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PERRONE ROBOTICS AND NEORIDE AWARDED USDOT SMART GRANT TO RETROFIT SIX OHIO TRANSIT BUSES WITH ADVANCED DRIVER-ASSISTANCE TECHNOLOGY

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Project channels $1.98 million in federal funding to install, test, operate, and evaluate Perrone’s TONY™ ADAS Kit, equipping legacy fleets with collision avoidance, lane-keeping, and other safety enhancements.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. and WADSWORTH, Ohio, May 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Perrone Robotics Inc. and NEORide, a council of governments representing more than 30 U.S. transit agencies, today announced a landmark Vehicle-Agnostic Kit Services Agreement to retrofit six 35-foot Gillig buses in Ohio with Perrone’s TONY™ ADAS Retrofit Kit. The project is funded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grant program.

The upgraded buses will be deployed by three NEORide members—Butler County Regional Transit Authority (BCRTA), Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA), and Western Reserve Transit Authority (WRTA)—bringing cutting-edge driver-assistance capabilities to riders and operators across the region.

Safety and Efficiency—Delivered Today

The TONY™ ADAS Kit integrates with existing buses, combining advanced sensors with Perrone’s MAX® autonomy software to provide:

Forward Collision Avoidance and Automated Emergency Braking (AEB)Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane-Keeping AssistanceBlind Spot Detection and Side-Impact AlertsIntersection management support, pedestrian protection, and data logging

Under this program, each bus will be outfitted with Forward Collision Avoidance, Lane-Keeping Assistance, Adaptive Cruise Control, advanced warnings, and a data logging platform with expandable modules for future features.

By retrofitting rather than replacing vehicles, agencies gain immediate safety benefits while maximizing taxpayer value.

Paul Perrone, Founder & CEO, Perrone Robotics:
“TONY allows transit systems to leap from legacy to leading-edge safety in weeks, not years. This SMART Grant proves we can deliver collision avoidance, lane keeping, and more today—without requiring agencies to purchase new fleets. We’re proud to partner with NEORide, BCRTA, SARTA, and WRTA to help make Ohio’s buses among the safest on the road.”

Katherine Conrad, Executive Director, NEORide:
“Our mission is to bring innovative, cost-effective mobility solutions to the communities we serve. By pooling federal resources, three transit agencies are deploying life-saving ADAS technology at the cost of a retrofit—setting a national standard for modernizing fleets and demonstrating the power of regional collaboration.”

Project Timeline and Industry Impact

Over the course of the project, Perrone will integrate and commission all six buses, train agency staff, and deliver performance data to USDOT evaluators. This initiative lays the foundation for broader adoption of TONY ADAS retrofits by additional NEORide members and transit agencies nationwide.

About Perrone Robotics
Perrone Robotics is a pioneer in autonomous vehicle and ADAS technologies, offering the TONY™ Vehicle-Agnostic Retrofit Kit and MAX® software platform to transform virtually any vehicle into a safer, smarter machine.

About NEORide
NEORide is a regional council of governments formed to expand transportation options through cooperative agreements among member agencies, leveraging collective purchasing and federal funding to deploy cutting-edge mobility solutions.

Media Contacts

Perrone Robotics
Nick Pilipowskyj
media@perronerobotics.com
+1 434-260-8550

NEORide
James Carter
press@neoride.org
+1 330-555-0456

Transit agencies interested in bringing TONY ADAS functionality to their fleets can visit https://www.perronerobotics.com/tony-adas-kit or https://www.neoride.org/post/neotech for more information.

TONY is patented in the U.S. (9,195,233; 9,833,901; 10,331,136; 10,379,007; 11,280,704; 11,314,251; 11,782,442; 12,181,877) and Canada (2643378). Additional U.S. and international patents pending. TONY, MAX, Perrone Robotics, and Mobility of People and Things are trademarks of Perrone Robotics.

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SOURCE Perrone Robotics, Inc.

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“What If We Had This in 2020?” Data Viz 4 Good Bridges the Fortune 100 Data Gap for the Social Sector

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SAN FRANCISCO, May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Data Viz 4 Good (DV4G) today announced the launch of its ImpactIQ platform, a breakthrough SaaS solution transforming how the social sector visualizes mission-critical data.

For founders Tyra Jean and Vanessa Francesca Ortega, both Ronald E. McNair Baccalaureate Scholars, the mission began with a pivotal question: “What if we had Data Viz 4 Good at Syracuse University back in 2020?”

CEO Tyra Jean—a former Public Policy & International Affairs Fellow at UC Berkeley and current D.S.W. candidate at the University of Southern California—developed the concept after bridging two vastly different worlds. “I worked as a data consultant for Fortune 100 companies and saw firsthand the massive gap in data infrastructure across the nonprofit sector,” said Jean. “We’re bringing enterprise-grade technology to the organizations that need it most.”

This vision, combined with the duo’s technical pedigree, has positioned them as emerging leaders in the next generation of AI-powered social infrastructure and frontrunners for Forbes’ 30 Under 30.

The platform’s technical moat is anchored by the COO Vanessa Francesca Ortega — Posse Alumni, SU Remembrance Scholar, and Newhouse’s Dean Branham Scholar. She is the founder & CEO of Civic Trust Systems, the core operating system powering municipal-scale AI platforms, including HellogovAI Inc.

