Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)
[Due to the increasing size of the archives, each topic page now contains only the prior 365 days of content. Access to older stories is now solely through the Monthly Archive pages or the site search function.]
Nissan, BTIC Launch Traffic Information-Based Car Navigation System in Beijing
July 24, 2008
 |
| Star Wings navigation screen. Click to enlarge. |
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and Beijing Transportation Information Center (BTIC) launched the first commercial application of the Star Wings project in Beijing. (Earlier post.) The new Nissan Teana sedan now offers the smart route-guidance navigation system as a standard feature on the 3.5L model and as an optional feature on the 2.5L model.
Jointly administered by BTIC, Nissan, Beijing University of Technology and Hiroshima University, the Star Wings project simulates traffic flow using information on drivers’ behaviors coupled with real-time traffic information for Beijing. With a 30% utilization rate of the navigation system, the average commute time could potentially decrease by up to 16% percent by navigating a route less congested, according to the modeling results.
More... | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Ford Introduces Prototype “Smart Intersection”
July 10, 2008
Ford Motor Company has unveiled one of the first privately funded “smart intersections” in North America, a step toward leveraging GPS technology and wireless infrastructure-to-vehicle communications to reduce traffic accidents and ease congestion and its resulting fuel wastage.
The smart intersection, established near Ford’s Research & Innovation Center in Dearborn, communicates with specially equipped test vehicles to warn drivers of potentially dangerous traffic situations, such as when a vehicle is about to run through a red light. The intersection is outfitted with technology that can monitor traffic signal status, GPS data and digital maps to assess potential hazards, and then transmit the information to vehicles.
More... | Comments (14) | TrackBack (0)
Nissan Adds Eco-Drive Service for CARWINGS Navigation System
February 04, 2008
 |
 |
| Image of Eco-drive check display (top) and ranking display (bottom). |
Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. is adding a new service dubbed “Eco-Drive and You” for its on-board CARWINGS navigation system in Japan.
Since January 2007, Nissan CARWINGS members have been provided a range of services that have included fuel-efficiency rankings among owners of the same model and advice on efficient driving methods. The service has now been expanded to provide the same content found online via the onboard navigation system of car owners.
More... | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
UK Partnership to Collaborate on Intelligent Transport Systems to Improve Fuel Efficiency and Reduce Congestion
December 11, 2007
Ricardo, Orange Business Services, Land Rover, British mapping agency Ordnance Survey and TRL (Transport Research Laboratory) have formed a partnership to improve the efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of road transport through Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS).
The 18-month Sentience project has the end goal of developing advanced vehicles which can utilize technologies such as GPS and telemetry to improve fuel efficiency and emissions. The partnership is partially funded by InnovITS, the UK ITS Centre of Excellence for Transport Telematics and Sustainable Mobility that has been setup by the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (formerly DTI).
