ITS Monday: Edition 33, 2021

Future vehicles 2030 forecasts updated

Last year Austroads published its report, ‘Future Vehicles 2030’. Last week it released an updated report, taking into account the effects of COVID-19, and that there has been ‘… a more rapid adoption of safety technology but a slowing of the introduction of highly automated driving.’ There is a link to the full updated report in this article.

Uber both competes with, and complements public transport

A new working paper from Delft University of Technology, in which analyses have been made based on data from 3.5 million trips, comparing Uber and public transport data from six cities in the US and Europe. Again, there is a link to the full paper within this article.

E-scooter trial starting soon on Melbourne and Ballarat’s streets

A 12-month trial of e-scooter is about to commence in two Victorian cities (the capital, and one regional city), in which riders will be able to travel at ‘…up to 20kph, which is twice the legal speed capabilities of privately owned e-scooters in Victoria.’ They will be ‘…  allowed on bicycle lanes, shared paths and low-speed roads (up to 50kph). They will not be permitted on footpaths.’

AxleHire to scale Tortoise and URB-E zero-emissions delivery solutions nationally

Last-mile logistics news, of a company’s rollout nationally across the USA of a trial of remote-controlled delivery robots and compact container delivery service URB-E’s e-bike container deliveries. Each of these have been trialled in Los Angeles and New York respectively over the past 12 months, this rollout will see both methods continued to be trialled in both New York and Los Angeles, with San Francisco added, as well as ‘other launch cities’.

Australian researchers set new efficiency record in quest for low-cost solar hydrogen

A good news Australian research story, in the, ahhh controversial area of hydrogen production. Researchers from the Australian National University have ‘… set a new world efficiency record for the direct production of renewable hydrogen from solar energy using low-cost materials, combining Australian-grown innovations in next-generation solar cells and electrolysis.’

Hyundai’s Fuel Cell Trailer Drone is the future of trucking, minus the trucks

More hydrogen news! Hyundai has invested quite heavily in progressing the hydrogen option, and here’s its e-Bogie concept, an autonomous electric chassis powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. Further Hyundai hydrogen announcements can be read at Hyundai bets big on hydrogen, announces Vision 2040 plan.

Hydrogen train runs under own power in northern France

Last hydrogen story this week. Promise! Alstom’s Coradia iLint hydrogen train ran under its own power in northern France on September 6/7, at the Railway Test Centre in Valenciennes.

Can micromobility help get people back on transport in London?

Last this week, a piece by Josh Cottell, Research Manager at Centre for London. ‘Accessible, affordable, and easy to use micromobility, both shared and private, could help to extend the distances that people can travel sustainably, and open up a wider range of journeys from public transport hubs.’ He discusses the safety, health, and sustainability reasons to promote this mode of transport, along with the blocks that hinder the use and growth of micromobility in London.