Aspiring engineers have been given a chance to witness what life is like working for one of the most prestigious companies in the automotive world, Aston Martin. Since the end of June, TRJ was appointed by Aston Martin Lagonda to assist in the conversion of the Superhanger at the Aerospace Business Park in St Athan and has been closely working with local schools. Pupils were able to join … [Read more...]
Education
Tougher tests begin for car emissions
More stringent “real world” emissions tests come into force today. The new laboratory test, called Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure, will introduce much more realistic testing conditions for measuring pollutant and CO2 emissions than the previous, out-dated lab test. The WLTP will provide a more accurate basis for measuring a vehicle’s fuel consumption and emissions said … [Read more...]
Newslines 1 September
Aston Martin St Athan plant will play a key role in the company’s £500M business deal with Japan over the next few years, said president and chief executive Andy Palmer. He was speaking during a British trade mission to the Far East and outlined the new models being made in Wales and its Gaydon HQs in future years. Parents at an Anglesey school have called for more flexibility over increases … [Read more...]
Uninsured vehicles rising after years of decline
More vehicles are being driven without insurance and having accidents. Approximately 58,000 were crushed last year - a rate of more than 1,000 a week. The Motor Insurer's Bureau, is looking at why they have increased in the year to July by almost 10% to about 12,000 after declining since 2004. MIB expects to pay out £256m from a fund provided by insurers at a cost of £15 to each motor … [Read more...]
Driverless cars benefits “blind” to motorists
Drivers fail to see that automated and driverless vehicles will deliver promised benefits according to a study. When asked about what benefits will be delivered, the second most popular response was ‘none’ as more than a third of respondents could not identify any advantage that would follow future advances. In identifying their feelings about automotive technology the top six issues were … [Read more...]
Convoys carry safety concerns, says IAM RoadSmart
Self-driving lorry convoys of close running HGVs need very careful planning, said road safety body IAM RoadSmart. Britain’s biggest independent road safety charity is advising there must be more reassurances on issues such as cyber attacks as well as basic road safety needs such as telling other drivers which trucks are in the platoon. The trial announced by the Department of Transport is … [Read more...]
Newslines 25 August
Witter towbars of Deeside is making 90 people redundant. UNITE said it was talking to the company, which hopes to keep 60 other workers on its books but is considering manufacturing abroad. Vauxhall has taken 20,000 used models under its scrappage scheme relaunched in May after spells over the last two years. Unlike other schemes, the Vauxhall recyclers will identify potential classic … [Read more...]
Ford offer selective scrappage scheme
Ford is the latest manufacturer to offer an incentive of up to £2,000 off list prices of certain models until the end of the year in a scrappage scheme aimed at cars and vans over seven years old. It covers both petrol and diesel models from 2010 or earlier, and the move is being seen as an attempt to clean up emissions while also boosting sales of new models after a steep decline since spring. … [Read more...]
Piston engines’ future narrows
In recent months Britain, France and India all have announced plans to gradually phase out gasoline- and diesel-powered engines, and other countries are heading in the same direction. The moves, which aim to curb air pollution and tailpipe emissions linked to global climate change, seem to signal a death knell for internal combustion engines (ICEs). But the process will take time—India’s … [Read more...]
Newslines 21 August
The UK’s biggest independent road safety charity IAM RoadSmart maintains that we will not gain the full safety benefits of self-driving cars until every car on the road is connected to each other – a statement that has now been backed up by a white paper produced by experts at the University of Michigan. Until then, IAM RoadSmart believes that the human mind holds the edge, until such point … [Read more...]