USDOT Releases National Deployment Plan for V2X Tech
Ambitious plan sees full highway V2X integration by 2036
Saying it will save lives, the U.S. Transportation Department (USDOT) late last week announced its national deployment plan for vehicle-to-everything, or V2X, technologies that it plans to roll out nationwide by 2036. The plan, called Saving Lives with Connectivity: A Plan to Accelerate V2X Deployment, will be rolled out in three stages.
The initial stage will allow two automakers to work with the feds to deploy V2X (using the dedicated 5.895 – 5.925 GHz spectrum) on 20 percent of U.S. highways and 25 percent of major city intersections by 2028. The second stage doubles the technology’s deployment—and will be completed by 2031. The third and last stage will see full U.S. highway V2X integration, with six automakers onboard with the tech in their new vehicles, by 2036.
“The V2X national plan was made possible through collaborative effort between government, industry and stakeholders,” said Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt, in a statement. “The plan represents a call to action in providing a framework for all of us to continue to work together toward the same goal of accelerating V2X deployment to save lives on our nation’s roadways.”
The feds say the plan, which was released in draft form for public comment last year, will contribute to a Safe System Approach adopted by the DOT’s National Roadway Safety Strategy, which was adopted to address roadway deaths.
Along with the plan, the FHWA recently announced nearly $60 million in grants to three entities to promote the deployment of V2X technologies.
How will this announcement bode for General Motors’ GM 0.00%↑ connected driving efforts? The company laid off more than 1,000 salaried employees in Software and Services, which focused on OnStar, infotainment, subscriptions and other new technology.
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Zonar Lays Off 57 Employees, Parent Company May Spin Off Auto Biz
Seattle-based fleet tracking company Zonar Systems last week laid off 57 employees as parent company Continental considers spinning off its automotive business, according to GeekWire.
Zonar, which was founded in 2001 and employs more than 300 people in North America, was acquired by Germany-based Continental in September 2016. The company offers GPS, telematics hardware and software products for fleets in the construction, transportation and utility industries.
Zonar CEO Michael Gould, who was named CEO last year, told GeekWire that “all lines of business across the organization are under review.”
Zonar’s recent announcements consist of environmental fleet management solutions. In addition, the company has forged into school bus markets in the U.S. and Canada. In March, Zonar launched the Zonar MyView app in Canada that provides parents and caregivers with real-time location updates for school buses.
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Location Intelligence Company Placer.ai Raises $75 Million
Location data provider Placer.ai recently raised $75 million to expand its valuation at nearly $1.5 billion, according to TechCrunch. The company, which combines AI with other data, offers location-based analytics for retail, real estate, financial services, healthcare and others.
Placer.ai did not name any of its investors in this round of funding. The company, which was founded in November 2018 by Israeli scientist Ben-Zvi, raised $100 million in a Series C offering in 2022.
Placer.ai, which is considered a big player in the location data industry, competes against such companies as Foursquare and Esri. The company says it has more than 1,000 customers, including JLL, Regency Centers, Taubman, Planet Fitness, BJ’s Wholesale Club and Grocery Outlet.
Through location data, the company says customers can get foot traffic counts and dwell time. In addition, the location technology allows them to analyze what promotions are working and how holidays, seasonal events and other factors impact their businesses.
Placer.ai, which is considered a big player in the location data industry, competes against such companies as Foursquare and Esri, according to Silicon Angle.
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Carnegie Robotics Acquires Duro Product Line from Swift Navigation
Strengthening its portfolio of robotics systems and sensors, Pittsburgh-based Carnegie Robotics has announced that it has acquired the Duro product line from Swift Navigation. Financial details were not disclosed.
Swift said the acquisition also supports its shift to a software-only service model with hardware integrations. For its part, privately held Carnegie Robotics said the deal will expand its presence in smart machinery in industrial markets.
“We are excited to fully integrate the Duro product line into our product portfolio,” said Mike Embrescia, Carnegie Robotics’ chief development officer, in a statement. “We look forward to further enhancing the product to deliver even greater value, and to continue supporting our key markets in marine, construction, mining, agriculture, rail and military.”
Duro, which was launched through a partnership between Swift and Carnegie Robotics in 2017, features GNSS receivers and software. The companies say that Duro, which integrates Swift’s Skylark Precise Positioning Service, offers centimeter-accuracy to enable applications for both commercial OEM and military applications.
Other Location News
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Top News:
🛩 Amazon's Troubled Drone Delivery Program Faces Latest Challenge in Texas: Annoyed Residents. “Noise complaints are just the latest challenge for Amazon’s AMZN 0.00%↑ drone program that’s been struggling to get off the ground since the company started testing deliveries in 2022. A mix of regulatory hurdles, missed deadlines and layoffs last year, coinciding with widespread cost-cutting efforts by CEO Andy Jassy, has halted progress of the ambitious service, which was conceived of by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos more than a decade ago.”
