FCC Grants 5.9 GHz Waiver To Open Nationwide C-V2X Deployment
Decision allows automakers, state DOTs, and equipment makers to operate C-V2X on U.S. highways and its infrastructure...
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) this week granted a 5.9 GHz waiver allowing automakers, state departments of transportation and equipment manufacturers to operate cellular-vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology on U.S. roadways.
The approval, which was announced as the annual ITS America conference commenced, allows 14 states, automakers and other stakeholders to use the 5.9 GHz spectrum for C-V2X deployment in both vehicles and road infrastructure. “The approval of this waiver is the first step to fully utilizing this lifesaving innovation and news we have long been waiting to hear. As deaths on our nation’s roadways continue to soar, it is critical that we maximize use of connected vehicle technology to keep all road users safe,” said Laura Chace, ITS America president and CEO, in a statement.
In December 2021, several entities, including large automakers and their suppliers, filed a joint waiver request. The issue has been contentious for years as the FCC, in 2020, decided to reallocate a major portion of the 5.9 GHz spectrum block that was set aside for automotive safety decades ago.
The FCC waiver request decision allows such companies as HARMON and other stakeholders to deliver safer products, said Suman Sehra, HARMON’s global vice president of product and innovation.
At ITS America, HARMAN, which has been testing use cases for V2x and other connected technology with American Center for Mobility (ACM), demonstrated a video “See Through” product that provides a feed of a vehicle ahead of the “host vehicle.”
Because of the partnership with ACM, first announced at MWC in Barcelona this year, the company can test products in real-world scenarios, Sehra said. “[This] allows us to deliver improved situational awareness between vehicles, vulnerable road users, and infrastructure without the need for increased computing onboard every vehicle and personal device,” he said.
At ITSA, the General Motors GM 0.00%↑ Future Road team demonstrated connected vehicle and smart infrastructure technology with partner INRIX. GM Future Roads is a GM start-up that builds upon a world with zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion, the company said.
GM demonstrated its Safety View tool, its first Future Roads product that was co-developed with INRIX, which helps transportation planners and operations managers turn mobility data into safer roadways and cities, said Harnit Anand, GM’s head of strategy and business development for GM Future Roads and Smart Cities. “It is one of the few offerings that provides crash, vehicle, vulnerable road user (VRU), and U.S. Census datasets and analytical tools in one place—bringing together integrated datasets for safety planning,” he said. “We can also help agencies import their own local crash and demographic data in Safety View.”
Anand said that properly equipped vehicles can help planners understand factors that impact safety. “For example, wheel sensors, GPS navigation, the telematics system, windshield wipers, and the antilock-braking system/electronic stability program, can tell us a lot about road quality, driving conditions, seat belt usage, and other elements,” he said. “In terms of sample use cases for agencies, having these data insights could help them optimize operations for slippery roads during snowfall or identify where and when to make road repairs.”
At ITSA, Viva, demonstrated its Near Miss product, which is part of the company’s Smart Road Safety solution that uses AI to enable root cause analysis into “near collision” events. Near Miss uses Computer Vision to track the path of road users to generate statistics on Near Misses and helps users identify their root causes.
Viva is piloting Near Miss with the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT), with 12 sensors already installed in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. Currently, New York City DOT is assessing how it could use this data to prioritize safety improvement projects across the city, the company said.
Overbeek Steps Down as HERE's CEO
HERE Technologies has announced that Edzard Overbeek will step down as the company’s CEO. The company’s board will appoint Denise Doyle and Adeel Manzoor, the company’s chief data officer and CFO, respectively, as interim co-CEOs during the transition phase to find a new boss.
Overbeek, who has led HERE for more than seven years, has honchoed such big announcements as this year’s release of UniMap at CES.
“I am very proud of our achievements as a team. We have transformed HERE into the no. 1 and leading location platform in the world,” Overbeek said, in a statement. “We have powered the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class for its Level 3 automated driving capabilities, and we have launched a unique and industry leading location architecture through UniMap, to name a few.”
Not much is being offered why Overbeek is stepping down, with a HERE spokeperson saying it had been in the works. However, other publications are saying that the company is finding stiff competition from Google GOOG 0.00%↑, Apple AAPL 0.00%↑, TomTom [TOM2] and others. In a recent Automotive News article, Overbeek was quoted that he gets no guarantee that HERE’s German luxury brand shareholders will give him business.
