Safety wins for D.C. cyclists with new zebra lane blockers
Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC has become the first road in the U.S. to sport Zebra Delineators – innovative lane blockers available through Traffic Safety Store. These “zebra bumps” will help protect bicyclists from car collisions. After the initial testing phase, The District Department of Transportation will consider expanded use of the product.
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Source:NBC Washington
It’s true, robots drive better than humans
Newly compiled data proves Google’s self-driving vehicles perform better than human drivers at starting, stopping, steering, and maintaining safe distance from the car in front. Those findings – and other advantages — were presented by Chris Urmson, head of Google’s autonomous-car project, at a recent robotics conference in Santa Clara, California.
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Source: MIT Technology Review
A controversial plan for recovering the Highway Trust Fund
As congress struggles to figure out how to replenish the Highway Trust Fund, some states believe they’ve found a solution: Black box devices installed in cars track mileage, allowing officials to tax accordingly. The emerging technology is already piloted in Nevada, Illinois, Oregon and Minnesota, but is still under intense debate by federal policy makers.
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Source: LA Times
Massive auto recall
This week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced recalls on several models from automakers including Ford, Audi and Mitsubishi. The actions have been prompted by reports of doors catching on fire, sunroofs shattering, loose gears and other calamities.
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Source: The New York Times
Using math to prevent traffic jams
A professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology has developed an algorithm to address “phantom” traffic jams – congestion caused by driver action as opposed to roadwork or accidents. The radar-enabled system would allow cars to adjust their speed to the vehicle in front and behind them, reducing unnecessary stops.
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Source: CNN Tech
