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🛰 Japan Launches Michibiki 6 Navigation Satellite (Quasi-Zenith). “Japan’s flagship H3 rocket successfully launched the Michibiki 6 navigation satellite, enhancing the country’s regional GPS capabilities. The Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) H3 rocket lifted off Feb. 2 from Tanegashima Space Center. Aboard was the 1,900-kilogram Michibiki 6 satellite, also known as the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZS-6), for Japan’s navigation satellite system.
😧 Indian Navigation Satellite Stuck in Transfer Orbit After Propulsion Failure. “The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) said Feb. 2 that the NVS-02 satellite, launched Jan. 28, suffered a thruster failure that is keeping the spacecraft from raising its orbit as planned.”
🚀Ariane 6 to Deliver Inaugural Galileo 2nd Gen Satellites as European Industry Backs Arianespace. “Under this contract, Ariane 6 will deploy the first pair of second-generation Galileo navigation satellites (L17). Before this mission, three launches (L14, L15, L16) are already set for Ariane 6 to reinforce Galileo. Each of those flights will ferry two satellites, completing the constellation’s first-generation segment.”
😒 DJI Explains Why It Won’t Stop Drones From Flying Over the White House — And What Happens in a US Ban. “Time is not on DJI’s side. The world’s largest drone maker has less than a year to convince the Trump administration to save its products from an automatic US ban — at a time when drone fears have been stoked more than ever.”
👉 Advanced Navigation Joins Forces with Gilmour Space to ‘Bullet Proof’ Its Rocket Guidance System. “Advanced Navigation has teamed up with Gilmour Space Technologies to develop a space-graded high-shock INS that can withstand the extreme conditions of a rocket launch in the latest collaboration ahead of Australia’s first commercial space mission. The project is being supported by a $856,077 grant issued to Sydney-based Advanced Navigation by the Australian Space Agency.”
💲 Supercom Secures Over 200% Growth in Puretrack GPS Monitoring Units in Large Nationwide European Project. “SuperCom SPCB -9.69%↓ said it has received new orders from a ‘European government customer’ which locked in more than 200 percent growth in PureTrack GPS units in the 12-month period ending January 2025 and is expected to surpass 400 percent growth by end of 2025.”
AT&T fighting $57 million location privacy fine. Amazon being sued for location privacy (See story in our paid subscriber newsletter).
👏 Meeting A National Security Challenge: The Race to GPS Resiliency. “As noted in a National Security Space Association report, China and Russia already have terrestrial complements to space-based PNT, decades after the U.S. originally invented GPS. They’ve built layered, more capable and resilient backups to global positioning systems, while the U.S. has not taken all the steps necessary to address active national security threats.”
🏛 En Banc Fourth Circuit Panel Uses Bank Robbery to Debate Geofence Warrants.
⚡ Soracom, Sequans Bundle Developer Kits for Easier Cellular IoT. “KDDI-owned Soracom is supplying out-of-the-box global IoT connectivity into a pair of new developer evaluation kits from France-based IoT chipmaker Sequans. The new modules are available in two variants, with either dual-band LTE-M and NB-IoT connectivity, or single-band Cat 1bis connectivity.”
🛩 Ukraine’s New Drone Bomber Flies 1,200 Miles with a 550-Pound Bomb—And Returns to Base.
Expert nationwide installation services for fleet technologies.
Maps:
🏆 12 Map Happenings That Rocked Our World: Part 11. James Killick: “So tomorrow, Friday Feb. 7, 2025, at 7 p.m. Pacific time, marks an anniversary. That precise time will be the 20th anniversary of the launch of Google Maps. And what a journey it has been. Not only for all the hard-working folks at Google, but also for the billions of human beings on this planet that have benefited from this ubiquitous geographic platform.”
👍 Apple Releases the First Apple Maps DCE Update in a Very, Very Long Time. “Apple‘s AAPL -2.39%↓ new (detailed city experience) maps are now live in New Orleans. You get 3D buildings (not all landmarks are supported, though), updated roads with the rich details mentioned above, Look Around, and AR walking directions.”
“As per its typical approach, Apple has remained tight-lipped on other Apple Maps DCE expansions, so it’s impossible to tell where the new maps could become available next. New Orleans is certainly a big surprise, especially as evidence of a DCE expansion was previously spotted in Italy and Spain.”
