Jackson Parker

627 posts
Green GPS System Finds Most Fuel Efficient Driving Routes

An all-new Green GPS system, developed by computer scientists at the University of Illinois, is able to calculate the most fuel-efficient driving routes, saving as much as 13 percent over other routes in initial tests.

“Unlike existing Internet services, such as Google Maps and MapQuest, which provide either the fastest or the shortest route between two points, a Green GPS system collects the necessary information to compute … the most fuel-efficient route” explained Ph.D. candidate Raghu Kiran Ganti, one of three student researchers working with Principal Investigator and Associate Professor of Computer Science Tarek Abdelzaher. “The most fuel-efficient route between two points may be different from the shortest and fastest routes.”

For example, taking the fast route on a freeway may not be economical because fuel consumption increases in a non-linear manner with speed, or because the route is longer. Similarly, the shortest route, over city streets, may be objectionable because of downtown congestion and traffic.

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Costa Rican Legislators Want GPS Tracking Systems Out of Their Cars

GPS tracking systems are currently installed in the “official” vehicles of legislators in Costa Rica. This week 29 of the 55 Legislators announced that they want the GPS tracking systems removed from their cars.
According to Mendoza and the Legislature’s executive director, Antonio Ayala, they have seen a significant fuel savings in travel and legislative budget since the installation of the tracking system. Maybe this is where the problem lies, legislators cannot anymore “fudge” their travel expenses and can be located – at least their vehicles – at any given time, the Costa Rica News reported.

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GPS Tracking Devices Given to Illegal Immigrants

Reverend Robin Hoover, a human-rights activist, is supplying men and women in the business of smuggling illegal immigrants across the US and Mexico border with GPS tracking devices, hoping to prevent the migrants from dying on the journey, according to a recent story in the Christian Science Monitor. As summer approaches, temperatures near the California, Arizona and Texas borders are well above 100 degrees, and can be very dangerous.

It is not uncommon for migrants to die while attempting to illegally cross the border. During the past decade, authorities have recovered over 2,000 bodies in the desert.

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Garmin’s New and Improved eTrex GPS System

Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRMN), recently announced they are going to launch a new and improved version of their best-selling eTrex handheld GPS device. Garmin’s eTrex is one of the most popular handheld GPS devices on the market.

The all-new eTrex GPS system will be redesigned and upgraded with new features – enhanced ergonomics, an improved interface, paperless geocaching and in certain models, a 65k color screen with expanded mapping capabilities.

The eTrex is an entry-level device that is designed especially for outdoor enthusists that enjoy activities such as hiking, biking and camping. The eTrex GPS system is very affordable, will fit in your pocket and is easy to use. It only has five buttons, making it easy to use with just one hand – the left hand, so lefties should be aware.

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Ford’s New Smart Car Technology Means Less Accidents and Traffic

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a leader in bringing innovative safety and driver technology in mainstream vehicles. This week, Ford demonstrated how far they’ve come in car-to-car communication technology. Ford also showed what the future of driving may look like with talking vehicles that can warn of hazards and traffic ahead. Ford is one of the first automakers to build prototype vehicles demonstrating this exciting new technology.

With vehicle-to-vehicle communication, intelligent cars talk to each other wirelessly, warning drivers of potential dangers. Utilizing advanced wi-fi technology and GPS, intelligent vehicles will help drivers identify and respond to potential dangers as well as identify conveniences while on the road. With this technology cars will be able to send messages to other cars about where they are and where they’re headed.

If there is an accident or any other potential driving hazard coming up, vehicles will be able to instantly receive information about the upcoming dangers, giving drivers more notice and time to respond. The new technology is called a DVI system – which stands for Driver Vehicle Information. This technology provides either audible or visual cues to alert drivers of what potential dangers coming ahead.

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Garmin Announces Launch of Rino Handheld Radio With GPS System

garmin rino gps system radioGarmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, just announced the redesigned and upgraded Rino 610, 650 and 655t. If you are a hunter, skier, hiker, or any other type of outdoor enthusiast – and like to venture out into the great unknown, then the all-new Garmin Rino handheld two-way radios integrated with GPS may be perfect for you.

If you put yourself in a potential survival situation, then you have to have a reliable communication device – no questions asked. You’ll also want to have the ability to quickly locate other persons in your party when traveling in a group, so they have a way to notify authorities and tell them where you are, in case of an emergency. If you ever saw the movie “127 Hours” starring James Franco, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.

If a friend also has a Rino then you can set it up so that you can see where the other person is via the GPS tracking system. An icon will flash showing the person’s name, location and any other information that they allowed to be public. This is extremely important when forming a network of fellow outdoor enthusiasts. You can also send unit-to-unit text messages to other Rino users in your area – it’s ideal for loud or windy conditions, or just when you don’t want to disturb the wildlife.

The Garmin GPS device also gives you the ability to store up to 1000 locations and save them onto the memory card. It also lets you save many waypoints, aka intermediary locations. For example, when hiking and you make a turn to start heading into another direction, you should record your waypoints. In case you decide you need to backtrack, the Garmin GPS system will take you right back to your last waypoints.

