Latest news with #Magna
Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- Automotive
- Hamilton Spectator
Driverless vehicles have hit Toronto's streets. Here's what you need to know — from secret rules to ticketing confusion
Driverless delivery vehicles have hit the streets of Toronto, as part of a test program by Aurora-based car parts manufacturer Magna International. Though the city had no say in the program, which is regulated by the province, residents in some downtown and midtown wards may have already seen the first of a planned 20 rolling out. Here's what you need to know about the driverless vehicle program, including what was in the company's application, which the provincial government kept sealed from the public. Up to 20 automated three-wheeled vehicles will be delivering small packages until the end of the year throughout Davenport, as well as parts of Parkdale-High Park, York South-Weston, University-Rosedale and Toronto-St. Paul's. While the vehicles themselves are already out and about, as of Friday Magna has not yet started making deliveries with them, according to a spokesperson for the company. Up to 20 automated vehicles will be delivering small packages throughout all of Davenport and parts of Parkdale-High Park, York South-Weston, University-Rosedale and Toronto-St. Paul's. Magna is training its artificial intelligence through this pilot program, developing its software in a competitive field, though the company declined to shed light on its ultimate goal. Meanwhile, for city staff, it's an opportunity to see what the technology's limits are in a dense city like Toronto. 'It seems clear that pressure will grow over time to deploy vehicles with various types and levels of automation on Toronto streets,' wrote the city's general manager of transportation services Barbara Gray in a report. Magna has vowed their vehicles will only operate on roads with a speed limit of 40 km/h or less because its software caps the vehicles' upper limit to 32 km/h. Each vehicle will be supervised by a 'chase car' with a driver and passenger tailing behind, as well as a remote human operator. However, according to confidential provincial documents obtained by the Star that outline Magna's licence conditions, the vehicles are allowed to operate on arterial roads at certain hours, which in Toronto usually have speed limits of 50 km/h. 'Magna does not plan for these vehicles to cross arterial roads during daytime testing, however, may do so during off-peak hours where less traffic is present,' according to the confidential documents. The use of automated vehicles for various services has increased recently, but mainly in U.S. states with a warmer climate than Ontario. Magna said its vehicles will not operate in Toronto during heavy snow or rain. According to a city report with information mostly from Magna , the vehicles will avoid left turns to reduce the chance of collisions and traffic delays. But this is not mandated by the province. Part of Magna's licence conditions said the vehicles can make left turns if it is at a three-way intersection with traffic lights and no lane of oncoming traffic, and if it is controlled by the remote operator, according to the confidential documents. The confidential documents sealed by the province also include city staff's concerns — among them key requests the Ministry of Transportation rebuffed. For one thing, 'to mitigate safety risks' city staff had asked the province to keep these vehicles off Bloor Street between Avenue Road and Christie Street, and for the vehicles to travel no more than one consecutive block on Bloor anywhere west of Christie. City staff also asked the province to prevent these vehicles from operating during afternoon rush hour on weekdays north of Bloor on Bathurst and Dufferin streets, and any streets south of Bloor. The ministry response said these requests were not 'viable' restrictions, 'as it presents challenges and would make data collection difficult.' Deliveries could include any retail goods such as groceries, meals, pharmaceuticals or clothing. The vehicles, carrying packages stored in locked compartments, will park in a curbside space. If there isn't a free parking space, the vehicle will stop at the nearest legal location, and a person in the chase vehicle will help with the delivery. Customers will unlock the compartment with a multi-digit access code. As for receiving the code, 'we anticipate it will be via retailer application, similar to ride-hailing notifications when a vehicle has arrived,' the Magna spokesperson said. According to the public city report , each vehicle gets its own licence plate and the company has liability insurance of $5 million per incident, as required under the province's Highway Traffic Act. But Toronto police have yet to figure out with the city and the Ministry of Transportation what or who to ticket if there's any infraction because the legislation is drafted so law enforcement writes tickets to human drivers, not autonomous vehicles. 'In the meantime, if there is a scenario in which a driverless vehicle commits a (traffic) violation, TPS officers will engage with the human supervisors of these driverless vehicles,' said Toronto police spokesperson Nadine Ramadan. Since this data is being used to actively train Magna's artificial intelligence, that means the technology will capture people's faces, while licence plates will be obscured. The data, including personal information, is stored on a Magna server in Toronto and certain Magna engineers — in Ontario and in Michigan — may access this data 'for analysis and AI training, from time to time and for a short period of time,' the company said. While the vehicles don't use facial recognition technology, capturing faces on video 'enables the better prediction of where pedestrians are going to move,' Magna said. Coun. Gord Perks (Ward 4, Parkdale-High Park) said he has asked Magna if its AI was ever tested in the sort of complicated transportation environment like downtown Toronto, including any experience interacting with transit vehicles, bike lanes and construction zones or people wearing workers' vests. 'They said 'no,'' Perks said. 'Experience operating where there might be potholes or other interruptions on the road? They were unsure.' Perks also said he was told by Magna they were unsure if law enforcement agencies could get access to their video footage. At council's infrastructure and environment committee this month, councillors asked the city's transportation staff to come back in September with answers to a list of questions about privacy and consent, include getting advice from the provincial and federal privacy commissioners. Also subject to council's approval this week, city staff are to report back by the end of 2026 on the takeaways of the pilot project. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Fox News
