7ITS NEWS

🌟 7ITS NEWS, as the official media partner of ITS Congresses, is honored to attend the ITS World Congress in #Dubai! Our team, including HE XU, Yaqin Guo, Jessie Wang and Lucas Sai, will be there to bring you the latest updates and insights from the event. We look forward to highlighting the key innovations and developments in the #mobility and traffic technology sector. 📍 Visit us at Booth H6-H2 from September 16 - 20. Let’s connect and shape the future of transportation together! #ITSDubai #7ITSNews #transportation #ITS #mobility

LONDON & SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Wayve, a leader in Embodied #AI for self-driving, today announced a new strategic partnership with Uber (NYSE: UBER), the world’s leading #mobility and delivery network. Uber has also agreed to make a strategic #investment in Wayve as an extension of the company’s previously announced Series C fundraising round. With the additional #funding and support from Uber, Wayve intends to accelerate its work with global OEMs to enhance consumer vehicles with Level 2+ advanced driver assistance and Level 3 automated driving capabilities, while also working towards the development of globally scalable Level 4 #autonomous vehicles for future deployment on Uber. Distinct from traditional #AV approaches, Wayve has a unique focus on mapless end-to-end AI technology, designed to allow automated vehicles to operate without geofenced limits. The partnership envisions future Wayve-powered self-driving vehicles being made available on the Uber network in multiple markets around the world, bringing Wayve’s leading technology to Uber’s more than 150 million monthly global users.

NEW YORK & DALLAS – September 5, 2024 – #Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and #Frontier Communications Parent, Inc. (NASDAQ: FYBR) today announced they have entered into a definitive agreement for Verizon to acquire Frontier in an all-cash transaction valued at $20 billion. This strategic #acquisition of the largest pure-play fiber internet provider in the U.S. will significantly expand Verizon's fiber footprint across the nation, accelerating the company’s delivery of premium #mobility and broadband services to current and new customers. It will also expand Verizon's intelligent edge network for digital innovations like #AI and #IoT. The combination will integrate Frontier’s cutting-edge fiber network into Verizon's leading portfolio of fiber and wireless assets, including its best-in-class Fios offering. Over approximately four years, Frontier has invested $4.1 billion upgrading and expanding its fiber network, and now derives more than 50% of its revenue from fiber products. Frontier’s 2.2 million fiber subscribers across 25 states will join Verizon’s approximately 7.4 million Fios connections1 in 9 states and Washington, D.C. In addition to Frontier’s 7.2 million fiber locations, the company is committed to its plan to build out an additional 2.8 million fiber locations by the end of 2026.

SANTA CLARA, Calif / September 3, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today Archer Aviation announced that it has completed 402 test flights so far this year, surpassing the 400 test flight goal it set for 2024 approximately four months ahead of schedule. Today Archer Aviation announced that it has completed 402 test flights so far this year, surpassing the 400 test flight goal it set for 2024 approximately four months ahead of schedule. The 400 plus flights were conducted over the last eight months as the company ramps flight test operations in advance of for-credit flight testing with the #FAA. Adam Goldstein, CEO and founder of Archer said, “When we first set our goal for 400 flights this year it was viewed as aggressive, but here we are in August already knocking it out. I’m proud of the Archer flight test team and the supporting groups that made it happen.” Each flight produces critical data that Archer’s teams use to evaluate and refine aircraft loads, vibrations, performance and handling qualities. Most recently, the Archer flight test team has focused on five key testing areas: Transition Flights: Continuing to conduct longer-distance and higher-speed transition flights to gather data, extend endurance and ensure maximum safety. High-Rate Operations: Increasing per-day flights to simulate the high cadence of Archer’s anticipated commercial operations and test Midnight’s durability. Advancing Landing Profiles : Completing a series of hover landings in various wind conditions with different rates of descent and flare heights to expand Midnight’s wind envelope and further optimize its landing profile. Enhancing Acoustic Measurement : Conducting a series of hover operations with various microphone arrays to collect supplemental data for the FAA and to further evaluate and tune Midnight’s noise signature. Optimizing Control Laws : Regressing through the envelope with a series of optimizations made to the control laws which will extend Midnight’s endurance. This announcement follows Archer’s planned network in Los Angeles and its recently announced developments with Southwest Airlines and United Airlines . It also follows major milestones, such as certification to begin operating as a commercial airline and the recent delivery of Archer’s first aircraft to the United States Air Force.

