News

A new incentive plan proposed by Far Eastern Electronic Toll Collection (FETC) to provide free new eTag units to non-electronic toll collection (ETC) users from February 2012 has been agreed by the National Freeway Bureau (NFB). Non-ETC users will get the free eTag units once they have deposited US$17.39 in their unit account. In addition, a free switch from the old on-board units (OBUs) to the new eTag units will be given to existing ETC users. The new eTag ETC system will be rolled out in February 2012 an

Firms from China and Japan will carry out toll road construction projects in Indonesia in partnership with local companies. The Chinese companies CSEC and CHEC will team up with Indonesian firm Hutama Karya for the Medan-Kualanamu-Tebing Tinggi toll road project. This 17km toll road project is due for completion in early 2014 and will cost in the order of US$152 million to complete. A loan worth $137 million is being provided for the project from Chinese sources while over $15 million will be provided by th

China Yuchai International Limited has announced that its main operating subsidiary, Guangxi Yuchai Machinery Company, has introduced China's first prototype diesel engine compliant with Euro VI emission standards. At a press conference hosted by GYMC at its offices in Yulin City, Guangxi Province, the National Passenger Car Quality Supervision and Inspection Centre (Tianjin Automotive Test Centre) released the test results of the YC6L-60 engine which was jointly developed over a four-year period, between G

Canada-headquartered Bombardier, which claims to be the world’s largest train manufacturer, has today announced over 1,400 jobs are to go at its plant in Derby, Britain’s last remaining railway carriage factory. Today’s announcement follows last month’s decision by the UK government to award to Siemens a contract for 1,200 carriages for the Thameslink commuter service in the London area, with the majority of the manufacturing being undertaken in Germany.

ITS America has released what it says is the most comprehensive study to date on the scope of the ITS industry in the United States and North America. Researchers found intelligent transportation to be a fast growing sector valued at approximately US$48 billion. Results indicate that cities and states with drastically reduced budgets are turning to technology solutions to maximize existing highway capacity.

ITS America has released what it says is the most comprehensive study to date on the scope of the ITS industry in the United States and North America. Researchers found intelligent transportation to be a fast growing sector valued at approximately US$48 billion. Results indicate that cities and states with drastically reduced budgets are turning to technology solutions to maximize existing highway capacity.

Honda is introducing its new EV-neo electric scooter in Europe. The scooter was launched with a demonstration and short test ride at Honda’s innovative Safety Centre, based at the Montesa Honda factory in Barcelona, Spain. Initially introduced as a concept model at the 2009 Tokyo Motorshow, the EV-neo attracted interest and lease sales of the model started in Japan in April 2011. The scooter is primarily aimed at use by delivery services. However, the EV-neo can also provide for recreational use as well as

TRW Automotive Holdings has announced plans to expand its electrically powered steering systems manufacturing in Poland, in support of growing demand from a range of vehicle manufacturers. Approximately 9,000 square metres of additional manufacturing space will be established in Bielsko Biala close to the existing site in Czechowice-Dziedzice. Production will start in the first quarter of 2012.

Thales has opened the last phase of Mecca’s new 18.5 km metro line on schedule and in time for the Hajj pilgrimage, the world’s largest religious gathering. The line transports pilgrims between holy sites, reducing travel time between Arafat and Muzdalifah from five hours to just ten minutes.

The Toronto Transit Commission in Canada has activated a next vehicle arrival system (NVAS) for its bus network and made available its open data/XML feed for third-party developers. Using GPS software, NVAS allows transit customers to receive real-time route data as to when the next buses (up to six succeeding) will arrive at any specific bus stop. Next-vehicle information is available for more than 9,300 TTC bus stops inside Toronto and more than 800 TTC bus stops in the GTA served by contracted TTC vehicl

Traffic Technology Limited has announced that they have partnered with Bluetrace of The Netherlands, enabling them to introduce an innovative and effective journey time system that simply and cost-effectively meets the challenge of providing the network management performance data required by local authorities. Bluetrace Traffic works in networks with other Bluetrace units to accurately capture the unique MAC address of passing Bluetooth and wi-fi devices, building a network of origin and destination points

The UK Highways Agency has reached agreement with TomTom to feed up-to-date traffic information from England’s motorways and major A roads into its sat nav services for road users. The agency, which manages the 7,000km strategic road network, collects data on traffic flows from road sensors, backed up by CCTV and other sources. This data, which is already provided to drivers through the Agency’s own channels, will be fed to TomTom for its High Definition Traffic Services.

Opel/Vauxhall, one of Europe’s largest automakers, and leading car rental company Europcar, have announced an agreement to introduce the Opel/Vauxhall Ampera as a rental car throughout Europe. The intention is to deploy the first vehicles in Europcar rental outlets in Germany in November of this year, followed soon afterwards by Belgium and the Netherlands. The Opel/Vauxhall Ampera will then be rolled out throughout France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the UK from the beginning of 2012.

An innovative project to demonstrate what a pan-European infrastructure and service provision for electric vehicles could look like will receive almost €5 million (US$7.1 million) in EU co-funding from the TEN-T budget. The project, which was presented under the 2010 TEN-T Annual Call, constitutes an essential first step towards a possible viable deployment of open-access infrastructure for electric vehicles across the EU over the next ten years.

AMG Systems has revealed that it supplied its AMG 5000 transmission solution for the new Indian Formula One circuit which hosted the inaugural Indian Formula One grand prix on 30 October, 2011. Indian based Pan Intellecom is responsible for implementing the surveillance project for the F1 event and managing director Harbir Singh explains why the company chose the AMG transmission solution. “We selected the AMG 5000 Series for the project and although we were very pressed for time leading up to the inaugural