Prior to HERE, Overbeek held senior executive positions at Cisco CSCO 0.00%↑, including the Global Services organization with more than $12 billion in revenues and 15,000 employees. Prior to Cisco, he held leadership positions at Fujitsu and Siemens.
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Digital Matter Introduces Longest Life Battery-Powered IoT Asset Tracker
Digital Matter has announced that the next-generation Remora3 battery-powered GPS and Bluetooth Gateway is now available with global Cellular LTE-M (Cat-M1) and NB-IoT connectivity.
The Remora3 features ‘Deploy Once’ battery life and new ‘Second-by-Second’ tracking performance to support aggressive and/or extended reporting requirements, including highly accurate speeding, run hour, odometer monitoring on mobile assets such as rental equipment, trailers, vehicles and more.
“Substantial design and technology improvements on the Remora3 enable critical new use cases for our partners who require real-time tracking performance without the hassle of physically wiring in a device,” says Ken Everret, Digital Matter CEO and founder.
With a flexible and open payload format, extensive documentation, and regional technical support, the Remora3 can be integrated into any end-platform. Third-party Bluetooth sensors and tags are also supported.
Other Remora3 features include:
GPS location
Trip history
Asset recovery
Movement detection
Tip detection
Rotation counting
Impact detection
The Remora3 also functions as a Bluetooth Low Energy Gateway and can optionally scan for nearby Bluetooth tags and sensors for additional asset location and sensor monitoring applications. The Remora3 supports roaming across Cellular LTE-M and NB-IoT networks to enable global asset tracking and monitoring applications in supply chain visibility, logistics, returnables and more.
For more information on the Remora3 or Digital Matter’s other IoT asset tracking solutions, click here.
Contact: Shay Kettner, Digital Matter, shay@digitalmatter.com, digitalmatter.com.
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PreAct Technologies Closes $20 Million Series B Round
Despite what seems to be a global downturn in the economy, such companies as PreAct Technologies are finding strong investments in their location technology. PreAct yesterday closed a $20 million Series B round led by Squared Capital, with participation from State Farm Ventures, Luminate and Traylor Capital.
The company, which opened a Barcelona European headquarters, offers software-definable flash lidar technology. The company plans to drive research and development of its AI-based computer vision systems and to expand into industrial and nonautomotive applications.
“This additional funding will allow PreAct to transform the short-range lidar industry and bring it to industries that could never before afford such highly accurate sensing,” said Paul Drysch, PreAct CEO.
Drysch said the company is seeing increased interest from such industries as robotics, agriculture and healthcare. To help grow into these markets, PreAct recently acquired Gestoos, an AI-driven computer vision and gesture recognition company.
Another company, Israel-based InfiniDome, which develops GPS protection and navigation systems, has grabbed $9 million in Series A funding led by South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace, with Honeywell Ventures HON 0.00%↑, and Next Gear Ventures. The funding from this round will support the deployment of infiniDome’s GPSdome2 to the U.S. Defense Department, Israeli Defense prime, South Korean Army and Indian armed forces.
Because of the war in Ukraine and other world hot spots, GPS protection for UAVs is a top market. For its part, InfiniDome, founded in 2016, has grown to 26 employees.
Topcon Makes Strategic Investment in DDK Positioning
In other investment news, Topcon Positioning Systems recently announced it has made a strategic investment in major GNSS receiver and PPP correction services player DDK Positioning. Financial details were not disclosed.
DDK Positioning delivers services over the Iridium network to provide global precision positioning services that can augment GNSS constellations for to enhance accuracy for industrial applications.
“Topcon has been a supplier of core GNSS components to DDK Positioning to deliver their MAX services. With the expansion and growing success of this business, specifically in the marine sector, a closer cooperation will ensure optimal integration for the highest possible accuracies and performance in the most demanding applications,” said Ian Stilgoe, Topcon vice president of emerging business, in a statement.
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Other Location News:
News tip? Send them to kdennehy@driverlessreport.com. Go to www.locationbusinessnews.com for more news and an archive of stories.