🌎 Sateliot Launches NB-IoT Satellites, Preps Commercial Service, Targets €30 Million Funds. “IoT provider Sateliot has announced the launch of four new low-Earth orbit nanosatellites on a SpaceX mission. The firm said customers have already “contracted” the firm to connect 8 million devices. It said it plans to raise a further €30 million in series B funds.
🛰 FCC Reauthorizes Globalstar’s HIBLEO-4 Constellation. “Globalstar GSAT 0.00%↑ said that the FCC granted the company’s application to extend its senior HIBLEO-4 authorization by 15 years and operate as many as 26 replacement satellites.”
👍 UK Building Military Test Site to Combat GPS Jamming. “The facility, which is due to open in 2026 and will be one of the largest in Europe, will be used to test military equipment including Protector drones, Chinook helicopters, armored vehicles and fast jets.”
🥇 Taoglas Celebrates 20 Years. ““As we reflect on the past 20 years, I am immensely proud of the innovations, achievements, and customer success stories that have defined Taoglas,” said Dermot O’Shea, co-founder and CEO at Taoglas. “Our journey from a single GPS antenna to the industry’s broadest antenna and IoT component portfolio is a true testament to the resilience and ingenuity of our team.”
✔ Mobix Labs Announces Acquisition of J-Mark Connectors.
Maps:
🗺 Mapbox Launches Enhanced Raster Data Support. Mapbox has introduced new capabilities for its Mapbox Tiling Service to process, style, and serve raster data from weather visualizations to custom satellite and aerial imagery.
The numerical information in NetCDF and GRIB raster data “now persists from processing to render, and can be styled for dynamic colorization creating visually stunning, interactive, and engaging weather maps,” the company said.
😐 It's Time To Stop Asking About Offline Maps in Waze. “Google GOOG 0.00%↑ bought Waze in 2013, but 11 years later, people are still wondering when the company will integrate the app into Google Maps for a single navigation solution.”
🙂 Meta joins OpenStreetMap US as a Strategic Member. “Meta META 0.00%↑ has been a long time supporter of OSM US as a sponsor of the State of the Map US conference.”
⚡ TomTom: Location Data Holds Key to EV Charging Confidence. “Not only do EV drivers and fleets need to think about how to get from point A to B in the most efficient way, but they also need to think about where they can charge en route, how long that will take, and if it will affect their schedule. One key issue is the difficulty in locating charging stations.”
🚗 Driving Automotive Innovation Through Collaboration. “High-quality map data is a critical component of these experiences, but the limitations of existing maps platforms and complexities of building and maintaining maps and local data can be significant hurdles.”
🤞 Connect Real Dating Introduces Connect Map. Editor’s Note: Kind of creepy.
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Connected and Autonomous Vehicles:
😮 GM's Cruise Recalls Nearly 1,200 Robotaxis to Close US Probe. “General Motors' GM 0.00%↑ Cruise unit has agreed to recall nearly 1,200 robotaxis over hard braking issues, the U.S. auto safety regulator said on Thursday, following a probe into the safety of their autonomous driving systems. As a result of the recall, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it has agreed to close the investigation, opened in December 2022 after reports of two injuries in three rear-end crashes.”
🚙 Why Salesforce Is Putting the Foot to the Pedal on the Connected Car - With AWS and Qualcomm in the Passenger Seat. “Salesforce CRM 0.00%↑ has released Connected Vehicle, a new Automotive Cloud application, as well as new partnerships with Qualcomm QCOM 0.00%↑ and AWS AMZN 0.00%↑ to help automakers build the cars of the future.”
👉 China Autonomous Vehicle Startup WeRide Delays Us IPO. “WeRide is delaying plans to go public, according to CNBC. The self-driving tech company aimed to hit the Nasdaq this week, but now says it needs more time to complete the necessary IPO documents.”
🚘 California Allows Chinese Robotaxi Firm WeRide To Test With Passengers. “The move comes as the company seeks a valuation of as much as $5 billion from its New York IPO even as the U.S. is set to ban vehicles with China-developed systems, according to people briefed on the matter.”
🤔 Waymo Says It Has Doubled Its Weekly Paid Robotaxi Trips to 100,000 Since May. “Waymo aims to expand its service beyond the Sun Belt states where it now operates, with its “generation 6” system integrated into Geely Zeekr electric vehicles.”