🗺 UNL, GrabMaps Collaborate to Enhance Location Services for SEA Businesses. “Combining their technologies, UNL and GrabMaps will leverage their location data and expertise to offer hyperlocal location services. GrabMaps contributes its location data, including addresses, imagery, and points of interest across Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand.”
🤷♂️ The Feature Google Maps Needs to Make Me Dump Waze. “Only one feature would make me dump Waze and switch to Google Maps full-time: a setting to let me choose the traffic reports to import from Waze into Google Maps.”
😉 Google Maps Reverts Irksome Android Auto Change Following Complaints. “Google Maps on Android Auto once again adjusts the driver’s location to be “centered” to match the UI rather than the display. It’s a minor visual tweak, but one that looks considerably nicer, especially on smaller displays.”
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Connected and Autonomous Vehicles:
😧 GM’s Cruise to Cut 1,000 Jobs as Robotaxi Service Shuts Down. “General Motors GM -1.11%↓ is cutting almost half of the workforce in the Cruise driverless car unit, part of a previously announced plan to halt robotaxi service and absorb the operations into its broader business. Several of Cruise’s leaders, including CEO Marc Whitten, will leave this week in the overhaul.”
🤔 Autonomous Vehicle Testing in California Dropped 50 Percent. “The new figures reflect an industry with few players, Waymo’s transition to commercial robotaxi operator, and the suspension, and ultimate shuttering, of Cruise.
🙁 Honda to Recall Nearly 300,000 Vehicles in the U.S. Due to Engine Risks. “American Honda diagnosed the problem by monitoring telematics data and concluded that a software update from the supplier is necessary.”
🚍 Waabi and Volvo Team up To Build Self-Driving Trucks at Scale. “The tie-up also marks Volvo’s second partnership to co-develop self-driving big rigs with a startup partner. In May 2024, Volvo teamed up with Aurora Innovation to reveal the Volvo VNL Autonomous truck.”
😮 Hyundai India Sells Over 675,000 Connected Cars. “Hyundai Motor India has revealed it has sold over 675,000 cars with connected features since 2019. The company currently offers connected car features in 12 out of 14 models in India, including the all-electric Ioniq 5.”
🚘 Rivian Says It Will Offer Hands-off Autonomous Driving Later This Year, With Eyes-off Coming in 2026 – A More Realistic Approach Than Tesla’s Wild Promises. “Rivian could soon rival Mercedes with its autonomous offering.”
👍 LeddarTech Announces First OEM Design Win for LeddarVision ADAS Solution. “LeddarTech LDTC -1.90%↓ has announced that ‘one of the world’s leading commercial vehicle OEMs’ has selected the company as the fusion and perception software supplier for their ADAS program for 2028 model year vehicles.”
🚙 Here’s What Effective Federal Rules Around Autonomous Vehicles Could Look Like, According to a Former Dot Inspector General. “The Trump administration has signaled interest in developing a federal framework for AVs.”
🚌 Waymo Announces a Public Transit Credit Program in LA.
👌 ITS India Forum and 5G Automotive Association (5GAA) have signed an MoU to accelerate the commercialization of 5GAA, driving innovation in connected and autonomous mobility, the association said.
🚗 Media Day at CES2025: Where Car Companies Don’t Talk About Cars.
Fleet Telematics:
📌 Targa Telematics: Partnership Signed with Volkswagen Group Info Services AG for Fleet Data Integration. “Targa Telematics has partnered with Volkswagen Group Info Services AG to expand its range of data solutions for fleet operators. The integration will involve dynamic vehicle data from fleet vehicles of Volkswagen passenger cars and commercial vehicles, Audi, Škoda, Seat, and Cupra.
🚚 CalAmp Launches Okta Single Sign-On Integration. CalAmp has announced the integration of Okta Single Sign-On (SSO) across its iOn fleet and device management applications.
🚛 J. J. Keller Adds MVR Monitoring to Its Fleet Management System. “J. J. Keller & Associates has introduced a motor vehicle record (MVR) monitoring feature to its Encompass fleet management system,”
Financial:
🚙 TomTom Sees Lower 2025 Earnings on Automotive Market Slowdown, Shares Drop. Longer analysis in our paid subscriber area below…
😐 Urgently Announces Short-Term Extensions of Term Loans. “Urgently ULY 0.00%↑ has announced that it has reached an agreement with its lenders on a short-term extension.”
