Former TFL boss Leon Daniel's joins the team at British driverless Taxi hopefuls FiveAI

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(Images courtesy of Medium)

British autonomous vehicle startup FiveAI are set to start mapping London's roads this week as they aim to outwit their bigger rivals when it comes to navigating the more difficult European streets. Sky-blue Ford Fusion cars will be seen collecting data around the outskirts of central London this week, with more vehicles expected to navigate other locations throughout the next 10 months. Europe's strict privacy regulations means FiveAI must comply by assuring no individual would be identifiable from images the vehicles mapping system may capture. Data collected will be used to help push for a 2019 launch of FiveAI's shared, driverless taxi business in London. FiveAI are hoping to be the European answer to Uber's autonomous vehicles range, maybe not such a great idea considering some of Uber's biggest investors have been pushing for Uber to sell their driverless unit because it is losing the company millions. According to a report in the Business Insider, those leading the FiveAI charge believe the technology they have designed may be better equipped to handle the windy London roads easier than their American tech counterparts. WHO'S ADVISING THE TEAM?Former Managing Director of Surface Transport For London, Leon Daniels has joined FiveAI as an advisor. Daniels spent the last seven years leading up to his retirement in 2017 leading London's push to modernise its transportation system. Daniel's claims to of been responsible for ensuring "everyone" - Londoners, visitors, volunteers, athletes and more- got to the right place at the right time during the 2012 Olympic Games. Daniels said in an introduction statement to FiveAI, published in Medium :"Here's something I've learned along the way: while London's double deckers and tube trains are iconic and beloved, transport must move with the times". Daniel's said he has always been fascinated by London's ever evolving social and cultural history and shares FiveAI's passion to transform Europe's cities with innovation. Daniel's ended by saying he was excited to join FiveAI on their journey and to offer up his skills as well as his knowledge.

August 16, 2018 at 04:07PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Beautiful Barbados winter sun from £695pp - 7nts hotel, flights, luggage & transfers

Pirates, check out this awesome holiday in sunny Barbados we have come across for under £700 per person. You will stay for a week in a great rated and award winning hotel, however you can also stay longer if you wish - we have included the prices below. Holiday details Travel duration: 7 nights (longer… Lola POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Super luxurious Austrian hideaway: Half board in the mountains from £151pppn incl. spa access

OK, OK, so this isn't the cheapest hotel in the world Pirates but we all deserve an injection of luxury into our lives every now and again! Jet off to Austria this autumn to the stunning 4* Aqua Dome Superior Hotel, nestled in a valley in Längenfeld, views of the mountains can pretty much be… Worlds_End_Gem POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Last minute all inclusive Dom Rep: 7nts from £525pp - incl. resort, flights, bags & transfers

Ahoy! Check out this last minute all inclusive holiday in Dominican Republic we have found using our package holiday finder. You will stay for 7 nights in a gorgeous beachfront location with flights from Manchester, you can also fly from London and Birmingham at awesome prices. The holiday is with TUI so not only includes… Captain_Niamh POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

2-4nt Les Villages Nature® Paris family break from £159pp - incl. Disney® park entry & transport

Give the family a dream holiday with this magical package to Les Villages Nature® Paris courtesy of MagicBreaks! This package includes Disney® Park tickets, accommodation at Les Villages Nature Paris as well as transport via Eurotunnel or flights. This deal is available from now until November, with some of the cheapest departures in September. Packages… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Autumn weekend in Oxfordshire from £41pppn: 4* Crowne Plaza stay w/pool, golf course & spa

A cute upmarket staycation is just what the doctor ordered for a dreary upcoming winter. So we are prescribing a minibreak in the Oxfordshire/Cotswolds countryside. Weekends at the 4* Crowne Plaza Heythrope Park now start from as little as £41 per person, per night -- midweek dates may even be slightly cheaper! With manicured Italian… Captain_Niamh POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Uber reportedly lost $891 million in the second quarter of 2018 as growth slows

7nts Egypt all inclusive from £498pp: 5* hotel, flights, bags & transfers

Pirates, enjoy a swanky week of utter relaxation in sunny Egypt from £486pp including the 5* Jaz Makadi Saraya Splash Resort, all inclusive board, flights, transfers & bags. This deal's got all based covered, so all you have to do is show up, disengage your work brain and get stuck into that holiday bliss. Holiday… Bosun-Dawes POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Picture perfect Portugal: 3nts from £135pp incl. 5* hotel, breakfast & flights