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DHL Launches Green Fleet Vehicles in Manhattan

Last month DHL, one of the world’s largest logistics companies, launched a fleet of environmentally-friendly delivery trucks in Manhattan. Launching the new fleet of vehicles is an integral part of the DHL’s global Go Green strategy. DHL’s all-new Green Fleet is an important part of the company’s overall mission to reduce their environmental impact.

DHL’s goal is to improve the company’s carbon efficiency worldwide by 30 percent by 2020, compared to 2007 base levels. In addition to developing a greener fleet, the key components of DHL’s Go Green program includes the improvement of the energy efficiency in buildings, the implementation of innovative technologies, the mobilization of employees and the involvement of subcontractors and customers.

The company’s Green Fleet Initiative was launched in New York by Frank Appel, CEO of Deutsche Post DHL. According to Appel, “ Customers worldwide are increasingly demanding greener logistics, sustainable business procedures and initiatives like the one we are launching today will – at the same time – also enhance the profitability of our business. Sustainability, especially the reduction of carbon emissions, is a central aspect of our business and an integral part of our corporate strategy. As the global leader in logistics we are ideally positioned to foster climate protection in order to save our environment for future generations.”

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Gas Prices Continue to Decline

Gas prices are currently averaging $3.78 per gallon of regular unleaded fuel in the US, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report. One week ago, gasoline prices were averaging 4 cents more than today at $3.82 a gallon.

Gas prices in Los Angeles County continued to decline over the Memorial Day weekend, decreasing a half-cent Monday to $4.06 per gallon. The average price, which has fallen nearly 23 cents since the streak of decreases began May 7, is 7.2 cents less than it was last week and nearly 20 cents lower than it was last month; however, it’s still $1.042 higher than it was last year at this time, according to the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. Before the 24-day streak of decreases, the average price rose 43 times in 45 days.

Most analysts are saying that the recent decreases in gas prices are due to two reasons. First, gas prices are tied to oil prices which have been declining over the past several weeks. A barrel of benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude on the New York Mercantile Exchange has fallen 11.7 percent to $100.59 from its two-year high of $113.93 on April 29.

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GPS Fleet Tracking Lowers Fuel Costs By 20% Says Network Fleet

Network Fleet, a leading GPS fleet tracking system, recently published a paper titled, “Don’t Sit Idle While Fuel Costs Rise,” that shows how fleets can use GPS fleet tracking and engine diagnostics to lower fuel costs by as much as 20%.

The Network Fleet paper offers specific actions managers can take to analyze fleet operations and reduce costs. Fleets that begin using a GPS fleet tracking system report a quick, positive ROI primarily due to significant savings in fuel and other operating costs.

The paper uses several different fleets as an example, such as the Eastern Municipal Water District of Riverside, CA. Using the Network Fleet GPS fleet tracking system, the water district managed to reduce fuel costs by $79,000 in the first six months.

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Gas Prices Driving Businesses to Fleet Tracking

Fleet tracking system sales appear to be increasing this year, mostly due to this year’s recent surges in gas prices. When gas prices top $4 per gallon, companies start looking for ways to save money. Managers start paying attention to how their employees are driving, and for ways to increase operating efficiencies.

Small changes can have a big impact on a large scale, and the cost savings can really start add up. Many are surprised to find out that a fleet tracking system can help them to see immediate results and cut costs across the board. In today’s challenging economic climate, profit margins are slim and companies must implement as many cost-saving initiatives as possible.

In order to remain competitive, companies have to look very closely at every penny spent. Because a fleet tracking system can provide an ROI in less than six months and immediately reduce fuel consumption, plus produce ecological benefits, companies both large and small are utilizing them to create profitable, sustainable fleets.

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Teletrac Fleet Tracking System Chosen by Isuzu Trucks

Teletrac, an industry leading fleet tracking system, recently announced that it has been selected by Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc., distributor of America’s best-selling low-cab-forward trucks, for its 2011 and 2012 model year N-Series customers.

“Safety is no longer just a cost center and compliance issue,” said Teletrac executive vice president, Drew Hamilton. “For many fleets, it’s now a strategic business priority to help trim costs and boost efficiency. For this reason, Teletrac captures the industry’s widest range of safety-related vehicle and driver data, making this information more useful and actionable in real time — to help fleet managers increase bottom-line safety performance, and improve fleet operations overall, ” said Hamilton.

Teletrack’s fleet tracking system is called Fleet Director. Fleet Director locates, tracks and monitors the position and operation of fleet vehicles. This gives fleet management greater visibility into operations to deliver cost saving efficiencies such as lower fuel consumption, real-time tracking of vehicles from the desktop, automatic route guidance, and detailed reporting for advanced decision support and efficient regulatory compliance.

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Santa Ana Fleet Plans to Reduce Emissions and Cut Costs

The Fleet Management Department in Santa Ana, CA recently announced plans to create and operate an environmentally responsible fleet, focusing primarily on alternative fuel and fuel efficiency. The City’s Green Fleet will be powered by 75 to 80 percent renewable and sustainable energy within the next five years. There are also plans to reduce the size of the fleet 10-15% over the next 1-2 years.

