The French government has told Renault it must keep home plants operating as a condition of receiving €5 Billion state aid. France wants it to remain the group’s global centre for engineering, research, innovation and development, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said on Wednesday. Speaking in the Senate, he said the government was particularly concerned about maintaining the Flins plant, … [Read more...]
News
Dealers plea for Government help
Six in ten car dealers want prolonged support with grants and loans from Government. New research from Close Brothers Motor Finance reveals the priorities across the motor industry as they call for further Government support in light of Covid-19. The sector has been hit particularly hard by the UK lockdown, with new car sales plunging 97% year-on-year in April and recovery set to be a difficult … [Read more...]
Car makers move to save extinction
CEOs from across the automotive value chain came together for a meeting with the European Commission to align on the priorities for a solid recovery plan for the automotive sector, with a view to stimulating the wider economy and bolstering the transformation to a carbon-neutral society. CEOs of vehicle manufacturers and component suppliers, as well as their respective associations – the European … [Read more...]
Tradelines 20 May
The French Government has reiterated it will only assist car makers coping with the pandemic fallout if they are producing and promoting low carbon polluting models. The big boost to electric vehicles is designed to be supported by a new scrappage scheme and replacement with evs. The Independent Garage Association (IGA) has written to the Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, urging … [Read more...]
UK Global Tariff outlines trade after Brexit
Britain has outlined how it plans to trade with the world after it leaves the European Union at the end of 2020. It will replace the European Union’s external tariff with a 10% duty on cars but cut tens of billions of pounds of supply chain charges. This will pave the way for trade deals with the United States and the Brussels-based bloc, helping JLR in particular compete with Audis and … [Read more...]
What is personal data? ask car makers
The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association welcomed the publication of guidelines on personal data relating to connected vehicles, drafted by the European Data Protection Board (EDPB), but believes they are too broad in scope and should not be rushed through. “The automobile industry is committed to providing its customers with a high level of personal data … [Read more...]
Your job comes at a premium for insurers
Vanarama has analysed the UK's 100 most common job titles to reveal which occupations are considered most high risk by car insurance companies therefore charged the most for premiums and there are some surprising findings. To do this, they entered the average UK’s drivers details into the UK's largest car comparison website 100 times, changing only the job role each time. This showed which … [Read more...]
Bus technology steps up to fight virus
With workers returning slowly but surely, yet public transport expected to buckle under the strain of new covid-19 measures, one transport company is leading the way. Zeelo is a British coach operator which takes Amazon, Argos and Ocado staff to work on its fleet, amongst others. It has developed technology to enable people to use its services and maintain social distance and can also help … [Read more...]
Nextbike slam vandals as it steps up services
The boss of Cardiff bike share operator nextbike slammed vandals who have gone on a wrecking spree in the city, putting vital bikes out of action which were designed to help frontline NHS and essential workers get to work during the pandemic. Nextbike had joined forces with Cardiff University and Cardiff Metropolitan University to fund a scheme which enabled NHS workers and those offering … [Read more...]
Following the wheels-tracks of Romans
New innovative solutions are being introduced to water-proof British roads, therefore helping to provide permanent pothole repairs. Mastic is an adhesive that Romans had previously used to waterproof their ships, but is now adapted for pothole repairs through new breeds of mastic asphalt in the UK. Roadmender Asphalt, a Sheffield-based bitumen technology company have recently come up with a … [Read more...]