Top News:
💰 Jaguar Land Rover to Spend $18.7 Billion on EVs and Autonomous Tech. “Jaguar Land Rover will invest 15 billion euros ($18.7 billion) over the next five years on developing electric cars as well as autonomous-driving features as part of its drive to ditch combustion engines and catch up with rivals.”
🤞 RNT Foundation & 90 Others Urge Reversal of Ligado Decision - Again. “Ninety-one groups across a wide range of industries have sent a letter urging the Biden Administration and the [U.S.] Congress to work with the FCC to stay and ultimately set aside the harmful Ligado Order.”
😐 Second California Assembly Committee Passes Bill To Restrict Geofence Location Tracking.
🌎 Trimble Breaks Ground on 1.7-Megawatt Solar Array at Westminster, Colorado Headquarters. “Project to offset more than 100 Percent of Trimble's TRMB 0.00%↑ on-site energy consumption. Includes 660-kilowatt solar carport with 49 electric vehicle charging stations.”
🛰 Maxar Eyes Summer Launch of Worldview Legion Imaging Satellites. “CEO Dan Jablonsky said the company is moving forward with the production of two more satellites to expand the planned six-satellite constellation.”
🚙 Apple Says CarPlay Now Available in Over 800 Vehicle Models as GM Plans to Phase Out Support in EVs. “CarPlay is now available in more than 800 vehicle models sold in the U.S., according to a recently updated page on Apple's website.”
Maps:
🗺 Google Maps Alternative for Off-Road Navigation Gets Big Update With Map Options. “Thanks to the latest update, REVER gets a major overhaul that improves the user experience significantly. The release of version 7.0 includes a new Discover option specifically aimed at bikers.”
🚘 Waze on Google Built-in Arrives to Volvo Cars and Polestar Cars. “Waze is now available on all Volvo and Polestar 2 cars with Google GOOG 0.00%↑ built-in, directly through the car’s infotainment system. Now Volvo and Polestar drivers can access Waze’s real-time routing, navigation, alerts, settings, preferences and saved places.”
🤷♂️ Huawei Scraps Expensive Precision Maps in Self-driving Cars. “Huawei and other Chinese self-driving car companies are developing alternative technologies to high-definitions maps as the precision required for autonomous vehicles makes the mapping process prohibitively expensive.”
🚚 Sygic and P3 Bring World’s First Truck Navigation on Android Automotive OS to SPARQ. “Sygic’s GPS navigation solution with specialized features for large-sized vehicles has never been widely available via in-dash infotainment systems. Now OEMs, automakers, individual truck owners and commercial fleet operators can get access to Sygic professional navigation directly via SPARQ’s app store.”
👍 New Search Box API Powers All-in-One Location Search. “The Mapbox Search Box API improves one of the most common user interactions with any location-based feature: Finding a location on a map.”
😐 ZF joins Navigation Data Standard Association. “This allows ZF to use the global standard in map-based products and solutions, gives it access to key development tools, and enables it to further develop the standard together with OEMs and other NDS members.”
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Wearables:
🕒 Garmin Military-grade Fortex GPS Units Keep Data Out of Enemy Hands. “Garmin GRMN 0.00%↑ has released two wrist-mounted tactical GPS navigators that can not only make complex ballistic calculations for rifle shooters, but come with Stealth and Kill Switch features to prevent location data from falling into the wrong hands.”
Connected and Autonomous Vehicles:
☹ Self-Driving Investment Crash: 58% Drop In Autonomous Vehicle Dollars. “In 2021, investors poured a record $9.7 billion into autonomous vehicle development. Last year however, that dropped by almost 60 percent to just $4.1 billion.”
😦 Tesla’s 24% Drop In Profits Won’t Be Stopped By Elon Musk’s Self-Driving Tech. “[Elon] Musk’s mouth has written checks Tesla can’t cash. Without getting into all of them, the Journal noted that ‘Musk once again claimed that full autonomy might be achievable’ in 2023.”
🚛 How Aurora Is Navigating the Bumpy Road to Commercial Self-driving Trucks.
🚗 NVIDIA Achieves Safety Milestones With DRIVE Hyperion Autonomous Vehicle Platform. “More than 50 automotive companies around the world have deployed over 800 autonomous test vehicles powered by the NVIDIA DRIVE Hyperion automotive compute architecture, which has recently achieved new safety milestones.”