Dubai / 02 Sep 2024 / RTA -- Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (#RTA) has extended the deadline for submitting applications to participate in the 4th #Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport (#SDT) 2025 up to 20th October 2024. This extension aims to provide ample time for more companies and specialized entities to join the event and showcase the latest technological advancements. The winning company in this challenge will be awarded USD $3 million. The fourth edition of the Challenge introduces a new competitive format launched under the theme: ‘Dubai #Autonomous Transport Zone,’ highlighting RTA’s commitment to advancing the pioneering role of the Dubai Government and expanding the use of autonomous transportation technologies. This edition features multiple, integrated #mobility modes that combine various transit means within a single zone, offering passengers to use those mobility options. Participants can enter the Challenge either as a Consortium of multiple companies or as a single entity. The objective is to integrate several autonomous transit systems under one service umbrella. All leading companies with expertise in self-driving transport and the integration of transit systems are invited to participate. The Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport is part of RTA's strategy to bolster Dubai's leadership in autonomous transportation. It aligns with Dubai’s vision to convert 25% of all mobility journeys in the city to self-driving trips by 2030. The Challenge serves as a global platform for self-driving transport, convening top experts, technology manufacturers, researchers, and academics to generate innovative ideas and insights that support the Dubai Government’s drive, achieve RTA's First Strategic Goal: "Smart Dubai" as well as the “Smart City” initiative of the Dubai Government. Participants can register for the Challenge now through the website dedicated for this global competition: https://lnkd.in/e8miHXhK. Finalists will be announced in late November 2024, and the winning company will be revealed in September 2025 during the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport. The winning company will receive a prize of USD $3 million.

Dubai / 03 Sep 2024 / RTA -- Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (#RTA) has completed traffic enhancements on Umm Suqeim Street by opening a new street leading to Kings' School. The new street, which runs 500 metres and consists of two lanes in each direction, connects the school's entrances to the recently constructed detour in the area. The step has optimised the entry and exit of vehicles to the school and diminished #traffic #congestion by up to 40% during peak hours. These works are part of RTA's quick traffic improvement plan 2024, underlining a commitment to improve the #road network, ease the traffic flow and step up the road capacity to match Dubai's sustainable growth. It also enhances traffic safety standards for all road users, particularly in school transport and among parents. “These works are part of Umm Suqeim Street Improvement Project, spanning 4.6 km from Al Khail Road intersection to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road intersection. The project enhances connectivity among four major traffic corridors in Dubai: Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Khail Road, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, and Emirates Road. As a result, the street’s capacity will jump by 30%, accommodating up to 16,000 vehicles per hour in both directions,” said Hamad Al Shehhi, Director of Roads at the Traffic and Roads Agency, RTA.  “As part of the recent improvements, RTA has allocated 200 temporary parking slots to serve school-goers, including teachers and parents, for the 2024-2025 academic year. This measure ensures the provision of orderly parking and prevents random parking, which causes congestion and waste of time during vehicle entry and exit at the area. This ultimately helps uphold the highest traffic safety standards and maximises public satisfaction, rendering Dubai the best city for living in the world,” concluded Al Shehhi.

OAKLAND, California, August 22, 2024 – FlowLabs, a #transportation software technology leader specializing in Artificial Intelligence (#AI) that makes roads cleaner, clearer, and safer, today announced a new data partnership with AirSage, Inc., a leading provider of population movement data in the U.S. The new alliance will bolster Flow Labs’ vulnerable road user safety data, providing the platform with some of the most extensive Location-Based Service (#LBS) information available, including comprehensive population analytics, movement patterns, and key safety insights for protecting pedestrians, bicycles, and more. #Traffic engineers have traditionally struggled to gather and integrate pedestrian safety data from various, often flawed sources, making it extremely difficult to understand pedestrian behaviors and risk factors around roadways. The Flow Labs platform streamlines this entire process by using AI to integrate LBS data and Pedestrian Push Button data with Connected Vehicle (#CV) data. This integration allows traffic engineers to access a wealth of information to identify high-risk areas, analyze pedestrian volume, and assess conflicts with vehicle movements. “Vulnerable road user safety is a critical concern for traffic engineers and road agencies, and until now, they lacked the tools to identify problem areas effectively,” said Jatish Patel, CEO and Founder of Flow Labs. “Our partnership with AirSage provides us with top-tier vulnerable road user location data, enabling the Flow Labs platform to accurately pinpoint high-risk safety areas for pedestrians and bicycles, ultimately helping agencies meet their safety goals.” AirSage collects over 100 billion #GPS data signals monthly from more than 200 million mobile devices, all obtained with "opt-in" consent from users who have consciously chosen to share location data. “AirSage is thrilled to partner with Flow Labs. Our industry-leading mobility data has been trusted for more than 20 years so it is very well suited for this application. We are excited to see how our data can help all transportation planners and agencies make smarter, quicker decisions using the Flow Labs platform,” said Jonathan Silverberg, CTO & Co-President of AirSage. Flow Labs hardware-free platform takes a proactive approach to safety by leveraging AI technology to detect patterns, analyze trends, and provide actionable insights that allow traffic engineers to implement preventive measures and prioritize resources effectively across entire regions. This process accelerates pedestrian safety studies by months, enabling agencies to quickly and accurately identify and address the highest risk areas across their roadways.

