Federal Court Overturns FCC's $57 Million Location Data Fine Against AT&T
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Geotab Grabs 400,000-Vehicle Government Fleet Telematics Contract
Geotab USA has won a General Services Administration (ASG) of Puerto Rico contract to provide more than 400,000 telematics solutions for the island's fleet of government emergency and public safety vehicles. Financial details were not disclosed.
Geotab says its platform offers near real-time data to support fleet management. "Puerto Rico is keen to manage their government fleet more efficiently, generate savings, and enhance operational effectiveness using our data-driven tools and solutions," said Neil Garrett, assistant vice president of public sector business development at Geotab, in a statement.
Interesting to note, in its press release, Geotab quoted ASG Administrator Karla Mercado-Rivera, who said the selection process was managed by the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) in a competitive process.
Geotab was embroiled in a legal battle with rival Samsara IOT 0.00%↑ over a $300 million U.S. Postal Service telematics contract in 2024. Geotab also said it was reaffirmed by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to provide telematics solutions to more than 400,000 GSA-leased and agency-owned vehicles.
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HERE, TomTom Launch Nav Systems at Auto Shanghai 2025
Expanding its footprint in China’s automotive sector, HERE Technologies said it is partnering with ECARX to launch an in-car navigation system this week at Auto Shanghai 2025.
HERE’s AI-driven location services and ECARX’s integrated hardware-software ecosystem are integrated in the new navigation system. The company is marketing the nav system to such automakers as Lotus, Lynk & Co, Smart, and Hongqi for connected vehicle deployment.
The partnership combines HERE’s SDK platform with ECARX’s full-stack automotive technology. In addition, Mike Nefkens, CEO of HERE, said that the partnership is focuses on increasing the speed to allow automakers bring in-car navigation systems to market. At the same time, ECARX Co-founder and CEO Ziyu Shen said the deal, with HERE’s SDK, simplifies regulatory compliance.
Mapping competitor TomTom [TOM2] announced a partnership at the show to provide advanced navigation capabilities for smart’s in-vehicle infotainment systems. TomTom will provide the smart #1, smart #3, and smart #5 electric car models with maps and a suite of intuitive navigation features. These include real-time updates and alerts on traffic conditions, local hazards and potential dangers, the company said.
The smart models feature TomTom’s EV services and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) maps, including speed limit information. The announcement comes as TomTom continues expanding its footprint in the embedded navigation market.
In other Auto Shanghai 2025 news:
Volkswagen Group rolled out five connected vehicles and a new AI-based ADAS system. The ADAS system, developed by CARIAD's joint venture CARIZON, will be available in Volkswagen’s compact brands in China, the company said.
Chinese carmaker Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) said it would take responsibility for the safety of Level 4 autonomous driving vehicles, Chinese media outlet Jiemian reported. Level 4 models co-manufactured by GAC's new energy vehicle subsidiary Aion and ride-hailing giant Didi Global will be demonstrated in some areas of Guangzhou and Beijing next year.
Google Renews Push to Export South Korea’s High-Precision Map Data Amid Tech Expansion Efforts
Google GOOG 0.00%↑ has once again requested permission to export South Korea's high-precision map data, citing the need to enhance its Google Maps service to support tourism growth.
However, experts suggest the true goal is to gain a competitive edge in advanced technologies like autonomous driving and augmented reality. According to a recent U.S. Trade Representative report, Korea’s restrictions on exporting geospatial data remain a significant trade barrier.
In February, Google submitted a new proposal offering enhanced security measures in lieu of building a local data center, which it had previously refused. A final decision is expected by August, pending unanimous approval from all eight government ministries involved.
The high-precision data in question includes a 1:5,000 scale map that details features as small as 50 meters, providing rich information critical to advanced navigation systems. Currently, Google Maps only displays South Korea using a 1:25,000 scale map, limiting its usefulness for certain applications.
The proposal is under review by the National Geographic Information Service, with the Geographical Council set to deliberate following an internal committee review.
Weekly Location Industry News
News tip? Send them to kdennehy@driverlessreport.com. Go to www.locationbusinessnews.com for more news. Location Business News is looking for your company’s news, products and use cases to feature in each issue.