3 days ago
- General
- Fox News
Unearthed Ancient Roman shoes draw 'impressed gasps' after being buried for 2,000 years
Volunteers were baffled recently when they unearthed not one but two ancient shoes at a historic British site. The discoveries were made at Magna, an Ancient Roman fort in Northumberland, in late May. The Roman Army Museum, located near the fort in Brampton, made the announcement. Photographs show volunteers holding the remarkably preserved leather shoes, which have maintained their form despite being buried for 2,000 years. A volunteer named Jo found the first shoe, which "seems to have all of its sole layers intact," the organization said. The shoe's heel area is still attached to it; its outer sole still contains hobnails. Officials said the find sheds light on how these shoes were crafted. "This gives us a really good look at how Roman shoes were made: Multiple layers of leather were used to form the sole, held together with thongs [leather strips], stitching and hobnails," the Roman Army Museum said. "These also reinforced the outer surface for walking and are found on many styles of shoe." "It's always exciting to find anything that hasn't been touched for 2,000 years, but a shoe is such a personal item." Officials were unable to determine the size of the shoe, as a toe area was missing, but they said it "would have been a large shoe when complete." The volunteer beamed about the find, telling officials that it "really puts you in touch" with the Romans who lived at the fort. "It's always exciting to find anything that hasn't been touched for 2,000 years, but a shoe is such a personal item," said Jo, the volunteer. Before long, another piece of footwear was found. The second shoe was roughly equal to a U.S. men's size 14, which impressed the volunteers. The find "immediately drew impressed gasps" from volunteers and staff archaeologists, according to the museum. "Although in this case [it was] only one of the several sole layers, the sheer size of the shoe and guesses about who could have worn it dominated the conversation," the organization said. "Measuring in at 32cm long, the equivalent of U.K. men's size 12-14 in modern footwear, could this one be the largest in the Vindolanda Trust collection? We certainly look forward to finding out!" Volunteers also recently dug up pottery fragments, tent pegs and other rarities, but the shoes stole the show. Magna is situated near Hadrian's Wall, a Roman wall designed to protect the northern border of the Britannia from the Picts. The fort was established around 80 A.D., predating Hadrian's Wall by a few decades. Last month, a nearby fort made international headlines when a couple found an ancient depiction of a Roman goddess during another volunteer dig. Fox News Digital reached out to Vindolanda Trust for additional information.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Magna latest to downgrade global ad spending forecast, expects $979B
This story was originally published on Marketing Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Marketing Dive newsletter. Global advertising revenue for media owners is expected to hit $979 billion in 2025, a 4.9% increase from 2024, according to a report released by Magna, a unit of IPG Mediabrands, on June 16. The forecast marks a spending revision down 1.2 percentage points from its last update in December. Revenue from traditional advertising sources, such as publishing, TV and radio, is expected to drop 3% to $264 billion in 2025, reflecting ongoing economic uncertainty. Digital platform ad sales are projected to total $715 billion, an 8% increase. Search and retail media ads will reach $357 billion, an 8% increase. Social media ad sales will rise 11% to $242 billion and short-form video content ad sales are expected to rise 7% to $80 billion. Digital platforms allow for easier scalability and accountability, making them a prime investment for periods of lower visibility. U.S. advertising revenue for media owners is expected to hit a record-high of $398 billion, a 4.6% increase over 2024 and a 6.9% increase when excluding cyclical spending. While ad revenue continues to grow, it is slightly slower than years prior. In 2024, growth was 9.9%. However, the economic forecast has been steadily improving, and the first quarter of 2025 saw a revenue increase of 9.1%, when excluding cyclical spending. Despite this growth, investors and consumers remain wary of the economic landscape as tariff concerns persist. Magna is the latest to cut its ad spending predictions following a similar move by WPP Media last week. Major live events continue to prop up traditional media outlets, per Magna's 'Global Ad Forecast.' Though traditional media ad revenue is expected to decline in 2025, revenue remains flat when adjusting for the Olympics and U.S. elections. Digital continues to be a driver of growth, largely due to an increase in usage. Retail media networks are predicted to generate $163 billion in sales. Growth factors, such as surging e-commerce, increased engagement and an expanded presence in emerging markets, continue to fuel retail media networks. Amazon Ads is the largest retail media network in the U.S. and is estimated to be larger than all other U.S. networks combined. Keyword search, the largest digital ad format, will grow 8% to $357 billion. Core search, which includes Google and Bing, is expected to increase 7% to $217 billion. Retailer search will jump 12% to $140 billion and short-form platforms, including YouTube and Twitch, will see a revenue expansion of 7% to $80 billion, per the report. Ad-supported streaming has proven to be popular, especially as consumers look to cut costs. Ad revenue from premium long-form CTV streaming services, including Hulu and Netflix, makes up 15% of total long-form video advertising globally, accounting for $23 billion out of $155 billion. In certain markets, such as the U.K. and the U.S., it accounts for 20% to 25% of total category revenue. While the global ad market is seeing a slowdown in 2025, it is expected to recover in 2026 due to economic stabilization and major televised events, such as the FIFA World Cup, the Winter Olympics and the U.S. Midterms. The forecast calls for 2026 global ad sales to rise 6.3%, passing $1 trillion in revenue for the first time. The U.S. market will see a growth of 7.8% and pass $400 billion in revenue.
