ANTONICS and VIANOVA modernise buses in New York City

Get to your destination with dynamic passenger information

The project will equip over 5,000 coach and city buses, with an innovative antenna to enable a dynamic passenger infotainment system. This service aligns with the current trends and ensures passengers stay informed with live updates, including important notifications regarding any disruptions. Another added value of this new technology is entertaining passengers during their journey with informative content. As a result, the perceived travel time will be subjectively shortened. Therefore, the public transport company and the journey will leave a lasting positive impression.

Excellent project collaboration

The high quality of the products, consistent deliveries, and past successful collaborations were the driving factors behind jointly undertaking this New York project. In 2018, the in-house development of the innovative, specially designed OmPlecs®-TOP 200 RA MF-04 -5- L1/L2 bus antenna (item 100-43-10-02.5.12) began, which was selected together with the associated OmProCab®-55 Low Loss Flex coaxial cable. By 2026, nearly all antennas are scheduled for installation as part of the project, ensuring that all vehicles are outfitted with ANTONICS‘ cutting-edge technology.

Small, compact, flat and innovative

A characteristic of this special ANTONICS antenna: with a diameter of only 200 mm, it is small and compact. Since everything technically necessary is integrated in just one antenna, it saves a lot of space. Also noteworthy is its flat design with a height of just 60 mm – combined with the highest technological requirements. It thus enables the shared use of various communication systems. Since cost-intensive splitters are no longer needed, the antenna is also much more economical compared to similar products.

"The heart of this technology is a dual-channel GNSS interface, which was necessary for the high requirements of the project," explains Josef Kreidl, Managing Director of VIANOVA Technologies. The reason: New York is a concrete jungle characterized by skyscrapers and high-rise buildings, which makes it difficult to position the buses. Equipped with dual-channel GNSS, it is now possible to determine the location of the buses with almost to-the-centimeter accuracy at any time.

Equipped with pioneering antennas and the real-time on-board infotainment system for buses, New York bus passengers will now receive real-time information about connections, transfer options, and possible delays via 4G/5G transmission of compact data packets. A powerful Wi-Fi interface ensures the rapid transfer of large amounts of data. The triple antenna from ANTONICS guarantees maximum reception and transmission quality of all three communication channels.

A Blueprint for Urban Mobility

The successful transformation of New York City buses serves as a blueprint for other American cities looking to enhance their public transit systems. With innovative technology developed in Germany, cities like Chicago are following suit, embracing advancements that redefine the commuter experience and pave the way for a more connected, efficient urban mobility ecosystem.