Top News:
🛰 OMB Suggests NOAA Scale Back Plans for Geostationary Satellites. “A White House budget proposal calls for replacing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s future geostationary satellite constellation, GeoXO, with a far less expensive and ambitious program. GeoXO is a $19.6 billion program that includes six satellites and ground infrastructure to significantly enhance NOAA’s ability to monitor weather, map lightning, and track ocean and atmospheric conditions over decades.”
😒 Class Action Accuses Toyota of Illegally Sharing Drivers’ Data With Progressive. “A federal class action lawsuit filed this week in Texas accused Toyota and an affiliated telematics aggregator of unlawfully collecting drivers’ information and then selling that data to Progressive PGR 0.00%↑. The lawsuit alleges that Toyota and Connected Analytic Services (CAS) collected vast amounts of vehicle data, including location, speed, direction, braking and swerving/cornering events, and then shared that information with Progressive’s Snapshot data sharing program.
🚗 Parking Guidance Systems Has Acquired ParkZen. “ParkZen, developed out of Louisiana State University, created a mobile app that simplifies the parking experience using smartphone-based technology. Unlike traditional systems that rely on hardware installations, ParkZen’s solution uses geofencing and user-sourced data to track parking availability in real time.”
🤔 Radar CEO: Geolocation Builds Loyalty Ecosystems With Right-Place Messaging. “While most people associate geolocation with retail, Radar CEO Nick Patrick pointed to emerging use cases in financial services and payments. For banks, applications include ATM and branch finders, real-time fraud detection and geo-triggered cash-back promotions through retail partners.”
👉 New Quantum-Based Navigation System 50 Times More Accurate Than Traditional GPS. “In this new effort, the team at Q-CTRL has developed such a backup system and is claiming that it is 50 times more accurate than any other backup GPS currently available under some scenarios.The group has written a paper describing how their system works and how well it tested against currently available backup GPS systems and has posted it on the arXiv preprint server.”
🛩 Defense Tech Theseus Landed Y Combinator, the US Special Operations Forces, and $4.3m From a Tweet. “Ian Laffey posted on X that he and two others he’d just met built a cheap drone at a hackathon that calculated its coordinates simply by using its camera and Google Maps. The company focuses on hardware components and software that will enable pretty much any military drone to fly unmanned without GPS.”
👍 GEODNET CEO Mike Horton Testifies About Precise Positioning at House Committe.
Expert nationwide installation services for fleet technologies.
Maps
📌 Apple Quietly Releases Anticipated Apple Maps Update, No Reason to Ditch Google Maps. “Apple AAPL 0.00%↑ continues to work on expanding the new maps to users worldwide, and this week, the company silently released it in one more region.
The detailed city experience is now live in Stockholm, Sweden, where Apple Maps displays 17 3D buildings, improved navigation, and highly detailed maps with all accurately reproduced details, like trees, sidewalks, and crosswalks.”
🗺 On the Job: David Craig, a Master of Maps. “Enter David Craig, GM GM 0.00%↑ product manager on our advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) team. Craig works on the team responsible for Super Cruise mapping and among them he’s known as a maps guru.”
🌍 With a New Update, Apple Maps Could Finally Become Usable in Dubai. “Apple Maps is rolling into Dubai with high-tech survey vehicles and lidar backpacks to create more accurate, private, and detailed maps across the UAE.”
📲 Google Maps Rolling out Full Sheet Redesign on Android. “After testing got underway earlier this year, Google Maps for Android is widely rolling out a redesign of the “You” and “Contribute” tabs that embrace sheets. Last year, the main “Explore” tab and other key elements were updated to display information using a sheet. As such, it does not take up the entire screen. At the time, the other two Google Maps pages retained their fullscreen interface.”
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Connected and Autonomous Vehicles:
🙂 VW Will Deploy 'Thousands' of Robotaxis on Uber's Platform in the US. “Volkswagen isn’t typically mentioned in conversations about robotaxis, but the German auto giant has been quietly working on its own self-driving technology for over a decade. And now the company is ready to deploy its first autonomous vehicles on Uber’s UBER 0.00%↑ ridehailing platform, starting with a commercial robotaxi service in Los Angeles in 2026.”
“The vehicles will be VW’s ID Buzz electric minivans equipped with self-driving sensors and software developed by subsidiary Moia.”
