News

Spain-headquartered Indra has implemented the Centro Único de Coordinación y Control de Emergencias (CUCC) in Buenos Aires, Brazil, claiming it is the first centre of its kind in Latin America. The concept of the centre is based on the Integrated Centre of Security and Emergency (CISEM), also created by Indra for the regional government of Madrid in 2007. Indra’s technology will allow integrated management of incoming emergency calls and the coordination of responses by the relevant bodies for civil emergen

The 4,000th alternative-fuel vehicle (AFV) in AT&T’s corporate fleet has been deployed in Chicago, Illinois. The vehicles are part of the company’s planned 10-year initiative to invest up to US$565 million to replace approximately 15,000 fleet vehicles with alternative fuel models through 2018.

UK company Traffic Technology has supplied Surrey County Council with its SDR (speed detection radar) above ground vehicle classifier as part of the Drive Smart campaign, a partnership initiative involving Surrey County Council and Surrey Police that targets anti-social driving. Speeding was highlighted as the issue of greatest concern to local residents so all eleven boroughs or districts in Surrey have been supplied with at least two SDRs.

SIMCom Wireless Solutions, a worldwide specialist in machine-to-machine (M2M) technology, has announced that it has successfully concluded tests of a GSM module for eCall / ERA Glonass readiness on Russia's real network. eCall and ERA Glonass are EU and Russian initiatives to capitalise on GSM and GPS technologies for vehicle emergency response service. Both services are planned for initial implementation after 2013, and is backed up by numerous car, truck and bus manufacturers and the European Automobile M

The Open Standard for Public Transport (OSPT) Alliance has announced that Samsung Electronics has joined as a full member and will pursue the development of commercialised semiconductor products for building next-generation transit fare collection systems based on the Cipurse open security standard.

The Handheld Group of Sweden, a manufacturer of rugged PDAs and mobile devices, has acquired TimbaTec, a supplier of rugged mobile computers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland from Latschbacher, a supplier of computers, software and RFID tagging equipment for the forest industry, and Handheld’s existing distribution partner in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Handheld will turn TimbaTec into two wholly owned new companies, Handheld Germany and Handheld Swiss, which both will be fully owned by Handheld Gro

IMS Research has released the 2011 edition of the World Market Report for Mobile Video Surveillance Equipment, identifying Apollo Video Technology as the 2010 market leader in sales revenue for transit bus mobile video surveillance equipment in the Americas.

Thales and its consortium partner, the Hungarian company Dunántúli Kft., has signed a contract worth over US$91 million with the Hungarian infrastructure company NIF (National Infrastructure Development Company) to provide the state-of-art interlocking and electronic train protection technology for the 66 km Szajol-Püspöklandany line.

The ITS JPO has announced that presentations are available from the recent public meeting and webinar held to provide an overview of the entire ITS Connected Vehicle Safety research programme, including Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V), Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I), Safety Pilot, Connected Vehicle Safety Policy, and Human Factors. The event, held from 2-4 August, also featured a review of the concept of operations for the connected vehicle transit programme and a special session on commercial vehicles, designed

Kapsch is to close its Chinese factory and produce its railway radio modules in its Vienna plant, which will be expanded. Although it will be five per cent more expensive to produce the products in Austria than China, wages are increasing in China and if the yuan is revalued the Chinese factory will no longer be able to compete with Austria. In addition, producing the parts in Vienna will mean that the company is able to react to client demands faster; a container takes up to six weeks to get from China to

New research claims that red light cameras help to reduce the number of crashes at intersections where they are installed. The study, although limited to Texas, is claimed to be one of the most extensive so far in the US, and researchers say the findings demonstrate that the automated enforcement method offers an effective means of preventing crash-related deaths and injuries. The 69-page report, - Evaluation of Photographic Traffic Signal Enforcement Systems in Texas - which is available at this link, is t

A panel of scientists and academics is being established by the UK Department for Transport (DfT) to advise on the possible implementation of rules covering drug-driving, along the lines of existing drink-driving laws. MDMA, cocaine, opiates and cannabis are seen by the DfT as the primary drugs for consideration. The experts will examine whether such a law should be introduced, with elements such as possible legal limits to be looked into. If it is decided the move is technically feasible, with regard to pu

Navteq has been chosen by Garmin as map data supplier for Romania and . The Navteq map of Romania is now available not only on Garmin’s new nüvi 40 LM Romania but also as an optional download for existing Garmin portable devices. In Romania, Navteq says its map is built by a team of geographic analysts based in Bucharest and well placed to create and maintain local map coverage and to provide updated information throughout the year.

DriveCam has announced that NJ Transit has signed a two-year contract to expand the company’s managed services programme across its entire fleet of vehicles. “By expanding DriveCam’s video-based solution throughout NJ Transit’s entire fleet, we are demonstrating our commitment to enhancing the safety and security of customers and employees alike,” commented Transportation Commissioner and NJ Transit board chairman, James Simpson. In addition to achieving a 54 per cent reduction in collisions since launching

TomTom has announced the introduction of TomTom Connect: a semi–integrated navigation solution tailored specifically to Opel and Vauxhall cars. The system is neatly integrated in the car and offers live services, including TomTom HD Traffic and dynamic routing.