ITS Monday: Edition 2, 2023

Self-driving cars could nearly double road congestion, says Government report

Not a new cause for concern as this has been discussed for many years now, but this article is on the back of a new report from the UK Government. Top of the alarming forecast figures is that traffic “delays may rise by up to 85% from 2025 to 2060.”

Related iMOVE project: Ipswich Connected Vehicle Pilot: Final reports

Snail rail: why are trams in Australian cities running slower than they were 100 years ago?

Why might this be? Well, there are good reasons, and there are not-so-good reasons. A good deal of the historical speed drop is due to the re-establishment of trams in Sydney, and the article goes into some detail about why the new tram system is slower than the old. Also, play with the fun 2023 versus 1923 tram race graphics.

Halfway across the Nullarbor, Mad Ted and a busted charger ran us off the road

In last week’s ITS Monday we included an article on an EV drive from Sydney to Adelaide. Here is a tale of how an EV trip went going from one side of Australia to the other. Includes a sub-plot of a mysterious, long-distance angry-for-some-reason driver.

Related iMOVE project: Electric vehicles: Supporting uptake, investigating smart charging

EVs could provide entire global short-term grid storage needs by 2030, study finds

“A recent study has found that EVs equipped with vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology could supply all of the world’s short-term grid energy storage requirements by 2030.” Within this article is a link to the study, entitled “Electric vehicle batteries alone could satisfy short-term grid storage demand by as early as 2030”.

‘Everyone wants a piece’: Are electric vehicles Australia’s opportunity of a lifetime?

“Australia’s wealth of key minerals puts it in a unique position as the electric vehicle revolution gains speed. But time is running out to seize a far greater part of the value chain such as making battery cells – or even the cars of the future.” Yes, yes, yes! Let’s do better than our traditional role of simply digging it all out of the ground, let’s occupy multiple levels of the production and technology process(es).

Everything you need to know about the Microlino

Meet the Microlino EV, an electric version of a car you might well have seen in European films of the 1950s and 60s (hints: the ISO Rivolta Isetta, Peel P50, Fend Flitzer). We’ve had modern and EV reboots of Kombis and Minis, so why not the microcar!

Apple Maps closing in on Google with updates for Sydney and Melbourne

In story number one this week on the topic of Apple Maps, “Users looking at sites in Sydney and Melbourne will have access to Apple Maps’ 3D cities experience. The maps are still cartoon-like, so the 3D element is more about making the sites look more realistic than real. This includes adding shadows, more details for things like bridges and buildings, you can see foliage cover that’s not just a splatter of green but a render of what the actual cover looks like in real life and it also means you’ll see roads better, which include turn signs, bus and taxi lanes, and crosswalks, as some examples.”

Major update to Apple Maps in Australia with cyclists to receive turn-by-turn directions

Australia is set to be the fourth country in the world on which Apple Maps will provide ” will get turn-by-turn directions to their destinations – as well as warnings about routes with punishing hills.”

Related iMOVE content: Understanding the cyclist experience to improve their road safety

Australian firm building biggest electric ferry

Incat Tasmania is “building what could be the world’s largest electric ferry, designed to transport thousands of passengers and vehicles in a development that could set a worldwide trend.”

New tech fast-tracks inspection of flood-damaged roads

iMOVE partner ARRB‘s iPAVE is being put to use to assess severely flood damaged roads in city and country areas across both states. “The technology is able to collect continuous video and data on pavement deflection, pavement surface condition, geometry, and spatial location, with the latest of the three also fitted with ground-penetrating radar to assess the structural conditions underneath the asphalt.”

Related iMOVE project:  Accelerated and intelligent RAP data collection

Electric trucks are coming: Fonterra and Volvo debut new EV

“In July Fonterra added its first fully electric milk tanker to its ranks, and this week it went ahead and added another plug-in truck – a Volvo FL Electric. The medium duty 16-ton FL is one of two electrified Volvo Truck models offered in New Zealand, with the brand expecting to expand to include the larger FM, FMX, and FH next year.”

Hyzon to showcase hydrogen fuel cell-powered trucks

And speaking of trucks, Hyzon could well be showing of its range of hydrogen trucks at the upcoming Brisbane Truck Show.

Research can help micromobility have a supersized effect on future transportation

“The TRB Transit Cooperative Research Program’s (TCRP) Transit and Micromobility provides an analysis of the full benefits and impacts of micromobility on public transportation systems in transit-rich markets as well as in medium-sized and smaller urban areas.”

Bring on better streets for New South Wales

“Better Streets is a coalition of planners, advocates, community groups, pedestrian and bicycle groups that are working to support local and state governments roll back 70 years of car-centric planning. The group has launched in New South Wales using a model developed in the UK and aims to supercharge the process of reclaiming street space for walking and cycling in our cities and towns.”

Related iMOVE project: Safer cycling and street design: A guide for policymakers