road network
India to invest $11.71bn to strengthen road networks across country. Credit: Akkida.
 Braun 3D access
BraunAbility, in partnership with mobility dealerships across the country, will install 3D access aisles to combat illegal parking in accessible spaces. Credit: BraunAbility.
 Ford and Volkswagen
Volkswagen CEO Dr Herbert Diess and Ford president and CEO Jim Hacket. Credit: Volkswagen AG.
Iteris
Iteris has completed the acquisition of traffic operations engineering services provider Albeck Gerken. Credit: Iteris Inc.

India provides $11.71bn to boost road infrastructure

The Government of India allocated a total of Rs802.5bn ($11.71bn) to strengthen the country’s road infrastructure.

In her debut budget speech, Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that funds will be used to modernise nearly 125,000km of roads over the next five years.

Funds will be provided under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), a scheme of the federal government that aims to provide connectivity to unconnected regions across the country.

Ola Electric raises $250m from SoftBank at more than $1bn valuation

Ola Electric Mobility (Ola Electric), the electric vehicle business of Indian ride-hailing firm Ola, raised $250m from Japan’s SoftBank.

Incorporated in February 2017, Ola Electric raised the funds as part of its Series B round. The latest deal values the company at more than $1bn.

A business of Indian ride-hailing firm Ola, the firm intends to invest the proceeds to support charging infrastructure and install battery-swapping stations.

BraunAbility to install 3D accessible parking designs across US

Mobility transportation solutions manufacturer BraunAbility is set to collaborate with 17 mobility dealership locations across the US to install 3D accessible parking designs to combat illegal parking in spaces designated for those with mobility disabilities.

The aisles will be installed in parking lots of businesses that sell mobility products, including BraunAbility wheelchair accessible vehicles.

The novel parking design is for people who use wheelchairs.

Highways England awards first contracts on £8.7bn framework

Highways England signed the first in a series of contracts with supply chain partners to undertake up to £8.7bn of work on England’s motorways and major A-roads.

Construction company Geoffrey Osborne secured a £61.4m contract to deliver a major upgrade that transforms A46 at Binley in Coventry.

A £52.4m contract was awarded to VolkerFitzpatrick to perform improvements along the A27 near Lewes in East Sussex.

Ford and VW to invest billions in electric and autonomous vehicles

Ford and Volkswagen teamed up to invest billions of dollars in developing electric and automated vehicles.

This collaboration will see Volkswagen joining Ford to invest in autonomous vehicle platform Argo AI to launch similar technology in the manufacturers’ cars in the US and Europe.

Volkswagen will invest $2.6bn in Argo AI by committing $1bn in direct funding, with $1.6bn going to the Autonomous Intelligent Driving (AID) company.

Iteris acquires traffic engineering company Albeck Gerken

Iteris completed the takeover of Albeck Gerken, a US-based traffic operations and engineering services provider.

Under the agreement first announced last month, Albeck Gerken will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Iteris, which supplies applied informatics systems for the transportation industry.

All employees of Albeck Gerken have been absorbed by Iteris.

Ford Motor acquires Quantum Signal to aid autonomous vehicle ambitions

Ford Motor Company acquired mobile robotics firm Quantum Signal for an undisclosed sum in order to advance the development of self-driving vehicles.

Based in Michigan, the Quantum Signal focuses on mobile robotics, modelling and simulation.

The company manufactures mobile robots for a number of clients. It designed ANVEL, which is used by the US military to test unmanned remote and autonomous systems.

DfT reports decline in overall number of casualties on Britain roads

The UK’s Department for Transport reported a decline in the overall number of casualties and deaths on British roads last year.

However, the data revealed a 2.6% increase in serious injuries.

The statistics showed that the overall number of casualties went down by 6% last year to 160,378 when compared to 2017.

Indonesia plans to build 7km sea bridge to link two islands

Indonesia announced its plans to build a 7km sea bridge to connect two islands in the Malacca Strait.

Connecting the two islands of Batam and Bintan, the bridge will be built at the cost of $284m. Construction of the bridge is expected to be completed in three to four years.

The bridge is a part of Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s plans for a $400bn infrastructure push, reported Bloomberg.

Hamburg to install thermal imaging traffic cameras

Hamburg in Germany unveiled plans to deploy more than 2,000 thermal imaging cameras on traffic lights and streetlamps by late-2020 to collect anonymous, real-time traffic data.

Under the plans, the thermal cameras will be installed across the city to help improve traffic control and long-term planning.

As part of the automated traffic volume recording project, motorised traffic will be counted at 420 intersections.