It’s the 20th anniversary of MINI being assembled in Plant Oxford by BMW Group. In early 2001, production began for MINI body parts in Swindon and on the 26 April the first new MINI rolled off the line in Oxford which has since built over 5 million cars and currently makes MINI 3-Door Hatch, MINI 5-Door Hatch, MINI Clubman and the MINI Electric, all on the same production line. A post mortem has … [Read more...]
Most would steer clear of a “driverless” car
Driverless cars could be on the road as early as this year, according to a consultation launched by the British Government in 2020, and Apple have revealed they are planning to release a driverless car in 2024. The question is, is the public ready to trust driverless cars? Vanarama surveyed 1,000 members of the British public to find out. Despite the promise of the technology to be able to think … [Read more...]
Newslines 18 December
The Nissan LEAF has reached its 10th birthday. During that time 500,000 LEAF owners have covered over 16 Billion Kms and prevented a massive 2.5 million tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere every year, while covering enough kilometres to drive around the earth 400,000 times! Hyundai UK has confirmed pricing and specifications for its comprehensively updated Kona sub-compact SUV, which now … [Read more...]
Insurance warning over lapsed MoTs
The coronavirus lockdown earlier this year resulted in millions of cars receiving a six-month extension to their MOT certificate but that leeway has ended. With the current MOT failure rate at 32%, millions of vehicles that don’t meet levels of roadworthiness could be on the streets. GoCompare Car Insurance is warning that this year, more than ever, it’s essential that drivers ensure that their … [Read more...]
Video calling is latest driving hazard
The rise in popularity of the likes of FaceTime, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Snapchat for video calls is posing a new and present danger on roads. Amost one-in-five (18%) of drivers aged 17-24 admit taking part in video calls while behind the wheel, figures for the RAC Report on Motoring 2020 reveal. Younger drivers are more than twice as likely to say they make or receive video calls while … [Read more...]
Newslines 27 July
Safety organisations and police fear a rapid rise in riders' injuries and deaths after seeing up to 50,000 motorbikes a weekend on Welsh roads after lockdown ended. It is thought to be a reaction against cuts to public transport and the rising costs of using cars, trains or buses. Police have towed away cars illegally parked in Snowdonia while owners went into the mountains. Civil enforcement … [Read more...]
Newslines 11 May
Swansea recorded nearly 23,700 roadworks over the last three years, the sixth highest in the country outside London, where Bromley borough itself reported over 100,200 in the same time. The information was obtained by Little Loans which also found Bournemouth had fewest with under 900 over the same period. Volvo is partnering with tech firm Luminar to provide their industry-leading LiDAR and … [Read more...]
Cycle Smart scheme to reduce accidents
A new technologically-innovative, data-driven project that aims to prevent cyclist collisions before they happen is being launched on Birmingham’s roads. Cycle Smart Brum will see cyclists gathering data as they ride around the city, collecting intelligence on issues such as near misses, poor road surface and potential problem junctions, enabling authorities to identify and prioritise … [Read more...]
New driving tech is more dangerous than alcohol
Worrying results from a new study released today show that the latest in-vehicle infotainment systems designed to improve road safety are failing and impair reactions times behind the wheel more than alcohol and cannabis use. Among the shocking results, the study – commissioned by the UK’s largest independent road-safety charity, IAM RoadSmart, found that reaction times at motorway speeds … [Read more...]
Hazards ahead so keep yourself focussed
As the Met Office predicts snow and below average temperatures this December, designated drivers for the party season are being urged to plan ahead and plan how to handle the distraction of noisy passengers. In car distractions led to over 4000 road casualties last year and there were 7 fatalities a month on average over the past 3 years caused by in car distractions, excluding mobile phone … [Read more...]