🏛 PENNDOT Seeks Comments on Proposed Guidelines for Self-Driving Vehicles. “The state Department of Transportation released an 11-page draft last week of guidelines prepared by the state’s Highly Automated Vehicle Advisory Committee.”
🤞 Waymo's New Robotaxi Will Feature Fewer Sensors To Help Lower Costs. “The company says its sixth-generation hardware is ‘optimized for costs’ but makes no mention of possible tariffs against Chinese EVs.”
🤷♂️ NX Group Invests in U.S. Autonomous Trucking Leader Gatik. Editor’s Note: When you make an investment announcement, how about disclosing the dollar amount?
😐 Why GM's Super Cruise Is The Best Autonomous Tech I've Tested In My Career.
🤨 I Took a Ride in a ‘Self-Driving’ Tesla and Never Once Felt Safe. Editor’s Note: WTH.
Financial:
💰 BeWhere Holdings Reports Second Quarter 2024 Results.
💲 Ituran Announces Distribution of a $8 Million Dividend.
😐 Powerfleet Announces Resolution of SEC Comment Letter Involving Non-Cash Accounting and Announces First Quarter 2025 Financial Results.
🚍 She Grew up a Gearhead — Now Her Startup, Clearly, Has Raised $4.3 Million To Cut Co2 From Trucking. “Its platform — based on anonymized data provided by its customers, which are logistics operators, fleet owners, and other transportation supply chain participants — includes diagnostics on vehicle movement and performance, GPS, tracking, IoT data, load weight, and more. The company’s current blue-chip clients include Webfleet, Bridgestone’s fleet management solution.”
Location Industry Briefs
Send your news releases to kdennehy@driverlessreport.com. Go to www.locationbusinessnews.com for more news and an archive of stories.
TrustPoint Awarded $3.8 Million in SpaceWERX Contracts
TrustPoint has announced it has been selected by SpaceWERX for two Direct-to-Phase II contracts, worth $3.8 million total, to focus the company’s GPS-independent ground control segment and an advanced PNT security application demonstrations. The Dulles, Va.-based startup, which has two satellites in orbit, plans to launch a C-band constellation in low-Earth-orbit to offer commercial PNT services.
Contact: Burcu Erkmen, TrustPoint, media@trustpointgps.com, www.trustpointgps.com.
Comtech Relocates Corporate Headquarters to Arizona
Comtech CMTL 0.00%↑ has relocated its corporate headquarters from Melville, N.Y., to Chandler, Ariz. Comtech’s new corporate headquarters in Chandler has 150,000 square feet of office, engineering and manufacturing space. Chandler is already home to several of Comtech’s largest customers and provides easy access to a leading technology corridor, the company said.
Contact: Jamie Clegg, Comtech, (480) 532-2523, jamie.clegg@comtech.com, www.comtech.com.
Albany International Airport and Pointr to Launch App-Free Indoor Navigation
Albany International Airport has announced it will install Pointr’s instant passenger wayfinding. The app-free indoor navigation technology enhances the passenger experience and enables the airport to engage directly with travelers and better understand terminal and concession usage, the company said.
The technology, called Pointr Express, allows navigation by providing access to real-time wayfinding through QR codes, iMessages, or links. Passengers can locate shops, restaurants, and parked vehicles with the Mark My Car feature.
Contact: Pointr, www.pointr.tech/sectors/aviation.
u-blox and Nordian Expand PointPerfect GNSS Correction Service in Brazil
Thalwil, Switzerland-based u-blox and Nordian have expanded the PointPerfect GNSS correction service in Brazil by enabling L-band satellite delivery. Nordian, which offers its Precision OEM Board, sells and supports PointPerfect services in Brazil.
Previously, PointPerfect was only available via cellular connectivity in Brazil, which was limited by insufficient national network coverage, but now they can access the services through L-band satellite.
Contact: Natacha Seitz, u-blox, 41 76 436 0788, natacha.seitz@u-blox.com.
SandboxAQ Technology to Address GPS Jamming and Spoofing
SandboxAQ has announced it was awarded a SBIR Phase 2B Tactical Funding Increase by the U.S. Air Force to develop its AQNav magnetic navigation system. The funding increase will enable SandboxAQ and AFWERX to reconfigure the AQNav architecture, including a pod-based attachment, for deployment on a wider range of aircraft platforms, including unmanned aerial systems, the company said. AQNav leverages AI Large Quantitative Models to provide a real-time navigation solution for military and commercial applications, without relying on GNSS, the company said.
Contact: SandboxAQ, www.sandboxaq.com.
Mibro Partners With HERE Technologies for Kid’s Watch Phone
Mibro has partnered with HERE Technologies to offer children’s watch phones. The upcoming Mibro kids watch phone, which will be available in EMEA and Southeast Asia, features a seven-system positioning capability that tracks children's locations and provides real-time views of their journeys, the company said.
