The consortium of Stadler and Siemens Mobility have won a €114.5 million contract to provide the Lisbon Metro with a state of the art signaling system and a new fleet of modern trains. Stadler will supply 14 three-car metro trains, while Siemens Mobility will install its Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) system Trainguard MT on the Blue, Yellow and Green lines, and will upgrade the existing equipment. This will include installing its on-board CBTC technology across 70 trains of the existing fleet, as well as on the 14 new Stadler trains.
The contract includes technical training for operation and maintenance, as well as preventive and corrective maintenance of all equipment for the first three years, and the supply of spares and consumables for preventive maintenance for a further two years. The supply period agreed is 77 months, with provisional acceptance planned for 2027.
Stadler will design the vehicles using a modular methodology to better facilitate maintenance. Its stainless- steel car body ensures the vehicles are lightweight and strong. Three double doors per side and carriage will enable passengers to get on and off quickly and easily.
The 14 three-car trains will initially be fitted with CBTC GoA2 but will have the ability to be upgraded to GoA4, so the service can be fully automated in future. Trains will be powered by third rail at 750 V. The 49.6m long and 2.78m wide vehicles will have 90 seats arranged longitudinally, two places for wheelchair users, and
standing capacity for 450 people (6p/m2). The new rolling stock will increase comfort and accessibility for passengers, as well as provide enhanced communications, safety, and video surveillance systems.
Siemens Mobility CBTC signaling technology provides real-time data on vehicle position and speed conditions operating in moving block principle, allowing system operators to safely increase the number of vehicles on a rail line. This results in greater frequency of train arrivals and allows more passengers to be accommodated on the system. This is the most extensively deployed automatic train control system in the world and is currently being used in Singapore, Turkey, Brazil, Spain, and China.
Malaysian consumers can look forward to a new shopping experience as Teleport, the logistics venture of airasia Digital today partnered with Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGIC), the Lead Secretariat of the National Technology and Innovation Sandbox (NTIS), to launch the Urban Drone Delivery Sandbox and develop a long-term viability of urban drone delivery service.
The pilot project for the delivery of goods from airasia’s e-commerce platforms including airasia shop using automated drones is set to be carried out through a 6-month phased approach at the third National Technology and Innovation Sandbox (NTIS) test site in Cyberjaya. The service is currently at testing stage with two local drone operators VStream Revolution Sdn Bhd and Meraque Services Sdn Bhd.
The first phase of the project in Cyberjaya seeks to assess the capability, experience, approval process, deployment readiness and service expansion of the drone operators. The service will be deployed upon a successful trial phase and might be expanded beyond the sandbox environment.
As a national solution coordination and facilitation centre, NTIS provides a critical step by eliminating all or selected processes and/or regulatory requirements to accelerate the development of innovative solutions from the R&D stage to being commercially ready.
In realising this project, NTIS has been working closely with Malaysia’s sole technical regulator, Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) to ensure the safety and security of Unmanned Air Services in urban settings meets the requirements and regulations as set by CAAM. This is to ensure that public safety remains the highest priority whilst facilitating technology advancement.
OLATHE, Kan./Feb. 10, 2020/Business Wire – Garmin® International, Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), today announced a long-term agreement to provide the state-of-the-art Garmin G3000® integrated flight deck to Joby Aviation for their revolutionary all-electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which is expected to commence commercial operations in 2024. Garmin has decades of experience deploying certified avionics solutions to new markets and this is continued with the touchscreen G3000 integrated flight deck for eVTOL aircraft in the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) market. The G3000 integrated flight deck has amassed extensive field service history, and with this derivation of the system into the eVTOL segment, it leverages that proven experience while offering advanced integration functionality in a compact design with unparalleled capabilities.
The modular Garmin G3000 integrated flight deck boasts light weight and vibrant high-resolution flight displays that support navigation, communication and flight sensor solutions and integrates seamlessly with Joby’s aircraft systems. Specifically tailored to meet the needs of eVTOL aircraft, the G3000 system that will be featured in Joby’s eVTOL aircraft delivers enhanced capabilities to optimize their air mobility service through tight integration with the vehicle mission computer and tailoring of flight guidance display indications. Further, the G3000 will be architected to provide the ability to efficiently facilitate future system upgrades as the Advanced Aerial Mobility (AAM) industry continues to evolve.
