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October 1, 2019
Uber bolsters app features to boost micromobility
Uber is combining its ride-hailing and food delivery apps, while polishing its green credentials and launching a range of new features and partnerships. There is a particular focus on micromobility: bikes and scooters will be displayed on the map inside the ride-hailing giant’s app in 28 cities to make it easier for users to view their options. The company is also expanding its in-app Transit option to include San Francisco, Mexico City and Paris. New Uber Jump bikes and scooters will come with batteries
September 30, 2019
Via Mobility Japan trials ride-hailing for Itochu
Via Mobility Japan is providing a free ride-sharing service for employees living within a seven-mile zone of Itochu’s HQ in the capital, Tokyo. General trading company Itochu is hoping the BlueVia service will reduce transportation costs and allow employees to dedicate journey time to work. The Via subsidiary says the service comprises regular sedans that can carry four employees, and vans which can fit up to six people. Passengers can use the BlueVia app to request a ride to Itochu within the operating
September 30, 2019
Egis offers VR training for French highway patrols
A new scheme in France aims to give highway police a first-hand view of what to expect in high speed incidents – without putting anyone at risk. Egis has launched the training module for motorway patrollers using a virtual reality (VR) headset and handheld controls. In conjunction with French start-up Immersive Factory it offers training on motorway safety and callout procedures as part of Egis’ contract to operate the A63 motorway between the villages of Salles and St. Geours-de-Maremne. Egis says th
September 27, 2019
Road safety reformer Jacques Chirac dies
The news that former French president Jacques Chirac has died, aged 86, should be of note for those in the road safety sector. His political legacy is well known. Chirac was prime minister of France from 1974-76 and again from 1986-88, mayor of Paris from 1977-95 and finally president of France from 1995-2007. But his political reputation ended under a cloud following his suspended sentence on corruption charges. Perhaps less well widely known, however, is that Chirac had a tremendously beneficial eff
September 26, 2019
Come Together: iconic Abbey Road crossing gets makeover
It is perhaps the best-known image of vulnerable road users (VRUs) in history: the Abbey Road pedestrian crossing in north London is famous from the photo gracing the cover of Abbey Road, the last studio album released by The Beatles, recorded at the nearby EMI studios. The iconic cover art shows the four celebrated VRUs - John, Paul, George and Ringo - walking across the road. And on the 50th anniversary of the release of the album, the crossing has now had a makeover. In addition, Wrekin and Thames Water
September 26, 2019
Lyft app gets bike lanes to encourage safer cycling
Lyft is adding protected bike lanes and bike-friendly routes to its app to encourage more people to use two-wheeled transportation. The Verge reports that the protected bike lanes will appear as dark green lines in the app while bike-friendly routes that are less protected will be represented as dotted green lines. The feature is available for Lyft bikes and scooter-sharing services on iOS devices, with Android to follow soon. Lyft’s head of micromobility policy, Caroline Samponaro, says: “Each ride
September 26, 2019
Lyft app gets bike lanes to encourage safer cycling
Lyft is adding protected bike lanes and bike-friendly routes to its app to encourage more people to use two-wheeled transportation. The Verge reports that the protected bike lanes will appear as dark green lines in the app while bike-friendly routes that are less protected will be represented as dotted green lines. The feature is available for Lyft bikes and scooter-sharing services on iOS devices, with Android to follow soon. Lyft’s head of micromobility policy, Caroline Samponaro, says: “Each ride
September 25, 2019
C2A and NXP unveil cybersecurity solution for C/AVs
C2A Security has launched a cybersecurity solution for connected and autonomous vehicles (C/AVs) that uses NXP Semiconductors’ CAN (Controller Area Network) transceivers. C2A says the transceivers detect and prevent malicious activity on the vehicle’s CAN bus. The solution also includes the C2A Stamper firewall and the SecMon intrusion detection software to detect potentially malicious activity. It also uses an in-vehicle System on Chip to enable an appropriate response, the company adds. Nathanie
September 25, 2019
Unmanned to trial autonomous delivery bots in Seoul
Technology start-up Unmanned Solutions is to deploy autonomous delivery robots in Sangam Digital Media City (DMC), an autonomous driving test bed South Korea’s capital Seoul. The Korean Times says the four-wheeled electric vehicles will operate in the city for a year, carrying 200kg of goods on a flat tray. Jung Young-Jae, a city official in charge of the start-up incubation project at Seoul Institute of Technology, says: “The robots will start with shipping supplies from freight trucks near the mai
September 24, 2019
Wejo unveils data products to predict traffic build-up
Wejo has launched three products using connected vehicle data which it says can pinpoint where and when traffic is going to build up. Wejo founder Richard Barlow says the company has curated more than 130 billion miles of data, showing “the positive impact connected vehicles have on solving some of today’s biggest challenges facing road users”. He adds: “Drivers get direct benefits from sharing their connected vehicle data enabling their journeys to be faster, safer and less polluting.” The compan