Pirates, if you love Portugal, hit up this deal for a winter escape: 3 nights from £135pp including the 5* Algarve Casino Hotel, breakfast & flights. This classic holiday spot is sure to provide a trip to remember - soak up that 5* luxury. Holiday details Travel duration: 3 nights (longer or shorter stays possible)… Bosun-Dawes POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Last minute Costa Rican escape: 14nts B&B from £690pp incl. flights, hotel, bags & transfers

Pirates, Costa Rica is such a stunning country that you'll need 2 weeks to make the most of it. Luckily, we have discovered this tropical bargain - made even cheaper due to a discount code from TUI. You'll be staying at the 4* Esplendor Tamarindo - surrounded by lush jungles and situated almost right on… Worlds_End_Gem POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

5* Lanzarote half board family escape 5nts from £355pp - incl. flights & Iberostar hotel

Ahoy mateys! Lanzarote is up next and we've laid eyes on the luxurious, Travellers' Choice awarded 5* Iberostar Lanzarote Park in Playa Blanca just a short walk from Playa Flamingo boasting a wide selection of pools and great kid's entertainment programmes. We've found good rates for the winter season but there's also availability throughout 2019.… Castaway_Cee POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

City of London brings in capital’s first environmentally friendly parking tariff

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The City of London Corporation has announced the introduction of new charges for on-street parking in the Square Mile starting Monday 20 August 2018.

The new parking charges will use a ground-breaking parking solution, RingGo’s Emissions Based Parking product, which will target high polluting transport with higher charges while rewarding drivers of low emission vehicles with lower tariffs. The initiative aims to incentivise motorists to make more environmentally friendly choices and improve air quality across the Square Mile by reducing nitrogen oxides and harmful particulates. RingGo’s Emissions Based Parking product will automatically assess the type of vehicle being parked and charge tariffs based on the level of pollution emitted by the vehicle. Although the product is being used elsewhere in London, the City Corporation is the first to offer a range of charges dependent on the vehicle’s fuel type. The following tariff bands will operate on weekdays from 8am to 7pm when air quality is at its worst:

The RingGo app is a cashless parking solution. Motorists still choosing to use cash at a machine, rather than paying with RingGo, will pay the highest rate.

Chris Hayward, Planning and Transportation Committee Chairman at the City of London Corporation, said: “We have seen other areas of London penalise worst offenders such as diesel cars. We are taking this one step further by not only applying punitive measures for these worst offenders but by supporting and encouraging motorists to consider other modes of transport and switch to cleaner vehicles in the future. “98% of all parking in the City is paid for by mobile phone so RingGo’s Emissions Based Parking is a great way of reminding motorists of the impact of their journey each and every time they travel. “The Square Mile is one of London’s busiest areas, therefore, it is only right that the City of London Corporation continues to prioritise providing a safe and healthy environment for its workers, visitors and residents.”

August 16, 2018 at 08:16AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Zip to Zante: 7nts in September from £215pp incl. hotel, flights, transfers & bags

Pirates, zoom to Zante with 7 nights in September from £215pp including the 3* Tzante Hotel, flights, transfers and bags. This holiday favourite will be sure to give you that relaxing break you're looking for. Holiday details Travel duration: 7 nights Example date: 16th - 23rd September 2018 Departure from Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Doncaster, East… Bosun-Dawes POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Exclusive : Colts Taxis Getts Rid, In Favour Of A Non-Profit TaxiApp Provided By Licensed Taxi Drivers...by Sean Paul Day.

GETT RID

It’s easy to be critical, in fact, it’s it’s easy to find fault in someone or something or even something some one is doing. Add to that a clash in personality and it’a wonder we manage to get any work done with the amount of criticism we have to wade through. 

Now, if you want to take criticism to the next level you need to be someone who earns a living out of the trade. It doesn’t matter who or what you do, or if you are good, bad, or ugly, you are going to get criticised. 