Drones:
🛩 Ukraine Is Spoofing Russian Drones Out Of The Sky. “Typically two types of electronic warfare are employed: generating radio noise to interfere with the control signal, making it impossible to pilot the drone, and blasting interference on GPS frequencies so the drone’s satellite navigation fails. Now a third technique has been observed: navigation spoofing.”
🌨 Drones To Help With Flood Mitigation Efforts in North Dakota. “Drones will be used to monitor flood levels, melt rate and ice jams; images and video footage of drone flights will be made available for the public.”
🌏 How Scalable UAVs and Mobile Robotics Can Do Good in the World. “Many consider UAVs to be at the forefront of mobile robotics development, and the result of this convergence of technologies is that a unified operating system can now manage connected, scalable UAV fleets that make use of many different workflows and different kinds of equipment and payloads.”
Financial:
✔ Iridium Announces First Quarter 2023 Results. Net income was $9.8 million.
✔ MapmyIndia Closes FY23 With 23% Higher Profit.
✔ Ouster CEO Says Stock Is 'Misunderstood', Eyes Upside Post Velodyne Merger.
✔ IPO Stock Of The Week: Hot AI Stock Mobileye Eyes Latest Buy Point After 66% Rally.
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Location Industry Briefs
Send your news releases to kdennehy@driverlessreport.com. Go to www.locationbusinessnews.com for more news and an archive of stories.
AGCO and Hexagon to Expand Distribution of Hexagon’s Ag Guidance Systems
AGCO AGCO 0.00%↑ has signed an agreement with Hexagon to expand its factory-fit and aftermarket guidance offering. The new guidance system will be sold as Fuse Guide on Massey Ferguson and Valtra tractors. The new arrangement expands upon the current agreement between AGCO and Hexagon to distribute Hexagon | NovAtel GNSS receivers and TerraStar Correction Services both from factory-fit and through AGCO dealers. Fuse Guide will also use the NovAtel SMART7 receiver.
Contact: Julie Ulbrich, AGCO, (770) 235-2943, julie.ulbrich@AGCOCorp.com, www.agcocorp.com.
CCTA and Beep Partner To Deliver AV Projects
Beep has partnered with Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) to rollout autonomous vehicle projects at Bishop Ranch in San Ramon, Calif. This program provides employees, visitors and residents of Bishop Ranch an opportunity to experience autonomous mobility in Beep’s autonomous and electric shuttles, the company said.
Beep and CCTA will partner on delivering autonomous mobility at an additional site early next year, the company said. Both projects will provide CCTA with insight in developing services with autonomous vehicles that will underpin mobility networks in campuses, communities and city centers throughout the county, the company said.
Contact: Beep, www.ridebeep.com.
U-blox Launches New Telematics Module
Thalwil, Switzerland-based u-blox [UBXN] has rolled out the ZED-F9L module for telematics, V2X and navigation applications. The module provides multiple GNSS and IMU outputs and includes a 50 Hz sensor-fused solution, the company said.
ZED-F9L uses L1/L5 band signals and six GNSS constellations, including NavIC, simultaneously to provide sub-meter-level positioning accuracy. The ZED-F9L module incorporates the latest security features, including sensor-based anti-spoofing and anti-jamming techniques, the company said.
Contact: Natacha Seitz, u-blox, 41 76 436 0788, natacha.seitz@u-blox.com, www.u-blox.com.
Ricoh Partners With MapsPeople
Ricoh has partnered with MapsPeople to offer the company’s Advanced Mapping as part of its relaunched RICOH Spaces. Built on the mapping platform, MapsIndoors, Advanced Mapping enables wayfinding and gives users full control of their office maps, the company said.
Users will be able to visualize their office data on a dynamic and interactive map of their spaces, the company said. Advanced Mapping allows users to track IoT devices on their map in real time to find what they are looking for - increasing efficiency, the company said.
Contact: Morten Brøgger, MapsPeople, 45 31 23 48 72, mobr@mapspeople.com.
BlueSpace.ai Grabs $1.6 Million Army Contract
BlueSpace.ai has won a $1.6 million contract to enhance the perception sensing for future U.S. Army unmanned ground vehicles led by the U.S. Army's Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) program. This effort will be in support of vehicles designed for reconnaissance, surveillance, and other high-risk missions, the company said. BlueSpace will leverage its commercial self-driving software to develop, test and deploy unmanned ground vehicles for off-road applications.
