The electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft flew along the coastline of Tanoura Beach in Oita city, carrying two passengers and without a pilot. Urban air mobility (UAM) technology platform provider EHang has completed its first passenger-carrying autonomous flight demonstration in Japan. The electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL), the EH216, flew along the coastline of Tanoura Beach in Oita city. Autonomous air mobility In July 2022, EH216 completed Japan’s first eVTOL point-to-point demonstration flight for air mobility in Oita City, Oita Prefecture. EHang and its partner, Okayama Kurashiki…
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AI traffic counter enables citizen science data projects
Telraam has released its upgraded S2 multimodal traffic counting device, which can be used in citizen science data projects to improve urban mobility and planning. The latest iteration is easier to install and uses artificial intelligence (AI) and internet of things (IoT) technology to count cars, vans, bikes, pedestrians and more. Monitor street mobility The Telraam S2 camera device was designed in Belgium and built in the EU to help address the need for affordable devices that monitor street mobility in more locations than would be possible with traditional counting…
Read MoreHyperloop transportation companies form industry association
A group of seven hyperloop companies have come together to form the first global association for the new, high-speed form of transportation. Hardt, Hyperloop One, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Nevomo, TransPod, Swisspod Technologies, and Zeleros Hyperloop Association have signed a constitutive act to create The Hyperloop Association. Hyperloop transportation Hyperloop transportation systems consist of an autonomous, fully electric pod levitating and travelling at high speeds in a low-pressure environment. Hyperloop will significantly cut journey times of passengers and cargo between cities and countries and will be more energy efficient and sustainable…
Read MoreMicromobility alliance publishes incident data on e-scooters
Micro-Mobility for Europe (MMfE), the EU association of shared micromobility providers, is releasing incident data involving shared e-scooters in Europe. The aggregated data is based on the usage of e-scooters from its six founding members of Bird, Bolt, Dott, Lime, Tier and Voi. Road safety policies The association has published a factsheet of the data and hopes such transparency will inform road safety policies that reduce incident risks for vulnerable road users, such as e-scooter riders, cyclists, pedestrians, in close collaboration with EU and local authorities. Based on over 240…
Read MoreStrategic alliance to deploy EV chargers in Latin America
Blink Charging has announced a collaborative agreement with Citybest, a transport mobility app, to deploy electric vehicle (EV) chargers in Latin America and help advance the EV charging ecosystem in the region. Initially, 70 EV chargers are scheduled for installation through this alliance in Mexico and Chile to help meet driver demands – according to Americas Market Intelligence data more than one million electric vehicles will be sold in LatAm by 2030. Free charging Through the agreement with Citybest, Blink will install 50 Blink MQ 200 chargers at hotel chains…
Read MoreMobility-as-a-service spend to grow more than 350 per cent
Mobility‑as‑a‑service (MaaS) will generate revenue of $92bn globally by 2027; up from $20bn in 2022, according a study by Juniper Research. Growing by 357 per cent over the period, Juniper reports that the main drivers will be the cost and convenience of MaaS solutions and the increased investment in MaaS infrastructure. Integrating MaaS with smart city ecosystems The report urges transit planning authorities to take a holistic approach to urban mobility by integrating MaaS into the wider smart city ecosystem to leverage real-time data from smart city sensors and maximise…
Read MoreChina plans world’s largest driverless ride-hailing area
Artificial intelligence company Baidu has announced plans to build what it claims will be the world’s largest autonomous ride-hailing service area in 2023. The plans outline a goal to expand the operation area for its fully driverless robotaxis, allowing Baidu company to reach more potential customers. Driverless ride-hailing cities Since August 2022, Baidu has operated fully driverless ride-hailing services in the cities of Chongqing and Wuhan, with access to hundreds of square kilometres of operational area. It will continue to expand on this area next year. Additionally, Baidu revealed a…
Read MoreGlasgow installs cycle-activated signage to increase safety
