Solar roadways project seeks public support

  A highly-awarded project that has consumed the lives of an Idaho couple since 2006 is now seeking public support for the next phase of the journey – working towards the introduction of solar roadways.   Scott and Julie Brusaw are wrapping up Phase II of their project –building a prototype parking lot using the solar […]

Self-driving, self-parking Volvos trialled in Sweden

Volvo has launched its pilot program of driverless cars in Sweden.  As reported in The Guardian, the project, called “Drive Me”, is the world’s first large-scale autonomous driving pilot project.  The 100 self-driving Volvo cars will be tested on public roads in everyday driving conditions around the city of Gothenburg. “Volvo’s analysis on traffic safety […]

Car park data helps US retailer improve bottom line

US DIY retailer, Lowes, is using data collected from its car parks to optimise staffing ratios and gain a competitive advantage against its rival, Home Depot.  As reported by Bloomberg Business Week, hourly images of the car park are collected by satellite, and these are analysed to help paint a picture of the peaks and […]

Beautiful engineering creates cycling heaven in The Netherlands

There’s no shortage of cycle-friendly stories coming out of Europe, and we love sharing them with you.  This recent post from Treehugger should provide both inspiration and aspiration for other cities and urban planners that are working on cycling solutions. The Hovenring is the first elevated cycle roundabout in the world.  Commissioned by the Dutch […]

Australia well-positioned after V2V technology given green light in US

Australian technology companies look to be well placed in what could become the future of road safety for light vehicles.  The US Department of Transportation (DOT) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have recently announced that the US will begin taking steps to facilitate the introduction of vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology. V2V technology […]

Audi’s Intelligent Assist predicts parking availability

A recent story from Wired has showcased the latest in intelligent technology from Audi.   By using “big data”, wireless connectivity and the car’s on-board navigation system, an Audi-developed phone app will not only find parking, but also uses “intelligence” to predict when other spots might open up! Branded as Audi’s Urban Intelligent Assist, the project […]

Tesla S travels across US for free

The Tesla S electric car is in the media again, this time for taking one of its enthusiasts, John Glenny, across the country at no cost.  As reported in BRW, Glenny and his daughter travelled from New York to Los Angeles in just five days, via Tesla’s network of Supercharger stations where they were able […]

Car vending machines address transport issues

Reported last month by news.com.au, Hangzhou’s nine million residents will be encouraged to relinquish car ownership in favour of a greener solution – electric hire cars available on demand from giant vending machines!  In this attempt to spearhead the problems of pollution, traffic congestion and overcrowding, all exacerbated by spiralling car ownership in China, Hangzhou […]

BMW adopts technology for the greater good

Last week’s report featured on The Green Car Website reminds us of the Christmas classic, Miracle on 34th Street.  You will remember the part when Kris Kringle, employed at Macy’s, starts sending customers to Bloomingdales when they can’t find what they are looking for?  Some might say it is the cleverest marketing strategy around. So, […]

Top shelf garaging for your Lamborghini

The subject of previous PTC blogs and articles, automated garaging must be the ultimate accessory! Well, if you can afford the car, then you can probably afford this Hamilton Scotts luxury apartment and the “attached” garage to go with it.  That’s one way to keep an eye on your investment…Enjoy!  

Invisible bike helmet on show

Last month, the Sydney Morning Herald brought us news of the “invisible” bike helmet.  Well, it’s not really invisible — it just isn’t worn where you normally think a helmet would be worn!  You may struggle to find it in the photo, because it is cleverly disguised as fashionable neckwear. The project started out as […]

Electric scooter with boot space

For the latest in electric transport options, Treehugger recently featured this prototype scooter, the Kubo.  After you figure out which end is up, you will see that the space underneath is designed to give you ample carrying capacity for your groceries, shopping, briefcase or other precious cargo (not children, however!). The scooter has a weight […]

Game theory used to create Smart traffic lights

University of Toronto civil engineering graduate, Samah El-Tantawy, has used game theory to create “intelligent” traffic lights and is now receiving global recognition for her work.   The system uses artificial intelligence allowing the signals to “talk” to one another, and make real-time decisions in order to keep traffic flowing.  In a Uni of Toronto media […]

New technology could make streetlamps obsolete

A new technology is being trialled in the UK that could make standard street lighting a thing of the past.  Surrey-based company Pro-Teq has come up with a product aptly named “Starpath” which is a photo-luminescent surface material that can be applied to roads and footpaths.  The particles in the material absorb sun during daylight […]

Smartphone option for ticketless transport

The city of Rio de Janeiro has recently launched a pilot program allowing travellers to use their smartphones as a mobile wallet for public transportation, reports Techworld.  The phones are equipped with NFC (Near Field Communication) technology which allows safe, contactless data exchange between devices.  A collaborative project between RioCard Tecnologia da Informação, Gemalto, Motorola […]

