Transportation – Page 12

Automation, Driverless cars, Science & Technology News, Transportation

Lyft’s robo-taxis have made more than 50,000 rides in Las Vegas

June 19, 2019

If you’ve been to Las Vegas in the last year, you might have seen one of Lyft’s self-driving cars tootling up and down the Strip. Heck, you might even have ridden in one.

The company has just revealed it’s now given more than 50,000 automated rides to paying passengers in the city, up from 30,000 in January 2019. Lyft says the figure makes it the largest commercial self-driving car program currently operating in the U.S.

Lyft partnered with vehicle technology firm Aptiv to launch the service, with locals and tourists alike able to request a ride in the usual way, via the Lyft app. It uses 30 modified BMW 540i cars, all kitted out with Aptiv-made sensor, cameras, and software to ensure a safe ride.

Continue reading… “Lyft’s robo-taxis have made more than 50,000 rides in Las Vegas”

Electric Automobile, Human Behavior, Science & Technology News, Transportation

EU will force electric cars to emit a noise below 20 km/h on July 1

June 19, 2019

Starting July 1, all electric vehicles with four or more wheels in the EU will be required to emit noise of at least 56 decibels if the car is going 20 km/h or slower, the New Atlas reports.

This makes a ton of sense as electric cars don’t make any of the engine noises we’ve grown accustomed to from standard Earth-killing gasoline cars. Making sure pedestrians can hear cars coming could increase the safety of visually impaired individuals, as well those of us who have the bad habit of walking into traffic while looking at their phones.

Continue reading… “EU will force electric cars to emit a noise below 20 km/h on July 1”

Automobiles, Great New Product, Science & Technology News, Transportation

No more flats: Michelin and GM to bring airless tires to passenger cars by 2024

June 15, 2019

Plenty of things can go wrong when you’re driving a car, though thankfully the vast majority of trips go without a hitch.

Tire punctures, for example, are a real headache, but thanks to a collaboration between Michelin and General Motors (GM), the deflating experience could soon be a thing of the past.

Following years of research, Michelin announced this week that it’s ready to hit the road with UPTIS, its “unique puncture-proof tire system,” and is partnering with GM for real-world trials using Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles. Testing starts this year and if all goes well, airless tires could be coming to a passenger car near you as early as 2024.

Continue reading… “No more flats: Michelin and GM to bring airless tires to passenger cars by 2024”

Automobiles, Driverless vehicles, Science & Technology News, Transportation

Autonomous taxis will become a $2 trillion market, UBS says

June 14, 2019

The global autonomous taxi market could be worth over $2 trillion on an annual basis by 2030, according to estimates from UBS analysts cited by Bloomberg.

In formulating its estimates, the bank utilized its Evidence Lab to run a simulation of an autonomous taxi fleet in New York City using a “complex algorithm that performs dynamic optimal route generation and passenger-vehicle assignment considering vehicle capacity and rider demand.”

What does this mean: The rise of a new multi-trillion dollar transportation industry will likely reshape how consumers travel and automakers operate.

Continue reading… “Autonomous taxis will become a $2 trillion market, UBS says”

Electric Automobile, Electric Vehicles, Energy, Science & Technology News, Transportation

COBE debuts ‘green oasis’ charging station to power electric vehicles in 15 minutes

June 11, 2019

COBE presents the first of 48 ultra-fast charging stations in scandinavia, marking the inception of a new way of recharging vehicles on the road. the station, situated in the danish city of fredericia, is part of a larger network along the highways of denmark, sweden, and norway. german-based energy giant E.ON and danish e-mobility service provider clever embarked on the joint venture to build and operate this network with the aim of ultimately transitioning entirely to electrically powered vehicles, replacing the conventional method of burning fuel internally.

Continue reading… “COBE debuts ‘green oasis’ charging station to power electric vehicles in 15 minutes”

Latest Trend, Science & Technology News, Transportation, Uber

Uber is now kicking low-rated passengers out of its cars

June 10, 2019

Things that can lower your rating: being rude, leaving trash, drinking beer and vomiting.

Drivers and passengers now have to agree to Uber’s updated community guidelines before using the app.

Uber has long deactivated drivers who get low ratings. Now the ride-hailing company is turning the tables.

Uber announced Wednesday that those passengers who receive bad marks from drivers will be booted from the platform. But, Uber said, they’ll have to “develop a significantly below average rating.”

Continue reading… “Uber is now kicking low-rated passengers out of its cars”

Driverless vehicles, Electric Vehicles, Science & Technology News, Transportation

Einride’s T-pod L4 driverless trucks hit public roads in Sweden

June 6, 2019

Einride is entering a new phase it development, as it deploys self-driving trucks in Sweden. The service is part of the startup’s ongoing collaboration with German logistics group DB Schenker. Both businesses have been working together on launching driverless vehicles since 2018.

