GPS system used to slow speeding cars

Cars will be fitted with test systems which tell drivers of speed limits and reduce vehicle speeds if they fail to slow down, as part of a new road safety trial in NSW, Australia. It will be a $1 million, 18-month trial involving 100 cars. The cars will be fitted with GPS devices. It will also warn drivers if they are speeding. In addition, 40 of the cars will be fitted with separate technology limiting fuel to the engine if a driver fails to slow down, automatically forcing a reduction in the car’s speed. http://news.theage.com.au

Australia is looking to GPS and inertial sensor technologies as the basis for a modernized train management system, using Lockheed Martin to help develop it. The company has received a US$74.8 million contract from the Australian Rail Track Corporation Ltd. for the proofof-concept phase of the Advanced Train Management System (ATMS).

ESP SAS formed

ESSP SAS has been recently formed in Rome with objective to become the certified service provider for EGNOS. The Headquarters will be in Toulouse having two units: the Service Provision unit in Madrid and Operations in Toulouse. The negotiations between the European Commission and the EOIG experts have reached a conclusion on the EGNOS Agreement and foresee to initial the Agreement in the coming weeks.michel. calvet@aviation-civile.gouv.fr

Industrial GNSS market to Hit $240B by 2013

According to ABI Research, industrial applications such as network timing, land surveying, and machine control are quickly gaining momentum. It forecasts that by 2013 GNSS end-user devices and systems will generate yearly revenues of $240 billion. However, innovative workaround solutions based on the post-processing of the GPS signal are being developed, as is the use of assisted-GPS technology to provide location and satellite data to connected devices for faster fixes and better coverage http://www.abiresearch.com

Taiwan’s GPS makers to tap European market with new devices

According to industry sources, Taiwanese GPS devices makers like Mio Technology Ltd. and Asustek Computer Inc are actively tapping the European market this year, with new products. Global sales of GPS devices are estimated to top US$30 billion this year. Europe absorbs nearly 60% of world`s total annual shipment. Last year, sales in the European market sharply shot up 82%. http://cens.com//cens/

India orders over one hundred SIGMA 95 navigation systems
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) of India has just ordered from Sagem Défense Sécurité (SAFRAN Group) more than 100 SIGMA 95N navigation systems. These systems will be used on the Indian Air Force Sukhoi fighters and the Tejas fighters from the Indian LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) program. SIGMA 95N is a standalone inertial laser gyro navigation system with integrated GPS/Glonass. It brings highprecision navigation and a high degree of operating flexibility to combat aircraft.

Real-time traffic information to reach more than 83 million users
According to ABI Research, real-time traffic information services will reach more than 83 million paid or registered users worldwide by 2012. It sees three elements to the puzzle of providing truly useful traffic data for navigation systems.

First, the traffic data collection ecosystem is very complex. Infrastructure measurement systems (road sensors, cameras, radar, or loop sensors) are expensive and hard to install. A second challenge is traffic data aggregation. As the basic data becomes more available, the complex data derived from floating-car probes or predictive modeling will become the differentiator. But such data are harder to integrate into navigation routing. A third factor is market landscape. ABI Research expects INRIX and NAVTEQ/Traffic. com to become the two players in traffic data. www.gpsbusinessnews.com

Raytheon completes final system test for Indian SBAS
Raytheon, USA has completed the final system acceptance test to augment standard GPS signals over India. The latest test of the GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation-Technology Demonstration System, or GAGAN-TDS, is a milestone in the worldwide transition to satellitebased navigation for civil aviation. When completed, GAGAN will join …

A company called Satski has launched GPS navigation system for skiers giving an interactive map of the mountain that will guide, assist and record movements. The system will constantly update the current position on the map, give statistics and record coordinates, altitude, speed, and distance.

GPS is overly intrusive
THOUSANDS of cabbies in New York went on strike for two days last month to protest a city rule requiring that all 13,000 cabs get the equipment by year’s end, and among their gripes was that the technology was faulty.
But the new features worked properly 99.21% of the …