Parallel parking utopia

The technology has been around for a while, but have you ever wondered just how those self-parking cars manage to manoeuvre themselves into spaces?  This great little clip from NRMA explains the process beautifully, from both inside and outside the vehicle. It looks pretty fool-proof, but the only proviso is that you must be able […]

The Hyperloop transportation project open for collaboration

Plans have now been unveiled.  As promised in last month’s blog, Elon Musk, head of Telsa Motors and Space X, has now released a document outlining the details of his vision for a new form of transportation, the Hyperloop.  The 57-page document reveals Musk’s plans for transporting passengers in a low-pressure tube along blankets of […]

Cool Car Park no longer an oxymoron

The adjectives and imagery most often associated with the words “car park” would undoubtedly be summarised as “dull”.  Well, be prepared to challenge your preconceived ideas and marvel at the shortlist of the World’s 10 Coolest Car Parks.  Yes, they do exist! The contest, run by FX Magazine and Stress Free Airport Parking, recently announced […]

Putting the “Park” back in Parking

Mark your diaries – World Park(ing) Day will be celebrated around the globe on Friday, September 20th. This annual, worldwide “open-source” event gives people the opportunity to demonstrate their creativity and have some fun while “greening” our cities for the day. The concept is credited to the Rebar Group, a San Francisco design studio who […]

Car parks – the perfect solar opportunity

It’s a match made in heaven — car parks and the sun above.  Why wouldn’t one take advantage of a free supply of energy will that could conceivably make a multi-story structure carbon-neutral?  The beachside haven of Coffs Harbour has taken another step towards its goal of becoming a “solar city”.   Councilmembers voted unanimously to […]

The Hyperloop – a new era of transport

  Following on from last weeks’ Wayfinding Blog which offered a glimpse of the future of transport, we bring you one step closer to that reality with the upcoming unveiling of The Hyperloop.  Brainchild of Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX and Tesla Motors, Musk announced this month that “alpha” plans for the revolutionary transportation […]

The impact of driverless cars on our cities

As we posted in last week’s Wayfinding Forum, auto companies are now striving beyond the development of self-parking cars. They are building self-DRIVING cars. Whilst the technology has advanced rapidly in recent years, public acceptance and understanding is still in its infancy. This week, an interesting perspective was offered by The New York Times. The […]

Remember the Jetsons?

We complain about traffic snarls. We complain about transport links. We complain about airport processing queues. Well, it seems the creators of the imagined “Horizon System” had all this in mind when they submitted their winning entry to the Glasgow School of Art creative competition, offering a vision of the future of aviation. Watch their […]

Driving and parking – where have the people gone?

We’re told there would be fewer accidents and traffic snarls, and time spent looking for parking could be spent doing…..well, anything else. Thanks to Volvo, the fully automated, driverless car is now closer than ever. But are we ready for it? Volvo will become the first car manufacturer in the world to release a self-parking […]

Parking technology – the alternative option?

We often comment on Wayfinding Forum about the development of technology in our industry and how it is apparently streamlining the way we live. The previous article is a case in point. Subscribers may also recall articles we have written on fully automated parking garages, folding cars, underground bike parking and car park guidance systems […]

Driverless trains are headed for Sydney

The NSW budget handed down last week delivered significantly on transport, with over $6 billion pledged towards infrastructure projects. Along with the light rail project previously mentioned on Wayfinding Forum, heavy rail was the big winner with funding confirmed along the north-west corridor of Sydney. The NSW Government describes The North West Rail Link as […]

Japan’s underground bike parking solution

Tokyo is a metropolis of over 13 million people, all trying to get around by the best means possible. Overwhelming congestion means that car travel is sluggish and we’ve all seen images of “train pushers” (or oshiya) cramming passengers onto Japan’s subway system. As a result, cycling is trending as a preference for many commuters. […]

Cyclists take over the streets of Colombia

Bogotá, Colombia is the second most populous city in South America and one of the highest capitals in the world at a lofty 2625m above sea level. From Monday to Friday it is not unusual to hear ‘Bogotanos’ complaining about heavy traffic, pot-holed roads and an overburdened public transport network. However each Sunday and most […]

Opal expands to Sydney’s rail network

The NSW Government will extend the trial of its Opal smartcard ticketing system to some of Sydney’s trains from the end of this week. The trial, which has previously been introduced on two of Sydney’s ferry routes, will now include train stations on the City Circle and Bondi Junction lines. The rollout brings Sydney closer […]

Bike sharing program launched in NYC

New York City’s bike-sharing program was officially launched last week, sending 6,000 bright blue “Citi Bikes” onto the streets of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The system will feature 24/7 access to terminals at hundreds of subway stations around New York. Each terminal is equipped with a touchscreen kiosk, a map of the service area and a […]


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