Joby Aviation is a California headquartered company developing an all-electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. After more than a decade of engineering and development, Joby intends to operate the aircraft as a fast, quiet and affordable air mobility service as early as 2024. The piloted, zero-emissions aircraft, will be capable of transporting four passengers up to 150 miles on a single charge, with a top cruising speed of 200 mph. It is designed to help reduce urban congestion and accelerate the shift to sustainable modes of transit. Designed for daily life, the aircraft lands vertically and provides flexibility and versatility to serve nearly any community.
CHICAGO, Feb. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — United Airlines (Nasdaq: UAL) today announced that it has completed an agreement to work with air mobility company Archer as part of the airline’s broader effort to invest in emerging technologies that decarbonize air travel. Rather than relying on traditional combustion engines, Archer’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft are designed to use electric motors and have the potential for future use as an ‘air taxi’ in urban markets.
Under the terms of the agreement, United will contribute its expertise in airspace management to assist Archer with the development of battery-powered, short-haul aircraft. Once the aircraft are in operation and have met United’s operating and business requirements, United, together with Mesa Airlines, would acquire a fleet of up to 200 of these electric aircraft that would be operated by a partner and are expected to give customers a quick, economical and low-carbon way to get to United’s hub airports and commute in dense urban environments within the next five years.
Working with Archer is another example of United’s commitment to identifying and investing in innovative technology that can reduce carbon emissions while also improving the customer experience and earning a strong financial return. The airline was an early stage investor in Fulcrum BioEnergy and recently partnered with 1PointFive, a joint venture between Oxy Low Carbon Ventures and Rusheen Capital, to jumpstart the establishment of direct air capture and sequestration technology.
With today’s technology, Archer’s aircraft are designed to travel distances of up to 60 miles at speeds of up to 150 miles per hour and future models will be designed to travel faster and further. Not only are Archer’s aircraft capable of saving individuals time on their commute, United estimates that using Archer’s eVTOL aircraft could reduce CO2 emissions by 47% per passenger on a trip between Hollywood and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), one of the initial cities where Archer plans to launch its fleet.
Led by co-founders and co-CEOs Brett Adcock and Adam Goldstein, Archer’s mission is to advance the benefits of sustainable air mobility at scale. Archer plans to unveil its full scale eVTOL aircraft in 2021, begin aircraft production in 2023, and launch consumer flights in 2024. To drive this fourth transportation revolution and transform how people approach everyday life, work and adventure, Archer has built a highly accomplished team of top engineering and design talent, with a collective 200+ years of eVTOL experience.
EmbraerX, Embraer’s disruptive business subsidiary, and Airservices, Australia’s civil air navigation service provider, have developed a new concept of operations (CONOPS) for the air taxi market, also known as urban air mobility (UAM). Going forward, Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions, the new EmbraerX spin-off, will be responsible for this partnership with Airservices and for the development of Urban Air Traffic Management solutions.
Australia is one of the countries benefitting from this innovation revolution and is attracting industry interest and investment, largely due to strong government support and a world-leading aviation safety record. This CONOPS was created to help safely introduce and accelerate the growth of the UAM market in Australia.
This CONOPS explores new and practical concepts to safely facilitate the introduction of the air taxi industry. Using the City of Melbourne, Australia as a model, the CONOPS examines how existing air traffic management solutions can initially enable UAM operations while simultaneously preparing for scale of operations through new traffic management technologies.
The CONOPS leverages Airservices’ sophisticated simulation technology to demonstrate how air taxis could be integrated with existing airspace users in the highly complex Melbourne airspace. This level of simulation provides a scientific basis to the CONOPS.
David Rottblatt, Project Leader for EmbraerX’s Urban Air Traffic Management and appointed to be the future Vice President of Business Development for Eve said, “This CONOPS proposes a safe method for allowing the UAM industry in Australia to scale. Following this first critical step, we will start gathering feedback from industry stakeholders and the community to further inform how we can co-create this exciting future.”
Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions, Inc. (Eve) has been launched as a new, independent company dedicated to accelerating the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) ecosystem. Eve is developing a full portfolio of solutions to enable the UAM market and ultimately benefit people’s lives, including the progression and certification of the company’s electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle (eVTOL), the associated comprehensive services and support network, and the creation of urban air traffic management solutions. André Stein, former head of strategy for EmbraerX, has been appointed CEO of Eve.
Eve will benefit from greater focus, speed, and agility, allowing the company to innovate and execute at an accelerated pace in order to fully capitalize on the global UAM opportunity. Having been incubated for almost four years within EmbraerX, now is the right time to establish Eve as an independent company.
“We value the vast potential of the UAM market, as it represents a new business segment in which we foresee significant opportunities for Embraer. Innovation and diversification are key pillars of Embraer’s new strategic plan, which will increase revenue and improve profitability over the next few years,” said Francisco Gomes Neto, President and CEO of Embraer. “That is why I am eager to announce Eve, the first company to graduate from EmbraerX. Eve stands primed to create a new frontier in transportation with intelligent, environmentally friendly, autonomous-ready aircraft and the associated ubiquitous support and urban air traffic management solutions.”
As part of the company’s initiative to accelerate the UAM revolution, EmbraerX has been part of the Uber Elevate Network since its inception in 2017.
“Eve’s launch is an important next step in commercializing Embraer’s eVTOL designs while building on Embraer’s ability to design, certify, and deliver safe, globally-accepted aircraft. We look forward to our continued partnership to make aerial ridesharing a reality,” said Eric Allison, Head of Uber Elevate.
Benefitting from a startup mindset, backed by Embraer’s more than 50-year history of aerospace expertise, Eve today unveils a unique and valuable market proposition. Eve’s human-centered eVTOL design represents an actual, certifiable product development, as evidenced by the first flight of the engineering simulator in July 2020, and the company is harnessing the expertise of both Embraer and Atech, a subsidiary of the Embraer Group, in providing globally-recognized air traffic management software to create the solutions that will help safely scale the UAM industry going forward.
Alstom is proud to deliver the first two of the 25 Citadis X05 trams ordered by Attiko Metro, the urban transport authority of Athens, in July 2018. The tram will begin dynamic tests at the end of September before being put into passenger service in February 2021.
The 25 trams will run on the city’s existing network, as well as on any planned extensions. The delivery of the last tram is expected by the end of May 2021.
“Alstom is proud to bring its latest generation of tram to Athens. By providing reliable and modern rolling stock, we commit to supporting the development of urban transport in Athens, to further increase the capacity and availability of the existing lines and their extensions,”said Stavros Vlachos, Managing Director Alstom Greece.
In addition to the manufacturing and supply of the trams, Alstom is also responsible for the on-site testing, training and warranty services, as well as spare parts for the vehicles. These are Alstom’s first trams sold in Greece, after the company provided 28 metro trains in early 2000 for the first Athens Metro project.
The modern Citadis X05 trams will supplement the existing fleet of light rail vehicles for use on the network in Athens and Piraeus. This latest generation from the Citadis range offers superior passenger experience, with 20% more glass surfaces, LEDs for soft, homogeneous lighting, large individual seats, and travel information on large screens via a telematic system. The five-section trams will be 33 metres long, with a capacity of 294 passengers. Double doors along the entire length of the tramway ensure enhanced accessibility.
The Citadis X05, the latest version of the Citadis range, boasts a number of new technologies, including permanent magnet motors for higher efficiency, as well as optimised HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning), which together reduce its energy consumption by 25%. Simplified sub-system integration and maintenance decrease lifecycle costs, while the tramway is 97% recyclable. To date, Citadis X05 has been sold in cities such as Sydney, Paris, Nice, Avignon, Caen, Lusail, Frankfurt and Athens.
2,700 vehicles of the Citadis range have been sold in 60 cities worldwide. Citadis trams have covered over 1 billion kilometres and transported 10 billion passengers since the first tram entered service in 2000.
– Inauguration of a landmark mobility project for the State of Jalisco in Mexico
Alstom has officially delivered Line 3 of Guadalajara urban transportation network, a new line expected to carry around 230,000 passengers daily. The line covers nearly 21 kilometres, covering 18 stations through the cities Zapopan, Guadalajara and Tlaquepaque. It will be operated by the local operator SITEUR (Sistema del Tren Eléctrico Urbano – Urban Electric Train System).
