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The US DoT Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office (ITS JPO) has published a discussion document - Principles for a Connected Vehicle Environment. This document expresses a set of working principles intended to guide US DoT's research, demonstration and implementation activities related to a connected vehicle environment. Connected vehicles refer to the ability of vehicles of all types to communicate wirelessly with other vehicles and roadway equipment, such as traffic signals, to support

Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis has signed a letter of intent to purchase up to 10, BYD 40-foot electric buses for city transit services in 2012, the first city in North America to launch long-range, all-electric buses. The agreement also opens talks to bring manufacturing of BYD buses to the Ontario region in the near future. Transit Windsor has the unique distinction of running in Canada as well as in Detroit, making this launch one that serves on both Canadian and United States’ roads.

While global sales of German autos are buoyant, significant efforts are underway to expand the emobility infrastructure in Germany. Several projects now support the implementation of alternative drivetrain concepts. Four new model regions were recently selected by the federal government. In total they will be granted up to US$235 million to implement pilot and demonstration projects to showcase cutting-edge technology.

Arcontia Technology, a Swedish producer of contactless smart card readers and terminals, today announced that it has won an e-ticketing tender for pick-up devices to be used by Norwegian public transport authority Ruter AS in their e-ticketing system. The contract includes the company’s compact ARC3300T5 smart card terminals for reloading Mifare DESFire travel cards via the new online national order database. To expand current distribution channels and increasing Internet sales, Ruter will be launching a co

Poor quality of cycle lanes are the most likely cause of bicycle accidents in Sweden, a report by insurance company Folksam claims. Some 70 per cent of all bicycle accidents which cause serious injuries involved only the cyclist and were caused by poor maintenance of the lanes, gravel or snow. Around 20 per cent of the accidents involved a car or other four-wheeled vehicles, while 10 per cent involved a moped, another bicycle or a pedestrian.

The regional government of Madrid in Spain is to install toll booths on its motorways, including the M-45 ring road and the M-501 motorway. According to official figures, 100,000 vehicles use the M-45 every day and 40,000 use the M-501 between the M-40 and Brunete stretch. In 2011, the regional government paid the motorways' operators -under a shadow agreement- US$105 million for the M-45, US$6.56 million for the M-407 between Fuenlabrada and Grinon, and US$19.7 million for the M-501. Now, the local authori

The Renault-Nissan Alliance and state corporation Russian Technologies have agreed to create a joint venture and give the Alliance an indirect majority stake in Avtovaz, Russia's largest car company and maker of the iconic Lada brand. The Renault-Nissan Alliance, Avtovaz, Russian Technologies and Troika Dialog signed the non-binding agreement yesterday in Paris. According to the memorandum, the Renault-Nissan Alliance and Russian Technologies will contribute their respective stakes in Avtovaz to a joint ven

“Seamless transport is a powerful and ambitious strategic vision for the future of transport systems,” Transport Ministers from 53 member countries stated in a common declaration agreed at the annual Summit of the International Transport Forum on Seamless Transport: Making Connections in Leipzig, Germany. Seamless transport, the declaration says, “drives the development of better mobility and sustainable economic growth”.

Municipalities in the Czech Republic are increasingly deploying smart traffic lights with radar that detects the speed of approaching vehicles and turns the signal red to slow them down to the required speed limit. Currently there are about 100 installations because mayors believe they are more efficient than speed cameras or speed humps. According to one mayor, over 90 per cent of drivers slow down because of the technology. The traffic light system contains a microwave radar sensor which measures speed. I

Novatel Wireless, a provider of intelligent wireless networking solutions, and NexTraq, a specialist in GPS fleet tracking and vehicle management solutions, have signed a supply agreement for mobile tracking devices through which Novatel will supply its MT 3000 device for NexTraq's GPS fleet tracking solution. "We are constantly looking for ways to lower the barrier for adopting GPS fleet management solutions," says Mike Scarbrough, CEO of NexTraq. "Partnering with Novatel Wireless to supply simple-to-insta

A loan of US$415million from the US government’s Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act programme will help meet the cost of building toll lanes and rebuilding existing lanes at the Interstate 35 highway (I-35W) near Fort Worth, Texas. The works are part of the $2.5billion North Tarrant Express project, which is currently under construction in the northeastern part of Tarrant County, Texas. A consortium of companies led by Spanish toll road developer Cintra, NTE Mobility Partners is behi

The Brazilian Government has announced a US$17.01billion package for new mobility and public transport infrastructure. The huge investment includes the construction of 200km of underground and light tramway lines and more than 600km of new bus lanes. The programme of works, titled 'PAC Mobilidade Urbana Grandes Cidades', is set to benefit people in 51 cities and the metropolitan areas of 18 states.

Hyundai in the US has announced that it is fitting brake pedal electronic throttle override capability on all models well before government mandates come into effect. The US government mandate for brake pedal throttle override capability, a component of FMVSS 124 (Accelerator Control Systems), has been under consideration by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). However, its final approval and subsequent timing have yet to be determined. Hyundai says its development teams have been les

In announcing its first quarter results yesterday, Image Sensing Systems (ISS) also revealed that it had won significant new sales or distribution agreements. For instance, the company has won an order in excess of US$2.0 million in Eastern Europe for its Autoscope product for an urban traffic control (UTC) system. The order is expected to be substantially delivered in Q2 and Q3. The company also revealed an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) agreement with Siemens A.G. that allows Siemens to offer Autos

The 79 GHz consortium, which is holding its first Plenary Meeting in Borås, Sweden, next week on 10 May, 2012, has issued an invitation to the event. The 79 GHz support action was launched on 1 July 2011 with the aim of establishing an international platform to define, organise, coordinate and manage the worldwide activities of all the 79 GHz stakeholders.