Glasgow City Council has installed cycle-activated electronic signage on the road network, designed to reduce incidents of conflict, particularly where travel routes cross side junctions or building entrances. The pilot project showed a decrease in the percentage of conflicts between drivers and cyclists at the junction of Berkeley Street and Claremont Street. Prompted by cycle movement, they have been installed at multiple locations across the city following a successful pilot. Safety initiative The solar-powered LED warning signs illuminate a cycle symbol to alert drivers to the presence of cyclists. The…
Read MoreEtihad Rail progresses major logistics hub in Abu Dhabi
Etihad Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE National Rail Network, has announced the completion of the connection between the railway freight terminal at the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD) and the UAE National Rail Network. Spanning just over 2.7 million square feet, it will comprise over 22 buildings and major structures to support operations, processing up to nine trains each day. It is the largest inland freight railway terminal in the country and is part of the emirate’s goal to provide an integrated transport system in line…
Read MoreAffordable solar energy trees unveiled
UK company SolarBotanic has developed what claims to be the world’s first affordable, mass-produced solar energy trees. A single tree can reportedly provide all the electricity needs of an average household through clean, secure and renewable solar power. The first SolarBotanic Trees will become available in early 2023. Sustainable energy source The trees, which are designed to be aesthetically pleasing as well as sustainable, are ideally suited to large-scale commercial environments such as car parks at airports, shopping malls, exhibition centres, office sites and sports stadia. The SolarBotanic Tree is…
Read MoreRegent electric seaglider reaches certification milestone
Sustainable maritime mobility specialist Regent has received an approval in principle (AiP) from Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore for its 12-passenger, fully electric seaglider, the Viceroy. This marks an important certification milestone for seagliders, offering a path for the vehicle’s classification as a wing-in-ground effect (WIG) maritime vessel and the commencement of commercial seaglider operations. Regent claims to have a backlog of $7bn in provisional orders for their seagliders from ferry and aviation operators. New category of electric vehicle The Viceroy represents a new category of electric vehicle that operate…
Read MoreHydrogen-powered refuse trucks fleet deployed in Europe
It is estimated that each hydrogen refuse truck makes a saving of 30,000kg of CO2 each year, reportedly the equivalent of 18 return flights between London and New York. Hydrogen storage systems company Luxfer Gas Cylinders is helping to power a 10-strong fleet of zero-emission refuse trucks being deployed in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, where all waste collection vehicles must be zero-emission by 2030. It is estimated that each hydrogen refuse truck makes a saving of 30,000kg of CO2 each year, reportedly the equivalent of 18 return flights between…
Read MoreElectric vehicle charging superhub launches in Oxford
The Energy Superhub Oxford will be powered entirely by renewable energy and will initially offer fast and ultra-rapid charging for 42 vehicles at once at the Redbridge Park and Ride. An electric vehicle (EV) charging hub that claims to offer a blueprint for cities around the world to scale up green power has launched in the UK city of Oxford. The Energy Superhub Oxford will initially offer fast and ultra-rapid charging for 42 vehicles at once at Oxford’s Redbridge Park and Ride. It will be powered entirely by renewable energy.…
Read MoreHawaii plans to build electric seaglider transport network
Regent, the company behind an all-electric, hybrid air and water seaglider still in prototype, wants to build a sustainable method of coastal transit for the US state. The US state of Hawaii is creating an electric seaglider transportation network to help drive innovation in the passenger and freight sectors and build a resilient and sustainable transportation ecosystem. Regent is the company behind an all-electric, hybrid air and water seaglider still in prototype, and has chosen Pacific Current, a subsidiary of Hawaiian Electric Industries (HEI), as its preferred energy and infrastructure…
Read More“Flying” electric taxi boat debuts in Venice
The zero-carbon footprint P-8 Voyager from Candela carries six passengers and two crew and has been developed to replace the world’s fleets of smaller and fast combustion engine passenger craft. A flying electric boat from Stockholm-based electric leisure boat manufacturer Candela has been unveiled in Venice. The zero-carbon footprint P-8 Voyager carries six passengers and two crew. Built in Sweden it features Candela’s computer-guided foils, or underwater wings, that reportedly reduce energy consumption by 80 per cent compared to traditional motorboats. Environmentally friendly Erik Eklund, Candela’s chief executive of commercial…
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