UK / 12 August 2024 /UKRI / A new research hub will lead the use of #digitaltwins in determining how #transport systems can be #decarbonised as quickly, safely and cheaply as possible. The TransiT Hub, led by Heriot-Watt University and the University of Glasgow, is supported by a £46 million investment from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (#EPSRC) and 67 partners. Digital replicas It will use digital twins, digital replicas of the physical world that collect data in real time by sensors connected to infrastructure such as #roads, #railways or shipping. This means real-world data can be analysed to test and improve different scenarios, and the digital twin can then send back its solution for an improved process to the physical world in near real-time. This could help motorists and reduce carbon emissions, for example through updating digital road signs with information on the shortest route out of #traffic jams. Testing future systems It will also allow us to test how parts of a future decarbonised transport system work for example electric road systems and alternative fuels. By speeding up the way new systems are tested it will help to identify the lowest-cost #pathways to net zero carbon emissions. For example it could help logistics companies to identify the most sustainable routes, vehicle types and journey times. Benefiting passengers Passengers and commuters will also benefit through being able to identify and make decisions about the most sustainable travel choices on a local, regional and national level. Personalised digital twin assistants, operating similarly to how your Netflix account learns your preferences, could also build an understanding of #mobility needs and journey requirements. They could then offer near to real-time journey options based on individual needs and budget, as well as the reliability of transport services and how the impact of weather might change them. Credit: shivaphotographyy, pixabay

3 September 2024 /UKDOT -- Transport Secretary Louise Haigh today (3 September 2024) fired the starting gun on #rail reform – ushering in a new era for our #railways which puts passengers first. Today’s launch of Shadow Great British Railways (Shadow GBR) will set in motion a huge overhaul of the running of the rail network, bringing together leaders from the Department for #Transport, Network Rail and publicly-owned operators. Shadow #GBR will pave the way for Great British Railways – a new unified arm’s length body responsible for finally bringing track and train back together and overseeing both services and infrastructure. Today’s announcement comes as the government’s Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill continues its passage through the Commons, marking further progress in the Transport Secretary’s mission to put rail services back into the hands of the public. The landmark legislation reinforces the government’s relentless focus on reversing decades of delays, cancellations and unreliable services on Britain’s railways. It will prioritise passengers over private companies, putting the railways back on track, while saving taxpayers up to an estimated £150 million every year in fees alone in the process. The Transport Secretary has already started the work to modernise the railways – root and branch – so passengers are put first. She says this programme will save money for taxpayers and passengers and deliver a more reliable railway.

Dubai / 26 Aug 2024 /RTA -- #Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (#RTA) plans to launch 4 new metro link #bus routes and enhance the services of several other #routes including one #Intercity Route starting 30th August 2024. These adjustments aim to improve the daily commuting experience for passengers, allowing them to smoothly reach their destinations across the #Emirate. The four new routes include replacing Route 31 with two new routes, F39 and F40. The first new route, F39, will run from Etisalat Bus Station to Oud Al Muteena Roundabout Bus Stop 1 and back, with a 30-minute frequency. The second new route, F40, will operate from Etisalat Bus Station to Mirdif, Street 78, and back, also with a 30-minute frequency. Two additional routes will replace Route F56 with F58 and F59. Route F58 will run northward from Al Khail Metro Station to Dubai Internet City and back, with a 30-minute frequency. Route F59 will operate from Dubai Internet City Metro Station, heading northward to Dubai Knowledge Village and back, also with a 30-minute frequency. Additionally, Route 21 will be renamed and split into two routes, 21A and 21B, on the same date. Route 21A will start from Al Quoz Clinical Pathology Services Bus Stop 1 to Al Ghubaiba Bus Station, while Route 21B will run in the opposite direction, from Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to Al Quoz Clinical Pathology Services Bus Stop 1. These changes aim to simplify route identification for passengers, expand service coverage, and improve the overall user experience. Passengers are advised to take note of these changes and plan their journeys accordingly. On the same date, Route 61D will be merged with Route 66. Similarly, Route 95 will be merged with Route 95A, resulting in Route 95A only, to enable users of Route 95 to connect to Route X92. Additionally, the path of Route 95A will be adjusted to start from Veneto, Jebel Ali Waterfront, to Parco Hypermarket to cover the Jebel Ali Industrial Area. The path for Route 6 will be shortened to run from the Bus Stop at Oud Metha Metro Station to Dubai Healthcare City, due to the cancellation of the sector from Al Ghubaiba Station to Oud Metha. The route for Bus 95A will be adjusted to start from Veneto, Jebel Ali Waterfront to Parco Hypermarket, covering the Jebel Ali Industrial Area. Route 99 will be modified to cover JAFZA One, and Route F31 will be adjusted to include new stops in The Greens. New stops will also be added in Al Furjan for Route F45, while JAFZA One stop will be removed from Route F54. Additionally, intercity Route E700 will be adjusted to start from Etisalat Bus Station instead of Union Bus Station to Fujairah.