 2016. Kohli has been with Kapsch since April 2005 and brings over 20 years of experience as a senior technology leader. He previously held a number of positions at Kapsch, including VP engineering and most recently SVP of delivery and operations for North America. Kohli will be responsible for directing the North American engineering teams as the company expands its of

SES America (SESA) has designed, engineered and manufactured over three hundred solar-powered embedded dynamic message signs (DMS) to be installed as part of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s (MassDOT)‘Go Time’ project. According to SESA, once completed, the project will provide the largest travel time network available in any state in the US, allowing motorists across the country to instantly access travel time data on major corridors across the region. Each site consists of static sig

US public transportation company The Rapid recently awarded Init a contract for the implementation of an electronic fare collection system. The Rapid operates the public transit bus service for the metropolitan area of Grand Rapids, Michigan and beyond. The contract calls for the delivery of an account-based smart card and mobile ticketing solution which will improve The Rapid’s service offerings on its fixed-route lines. Public transport vehicles will be equipped with Init’s onboard ticket readers/valid

Digital security specialist Gemalto, part of a consortium with EZ-Link, governing bodies and mobile network operators, is to provide its UpTeq Multi-Tenant NFC SIM for Singapore’s mass transit network. The embedded EZ-link application in the SIM enables commuters to pay fares via mobile phone. Mobile network operators and banks will also eventually be able to use this platform to provide new value-added services. The new mobile payment service is compatible with an existing contactless infrastructure

The 2015 road safety statistics published by the European Commission confirm that European roads remain the safest in the world despite a recent slowdown in reducing road fatalities. 26, 000 people lost their lives on EU roads last year, 5, 500 fewer than in 2010. There is however no improvement at EU level compared to 2014. In addition, the Commission estimates that 135, 000 people were seriously injured on EU roads. The social cost (rehabilitation, healthcare, material damages, etc.) of road fatalities an

The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is accepting applications for US$25 million in competitive grant funding available to railroads, suppliers, and state and local governments for positive train control (PTC) implementation. The funding is part of the 2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act that funds the US Department of Transportation. Applications will be accepted until 19 May 2016 and FRA will give preference to projects that would provide the greatest level of p

Indra is to implement its ticketing technology in the subway in Delhi, India, under a contract worth US$1.4 million (EU1.27 million). The project includes the design, supply, installation and commissioning of more than 1,000 portable terminals that will allow payments to be made in cash or through the current transport card, card top-ups and tickets to be issued for offences in the parking lots and Delhi subway feeder buses. These terminals will also be integrated with the existing contactless fare collecti

Kapsch TrafficCom has announced its acquisition of Schneider Electric’s transportation business, provider of real-time IT solutions and best-in-class intelligent transportation systems complementary to those provided by Kapsch. The acquisition expands the Kapsch portfolio and strengthens its market position in intelligent transportation systems, especially in the growth markets of Spain, Latin America, North America and the Middle East. The full integration of Schneider into the Kapsch business is expect

Qualcomm Incorporated and Ricardo have entered into a wireless electric vehicle charging (WEVC) technology licence agreement, under which Ricardo has licensed Qualcomm Halo technology to commercialise WEVC systems for plug-in hybrid (PHEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs). Under the terms of the agreement, Qualcomm has granted to Ricardo a royalty-bearing technology license to develop, make and supply WEVC systems for automobile manufacturers. Qualcomm subsidiaries will provide technical expertise and engineeri

Bestpass, which provides single-source payment and streamlined toll management services to commercial fleets, has expanded its services, to include Bestpass Complete, giving customers a single device for all tolls, and the Freedom Service, effectively expanding toll coverage to include all US toll roads. Bestpass Complete gives customers a single solution for national toll coverage in one device, with optional weigh station bypass compatibility and comprehensive reporting for all major US toll roads. Fl

GIS software specialist Esri and infrastructure asset management software provider AgileAssets have announced a new strategic collaboration on technology development and implementation services, which will provide clients with the combined power of AgileAssets’ transportation asset management solutions and the Esri ArcGIS platform. The collaboration results in AgileAssets’ further integration of Esri technologies into the AgileAssets platform, – including Esri ArcGIS Server, Esri Roads & Highways, Collec

Self driving cars may seem years away, but more than 1.5 million UK motorists a year now leave showrooms in cars featuring self-activating safety systems, according to analysis revealed by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Data from SMMT and JATO Dynamics shows that more than half of new cars registered in 2015 were fitted with safety-enhancing collision warning systems, with other technologies such as adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking and blind spot monitoring also surging in popularity.

April 2016 sees the introduction of a new vehicle toll for use of the road network in Belgium. Freight logistics solutions operator, Rhenus, looks at the impact the charges will have on exporters and importers, to, from and through the country. As of today, the three regions of Belgium, namely Flanders, Vallonia and Brussels, will implement a kilometre tax for heavy goods vehicles weighing over 3.5 tonnes. This tax will apply to a significant number of the major roads through Belgium. The road pricin