“ImpactIQ is built on infrastructure originally designed to power secure, large-scale government service delivery,” said Ortega. “Through Civic Trust Systems, I developed the AI delivery model and user experience architecture that enables platforms like Hellogov. We are now applying that same level of security and privacy to the social sector.”

By leveraging Civic Trust Systems, DV4G delivers government-grade security, privacy-first data handing, and scalable AI intelligence— without the complexity of cost of traditional enterprise systems.

As a free resource for the sector, the founders co-host a DV4G Podcast on Instagram (@DataViz4GoodHQ). The next episode explores how ImpactIQ’s privacy-first architecture not only protects sensitive community data but also strengthens grant readiness and institutional trust.

DV4G is currently scaling ImpactIQ for global researchers, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations seeking to modernize how they measure and communicate impact.

Unlock the full impact of your data at DataViz4Good.org.

Media inquiries: contact@dataviz4good.org

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SOURCE Data Viz 4 Good

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QuickLogic to Showcase EOS™ S3 and eFPGA Solutions at Sensors Converge

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SAN JOSE, Calif., May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — QuickLogic Corporation (NASDAQ: QUIK) will showcase its EOS™ S3 SoC and eFPGA solutions at Sensors Converge 2026, taking place at the Santa Clara Convention Center. Attendees can visit Booth 1039 to see how developers can build always-on, ultra-low power sensor and voice-enabled systems with greater flexibility and faster time-to-market.

At the booth, QuickLogic will highlight the EOS™ S3, a fully integrated platform designed for concurrent voice, motion, environmental, and biometric sensing. With its built-in low-power sound detection, Arm® Cortex®-M4F processor, and embedded FPGA, the EOS™ S3 enables developers to implement custom hardware acceleration while minimizing power consumption—ideal for battery-operated and always-on applications.

Date: May 6 and 7, 2026

Booth: 1039

Exhibit Hours:

Wednesday, May 6: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PMThursday, May 7: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

About QuickLogic
QuickLogic Corporation is a fabless semiconductor company specializing in eFPGA Hard IP, Strategic Radiation Hardened and Antifuse FPGAs and ruggedized programmable logic solutions. QuickLogic’s unique approach combines cutting-edge technology with open-source tools to deliver highly customizable, low-power solutions for aerospace and defense, industrial, computing, and consumer markets. For more information, visit www.quicklogic.com.

QuickLogic and logo are registered trademarks of QuickLogic. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders and should be treated as such.

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SOURCE QuickLogic Corporation

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PIRELLI WILL START CYBER™ TYRE PRODUCTION IN GEORGIA UNDERLINING THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF THE U.S. MARKET

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Pirelli further strengthens its commitment to the country. Investment and output expansion details will be communicated in the coming months following the finalization of the development plans

MILAN and WASHINGTON, May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Pirelli is reinforcing its long-term commitment to the United States with a key step in its product and industrial strategy. The Georgia plant, already dedicated to the most technologically advanced products for the U.S. market—both in the High-Value segment and in Motorsport—will be further enhanced by the production of connected tires featuring Cyber™ Tyre technology. This development highlights the strategic importance of the U.S. for Pirelli’s global growth roadmap, strengthening the company’s integrated industrial and technological presence in the country.

The announcement comes as Pirelli participates in the SelectUSA Investment Summit, the flagship event promoted by the U.S. Department of Commerce, where Cyber™ Tyre is being showcased as a core innovation shaping the future of smart mobility. 

Cyber™ Tyre is the world’s first hardware-and-software system capable of collecting data and information from sensors embedded in tires, processing them through Pirelli’s proprietary software and algorithms, and, by communicating in real time with the vehicle’s electronics, enabling new functionalities integrated with driving and control systems to enhance the driving experience and increase safety levels, as well as supporting connected infrastructure.

In a highly advanced market such as the United States, where digital and smart mobility solutions are rapidly expanding, Cyber™ Tyre represents a distinctive competitive advantage for Pirelli.

At SelectUSA, Cyber™ Tyre was showcased at the Georgia State booth, a particularly meaningful presence given Pirelli’s industrial footprint in the state, where it has been established for more than 20 years.

“The start of Cyber™ Tyre production in our Rome, Georgia plant is a significant milestone for Pirelli in this country,” said Claudio Zanardo, CEO of Pirelli North America. “It reflects our commitment to bringing advanced technologies like Cyber™ Tyre closer to the market, further strengthening our industrial footprint and innovation capabilities in the United States.”

To further enhance the role of Rome as a high-tech production site, Pirelli is finalizing the introduction of the latest version of the MIRS (Modular Integrated Robotized System) production process. It will be the most advanced manufacturing process for high-end, premium production within the entire Pirelli Group, and is exclusive to the Georgia factory. The process further enhances robotized production capabilities, increasing productivity, flexibility, and quality.

It is a highly digitalized system that enables a direct link between product design and its industrial application.

This development lays the groundwork for growth in Pirelli’s production capacity in Rome, an integral part of the Group’s industrial development plans, and will further strengthen Pirelli’s presence in the United States—one of its most important and strategic markets.

The Rome, Georgia, plant specializes in high-value tire production for the North American market. It also hosts a dedicated R&D center, further strengthening its role in technological development and product innovation.

The facility is recognized for its responsible sourcing practices, including the use of FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council®)-certified natural rubber, underscoring the company’s broader environmental commitment across its supply chain.

www.pirelli.com

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SOURCE Pirelli North America

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