😮 NHTSA Takes Initial Steps to Boost Self-Driving Vehicles. “The Trump administration announced its first policy moves to remove what it sees as regulatory barriers facing autonomous vehicles, following through on a goal set by advisers to President Donald Trump. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is updating rules to allow domestically produced autonomous vehicles to qualify for exemptions to U.S. auto safety standards previously offered only to imports, the agency said April 24.”
😉 Tesla Doubles Down on Robotaxi Launch Date, Putting a Big Bet on Its Timeline. “Tesla TSLA 0.00%↑ has doubled down on its potential June launch date for the robotaxi ride-hailing platform, which will use the Cybercab and other vehicles in its lineup to offer driverless rides in Austin.”
😐 China Cracks Down on Automated Driving Features After Tesla's FSD Launch. “Shortly after Tesla launched FSD in China, the American automaker had to pause its rollout due to updated requirements from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).”
🚛 Daimler Delivers Self-Driving-Capable Truck for Testing. “Daimler Truck has started to deliver the latest version of its autonomous-ready truck platform to subsidiary Torc Robotics for integration of the latter’s self-driving tech.”
🌍 50 Self-Driving Taxis to Hit Dubai Roads: Here's What to Expect. “Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed a MoU to begin the experimental operation of 50 autonomous vehicles in the coming months, paving the way for the official public launch of the service in 2026. According to a WAM report, the RTA has partnered with Baidu’s autonomous ride-hailing service, Apollo Go to roll out driverless taxis on a large scale across the emirate.”
🤨 China Bans Autonomous Car Ads And Beta Testing. “China bans automakers from using non-specific ADAS terms like ‘smart driving’ in their adverts. Brands must use the appropriate L1-5 code set out by the SAE to describe driver-assistance levels.
⚡ Autonomous Vehicles Move Closer as Control Center Opens. “The Jacksonville Transportation Authority officially opened a control center for the city’s first autonomous people mover — another step toward the day when self-driving vehicles could shuttle people around downtown.”
🙂 Ford Built The World's First Connected Car 35 Years Ago. “Ford F 0.00%↑ would later extensively collaborate with Microsoft MSFT 0.00%↑ for its 2000s Ford Sync and MyFord Touch infotainment systems, but it was the Desk Drive concept that laid the groundwork for the future of Ford infotainment systems.”
Fleet Telematics:
🚚 LAZ Parking Acquires Majority Interest in Fleet Management & Staffing Services Provider, FleetLogix. “LAZ Parking has acquired a majority interest in San Diego-based FleetLogix, a provider of fleet management and staffing services serving the transportation, logistics, and fleet services industries.”
🚛 3DTRACKING Adds Automated Commands to Its Telematics Platform.
Financial:
✔ RTX Reports Q1 2025 Results.
✔ StMicro Forecasts Better Quarterly Sales, Says No Tariff Panic Yet.
✔ BeWhere Holdings Reports 2024 Fiscal Year-End Results.
✔ CACI Reports Results for Its Fiscal 2025 Third Quarter and Raises Fiscal Year Guidance.
✔ CalAmp Delivers Strong Financial Performance in 2024
📊 Short Interest in u-blox Drops by 24.2 Percent.
🚘 Here's How Waymo's Robotaxi Momentum Will Pay Off For Google Stock.
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Weekly Product News
Send your news releases to kdennehy@driverlessreport.com. Go to www.locationbusinessnews.com for more news and an archive of stories.
TrustPoint and Hexagon Awarded $1.2M NAVAIR Contract for Secure PNT Solutions
TrustPoint and Hexagon’s Autonomy & Positioning division have been awarded a $1.2 million Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract by the U.S. Navy’s Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), the companies announced this week in conjunction with the Assured PNT Summit in Washington. The project will focus on developing secure, resilient alternatives to GPS-based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) solutions for defense applications. TrustPoint will contribute satellite-based technologies, while Hexagon will integrate hardware solutions to ensure operational reliability in contested environments. The partnership aims to strengthen national security by addressing vulnerabilities in traditional satellite navigation systems, the company said.
Contact: Burcu Erkmen, TrustPoint, media@trustpointgps.com.
