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Don’t miss the Special Session on Wi-Fi Expansion and the Future of Connected Vehicles!
April 16, 2013
As part of an effort by policymakers to make better use of the nation’s airwaves, Congress last year directed the National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) to examine the potential for spectrum sharing in the 5.4 GHz and 5.9 GHz bands, the latter of which was set aside by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1999 for the development of connected vehicle technology. On January 25, the NTIA issued an initial report expressing concern about the potential interference risks asso
Port of Seattle rolls out truck tag program to reduce emissions
April 15, 2013
As part of a larger effort to curb emissions from port-related vehicles, the Port of Seattle and its container terminal operating tenants have gone live with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag program in support of the port’s Clean Truck Initiative. The program roll-out was a success, involving an average of over 2,000 truck gate moves a day with less than two percent of all port registered trucks reporting issues, which were able to be resolved in most cases within fifteen minutes. By gathering t
FCC seeking comments on opening up 5 GHz band
April 15, 2013
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is seeking comments on a proposed rule that would make the 5.85-5.925 GHz band of spectrum available for expanded wi-fi services. The band is currently dedicated to uses associated with connected vehicle programs. FCC officials announced earlier this year that the commission is seeking to open up the 5 GHz band in order to alleviate wi-fi congestion at major hubs, such as airports and convention centres. However, there are concerns that the technology to prevent
Accenture and SNCF deliver passenger focused systems for Italy’s NTV
April 15, 2013
Management consulting and technology company Accenture and Rail Solutions, an SNCF subsidiary, have successfully delivered a range of passenger-focused systems for new Italian rail operator, Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori (NTV), including an advanced reservation and distribution platform, a revenue management system and a customer relationship management (CRM) system. Having chosen Navitaire Rail’s hosted reservation solution, developed by Accenture subsidiary Navitaire, NTV awarded its implementation to Accen
TRW launches camera technology in the US
April 15, 2013
To support its growing video camera business worldwide, TRW Automotive Holdings has launched production of camera systems in the US and is investing in its electronics facility in Illinois. TRW's scalable video camera (S-Cam) family incorporates technology from Mobileye and can provide a range of safety functions including lane departure warning, forward collision warning, headlight control, traffic sign recognition and pedestrian detection. When integrated with vehicle chassis systems, the S-Cam can provid
Meeting overview and highlights
April 15, 2013
This year's Annual Meeting and Exposition in Nashville, Tenn., features more public sector participation than ever before. The event will kick off on Sunday, April 21 with a State DOT Roundtable featuring 20 State DOT CEOs from across the country, as well as feature senior US Department of Transportation (DOT) officials including Under Secretary for Policy Polly Trottenberg, Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez, National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator David Strickland, Federal Motor Carrier Saf
Econolite’s next generation ATC
April 15, 2013
Delegates to the ITS America Annual Meeting will have an opportunity of checking Cobalt, Econolite’s the next generation in Advanced Transportation Controller (ATC), which was announced this week. The company states that Cobalt is the first ATC designed to accommodate the mobile needs of today’s traffic management professionals, and features the largest touchscreen display available in a controller. Its intuitive user interface and operating systems make access to essential controller functions easier than
Case Systems call boxes and parking system
April 15, 2013
Case Systems, which develops and maintains innovative reliable wireless technologies for the transportation and parking industries, will use the ITS America Annual Meeting to highlight its roadside call box technology and parking systems.
The Valence Pod – a new wireless roadway detection system from Trafficware
April 15, 2013
Visitors to the ITS America Annual Meeting will have an opportunity of seeing a new wireless roadway detection system from Trafficware. Operating under a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) patent in an exclusive license agreement, the company’s engineers developed the Valence Pod, a wireless system that uses roadway sensors to detect the presence of vehicles. The device can be used individually for a smaller zone or grouped with other Pods to create a larger, smarter detection zone. The omni-direct
‘Tame Your Traffic’ says Wavetronix
April 15, 2013
Wavetronix is using its 10th appearance at the ITS America Annual Meeting to bring attention to its application-based detection systems and will invite visitors to “tame” their traffic with Wavetronix. For the first time, the company is shifting its focus from individual products to comprehensive applications that use the accuracy of digital wave radar to give departments of transportation more control over their traffic. “The accuracy and reliability of our products have been proven at locations around the
McCain to unveil new Transparity TMS
April 15, 2013
McCain, manufacturer and supplier of intelligent transportation systems, traffic control equipment and parking guidance solutions, will use the ITS America Annual Meeting to debut the new and improved Transparity TMS (Traffic Management System) which has been completely redesigned on a modern platform to provide dependable monitoring and command of signalised intersections.
New EV chargers from ABB
April 12, 2013
Switzerland based ABB has launched the Terra SmartConnect (SC) fast chargers for electric vehicles (EV) in North America. Terra SC will be available with support for the CHAdeMO fast-charging standard, with SAE/combined charging system and will be made available in the Americas in second quarter of 2013. According to the company, the Terra SC can fully charge an electric car in thirty to 120 minutes and charge the battery of currently available EVs from 30 per cent to 80 per cent in about half an hour. The
NSW government unveils apps to track trains in real-time
April 12, 2013
The New South Wales government (NSW) in Australia has introduced six mobile applications for train users in Sydney to track arrival of trains in real-time using satellite information. State Minister for Transport Gladys Berejiklian unveiled the updated apps that will have the real-time capability, making use of markers on stations that will receive information from trains, and then pass it on to the apps. Funded by the state government, one of the apps gives voice-over notification to remind users to exit
Bluetooth aids rail passenger monitoring
April 12, 2013
In an effort to reduce congestion and improve passenger flow at railway stations in the Netherlands, Danish software company Blip Systems and Dutch railway consultants NPC have teamed up to monitor passenger movements using Bluetooth and wi-fi tracking. In an eight-week study at Groningen railway station, Blip Systems has installed 22 of its BlipTrack sensors which anonymously detect wi-fi and Bluetooth-enabled devices such as mobile phones and laptops. The sensors will monitor passengers and transmit the
innovITS ADVANCE facility transferred to MIRA
April 12, 2013
The operation of the UK’s innovITS-ADVANCE facility, dedicated to the testing and demonstration of cooperative vehicle infrastructure systems, has been transferred to automotive design and development organisation MIRA. The transition is being made to provide the most sustainable future for this important ITS resource and assure its continuing success. In the five years since its inception, innovITS-ADVANCE has delivered a world class facility that is purpose-built for testing telematics systems. The comb