Urban Traffic Control

The National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) has signed an agreement with the International Road Federation to cooperate on intelligent transportation systems (ITS). They aim to develop a National ITS Policy covering traffic management, parking, enforcement, fleet management and monitoring, along with ITS innovation and education, with the objective of reducing urban traffic congestion.

The UK government is developing plans for Britain’s first digital intercity railway in the north, as it invests US$17.5 billion (£13 billion) in improving journeys across the region. The UK government is developing plans for Britain’s first digital intercity railway in the north, as it invests US$17.5 billion (£13 billion) in improving journeys across the region.

UK companies are urged to compete for up to US$20 million (£15 million) of funding to develop technology to reduce harmful emissions from freight. Roads Minister Jesse Norman has called on businesses to lead research into low emission technology for lorries, as well as cars and vans. The projects could see materials which make vehicles lighter, or improve the efficiency of engines or batteries, he says.

The European Commission has launched an online tool to analyse EU and Member State projects’ clean, connected and competitive contributions to Europe’s transport sector. The Transport Research and Innovation Monitoring and Information System (TRIMIS) is developed and implemented by the EU Joint Research Centre on behalf of the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport. It replaces the Transport Research & Innovation Portal (TRIP) and incorporates the latter’s database of over 10,000

Technology and management services provider Serco has been awarded a new contract to provide safety service patrol support for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Austin District. Under this new contract, Serco will manage the safety service patrol (SSP) services delivered across 310 miles of roadways in Austin to help minimise incident duration and improve driver safety during traffic incidents.

In an effort to improve road safety at night, the town of Suqian in Jiangsu Province, China has installed a smart zebra crossing, which has LED lights embedded in the road alongside it, reports GB Times. The lights begin to flash when pedestrians step on to the crossing, while a traffic sign with the words ‘Yield to pedestrians’ lights up. A warning notice autonomously warns drivers that they are approaching the crossing.

The US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has conducted the first of a two-day demonstration of three-truck platoons on I-66 in Virginia. The results of a four-year research project to test the effectiveness of state-of-the-art driving and communications technologies were showcased at the event. Truck platooning uses vehicle-to-vehicle communications technology to allow trucks to follow each other more closely – at about one second apart – and travel in a more coordinated fashion.

The US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has conducted the first of a two-day demonstration of three-truck platoons on I-66 in Virginia. The results of a four-year research project to test the effectiveness of state-of-the-art driving and communications technologies were showcased at the event. Truck platooning uses vehicle-to-vehicle communications technology to allow trucks to follow each other more closely – at about one second apart – and travel in a more coordinated fashion.

The City of Atlanta, Georgia, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and Georgia Tech, has launched a smart city project on a major east-west artery in the city. The North Avenue Smart Corridor demonstration project, funded by the Renew Atlanta Infrastructure Bond, will deploy the latest technology in adaptive signal systems for a safer, more efficient flow of transit, personal vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians

Belgian company Alfen has won a tender to supply the European Commission offices in Brussels with charging equipment for electric vehicles (EVs). Alfen will also provide its online management tool for real-time insights into charging behaviour and remote control of the chargers. The roll-out of the first phase of 60 chargers is taking place in September 2017.