Category: Transport & Telematics

New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DoT) has launched the first of the city’s microhubs for deliveries on the Upper West Side. They will provide a dedicated space to shift deliveries from trucks to safer and more sustainable forms of transportation. Amazon, Net Zero Logistics and UPS are among the participating logistics companies. Microhubs are central locations where delivery trucks can unload cargo and transfer it to smaller, safer, and more sustainable forms of transportation for the final delivery, including cargo bikes and handcarts. NYC DoT reports that one…

Archer Aviation has been selected as the Official Air Taxi Provider of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Team USA. An exclusive partnership will see Archer’s eVTol aircraft integrated across the LA28 Games in a variety of ways, such as transporting VIPs, fans, and stakeholders. It will also electrify vertiport take-off-and-landing hubs for key venues and provide support for emergency services and security. Archer and LA28 will introduce the company’s Midnight eVTol aircraft to Los Angeles, which is expected to host over 15 million visitors and broadcast to billions…

Noatum Maritime, part of AD Ports Group’s Maritime & Shipping Cluster, has signed an agreement with Artemis Technologies to purchase a 100 per cent electric Artemis EF-12 Pilot boat to operate in the United Arab Emirates. The vessel supports the UN’s Sustainable Development goals and United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Net Zero by 2050 programme. Equipped with the latest battery technology, the vessel offers zero-emission propulsion. It has a top speed of up to 30 knots and a cruising speed of 25 knots. Leveraging Artemis Technologies’ eFoiler technology, the vessel represents…

Airline company Virgin Atlantic has announced a partnership with California-based electric air taxi company Joby Aviation to launch an air taxi service in the UK. The partnership aims to offer seamless, zero-emission, short-range journeys across the UK, starting with regional and city connections from Virgin Atlantic’s hubs at Heathrow and Manchester Airport. The partnership builds on an existing agreement between Joby and Delta Air Lines – which owns a 49 per cent stake in Virgin Atlantic – to launch service in the US and UK. Electric air taxis Virgin Atlantic…

Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HyperloopTT) has completed the world’s first HyperPort feasibility study in Brazil. The study was undertaken in collaboration with Brazilian port logistics company EGA Group and LabTrans at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC). Sustainable transport system HyperloopTT is an innovation company dedicated to developing the hyperloop, a high-speed, sustainable transportation system. The study reveals the potential transformative impact of the HyperPort system to meet Brazil’s growing shipping demands while promoting sustainable economic growth. “This is another historic milestone for HyperloopTT,” said HyperloopTT CEO, Andrés de León.…

Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) has awarded Gatekeeper its automated streetcar enforcement system (ASES) pilot contract. The company will deploy its proprietary AI-assisted video analytics for incident detection, licence plate capture, and automated ticket processing. ASES is a video-based evidence capture and automated ticketing solution for enforcement of motorists that fail to stop for streetcars when the passenger doors are open. Automatic enforcement The ASES pilot contract is for initial deployment on four streetcars and is valued at approximately $460,000. The TTC operates streetcar routes in mixed-traffic conditions and certain stops…

Japanese-based eVTol aircraft manufacturer SkyDrive has entered a strategic partnership with JetSetGo Aviation Services to develop commercial eVTol routes, initially in the state of Gujarat and potentially in other locations across India. JetSetGo, one of India’s largest private jet operators, has also agreed to pre-order 50 units of the eVTol aircraft which will be SkyDrive’s first commercially certified eVTol. Technical collaboration agreement The agreement between SkyDrive and JetSetGo was facilitated by Suzuki Motor Corporation under a business and technical collaboration agreement previously signed by Suzuki and SkyDrive. SkyDrive reports it…

UrbanLink Air Mobility (UrbanLink) has announced a strategic partnership with California-based Traverse Aero to expand its fleet with hybrid-electric eVTOL cargo drones. Traverse Aero reckons its Orca model is the world’s first fully autonomous eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) drone designed specifically for palletised cargo. It boasts a 600-mile range and delivers cargo weighing up to 550 pounds. The company claims it uses batteries and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to achieve an 80 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions. Logistics supply chains The aircraft’s response capabilities, coupled with its…

The Riyadh Metro network has begun operations, representing a key milestone in plans outlined by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) to improve mobility and enhance quality of life in the Saudi Arabian capital city. The 176km network, encompassing six lines, 85 stations, and seven depots, aims to set a new global standard for urban mobility and advances Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. Smart and sustainable rail system Projected to serve a maximum capacity of 3.6 million daily passengers, the Riyadh Metro network will, in its whole significantly reduce reliance…

Atlantic Aviation is embarking on a project to upgrade utility infrastructure and install charging stations at its East 34th Street heliport to support electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft operations. This project will include a utility upgrade and expects to facilitate technology-agnostic eVTOL operations from the site via the installation of both the Combined Charging System (CCS) and Global Electric Aviation Charging System (GEACS) charging solutions. Adapting to eVTOL operations Located on Manhattan’s East River waterfront, Atlantic Aviation’s East 34th Street Heliport (6N5) facility provides support for helicopter operations…

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has introduced a plan to advance the development of the mobile Internet of Things (IoT) sector in the country, Chinese press reported. This initiative is aimed at enhancing the sector’s supply chain, fostering innovation and increasing industrial value. The plan highlights the integration of mobile IoT in areas like intelligent connected vehicles, healthcare and smart homes. In particular, for intelligent vehicles, mobile IoT will support functions such as driving monitoring, autonomous driving, information sharing and complex environment sensing, it added. By 2027, the…

Dublin City Council has launched its first drone and urban air strategy to transform how the Irish city utilises drone technology to enhance public services while understanding their future potential. The development of the Drone and Urban Air Mobility Strategy 2024-2029 has been led through the Smart City programme, which supports the council in future-proofing how new and emerging technologies are applied. Drone use cases By fostering a vibrant drone technology ecosystem, Dublin has the potential to attract new businesses and drive economic growth, positioning itself as a leader in…