Daily Mail
13-06-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Footius Maximus! Scientists discover a 2,000-year-old leather shoe belonging to a Roman soldier with absolutely ENORMOUS feet
Archaeologists have always said that Romans left a massive footprint in Britain, but they probably didn't mean it quite so literally. Scientists have discovered an enormous shoe belonging to a Roman soldier with massive feet. The hefty leather sole measures 12.6 inches (32cm) from toe to heel - the equivalent of a modern men's size UK 13. That means this 2,000-year-old centurion had bigger feet than muscleman Arnold Schwarzenegger, who stands at 6ft 2" (188cm) tall. The archaeologists who found it said the discovery 'drew impressed gasps' as it was pulled from the ground. The shoe was found in the grounds of Magna, a Roman fort built along Hadrian's Wall around 112 AD. It was found alongside two others inside an 'ankle breaker' trench, a vicious trap consisting of a narrow, deep trench that would be almost invisible to approaching soldiers. However, the archaeologists don't say whether this shoe was lost by someone falling prey to the ankle breaker. Compared to other Roman structures in Britain, Magna is relatively un-excavated, but digs are now beginning to yield some exciting discoveries. In late March, the archaeologists began to excavate the outer ring of defensive ditches, ramparts, and banks that had been built on the North side of the fort. Among some fragments of pottery and scraps of leather, the researcher's most exciting discovery was the three, remarkably well-preserved shoes. Two of these were almost intact, with one still maintaining part of the heel section and a row of hobnails along the bottom of the sole. But it was the enormous size 13 shoe which generated the most excitement. Rachel Frame, Magna Project senior archaeologist, says: 'Although in this case only one of the several sole layers, the sheer size of the shoe and guesses about who could have worn it dominated the conversation. 'Could this one be the largest in the Vindolanda Trust collection? We certainly look forward to finding out!' With size 13 feet, the owner of these huge shoes had the same size feet as the 6ft 4" (195 cm) actor Stephen Fry. These finds reveal how Romans made their shoes with multiple layers of leather in the sole and reinforced areas for walking like a modern walking boot Likewise, their feet were only just smaller than those of Stephen Merchant who stands at a towering 6 ft 7 in (201 cm) Hadrian's Wall, named after the Roman emperor Hadrian, was constructed in 122 AD to separate the Roman-occupied territories in the south from the unconquered lands of Scotland. As the Romans built the wall and consolidated their rule over Britain, they also constructed several small forts across the country. Magna, also known as Carvoran, is one of the forts that was built along the wall during this period. Located seven miles (11 km) west of the large Roman fort Vindolanda, which has been the site of many archaeological finds, this smaller fortification was constructed to guard the crossroads of two major Roman roads. These discoveries also help archaeologists to get a better understanding of how the Romans made their shoes. Ms Frame says: 'This gives us a really good look at how Roman shoes were made: multiple layers of leather were used to form the sole, held together with thongs, stitching and hobnails. 'These also reinforced the outer surface for walking and are found on many styles of shoe.' This discovery is important because organic materials like leather or wood are normally broken down by microbes in the soil before archaeologists can find them, making leather shoes an exciting find. Only when it is kept in a wet environment with limited oxygen can leather last for thousands of years. But if the soil dries out, microbes can get to the materials and start to break them down. The archaeologists excavating the Magna Fort are currently concerned that this year's exceptionally dry spring might lead to some artefacts decaying before they are found. In the first two weeks of May, the Magna site received less than half a millimetre of rain, leaving the soil unusually dry. Franki Gillis, geoarchaeologist for the Magna Project, says: 'At Magna, the lack of rain has caused the groundwater level to drop considerably. 'So although nice, this abnormally lovely warm spring, may be harmful to the continual preservation of our organic finds at Magna and Vindolanda.' How England spent almost half a millennium under Roman rule 55BC - Julius Caesar crossed the channel with around 10,000 soldiers. They landed at a Pegwell Bay on the Isle of Thanet and were met by a force of Britons. Caesar was forced to withdraw. 