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 … [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 … [Read more...]
Hard facts of fleet software
Fleet software needs to be ready to respond to new technological advancements as smart vehicles start to flood the market, with a primary focus on the importance of data security, says Chevin. The company points out that autonomous and connected cars and vans are becoming increasingly popular amongst British drivers, so it’s important that fleet software … [Read more...]
Dashboard dilemma of drivers puts them in danger
Millions of Brits are driving without any knowledge of the symbols on the dashboard. A study of 2,000 drivers shows nine in 10 have had a symbol pop up on the dashboard which they haven’t recognised. One in three cannot recognise which symbol is the headlamp indicator, while 27 per cent can’t identify the ‘check engine’ sign and when people do … [Read more...]
Stealing your car by remote control
Today’s car criminals are far more likely to be computer savvy than have the ability to hot-wire a car warns Tracker. Reports indicate an increasing new trend in vehicle theft termed ‘relay attack’, that allows criminals to harness more sophisticated theft techniques to overcome existing vehicle security technology, such as immobilisers and keyless entry … [Read more...]
Fleets’ tax changes to come
Only slightly more than half (54%) of UK fleets said that they knew about tax changes affecting company cars and cash allowances which were introduced by the Government in April, according to research. Awareness is very much dependent on fleet size. While 77% of larger fleets more than 50 vehicles said they were aware, this drops to 44% of medium fleets … [Read more...]
Natural selection is a software question, says Chevin
When starting or growing a company fleet, vehicle selection is key – and there’s a lot to consider. From carrying capacity to build and engine type, fleet managers must select and procure the right vehicle for the job, and at an early stage it’s important to consider how these vehicles will be powered. Talking on the topic, Ashley Sowerby, Managing … [Read more...]
Tradelines 9 August
Mazda is close to introducing a revolutionary internal combustion engine in 2019 which uses petrol but works in the manner of a diesel. Their homogeneous charge compression ignition engine ignites gasoline through compression, eliminating spark plugs, and its fuel economy potentially matches that of a diesel engine without high emissions of nitrogen … [Read more...]
Bigger tax bills coming with new emissions tests
Motorists are facing a tax shock when new emissions tests kick in from the end of this month. From 1 September this year, a new test for measuring emissions from cars, called WLTP (abbreviated from Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure) will apply to all new car models introduced on the European market for the first time. One year later, … [Read more...]
Digital maintenance logbook explained
Renault is developing a prototype for a digital car maintenance book, leveraging the power of Blockchain technology, built in collaboration with Microsoft and VISEO. Blockchain technology ensures that data in the car passport is stored in a secure and transparent manner in the cloud on dedicated encrypted servers. Currently, information about … [Read more...]