Swedish transport authorities approved Einride’s deployment plans through the issuance of a pubic road permit. Based on the details of the permit, the startup’s autonomous trucks are allowed to travel from a warehouse to a terminal. The short route includes roads within an industrial hub in Jonkoping, Sweden. During operation, the self-driving trucks can travel up to 3.1 mph (5 km/hr).

Continue reading… “Einride’s T-pod L4 driverless trucks hit public roads in Sweden”

Automobiles, Driverless cars, Electric Automobile, Science & Technology News, Transportation

What’s the piece-of-the-pie for driverless cars in the $2 trillion infrastructure plan?

June 5, 2019

Potholes and roadway decay, it’s messy and dangerous, among other infrastructure crumblings.

There are emerging discussions that perhaps Congress and the White House might agree to a rather significant spend on America’s infrastructure. Some say it could be on the order of $2 trillion potentially allocated. Whether or not you favor such an expenditure, most would likely agree that our infrastructure does seem to be progressively crumbling, as evidenced by everything from dams that break without apparent warning to a plethora of tire-bashing potholes permeating our roadways from coast-to-coast.

According to the most recent Report Card on our infrastructure by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), we all need to be seemingly ashamed of what we’ve allowed our country to become since the United States infrastructure earned a paltry and embarrassing D+ grade.

Continue reading… “What’s the piece-of-the-pie for driverless cars in the $2 trillion infrastructure plan?”

Driverless vehicles, new technology, Science & Technology News, Transportation

First commercial crossing of the north sea by autonomous vessel

June 5, 2019

A 12-meter (40-foot) autonomous vessel has sailed across the North Sea with a token cargo of oysters – making it the first commercial crossing by an autonomous vessel.

The vessel, designed and built in Essex, U.K., docked in the Belgian port city of Oostende last week following a successful transit from West Mersea. The voyage lasted 22 hours.

The box of oysters weighed around 5 kg – just a fraction of the current model’s maximum payload of up to 2.5 tons.

The SEA-KIT vessel USV Maxlimer is operated by SEA-KIT International Ltd, and is designed and developed by Hushcraft Ltd, based in Tollesbury, Essex. The vessel can be transported in a single 40-foot container.

Continue reading… “First commercial crossing of the north sea by autonomous vessel”

Analysis, Driverless cars, Driverless vehicles, Science & Technology News, Transportation

Fleets of driverless cars could smoothen traffic by at least 35%

June 5, 2019

Driverless cars that are networked and in constant communication on the road could improve the flow of traffic by at least 35%.

The findings were reported by researchers at the University of Cambridge who programmed miniature robotic cars to drive on a multi-lane track where various traffic obstructions occurred. Each tiny robotic car was fitted with motion capture sensors and a Raspberry Pi which enabled them to communicate via WiFi.

Continue reading… “Fleets of driverless cars could smoothen traffic by at least 35%”

Automation, Driverless vehicles, Science & Technology News, Transportation

The USPS test out self-driving trucks for hauling mail

June 1, 2019

Self-driving truck developer TuSimple is running a two-week pilot project
with the US Postal Service, moving mail between Phoenix and Dallas.

THE UNITED STATES Postal Service has a lot of ways to move the 484.8 million pieces of mail it handles every day. In rural Alaska, postal workers run hovercraft, prop planes, and the occasional parachute. They pilot boats in the Louisiana bayou and snowmobiles in Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, Utah, and Wisconsin. To reach the Havasupai Indian Reservation town of Supai at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, they go by mule train. And now, to carry the mail from Phoenix to Dallas, they’re letting robots do the work.

Starting Tuesday, self-driving trucks built by startup TuSimple will haul trailers full of mail and packages all by themselves. Well, mostly by themselves: The 18-wheelers will have a certified driver and safety engineer aboard, who will handle the driving on surface streets and take control from the robot as needed. The pilot project will last two weeks and include five round trips between the cities’ distribution hubs.

Continue reading… “The USPS test out self-driving trucks for hauling mail”

Aviation, Electric Vehicles, Science & Technology News, Transportation

This startup is planning a flying taxi service that costs about the same as normal taxis

May 30, 2019

Munich-based startup Lilium unveiled its five-seater electric air taxi prototype on Thursday. The Lilium Jet, which conducted its first flight earlier this month, is part of an app-based flying taxi service that the company expects will be “fully-operational in various cities around the world by 2025.”

The battery-powered jet is capable of traveling 300 kilometers (186 miles) in 60 minutes on a single charge, and will connect cities through a network of landing pads. Commuters will be able to book rides from their nearest landing pad through a smartphone app.

Lilium did not reveal how much its service will cost, but claims that it will be “comparable in price” with regular taxis. Remo Gerber, the company’s chief commercial officer, told CNN Business that it is aimed at ordinary people and not just well-heeled business travelers.

Continue reading… “This startup is planning a flying taxi service that costs about the same as normal taxis”