54BC - Caesar crossed the channel again in his second attempt to conquer Britain. He came with with 27,000 infantry and cavalry and landed at Deal but were unopposed. They marched inland and after hard battles they defeated the Britons and key tribal leaders surrendered. However, later that year, Caesar was forced to return to Gaul to deal with problems there and the Romans left. 54BC - 43BC - Although there were no Romans present in Britain during these years, their influence increased due to trade links. 43AD - A Roman force of 40,000 led by Aulus Plautius landed in Kent and took the south east. The emperor Claudius appointed Plautius as Governor of Britain and returned to Rome. 47AD - Londinium (London) was founded and Britain was declared part of the Roman empire. Networks of roads were built across the country. 50AD - Romans arrived in the southwest and made their mark in the form of a wooden fort on a hill near the river Exe. A town was created at the site of the fort decades later and names Isca. When Romans let and Saxons ruled, all ex-Roman towns were called a 'ceaster'. this was called 'Exe ceaster' and a merger of this eventually gave rise to Exeter. 75 - 77AD - Romans defeated the last resistant tribes, making all Britain Roman. Many Britons started adopting Roman customs and law. 122AD - Emperor Hadrian ordered that a wall be built between England and Scotland to keep Scottish tribes out. 312AD - Emperor Constantine made Christianity legal throughout the Roman empire. 228AD - The Romans were being attacked by barbarian tribes and soldiers stationed in the country started to be recalled to Rome. 410AD - All Romans were recalled to Rome and Emperor Honorious told Britons they no longer had a connection to Rome.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
2,000-year-old giant leather shoe 'immediately drew impressed gasps' after archaeologists pulled it from a ditch near a Roman fort in northern England
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Archaeologists have unearthed an enormous leather shoe while digging at the bottom of an "ankle-breaker" defensive ditch at a Roman fort in northern England. The shoe and other leather goods from the fort, called Magna, are providing new information about shoe manufacturing techniques and the people who wore them almost 2,000 years ago. "A shoe is such a personal item; it really puts you in touch with the people who used to live at the fort," one of the volunteers for the Magna Project wrote on the excavation blog. After the construction of Hadrian's Wall, built around A.D. 122 to demarcate the northern extent of the Roman Empire, the Roman army took over and expanded small forts in Britain. Magna — also known as Carvoran — is part of this series of forts along the wall. It is situated about 7 miles (11 kilometers) west of Vindolanda, the large Roman auxiliary fort that's well known for the remarkable preservation of writing tablets, military medals and leather shoes. In late March, archaeologists began excavating the defensive ditches, banks and ramparts outside the north wall of Magna. According to Magna Project senior archaeologist Rachel Frame, at the bottom of one ditch, they discovered an "ankle-breaker" — a narrow, deep trench that, when obscured by water, would cause an enemy soldier to catch his foot, which would then break his ankle and trap him. Within the ditch, the archaeologists and volunteers discovered three shoes and scrap leather that were preserved for centuries by the oxygen-free environment. "This is really promising for our future excavations," Frame said in a YouTube video, as they plan to expand their dig to inside the fort to look for timber buildings. Related: Roman-era 'fast food' discovered in ancient trash heap on Mallorca Two of the shoes, which were discovered on May 21, are in good condition. One has part of a heel attached and hobnails on the bottom of the sole. "This gives us a really good look at how Roman shoes were made," Frame wrote in the excavation blog. "Multiple layers of leather were used to form the sole, held together with thongs, stitching and hobnails." But because the toe area was missing, they could not estimate its size. RELATED STORIES —2,000-year-old bed barricade unearthed in Pompeii house — likely a family's last attempt to escape Vesuvius' eruption —Smooth wooden phallus found at a Roman fort was likely a sex toy —Infant twins buried together in Roman Croatia may have died from lead poisoning A second shoe, found at the very bottom of the ankle-breaker, was intact and "immediately drew impressed gasps" from everyone on site, Frame wrote. The sole measures 12.6 inches (32 centimeters) long, which is the equivalent of a men's U.S. 14 or U.K. 13 size shoe today. "Could this one be the largest in the Vindolanda Trust collection? We certainly look forward to finding out!" Frame wrote. The shoes and other scraps will now be studied by a leather specialist, to try to learn more about who may have worn the enormous shoe and who lived and worked at Magna in Roman times.
