GM halves funding for driverless Cruise division
General Motors is cutting a billion dollars (£788 million) of spending from its driverless taxi division Cruise, but insists it remains committed to the self-driving project. Reuters has analysed the company’s finances and says Cruise spent $1.9 billion in cash during 2023, and recorded a $2.7 billion pretax loss, not including $500 million in restructuring […]
Report highlights carbon and cost benefits from using geosynthetic layers
Road surfacing company Foster Contracting have estimated that values ranging from 29% to 93% can be achieved in carbon reduction, along with significant cost savings when using geosynthetic interlayers to extend the life of a pavement. In April 2023, PYE Management Ltd produced a document for the Road Surface Treatments Association (RSTA) entitled “Carbon Emissions […]
American researchers develop app to help blind and visually impaired passengers find bus stops
A team of researchers from Massachusetts say a micro-navigation smartphone app to they have developed has a “substantially” higher success rate than Google Maps in helping blind or visually impaired people find bus stops. The team at Mass Eye and Ear explain that current GPS systems have sufficient macro-navigation for planning routes using public transport, […]
AI urban traffic management solution gains patent
A patent has been granted for a new traffic management system created by AI company Simpifai Systems and the University of Huddersfield’s artificial intelligence experts. Professor of AI Mauro Vallati and the AI4UTMC research team, including Dr Rongge Guo, Saumya Bhatnagar, and Dr Francesco Percassi, have been working with Simplifai on the use of artificial […]
Police in Lincolnshire detect 99 offences during latest Operation Tramline
Driving offences including suspected drug driving, motorists using their phone at the wheel and a one-month-old baby found not properly restrained have been detected by officers during tje latest Operation Tramline in Lincolnshire. The operation, in conjunction with National Highways, uses a so-called “supercab” to identify unsafe and distracting driver behaviour on major routes, aiming […]
Scottish government accused of “secret talks” to bring back Edinburgh Congestion Charge
Scotland’s SNP/Green administration and Edinburgh city council are said to be plotting to revive the idea of a congestion charge in the country’s capital, nearly 20 years after residents rejected the plan. The Scottish Daily Express reports the City’s transport convener Scott Arthur has revealed that officials are “working with the Scottish Government on pay-as-you-drive”, adding “that’s […]
Edinburgh councillor hails new pavement parking ban
The head of transport in Edinburgh has hailed the city’s new rules banning parking on pavements as “leading the way” on enforcing the Scotland-wide prohibition. Scottish regulations giving councils the power to enforce the new rules came into effect on 11 December, aimed at addressing “the inconvenience inconsiderate parking causes to all road users, in […]
American driverless test bed trials remotely operated vehicles
From more than 200 miles away, Purdue University researchers have been able to test their autonomous vehicle technology using the University of Michigan’s real-world test track in Ann Arbor, and challenge it using both real and virtual cars and pedestrians. This first remote use of the Mcity Test Facility came 14 months after U-M announced […]
Acusensus moves to next phase of its mission to improve UK road safety with new staff appointment
The Australian AI road safety company Acusensus has continued its expansion in the UK by recruiting Adam Dallimore as its new Operations and Support Manager. He joins UK traffic enforcement technology expert Geoff Collins, who set up the British operation in 2022. Adam Dallimore has more than 14 years’ experience in working with roadside monitoring […]
Nota AI hails “unique” collaboration with City Science
The South Korean traffic solutions company Nota AI says its research collaboration with UK-based decarbonisation-focussed consultancy City Science is going to allow the industry to more accurately understand the context of traffic flow and provide meaningful information. The two companies are working together to develop “Beyond Smart Junctions”, a next-generation ITS project funded by Innovate […]