ANTONICS and VIANOVA modernise buses in New York City

ANTONICS is partnering with VIANOVA Technologies, a company based in Kaufbeuren near Munich, to upgrade New York City's buses with top-notch infotainment systems. VIANOVA Technologies specializes in high-resolution, dynamic onboard systems for metros, trams, and buses.

Get to your destination with dynamic passenger information

The project goal is to install an innovative antenna on over 5,000 coach and city buses, enabling dynamic passenger information and infotainment. 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.

Good cooperation leaves a pleasant mark. The high quality of the products, consistent deliveries, and past successful collaborations were the driving factors behind jointly undertaking this New York project. And so, 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 3000 antennas are scheduled for installation as part of the project, ensuring that all vehicles are outfitted with ANTONICS' cutting-edge technology.

ANTONICS Bus Antenna

The ANTONICS OmPlecs bus antennas generation combines extremely low antenna heights with the highest technological requirements for antenna performance characteristics.

These bus antennas allow for extremely flat construction with heights of 40mm / 60mm, enabling the shared use of various communication systems. These include 2m-band, 70cm-band / trunked radio / TETRA / UIC, GSM-R, GSM 1800, UMTS, LTE, 2x2 LTE MIMO, 4x4 LTE MIMO, WLAN 2.4, WLAN 5.8, and GPS / GLONASS. Antonics consolidates these functions into just one antenna.

ANTONICS Bus Cables

OmProCab-55 is a double-shielded, low-loss coaxial cable with a flexible inner conductor and certification according to ECE R118 for installation in motor vehicles. This cable excels in excellent RF properties and a flexible inner conductor. The product is configurable and can be adapted flexibly to customer requirements.

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 than standard products in the industry.

That's what Vianova says:

The heart of this technology is a dual-channel GNSS interface, which was necessary for the high requirements of the project.

Josef Kreidl

Managing Director 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.

The cityscape of New York City

The cityscape of New York City is diverse and dynamic. The skyline, famous worldwide, is characterized by skyscrapers representing a mix of architectural styles. The Chrysler Building stands as a popular landmark in New York City. The streets are lively and vibrant, filled with a blend of different cultures, shops, restaurants, and an ongoing energy that keeps the city alive at all times. It's a city that never stands still, continuously evolving as new trends, cultures, and ideas flow in, shaping and reshaping its cityscape.

The cityscape of New York City

The cityscape of New York City is diverse and dynamic. The skyline, famous worldwide, is characterized by skyscrapers representing a mix of architectural styles. The Chrysler Building stands as a popular landmark in New York City. The streets are lively and vibrant, filled with a blend of different cultures, shops, restaurants, and an ongoing energy that keeps the city alive at all times. It's a city that never stands still, continuously evolving as new trends, cultures, and ideas flow in, shaping and reshaping its cityscape.

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.

The conversion of the New York buses is so successful that other American cities, such as Chicago, are also being equipped with innovative technology made in Germany.