Mibro uses the HERE Network Positioning API to obtain the watch's geolocation. The HERE Reverse Geocoder API translates these locations into addresses, which are sent to parents via the Mibro kids mobile app.
Contact: Mibro, pr@mibrofit.com, www.mibrofit.com; Camy Cheng, HERE Technologies, 65 9088 4127, camy.cheng@here.com.
CerebrumX and Onward Fleet Solutions Collaborate on Fleet-Embedded Telematics
CerebrumX Labs has collaborated with Onward Fleet Solutions for fleet management through embedded data-driven analytics. Onward's fleet customers gain solutions that offer insights into connected vehicle health, driver efficiency and overall fleet performance, the company said. Live fleet tracking by CerebrumX's Augmented Deep Learning Platform allows accessible location of vehicles.
Contact: CerebrumX, connect@cerebrumx.ai, www,cerebrumx.ai.
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Furuno to Participate in Jammertest 2024
Furuno Electric has announced it will participate in Jammertest 2024 in Andøya, Norway from Sept. 9-13. The participants will test GNSS receivers in an environment where they will actually be exposed to jamming and spoofing signals and obtain data on their tolerance, the company said.
Jammertest is organized by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Norwegian Communications Authority, Norwegian Defense Research Establishment, Norwegian Metrology Service, Norwegian Space Agency and Testnor. Furuno will test the jamming and spoofing resistance of its GT-100 multi-GNSS receiver module.
Contact: Furuno Electric Co., press@furuno.co.jp
Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) Confirms Successful Deployment of HawkEye 360 Microsatellite Cluster 10
Space Flight Laboratory has announced that HawkEye 360 Cluster 10 has been launched and deployed in orbit. Cluster 10 brings to 30 the total number of radio frequency geolocation microsatellites developed for HawkEye 360 by SFL.
Cluster 10 launched on August 16 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., aboard the Transporter-11 Rideshare mission with SpaceX via launch integrator Exolaunch. All three microsatellites have communicated with ground control.
Contact: Robert Zee, SFL, (416) 667-7400, info@utias-sfl.net, www.utias-sfl.net.
GearTrack Partners with Gallagher-Kaiser for Asset Tracking
GearTrack has partnered with Gallagher-Kaiser (GK) to attach trackers to assets. GearTrack also provides fleet tracking, arrival and departure alerts, condition monitoring, analytics and reports for inventory reconciliation, the company said. GearTrack has implemented its tracking solutions for nearly 400,000 assets with more than 20,000 sensors deployed for its customers, the company said.
Contact: Erika Belezarian, for GearTrack, (813) 553-2144, erika@leadcoverage.com.
Ituran, Microsoft and Porsche Carrera Cup Partner
Ituran Location and Control $ITRN has partnered with Microsoft $MSFT and Porsche to bring real-time data telemetry technology for the Porsche Carrera Cup motor race. The partnership will leverage real-time data collection, transmission, and cloud-based analysis.
All the telemetry data is collected and transmitted via the public mobile network in real-time to the Microsoft Azure cloud, through an Ituran telematics device installed and connected to the Porsche sportscar's data network. Ituran is the largest OEM telematics provider in Latin America, the company said.
Contact: Udi Mizrahi, Ituran, 972 3 557 1348 udi_m@ituran.com, www.ituran.com.
People
Topcon Positioning Systems has announced that president and CEO Ray O’Connor will retire in September 2025. O’Connor will transition to the role of chairman of Topcon’s board of directors on Sept. 1, 2024. Succeeding O’Connor as president and CEO is Ivan Di Federico, who currently serves as executive vice president and chief strategy officer for Topcon. The company also announced that Philip Thach will be promoted to executive vice president/COO/CFO.
Dom Perrian started a new position as V2X program manager at Eaton.
Bassel Atala has been promoted to the position of head of quality -GKAC at STMicroelectronics.
Jobs
Head of ADAS Product Partnerships. General Motors.
Senior Marketing Specialist. Geotab.
Sales Manager - IOT, RTLS. Pozyx.
Staff Engineer, GNSS Software Engineering. Samsung Semiconductor.
Senior Sales Manager. HERE Technologies.
Technical Project Manager. HERE Technologies.
Finance Graduate. TomTom.
Principal Program Manager - Strategic Planning & Execution. Torc.
Customer Success Consultant. BlueArrow Telematics.
Senior Account Executive. Placer.ai.
Autonomous Driving Specialist - Feature Owner. Ceer.
Production Planner-Malaysia. Quectel.
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