News

A new two-year traffic monitoring partnership between Siemens and OptaSense, a QinetiQ company, has been agreed to further explore the performance and potential commercial deployment of OptaSense Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), a fully networked traffic monitoring solution for the UK traffic industry. The partnership follows successful road monitoring trials by OptaSense in the UK and overseas comparing the performance of the DAS system with conventional inductive loop technology to provide information

The City of Norman, Oklahoma, is to deploy Econolite’s Centracs Adaptive as part of the City’s long-term Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) or ‘Moving Forward’ Plan in addressing its future transportation needs. Centracs Adaptive will first be deployed along Highway 9, a major corridor that serves a mix of residential and commuter traffic, as well as traffic to and from the University of Oklahoma. Highway 9 presents unique signal timing challenges. In addition to weekday commutes, the corridor experien

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Strategic Analysis of Real-time Traffic Information Market in Europe and North America, finds that the number of real-time traffic information subscribers in North America stood at 1.9 million units in 2014 and estimates this to reach 14.2 million in 2021. In Europe, the number is expected to go up from 2.2 million in 2014 to 10.2 million in 2021. With traffic expanding at three times the rate of the economy, the research says the need for intelligent systems like real-ti

On 10 March, the European Parliament approved amendments to the directive on the maximum authorised dimensions and weights for trucks and buses. The final agreement allows for much needed design adaptations to make cabs safer, but only following a revision by the European Commission of the cab type-approval. This means that manufacturers will not be required to implement these changes until 2022. It further retains each Member State’s right to decide whether or not they want to allow the use of mega trucks

Unveiled at the recent Geneva Motor Show, two concept tyres by Goodyear could radically change the role of car tyres in the future according to the company. The first concept, named BHO3, offers the possibility of charging the batteries of electric cars by transforming the heat generated by the rolling tyre into electrical energy. The second concept, Triple Tub, contains three tubes that adjust tyre inflation pressure in response to changing road conditions, delivering new levels of performance and versatil

As part of the Pozuelo Smart City project and to improve the usage of the new and existing parking capacity in the city, Madrid in Spain has implemented a new system which reduces search traffic by guiding motorists to free parking spaces. The real-time parking data is integrated with the Smart City platform from Wairbut, a CISCO certified partner. The city is using Nedap’s parking sensors which detect parking bay occupancy in real-time. Information on current availability is transmitted to the Pozuelo Smar

Swarco Traffic Systems has installed a total of 115 dynamic message signs at five parking areas along the A5 motorway in Germany to provided truck drivers with information about available parking spaces. The aim is to reduce the time spent in looking for parking spaces and increase traffic safety by enabling drivers to take mandated rest breaks. An online platform also provides drivers with real-time information on available parking spaces.

Traffic and Parking Control (TAPCO) has increased its product offering with the acquisition of California-based traffic industry manufacturer and supplier Hawkins Traffic Safety Supply, now operating as Hawkins Traffic, a division of TAPCO. TAPCO believes synergies between the two companies will better serve its customers nationally, while providing those on the west coast with additional traffic and parking control options. Hawkins has been manufacturing traffic control products for seven decades and will

According to new analysis from Frost and Sullivan, advances in sensor fusion technologies with high imaging capabilities to enhance manoeuvrability are quickening the development of unmanned vehicles. The resulting increase in the use of unmanned vehicles will eventually alter the dynamics of the transportation industry. The report, Innovations in Unmanned Vehicles–Land, Air, and Sea, finds that high-quality image and navigation sensors such as light detection and ranging systems, radar, and advanced global

Americans took 10.8 billion trips on public transportation in 2014, which is the highest annual public transit ridership number in 58 years, according to a report by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). “In 2014, people took a record 10.8 billion trips on public transportation -- the highest annual ridership number in 58 years,” said Phillip Washington, APTA chair and CEO and general manager of the Regional Transportation District in Denver. “Some public transit systems experienced all-ti

Alstom has signed two contracts with Egypt’s National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) to supply the signalling system in a consortium with Thales and, in partnership with Colas Rail, Orascom and ARABCO, the infrastructure of the phase 4A of Cairo metro line 3, currently under construction. Alstom’s shares in these contracts are worth around US$96 million. Cairo’s metro currently carries three million passengers per day and this is expected to reach five million by 2020. Its network includes two fully operationa

Almost one third of consumer vehicles shipping in 2024 will be equipped with some form of heads-up display (HUD), with the bulk of the growth driven by combiner units. Traditional head units are being joined by virtual instrument clusters and HUDs in providing drivers with information relating to navigation, on-board audio and inputs from ADAS systems. These displays will demonstrate strong growth, with the proliferation of connected vehicles requiring adaptable and reconfigurable visual interfaces. There a

The VRUITS project, which is sponsored by the European Commission, has organised a seminar on cyclists’ safety on 26 March, in the city of Helmond in the Netherlands. The project aims at providing recommendations on ITS applications for the improvement of the safety and mobility for vulnerable road users. VRUITS assesses the societal impact of selected ITS applications and demonstrates the use of innovative ITS applications for VRUs. During the seminar the VRUITS partners will discuss how ITS can be used to

Construction has begun on a US$10.7 million pedestrian and cycling bridge over one of Africa's busiest highways in Johannesburg. ‘The Great Walk Bridge’ will form part of a dedicated five kilometre pedestrian and cycling path from the heart of Alexandra to the centre of the Sandton central business district - providing a quicker, safer route for the estimated 10,000 people who walk or cycle between the two areas daily. Construction, which is being implemented by the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) on

Authorities have released video showing crashes that happened after police say a 65-year-old bus driver fell asleep at the wheel and hit several vehicles in suburban Detroit. Multiple cameras on board the bus captured what happened: the bus appears to be proceeding normally, as the driver drifts off for just a moment and doesn’t notice the line of cars in front of him until it’s too late. He brakes and attempts to swerve, but hits the back of the car in front. The out-of-control bus continues on its way, h