Contact: Christine Moon, Bluespace.ai, (650) 392-4782, christine@bluespace.ai.
HERE Announces Third Annual Sustainability Report
HERE Technologies has announced its third annual Sustainability Report and the company’s commitment to reaching a net-zero emissions target by 2035. The report showcases how HERE is making progress each year toward its Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) objectives, the company said.
The company completed its multi-year greenhouse gas audit for net-zero benchmarking. HERE Technologies says it wants net-zero emissions by 2035 with a science-based emissions reductions goal as defined by the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi).
Contact: Jordan Stark, HERE Technologies, (312) 316-4537, jordan.stark@here.com.
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Bodytrak Partners With NextNav
Bodytrak has partnered with NextNav NN 0.00%↑ to bring z-axis location intelligence capabilities to its products. With real-time automated alerts for key markers of heat stress, fatigue, and unconsciousness, Bodytrak provides command centers with critical data to assess personnel needs, the company said. The integration of NextNav's Pinnacle technology will allow for indoor vertical positioning to supplement indoor and outdoor geolocation, the company said.
Contact: NextNav, media@nextnav.com.
Link Labs Launches Ultra for UWB + XLE Asset Tracking
Link Labs has launched Ultra, a new asset tracking solution that combines UWB with the patented Xtreme Low Energy technology for greater precision for indoor location tracking at the same low cost. With the new technology, Link Labs says it has achieved location accuracy of up to 30 centimeters. This accuracy allows manufacturing operations to distinguish work stations for applications as WIP and tool tracking, the company said.
Contact: Link Labs, marketing-tools@link-labs.com, www.link-labs.com.
Teledyne Introduces Marine Lidar Sensor
Teledyne Geospatial has introduced the CL-360 for marine applications. CL-360 combines a lidar sensor that can be integrated with multibeam systems and the CARIS Ping-To-Chart workflow. The sensor’s 360-degree scanner, and up to 2 million points/second collection rate, provides a solid solution for mapping coastal infrastructure, the company said.
Contact: Jennifer Parham, Teledyne Geospatial, Jennifer.Parham@teledyne.com, www.teledyneimaging.com/geospatial.
Ryken Introduces Asset Tracker
Ryken Asset Management has rolled out its Ryken 5000 advanced self-powered satellite asset tracker. Ryken 5000 is designed to locate, monitor and safeguard valuable equipment whether it is stationary or mobile, the company said. One feature is the company’s third-generation internal battery pack with extended lifespan.
Contact: Ryken Asset Management, RykenGPS.com.
ION’s Joint Navigation Conference Features Early Registration Rate
The Institute of Navigation’s Joint Navigation Conference 2023 early bird registration deadline is Friday, May 3. The JNC, sponsored by the Military Division of the ION, will be held June 12–15 at the Town and Country Hotel in San Diego, California. Register to attend JNC 2023 by Friday, May 3 to take advantage of early registration rates. Save $200 by registering to attend JNC before May 3.
3Dtracking and Trak Integrate Smart Fuel Cap
3Dtracking and Trak have recently completed the integration of the TRAK Smart Fuel Cap with the 3Dtracking telematics service platform. The TRAK Smart Fuel Cap communicates the fuel cap status to the 3Dtracking platform through a Bluetooth connection to a tracking device installed on a vehicle, the company said.
Contact: Tony Miller, 3Dtracking, 972 544 870 808, tony@3dtracking.com, www.3dtracking.com.
People
The FAA’s Acting Administrator Billy Nolen will leave the agency this summer, according to the Associated Press. President Biden’s first pick, Denver International Airport CEO Phillip Washington, withdrew in March.
EVERYWHERE Communications has named Monique Bouffard as vice president of products. Bouffard was head of product for a global InsurTech startup. The company also named Skip Owens, director of government sales. Owens was a U.S. Army Special Forces officer.
NextNav NN 0.00%↑ has named Gillian Smith chief marketing officer.
Comtech CMTL 0.00%↑ appointed technology and aerospace industry veteran Donald Walther as the company’s new chief legal officer .
Link Labs named Joseph Soliz as senior regional business development director.
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