In 2014, Alstom was selected by the federal Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes (SCT – Communication and Transportation Ministry) to provide an integrated system for the Guadalajara network extension. The project, representing a nearly €330 million investment (with €240 million for Alstom), will enhance mobility services for residents across the State of Jalisco, providing significant social and economic benefits.
“Line 3 is designed to be 100% accessible to all, with spaces for people with disabilities inside the cars and dedicated infrastructure at all stations. The line is an example of a modern, inclusive transport system that offers passengers a reliable, safe and comfortable travel experience while remaining environmentally sustainable,” said Maite Ramos, Managing Director of Alstom Mexico.
“We congratulate everyone involved in the inauguration of this very important project for Jalisco. Without a doubt, it will greatly benefit all the State’s residents, changing the way they travel and improving their lifestyle. Alstom’s efficient work to carry out this project saw the company’s experience and commitment contribute to improving the quality of life of residents and proposing complete safety in their travel,” said Manuel Gomez Parra, General Director of Railway and Multimodal Development of the SCT.
The 2014 contract included the supply of 18 Metropolis trains, communication systems, the high-voltage and traction substations, and traffic control systems based on Urbalis 400, Alstom’s CBTC system. The trains are equipped with air conditioning, video surveillance, and passenger information systems.
With these projects, Alstom reaffirms its commitment to continue to lead the way to greener and smarter mobility around the world, developing and commercializing integrated systems that provide the sustainable foundation for the future of transportation.
Alstom has been present in Mexico since 1968, with the development of the first metro line in Mexico City. Since then, it has been an important ally for the development of mobility and urban connectivity, as well as the economic growth of the states of the country where it operates. For 52 years, Alstom has pioneered the introduction of metros and its maintenance in Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara. In addition, the company has developed signalling systems and maintenance services for trains and infrastructure for the main railway companies in the country.
EmbraerX, Embraer’s disruptive business subsidiary, announces its expansion into the commercial air cargo market, via a collaboration agreement with Elroy Air, at CES 2020. This collaboration will allow the companies to accelerate the unmanned air cargo market worldwide, leveraging Embraer’s 50 years of industry experience with Elroy Air’s bold new developments in autonomous aircraft systems.
“In order to stay the course of creating solutions that benefit humanity at large, we believe the cargo market is prime for an autonomous aircraft,” said Antonio Campello, President & CEO, EmbraerX. “Booming eCommerce is forcing the cargo market to grow and seek new solutions, creating a distinct need for more flexibility. Our holistic approach to accelerating this market will include working with Elroy Air and its Chaparral system, capable of delivering cargo (250-500 lbs) over distances up to 300 miles, as well as our work in associated services and air traffic management solutions.”
“Elroy Air aims to open a new chapter for the logistics market with point-to-point autonomous aerial cargo systems” said Dave Merrill, CEO of Elroy Air. “Elroy Air’s Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) cargo delivery aircraft, the Chaparral, will operate without airports or charging stations, and is optimized for freight with automated cargo loading and unloading. Our collaboration with EmbraerX will accelerate our path to deployment in commercial freight markets.”
This collaboration is part of EmbraerX’s multi-project approach to further develop the air mobility ecosystem and create the conditions for people and goods to move from A to B in a seamless and affordable way. Beyond cargo, EmbraerX is engaged in several projects, including the development of an Urban Air Mobility focused eVTOL, a tailored Urban Air Traffic Management (UATM) system and a fleet-agnostic business platform, designated Beacon, to streamline services.
In 1996, Bombardier Transportation pioneered a new mobility solution for Singapore’s first light rail transit system – the driverless BOMBARDIER INNOVIA APM 100 automated people mover. This fully automated transit system went into service in 1999 on the revolutionary Bukit Panjang LRT line to improve the quality of life for residents by connecting outlying residential areas with the high-capacity Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) rail network as well to schools, retail, community and healthcare centers.