Balboa Geo’s POINTER Tech Excels in GPS-Denied Field Tests
Balboa Geolocation has successfully completed a major field testing campaign of its POINTER Alternative Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (A-PNT) technology in partnership with the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service and the Bush Combat Development Complex. The dual-use system demonstrated real-time 3D positioning, including precise vertical ("Z" axis) measurements, in reinforced concrete structures, underground tunnels, and steel vessels. Across 130 tests, POINTER achieved a mean positional uncertainty of just 12.62 centimeters, confirming its performance in areas where traditional GPS fails., the company said.
Contact: Will Boystak, Balboa Geolocation, (310) 564-2285, will@balboageo.com, www. balboageolocation.com.
SuperCom Wins Electronic Monitoring Contract in Kentucky
SuperCom announced Monday it has secured a new contract to provide electronic monitoring services in Kentucky, expanding its footprint in the U.S. corrections market. The contract includes SuperCom’s PureSecurity suite, which features GPS tracking and real-time monitoring for offender supervision. Company officials said the agreement reflects growing demand for advanced, secure electronic monitoring solutions across U.S. jurisdictions.
Contact: SuperCom, ir@supercom.com, www.supercom.com.
DZYNE Technologies Launches Dronebuster 4-EU, Expands Production Following Major Global Contract
DZYNE Technologies has unveiled the Dronebuster 4-EU, a European-tailored version of its handheld counter-drone system. The launch comes on the heels of securing a multi-million-dollar global contract, the company said.
The Dronebuster 4-EU is engineered to operate within European short-range device frequency bands and includes an optional Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) attack mode capable of disrupting satellite-controlled drones across GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, and BeiDou systems.
Contact: Trisha Navidzadeh, DZYNE Technologies, (949) 291-8077, trisha.navidzadeh@dzyne.com.
Maricopa Association of Governments Selects INRIX to Monitor Traffic Signal Performance
The Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) has chosen INRIX Signal Analytics to enhance traffic signal monitoring and improve intersection performance across the Phoenix metro area, the company announced Wednesday. The cloud-based platform uses real-time vehicle data to measure signal effectiveness, helping MAG optimize traffic flow and reduce congestion, the company said. INRIX's analytics will allow MAG to prioritize signal upgrades and quickly identify problem intersections without requiring physical infrastructure, the company said.
Contact: INRIX, www.inrix.com.
CTIA Certification Certifies Sony’s ALT1350
CTIA Certification has announced its first PTCRB-certified IoT chipset, Sony Semiconductor Israel’s ALT1350. The move marks a significant step in accelerating cellular network access for low-power, wide-area IoT devices, the company said. PTCRB said the new category aims to streamline certification and enhance device interoperability across mobile networks.
Contact: CTIA Certification, ctiacertification.org.
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Trimble Launches Software Integration to Automate Progress Tracking for Civil Contractors
Trimble TRMB 0.00%↑ announced a new integration between its B2W Track and Siteworks software systems, designed to automate progress quantity tracking for earthwork and civil construction projects. The integration enables seamless, real-time data exchange between field crews and project managers, improving accuracy and timeliness of material production reporting, the company said.
Data captured using Siteworks in the field can be validated in B2W Track and exported to Trimble or third-party accounting systems for billing and performance analysis.
Contact: Trimble. www.trimble.com.
Sunnyvale Taps Hexagon’s Public Safety Tech to Enhance Emergency Response
The City of Sunnyvale has selected Hexagon’s public safety platform to modernize its emergency response system, the company said. The city will implement HxGN OnCall Dispatch and mobile field applications to boost response times and provide first responders with real-time situational awareness, the company said.
Contact: Hexagon’s Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial, hxgnpublicsafety.com.
MapUp Achieves SOC 2 Type II Certification
MapUp, a provider of AI-powered, GPS-based toll and fuel management solutions, announced it has achieved SOC 2 Type II certification. The certification, developed by the American Institute of CPAs, confirms MapUp meets standards for security, confidentiality, and availability, the company said. MapUp, which is ISO 27001-certified, MapUp offers solutions for fleet customers.
Contact: Lisa Warner, MapUp, (510) 766-0570, media@mapup.ai.
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Federal Court Overturns FCC's $57 Million Location Data Fine Against AT&T
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has vacated a $57 million fine imposed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on AT&T $T, ruling that the agency's in-house adjudication process violated the company's constitutional rights. The court determined that AT&T was denied its Seventh Amendment right to a jury trial and its right to adjudication by an Article III court.
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