Santa Ana Fleet Management operates more than 900 vehicles, from fire trucks and police cruisers to riding lawn mowers. Over the past few years, Fleet Managers have added several natural-gas, hybrid and electric vehicles to its fleet, and brought in five hydrogen vehicles and fueling stations. Currently, five percent of the City’s 900 vehicles operate on alternative fuels.

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Soccer Star Caught After High Speed Chase in Stolen Car

Well known soccer star Jaba Mahlangu aka “Pule” was busted this weekend in a stolen car. After the vehicle was reported stolen,vehicle tracking company Netstar was immediately notified. The NetStar vehicle tracking system was able to help police find and recover the stolen vehicle. The suspects apparently had no idea the car was equipped with a GPS tracking system.

The stolen vehicle was not easy for police to recover. The driver of the vehicle was trying to lose the police and drove at very high speeds in an attempt to get away. Using the GPS signal from the vehicle tracking system along with the help of an overhead flight squad, law enforcement finally was able to catch the driver and recover the stolen car.

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GPS Systems in Las Vegas May Not Be Working – Traveler’s Beware

LightSquared, the hybrid cellular/satellite wireless option that some believe could be a fourth generation mobile outlet for the cable industry, is running tests that may effect GPS system signals in the Las Vegas area. The tests are being conducted in cooperation with the GPS industry and multiple federal agencies this week throughout June in Las Vegas suburb Boulder City.

LightSquared is testing to see whether its service network interferes with GPS system signals. The Las Vegas Sun reports that a test will run after midnight for several hours for 10 days, and it appears to be the first lengthy real-world test to determine whether the operator’s network interferes with GPS systems.

Government agencies have warned law enforcement, pilots, and several other groups that LightSquared’s tests could possibly knock out GPS systems in the Las Vegas area. Late last week, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an alert to pilots that “the GPS signal may be unreliable or unavailable” within a nearly 300-mile radius of Boulder City, where the test transmitter will be located.

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Gas Prices Drop Eleven Cents in Past Week

For the thousands of drivers getting ready to hit the road for the upcoming Memorial weekend holiday, there is finally good news about gas prices. The current average price for a gallon of unleaded regular gas in the US is currently $3.85, eleven cents less than one week ago. Prices are only one cent higher than they were averaging a month ago, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report.

Diesel fuel prices are also on the decline. Diesel fuel is currently averaging $4.06 a gallon, seven cents less than one month ago. The decrease in diesel fuel prices effects the whole economy because prices of items people consume everyday from food to toilet paper are affected by gas prices.

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Police Use iPhone GPS System to Catch Stolen Truck

This week a man in El Paso, TX, left his truck running in the driveway and ran back inside to retrieve something before he headed off to work. He told the Police he was only away from the vehicle for a few moments, and to his dismay, someone jumped inside the running vehicle and drove away.

Lucky for the truck owner, he had left his iPhone on the passenger seat of the vehicle. Police said 29-year-old, Joshua Mitzelfelt, allegedly stole the unattended vehicle but did not notice the iPhone.

The truck owner began tracking his vehicle’s location though a website monitoring the phone’s GPS system application while updating sheriff dispatchers. Officers spotted the truck about seven miles from the owner’s residence and arrested the driver.

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Google, Apple Appear Before Senate Over Location Privacy

Executives from Apple (AAPL)and Google (GOOG)are facing another day of inquiries by the US Senate about mobile phones, privacy and user consent. Facebook even joined today’s Senate hearing. U.S. politicians are concerned that companies including Apple, Google and Facebook aren’t doing enough to protect their customers’ location privacy. Members of a U.S. Senate subcommittee are urging Congress to pass new laws awarding wireless subscribers greater control over how smartphones and applications track their location.

These companies plus thousands of developers who make applications for the companies’ platforms — are facing scrutiny over how they collect, use, and store information, including data gathered from smartphones and other wireless devices.

“I think anyone who uses a mobile device has an expectation of privacy, and sadly that expectation is not always being met,” said Sen. John Rockefeller IV, chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. “The mobile marketplace is so new and technology is moving so quickly that many consumers do not understand the privacy implications of their actions…A mother posting a smartphone photograph of her child online, he suggested, may not realize that “geotagged” location data may be embedded in the image file.”

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The Battle Over Warrantless GPS Tracking and Privacy

In recent months, there have been several heated court battles between law enforcement agents and privacy rights advocates. One side argues that using a GPS vehicle tracking system to monitor suspect’s without first obtaining a warrant is perfectly legal and OK. The other side argues that this is a violation of a person’s rights to privacy.

The constitutional matter until now has been left to district courts around the country to decide, resulting in a patchwork of conflicting rulings. The use of GPS vehicle tracking devices is poised to become one of the most contentious privacy issues before the Supreme Court, if it agrees to hear an appeal filed by the Obama administration last month. The administration is seeking to overturn a ruling by a lower court that law enforcement officials must obtain a warrant before using a tracker.

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