2019 marks the 20th anniversary of the first APM’s entry into service, a historic milestone for Bombardier. The INNOVIA APM system embodies the evolution of automated transit operations over many years at numerous locations around the globe, from London and Guangzhou to Phoenix and San Francisco – the INNOVIA APM is in use in many of the world’s busiest international airports and city districts. Currently, Bombardier has 32 APM vehicles circulating Bukit Panjang with an annual ridership of 24 million passengers, bringing residents closer to their homes.
Singapore’s Bukit Panjang LRT line
Singapore’s Bukit Panjang LRT line, runs on afully-automated people mover system based on the INNOVIA APM 100 automated people mover system. Already in service in many of the world’s busiest cities and biggest airports, this proven passenger mobility solution provides safe, swift and seamless connectivity between the outlying residential areas and the city.
The iconic Bukit Panjang LRT line is an 8-km automated guideway transit solution intended to serve the residential town located in the West Region of Singapore, acting as a replacement to the many buses deployed through the town, especially during rush hour. With an estimated population of 140,000, half of Bukit Panjang’s residents rely on the LRT for their daily commute. A complete loop journey takes 28 minutes, serving 13 stations, providing a feeder service to connect residents to the two high-capacity North-South (red) and Downtown (blue) MRT lines, moving them to the city.
Operating on a dedicated elevated guideway at a speed between 20km/h to 65 km/h, this arrangement ensures consistent service that provides shorter waiting times for the passengers without interfering with surrounding road traffic. The current BOMBARDIER CITYFLO 550 rail control and signalling system and wireless communications supports the system’s operation while ensuring seamless integration into the city’s existing infrastructure.
Singapore’s INNOVIA APM system
Upgrading Bukit Panjang
In 2018, Bombardier signed an asset replacement contract to upgrade the Bukit Panjang LRT system by supplying a fleet of 19 BOMBARDIERINNOVIA APM 300 vehicles, retrofitting 13 existing INNOVIA APM 100 vehicles, as well as upgrading its current CITYFLO 550 technology to the advanced CITYFLO 650 CBTC solution for a smoother ride for commuters. Other works include power rail enhancement and condition monitoring through Train Control Management System.
Working hand-in-hand with the Singapore Land Transport Authority to design a next-generation train with modern aesthetics, the new features incorporated advanced technology for improved performance and functionality, as well as enabling interchangeability with existing APM 100 vehicles. From 2022, the asset replacement is set to improve rail reliability, safety and availability for optimal performance of the Bukit Panjang LRT line.
The ride ahead
After two decade of services, the system achieved an improved performance and for the period of October 2018 to September 2019, it reached a rail reliability performance of 64,000 train-km before a delay of more than five minutes occurs on the system. Along with the Bukit Panjang LRT system upgrade, Bombardier will support a ten-year maintenance and spare part supply agreement to provide reliable services, ensuring that the authority and operator gain the maximum value from their assets over the lifetime of their system with proven competence. The renewed APM system will continue to set the high urban mobility standards for the Bukit Panjang LRT line and globally in the frame of Bombardier’s urban transit innovation.
Singapore LTA’s target is to expand its urban rail network to 360km by 2030, which creates demand and opportunities for rail manufacturers while driving innovation towards Singapore’s Smart Nation vision. Bombardier’s full spectrum of rail solutions, combining technology and performance with empathy, from driverless metros to automated people mover, helps deliver sustainable mobility and reduces energy consumption to create substantial benefits for operators, commuters and the environment.
Investing in Singapore for the last twenty years, Bombardier has delivered 276 driverless BOMBARDIERMOVIA metro cars for Singapore’s Downtown Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line and 32 INNOVIA APM 100 cars for the Bukit Panjang LRT system. In 2018, two asset replacement contracts were awarded to supply 19 new INNOVIAAPM 300 cars for the Bukit Panjang LRT line and 396 MOVIA metro cars for the two high-capacity North-South and East-West MRT lines. Bombardier is committed to designing better trains, customizing solutions and creating better ways to move residents across Singapore, making sure Bombardier’s mobility solution works for the community and providing for the future.
The renewed INNOVIA APM system will continue to set the high urban mobility standard for the Bukit Panjang LRT line and globally in the frame of Bombardier’s urban transit innovation.
