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Top News:
🌒 Firefly’s Blue Ghost Lands on Moon and Will Attempt to Tap into Earth GPS. “Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander touched down on the lunar surface and one of the experiments mounted onboard will try to do something almost unimaginable — tap into Earth’s GPS constellations all the way from the moon. If successful, this will be the first time this has ever been done from the lunar surface.”
💲 VIAVI to Acquire Spirent’s Ethernet and Network Security Testing Business. While it didn’t get Spirent’s GPS and positioning products business, VIAVI VIAV -4.38%↓ purchased the company’s ethernet and network security testing business from Keysight Technologies KEYS -1.27%↓ for $410 million.
👍 Verizon Adds New Partners Singtel, Skylo to Worldwide IoT Platform. “Singtel joins Bell Canada and Telenor IoT as Mobile Network Operator (MNO) partners providing international IoT connectivity through Verizon’s VZ 2.85%↑ Global IoT Orchestration. Skylo is powering satellite-IoT connectivity and services for network assurance in areas where terrestrial connectivity is challenged. Verizon Business IoT customers can now access wireless services in up to 200 territories around the world, conveniently managed through Verizon Business’ ThingSpace IoT management platform.”
🎖 US Army Approves Production of Vehicle-Mounted GPS Alternative. “The U.S. Army approved the full-rate production of a Collins Aerospace-developed vehicle-mounted PNT system. The Mounted Assured, Positioning, Navigation and Timing System, or MAPS, is a key element of the service’s modernization push.”
🛰 Astranis Demonstrates GPS Capability in Race for Space Force Contract. “Astranis is working under an $8 million U.S. Space Force contract for the Resilient GPS (R-GPS) initiative. The company is competing with L3Harris and Sierra Space for the next phase of the program when the Space Force is expected to select a vendor to deploy eight R-GPS satellites by 2028. As many as 24 R-GPS spacecraft could be acquired subsequently.”
✈ IATA Reiports 500 Percent Spike in GPS Spoofing Last Year. “Interference rates shot up by 175 percent, while GPS spoofing incidents spiked by 500 percent year-over-year.”
👌 Planes Are Having Their GPS Hacked. Could New Clocks Keep Them Safe? “The plan is simple: to develop a more secure alternative to GPS by enabling the portable use of new atomic clocks, rather than relying on signals from satellites in space that can be jammed. But its execution is fiendishly difficult: to harness the power of the atom, develop a new type of clock, and even change the way we measure time itself – all within a few years.”
🌍 Patriot Announces Discovery of a Large Cesium Zone at Shaakichiuwaanaan. “Cesium is also used in atomic clocks, GPS, aircraft guidance, and telecommunications.”
✔ PNT: How The US Military Plans To Address GPS Jamming Vulnerabilities.
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Maps:
🤨 Google Maps Lists an Oakland Homeless Encampment as “Homeless Encampment,” Hilarity Ensues. “In our coverage of homeless encampments, there is rarely much humor or reason to laugh. Yet here we have a case that is somewhat amusing, though perhaps with mean-spirited intentions. KRON4 reports on a homeless encampment in East Oakland near the Fruitvale district, which is now listed as a business called “Homeless Encampment,” and quickly drew a number of mocking reviews.”
👏 TomTom Joins EU AI Champions Initiative to Accelerate AI Development in Europe. “Earlier this month TomTom, along with more than 60 other Europe-based companies, joined and launched the EU AI Champions Initiative. The initiative, unveiled by French President Emmanuel Macron at the AI Action Summit in Paris on Feb. 10, seeks to help AI tech reach its full potential in Europe”
🗺 TomTom Annual Report Now Available. TomTom’s Annual Report is now available, which includes its growth in the enterprise business unit.
👉 Google Maps Has New Car Icons, and Users Will Love Them. “Google GOOG -0.27%↓ has updated Google Maps with new vehicle icons, so instead of the blue arrow and the generic colorful icons, you can now choose from a wider array of vehicles. Google has also added more color settings available for every vehicle icon.”
📙 Esri Publishes New Book on the Rapidly Evolving Mobile GIS Field.
🥇 OpenStreetMap is participating in Google Summer of Code 2025. “OSM has been accepted as a mentoring organization for this year’s Google Summer of Code, a global program that offers students and new open source developers stipends to write code for open source software projects.”
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Connected and Autonomous Vehicles:
🚗 Hyundai and Avride Team to Develop Robotaxi Fleet. “The collaboration will focus on the development of autonomous vehicles equipped with Avride’s driving system, while also expanding Avride’s fleet of Hyundai IONIQ 5 vehicles, according to a Wednesday (March 5) announcement on Avride’s blog.”
🏎 New Autonomous World Speed Record Set With Indy Autonomous Challenge Maserati MC20. “AI-Driver of Politecnico di Milano sets new autonomous speed record with Indy Autonomous Challenge Maserati MC20 Coupe, reaching 197.7 mph, during the 1000 Miglia Experience Florida, at Kennedy Space Center.”
🙂 Aurora Expresses Optimism for National AV Framework. “President Donald Trump’s new administration, including Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, could help deliver a national standard for autonomous vehicles, Aurora AUR -3.05%↓ co-founder and CEO Chris Urmson said on an earnings call Feb. 12.”
🌎 Viasat and Partners Deliver First-Of-Its-Kind Direct-to-Device Demonstration in South America. “Viasat and its ecosystem partners GuardianSat, Quectel, and Acceleronix, successfully complete trial in Brazil to showcase direct-to-device connectivity for the automotive industry.”
🚘 Google-Backed Oxa Drives Alternative Approach to Autonomous Vehicles. “UK-based Oxa focuses on services in airports, retirement communities and industrial settings, rather than personal cars and taxis.”
🤔 How Close Are We To Self-Driving Taxis in Europe? “Despite major advancements in autonomous driving, robotaxis aren’t a common sight in Europe. This is mostly due to regulations. With numerous countries enforcing different laws, meeting every specific requirement poses a significant challenge.”
Fleet Telematics:
🚍 Geotab and Daimler Truck North America Partner to Deliver Advanced OEM Integration for Freightliner Vehicles. “Geotab has announced an expansion of its OEM integration with Daimler Truck North America Freightliner trucks. This enhancement includes support for trucks equipped with Cummins Powertrains, enabling fleets to streamline operations through efficient access to critical vehicle data and actionable insights.”
🙂 Toyota Europe Partners with Targa Telematics. “The agreement enables integration of fleet data streams into Targa Telematics’ platform, leveraging vehicle information such as mileage, fuel consumption, EV metrics, and GPS positioning.”
🚚 Ford Pro Fleet Management Solutions Unveiled at Work Truck Week.
⚡ Orbcomm Joins the Geotab Marketplace Order Now Program. “Fleets will now have direct access to purchase ORBCOMM smart trailer visibility technology including the CT 1000, GT 1220 and GT 1230 through the Geotab Marketplace for trailer management.”
🚛 Samsara Helps FM Conway Reduce Accidents Across its Fleet by 20 Percent. “Samsara has announced infrastructure services company FM Conway has mitigated safety risks across the 16 million miles driven annually by its 1,000+ fleet of vehicles by implementing its AI and fleet management solutions.”
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