What the trade lacks is reciprocity, alliances or partners if you will. There was a time when the regulation that governs our industry prevailed, but now it seems, with everyone else partnering anyone they can find, the trade is becoming increasingly isolated in a world where a few alliances would do us a world of good 

TAXIAPP UK - London’s only Trade app that’s owned and run by drivers themselves is always looking for different ways to advertise their product, and one such place is on the side of taxis. However, TAXIAPP/ unlike the Corporate led apps- isn’t afforded the luxury of any outside investment and because a lot of the fleet owners look to maximising profits from renting cabs, the cost of advertising on cabs has always been out of the price range for TAXIAPP to consider 

Enter Michael Glassman from Colts Cabs. Responding to the strong feelings in the trade against ride hailing apps, particularly Gett, he has taken the stance to remove all of their liveries and replace them with TAXIAPP ones completely free of charge. In total Glassman has supplied a fleet of 80 cabs for TAXIAPP to advertise their brand. 

   

A spokesperson from TAXIAPP said they were thrilled at what is effectively an unprecedented act of goodwill and hopes that the exposure will generate more business for the app, and also shine a torch on the commitment Colts Cabs have shown towards the trade 

Of course it’s not entirely without cost as the app had to consider designing and producing the livery itself and of coarse there was the fitting to consider. "We did actually get a very good deal from Dvinylwraps," says Scott, who looks after the app’s finances "To do all 80 cabs in one go simply wasn’t feasible, but we had to find a way as it was far too good an offer to let go by the wayside"

What you’ll see is a dozen cabs (possibly more ) each month being filtered out on to the streets of the Capital emblazoned with the TAXIAPP logo.

As far as criticism goes? Well, very few people in this world do anything for zero pay off, but as far as this act of good will is concerned, Glassman didn’t have to do it, but he chose to, and should be commended for it. That’s criticism, partnerships and helping each other all in one. As the mantra goes, support those that support the trade.

I await criticism

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Uber record loss of £702m in latest quarter as profit remains a long way off

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Controversial ride-hailing firm Uber squeezed its losses slightly in the second quarter, but remains £702m off of recording a quarterly profit according to company figures published this week. The under pressure global minicab operator accounted a £702m net loss for the three months leading up to 30 June, an improvement when you compare it to the firms $1.1bn loss this time last year.Dara Khosrowshahi’s Uber are now under huge pressure to become profitable before a planned IPO next year as funds start to dwindle. Uber made $12bn worth of gross bookings in the quarter, which included revenue from both minicab rides and its food-delivery service. This total was up 40% from last year, however the previous quarter totalled 55% showing a slow down in growth. The firms CEO Khosrowshahi blamed the losses on "big bets" outside its core ride-hailing app, such as food delivery, electric bikes and for-hire scooters.

August 16, 2018 at 01:18AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Uber's self-driving unit is losing millions. "Sell up" say investors

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A report in Reuters has revealed investors in Uber Technologies Inc have told those at the ride-hailing giants that it would be wise to sell off its self-driving car unit. Tech news site The Information, cited an unnamed person as the source to the claims. Uber's self-driving unit racked up losses of $125 million to $200 million for each quarter for the last year-and-a-half. Uber released today its second quarter financials which showed a slowdown in net revenue and bookings growth. Although growth has slowed down, the controversial Silicon Valley firm are still on track to hit more than $10 billion in revenue this year. According to a report in CNBC, Uber's self-driving unit is contributing to 15% to 30% of Uber's overall quarterly losses. Uber have invested big in other markets, such as their food delivery service "UberEats" and its "e-bikes" and "scooter" lines. Uber hope to push forward with an IPO in 2019.

August 15, 2018 at 10:42PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Crazy cheap: Central Liverpool group apartment stay from £13pppn (couples from £26pppn) Aug - Oct

If you're looking to get the lads or ladies together for a shopping day or special occasion in Liverpool then you're in for a treat because between 4 people the Printworks apartments can cost as little as £13 per person per night! Each modern apartment is kitted out with everything you need for a comfortable… Worlds_End_Gem POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

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15nt cruise from UK to Amsterdam, Gibraltar, Canaries & Portugal from £775pp - incl. full board

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In Dublin's fair city, where the girls are so pretty, the holiday prices are pretty tasty as well. We've created a fantastic DIY minibreak to the Emerald Isle for Autumn, using discounted Ryanair flights and a great value Travelodge that is right in the city centre. You can nab this bargain stay from as little… Captain_Niamh POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT