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Mercedes-Benz has received approval for a self-driving system paving the way for it to be able to offer the technology to customers where national legislation allows its use.

In the UK, the Government gave the green light for self-driving vehicles on UK roads, earlier this year. Following a landmark call for evidence, it set out how vehicles fitted with Automated Lane Keeping System (ALKS) technology could legally be defined as self-driving, as long as they receive GB type approval and that there is no evidence to challenge the vehicle’s ability to self-drive.

The German manufacturer is the first automotive company in the world to meet the demanding legal requirements of UN-R157 for a Level 3 system, which was granted by the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA).

Level 3 refers to the automated driving function taking over certain driving tasks. However, a driver is still required and must be ready to take control of the vehicle at all times when prompted to intervene by the vehicle.  

Mercedes-Benz says that customers will be able to buy an S-Class with the Drive Pilot technology in the first half of 2022, enabling them to drive in conditionally automated mode at speeds of up to 60 km/h (37mph) in heavy traffic or congested situations on suitable stretches of motorway in Germany.

The system approval also applies to the EQS.

Markus Schäfer, member of the board of management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, and chief technology officer responsible for development and purchasing, said: “We are the first manufacturer to put conditionally automated driving into series production in Germany.

“With this milestone, we are once again proving our pioneering work in automated driving and also initiating a radical paradigm shift.

“For the first time in 136 years of automotive history, the vehicle takes over the dynamic driving task under certain conditions.”

The technical approval regulation with which such a system can be certified did not come into force until the beginning of 2021, while Germany was the first country to create a legal basis for the intended use of these systems.

Mercedes-Benz is initially offering Drive Pilot on 13,191 kilometres (8,200 miles) of motorway in Germany. The manufacturer says that extensive test drives for the system are already underway, for example in the USA and China.

As soon as there is a national legal framework for conditionally automated operation in additional markets, the technology will be rolled out step by step, it added.

How does the self-driving system work?

When the driver activates Drive Pilot, the system controls the speed and distance, and guides the vehicle within its lane.

The route profile, events occurring on the route and traffic signs, are correspondingly taken into consideration.

The system also reacts to unexpected traffic situations and handles them independently by employing evasive manoeuvres within the lane or by braking manoeuvres, says Mercedes-Benz.

Drive Pilot builds on the surround sensors of the Driving Assistance Package and comprises additional sensors that Mercedes-Benz considers indispensable for safe conditionally automated driving.

These include LiDAR, as well as a camera in the rear window and microphones, especially for detecting blue lights and other special signals from emergency vehicles, as well as a wetness sensor in the wheel well.

As well as the sensor data, the Drive Pilot receives information about the road geometry, route profile, traffic signs and unusual traffic events such as accidents or roadworks from a digital HD map. This is made available and updated via a backend connection.

The S-Class with the optional Drive Pilot also has redundant steering and braking systems and a redundant on-board electrical system, so that it remains manoeuvrable even if one of these systems fails and the safe handover to the driver can be ensured.

If the driver fails to take back control even after increasingly urgent prompting and expiry of the takeover time, for example in the event of a severe health problem, the system brakes the vehicle to a standstill in a controlled manner and with “suitable” deceleration.

At the same time the hazard warning lights and, once the vehicle has come to a standstill, the Mercedes-Benz emergency call system is activated and the doors and windows are unlocked, to make access to the interior easier for any first responders.

The exact location of the S-Class is determined using a highly accurate positioning system, says Mercedes-Benz.

In addition, data obtained from satellite navigation are matched with sensor data and data from an HD map.

Sensor data collected by LiDAR, camera, radar and ultrasonic sensors can be, for example, information on road geometry, route characteristics, landmarks or traffic signs.

The HD map provides a three-dimensional street and environment image. The map data are stored in back-end data centres and updated constantly, it says.

Each vehicle also stores an image of this map information on board, constantly compares it with the backend data and updates the local data set if necessary.

The HD map offers stable positioning through a representation of the surroundings independent of shadowing effects or a soiled sensor. It also provides information on road geometry or special traffic events such as roadworks.

This high-precision map differs from maps for navigation devices by, among other things, its higher accuracy in the centimetre rather than metre range and its detailed intersection and track model, the manufacturer says.

A central control unit provides the necessary software functions for conditionally automated driving. Within the framework of modern security architecture, important algorithms are calculated redundantly.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Vehicle crashes could be investigated by a new organisation under Government plans to boost road safety.

The Department for Transport (DfT) announced it is consulting on proposals to establish a Road Collision Investigation Branch (RCIB).

It would operate in a similar way to existing independent bodies which investigate air, maritime and rail accidents.

An RCIB would conduct investigations on certain themes and probe specific incidents to establish causes and make safety recommendations.

The DfT said it launched the consultation due to the “huge developments” taking place across the transport sector, such as the roll out of increasingly automated and electric vehicles.

There was no significant reduction in the number of people killed in crashes on Britain’s roads each year from 2012 until coronavirus lockdowns led to a huge reduction in traffic in 2020.

Some 1,752 fatalities were recorded in 2019, followed by 1,460 last year.

Police investigations into road crashes are primarily focused on “identifying criminal culpability”, according to the consultation document.

It went on: “Currently, no stand-alone body exists to investigate road traffic collisions with the remit of learning and prevention.

“The aim of an RCIB would be to conduct thematic investigations, drawing on all available evidence, to make recommendations to the relevant organisations to mitigate or prevent such incidents in future.”

Roads minister Baroness Vere said: “The UK’s roads are among the safest in the world but we’re always looking at ways to make them even safer.

“A new investigation branch would play a huge role in this work by identifying the underlying causes of road traffic collisions so we can take action to prevent them from happening again.

“It would also provide us with vital insight as we continue to modernise our road network to ensure better, greener and safer journeys.”

Steve Gooding, director of motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, said: “After excellent progress across many years, sustained road safety improvement has been hard to achieve over the past decade, both in the UK and further afield.

“We should be challenging ourselves on whether we are understanding all we can about the causes of road collisions and what could be done to prevent them.

“Our research to date suggests that more could be learnt, which is why today’s consultation is so important and so welcome.”

By Graham Hill Thanks To MSN

UK new car sales: Registrations up 1% in 2021, but EV and van sales grow rapidly.

The Ford Transit is the UK’s best-selling vehicle; Vauxhall Corsa tops list of best-selling cars and Tesla Model 3 takes second.

New car registrations grew by just one per cent in 2021 with a total of 1.65 million cars registered compared with 1.63 million in 2020. That makes 2021 the second-worst year for car sales since 1992 and still around 25 per cent down on 2019.

“It’s been a tough old year,” said Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders chief executive Mike Hawes.

However, while dealership shut-downs due to Covid were a major cause of slow sales in 2020, SMMT puts 2021’s drop almost entirely down to the shortage of semi-conductors affecting new car supply.

While overall sales were down, demand for electrified cars has shot up. 11.6 per cent of cars sold were battery electric vehicles with a further 7 per cent plug-in hybrids and 8.9 per cent full (or self-charging) hybrids.

“More battery electric vehicles were sold in 2021 than in the previous five years combined,” said Hawes.

Petrol still makes up by far the greatest number of cars sold with 58 per cent of all cars registered, with diesel still accounting for 14.2 per cent.

There was even better news in the light commercial vehicle market with 355,000 vans sold in 2021 – up 21 per cent on 2020 and only two per cent down on 2019. Ford’s Transit was also the biggest-selling vehicle overall in 2021.

When it comes to cars, Vauxhall’s Corsa stole top spot from Ford’s Fiesta, which slid out of the top ten altogether.

It’s the first time in 50 years that a Ford has not taken the number one position in the new car registrations chart; Ford’s Puma made it into the top ten in eighth place.

Tesla’s Model 3 was the best-selling electric car and second-best seller overall in 2021, with the British-built MINI in third place and the MINI Electric taking seventh slot in the EV chart.

The supply issues affecting the new car market are expected to continue into 2022 with SMMT currently estimating 1.96 million registrations for the year – still below what SMMT describes as “the usual run rate of 2.25/ 2.3 million.”

“It will be a challenging first half of the year,” said Hawes, “But it will ease. Our advice to customers is to get your order in and they’ll be fulfilled as soon as possible.”

Electric car sales are expected to continue to increase with SMMT expecting another 47 new plug-in cars to be launched during 2022. However, Hawes fired a warning shot at the government and charging industry claiming that the public charging network is becoming a big barrier to EV adoption.

“The pace of the continued take-up of electric vehicles will be about supply, but also assuring customers that this is a technology they can live with,” he said.

“That relates directly to the experience they have with charging; the availability of charging across the nation, but also in terms of the cost of charging and reliability of the charging framework, which we know isn’t as good here as it is in some other countries.

“The car industry is up for the challenge of 2030-2035 – we need all the other stakeholders to play their part as well.”

Top 10 best selling cars of 2021

1. Vauxhall Corsa
2. Tesla Model 3
3. Mini Mini
4. Mercedes Benz A-class
5. Volkswagen Polo
6. Volkswagen Golf
7. Nissan Qashqai
8. Ford Puma
9. Kia Sportage
10. Toyota Yaris

Top 10 best selling electric cars 2021

1. Tesla Model 3
2. Kia Niro
3. Volkswagen ID3
4. Nissan Leaf
5. Audi e-tron
6. Hyundai Kona
7. MINI hatchback
8. Renault Zoe
9. Vauxhall Corsa
10. MG ZS

Top 10 best selling plug-in hybrid cars 2021

1. BMW 3 Series
2. Mercedes-Benz A-Class
3. Volvo XC40
4. Ford Kuga
5. Audi A3
6. Range Rover Evoque
7. BMW X5
8. Volvo XC60
9. Range Rover Sport
10. Seat Leon

By Graham Hill thanks to Auto Express

Latest statistics have revealed that UK fleets and drivers lost 73 hours this year and £595 to congestion.

Data published by the Inrix Global Traffic Scorecard showed that congestion cost the UK economy £8 billion in 2021, which works out an average of £595 per driver.

The 73 hours lost due to congestion is up from 37 hours in 2020, but down from 115 in 2019.

According to the research, drivers in London, Cambridge, and Bristol lost the most time to traffic congestion (148, 75 and 66 hours respectively), despite seeing reductions compared with 2019 (down 53%, 42% and 64% respectively). Exeter saw the largest increase in congestion with delays increasing by 27% from 2019.

A spokesperson at Inrix said: “The key findings of the Inrix 2021 Global Traffic Scorecard provide a quantifiable benchmark for governments and cities across the world to measure progress to improve urban mobility and track the impact of spending on smart city initiatives.

“Access to reliable data is the first step in tackling congestion. Applying big data to create intelligent transportation systems is key to solving urban mobility problems.

“Inrix data and analytics on mobility, traffic and traffic signals, parking and population movement help city planners and engineers make data-based decisions to prioritise spending to maximise benefits and reduce costs now and into the future.”

Lockdown resulted in a fall in trips leading to a large reduction in 2020 however, this trend has reversed with the easing of restrictions, but has not returned to pre-COVID levels and most cities still saw lower numbers than 2019 levels.

During the first UK lockdown, travel to city centres dropped 75% in April 2020. The lifting of the lockdown on June 1, 2020 led to rebounds in city centre activity.

However, trips to city centres had dropped again in November 2020, as the UK’s second lockdown came into force.

By February 2021, the UK entered its third lockdown – coinciding with new COVID-19 variants being discovered. This resulted in a 52% retraction in trips to city centres among major cities analysed in the Inrix Global Traffic Scorecard.

Throughout the country, delays on the busiest corridors decreased versus 2019. In 2020, the five busiest corridors were all in London – the A503 E/B, the A2 W/B, and A406 North Circular Road E/B (with 42, 39 and 38 hours respectively). Outside of London, the busiest corridors were Belfast’s A644 East, Birmingham’s A435 South and Liverpool’s Queens Drive (with 15, 14 and 14 hours respectively).  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Gridserve will open more than 20 ‘electric hubs’, each featuring 6-12 x 350kW ultra high-power electric vehicle (EV) charge points with contactless payment, at motorway service stations across the UK by Q2 2022.

The majority should be installed by the end of March, with a further 50 additional electric hub sites set to follow. 

Two Electric Forecourts situated adjacent to major transport routes and motorways, including a flagship site at Gatwick Airport and Norwich, are also in construction, due to open in 2022.

Several additional Electric Forecourt sites now also have planning permission including Uckfield, Gateshead, Plymouth and Bromborough, with more than 30 additional sites also under development as part of the company’s commitment to deliver over 100 Electric Forecourts.

Toddington Harper, CEO of Gridserve, said: “Our mission is to deliver sustainable energy and move the needle on climate change, and that is exactly what we are doing – delivering.

“Getting people into electric vehicles is a big part of our vision but to do that charging has to be simple and free of anxiety, which is why we’ve designed our network entirely around the needs of drivers, listening to our customers’ needs and providing the best possible level of customer service to deliver the confidence people need to make the switch to electric transport today, eight-years ahead of the 2030 ban on petrol and diesel cars.”

Gridserve says it wants to revolutionise EV charging across the UK, following the acquisition of Ecotricity’s Electric Highway network in June.

Some of the Electric Hubs are also located in areas traditionally left behind in the EV transition, including Wales and Cornwall, helping to deliver its vision of giving drivers everywhere the confidence to go electric well ahead of the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars.

Since the acquisition, Gridserve has invested tens of millions of pounds in the network to develop the new Electric Hubs, replace the 300+ existing motorway chargers it inherited from Ecotricity, and install 130 additional AC chargers to cater for all types of EVs.

The two new Electric Forecourts for Gatwick and Norwich will follow Gridserve’s blueprint of the world’s first Electric Forecourt in Braintree, Essex.

Gatwick Electric Forecourt

Developed in partnership with Gatwick Airport, the Gatwick Electric Forecourt will be a flagship site, serving passengers, commuters, staff, local residents and businesses that pass through the airport and its surrounding motorway network each year.

Located on the Ring Road South approach to Gatwick’s South Terminal and adjacent to the M23 – it will enable 36 EVs to be charged simultaneously, with high-power chargers that can deliver up to 350kW of charging power, capable of adding 100 miles of range in less than 10 minutes. Multiple charging connectors will cater for all types of electric cars.

The site is due to open in autumn 2022 and will host a café, waiting lounge with free superfast WiFi, convenience supermarket, children’s play area and a dedicated educational space to increase awareness around electric vehicles.

Harper said: “Gatwick isn’t just an airport, it’s an ecosystem of commuters, travellers, staff, taxi drivers, car rental companies, local residents and businesses, all culminating in a transport hub that hosts tens of millions of drivers every single year.

“The Gatwick Electric Forecourt will give these drivers and businesses the confidence to switch away from petrol and diesel cars, making electric journeys to and from one of the country’s most important transport hubs straightforward and sustainable.”

Jonathan Pollard, chief commercial officer, Gatwick Airport, said: “Our new high-powered charging facility will help meet the increasing need for electric vehicle charging infrastructure at the airport, including the growing number of our passengers who own electric vehicles and need fast, convenient and effective charging facilities.

“The new charging infrastructure will also benefit people right across our community, including thousands of staff who live locally, businesses looking to introduce electric vehicle fleets – even those operating buses and trucks – and also local residents who may be considering buying an electric-powered car but were undecided due to the lack of charging facilities.”

The Norwich Electric Forecourt, which is nearing the end of its construction, and scheduled to open in April 2022, will mirror the set up at Gatwick.

David Hall, VP Power Systems UK and Ireland for Schneider Electric, says the announcement from Gridserve will help “unleash” the potential of EVs by reducing fears of range anxiety.

“To support the growth of adoption in electric mobility, which is crucial to achieving ambitious targets to reduce global CO2 emissions, we need readily available infrastructure to support EVs and to ensure the electric revolution is renewable, plentiful, and affordable,” said Hall. “It is also a significant opportunity to rebuild the UK economy with climate action at its core.

“The UK already has more EV charging points than petrol stations, and one in ten new vehicles sold is an EV.  Businesses and transport companies are increasingly playing their part by switching to low carbon, net zero fleets for cars, trucks, and buses, which will be essential for cutting their carbon footprints. We hope that this announcement will encourage those who were holding back to make the switch and come along for the ride.

“As the popularity of electric vehicles increases, we need to ensure that electric or hybrid vehicles are low-emission, the energy grid needs to be powered by a much higher percentage of renewables. This transition will bring additional consumer demand, effectively bringing the concept of net zero transportation to life.”

Gridserve’s latest sites:

Electric Hubs

• Currently in construction: Swansea (Moto), Heston West (Moto), Severn View (Moto), Wetherby (Moto), Burton in Kendall (Moto), Exeter (Moto), Woolley Edge North (Moto), Woolley Edge South (Moto), Thurrock (Moto), Leigh Delamere Westbound (Moto), Reading West (Moto).

• Entering construction early next year: Reading East (Moto), Grantham North (Moto), Scotch Corner (Moto), Washington North (Moto), Washington South (Moto), Cornwall Services, Annandale (Roadchef), Magor (Roadchef), Rownhams North (Roadchef), Durham (Roadchef), Watford Gap North (Roadchef), Watford Gap South (Roadchef), Northampton North (Roadchef), Northampton South (Roadchef), Strensham North (Roadchef), Strensham South (Roadchef)

Electric Forecourts

• Currently in construction: Norwich Electric Forecourt (opening April 2022), Gatwick Electric Forecourt (opening Autumn 2022).
• Planning permission secured: Uckfield, Gateshead, Plymouth, Bromborough.

By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Drivers are being warned of major changes to the Highway Code, which take effect from Saturday (January 29). Extra warnings were issued to fleet drivers who cover higher mileages

The new rules are aimed at improving road safety for vulnerable road users – pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.

The Highway Code sets out information, advice, guides and mandatory rules for road users in the United Kingdom. Its objective is to promote road safety.

Law firm Irwin Mitchell says that many of the rules in the code are legal requirements, and if you disobey these rules you are committing a criminal offence.

“You may be fined, given penalty points on your licence or be disqualified from driving,” explained Peter Lorence, a serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell.

“In the most serious cases you may be sent to prison.”

Although failure to comply with the other rules of the code will not, in itself, cause a person to be prosecuted.

The Highway Code may be used in evidence in any court proceedings under the Traffic Acts to establish liability. This includes rules which use advisory wording.”

What’s changing in the Highway Code?

The changes to The Highway Code are extensive, says Lorence.

Previously the Highway Code had guided for all road users to be considerate towards each other, applying this principle to pedestrians and drivers equally.

“If you are looking to turn into a road and a pedestrian is waiting to cross, you are expected to give way,” Peter Lorence, Irwin Mitchell

The new hierarchy of road users places those who can do the greatest harm with the greatest responsibility to reduce danger to others.

“This is designed to protect the most vulnerable people on our roads,” explained Lorence.

The new rules place emphasis on this hierarchy applying most strongly to drivers of heavy goods vehicles and passenger vehicles, vans, minibuses, cars and motorcycles.

Likewise, cyclists, horse riders and drivers of a horse drawn vehicle have a greater responsibility to reduce dangers posed to pedestrians.

Lorence continued: “One change that should be highlighted in particular is pedestrian priorities at junctions.

“Currently, road users should only give way to pedestrians who have started to cross the road into which they are turning.”

The new Rule H2 of the revised code provides for priority to be given to pedestrians who are waiting to cross the road as well.

“Therefore, if you are looking to turn into a road and a pedestrian is waiting to cross, you are expected to give way,” added Lorence.

“We’re concerned that this significant change poses risks to pedestrians who may assert their rights under the new rules, yet drivers may not be aware of this change.

“It is therefore important for all road users to be aware of the new rules, to ensure everyone’s safety and understanding.”

Rules for drivers and motorcyclists at junctions

Lorence says that there are too many deaths and life-changing injuries as a result of vehicles turning across the paths of cyclists at junctions.

“Drivers may fail to check for the presence of cyclists before committing to their manoeuvre, even when cyclists have been alongside them when doing so,” he said.

The new Rule H3 is designed to protect cyclists from this happening. “It sets out that when turning into or out of a junction, drivers should not cut across the path of any other road user,” he added.

“The guidance now stipulates not to cut across cyclists, horse riders or horse drawn vehicles. This includes where there is cycle lane at the nearside.

“Road users are expected to stop and wait for a safe gap before beginning their manoeuvre. Drivers are tasked with not turning at junctions if it would cause someone going straight ahead to stop or swerve.”

Safe Passing Distances

Close passing represents a serious danger to the most vulnerable road users. “We’ve seen cases of people on bicycles being clipped by fast moving traffic, resulting in catastrophic injuries,” continued Lorence.

“We’ve also seen those cycling in our city centres be dragged under the wheels of vehicles that have attempted to pass them, but done so too closely.

“In addition, we have seen cases of horse riders and horses being hit by fast moving traffic, resulting in deaths and serious injury.

“Due to horses being flight animals that can move incredibly quickly if startled, close passing at speed can also pose dangers to riders and horses, even without an actual collision.”

Rule 163 now prescribes safe passing distances for when overtaking cyclists, motorcyclists, horse riders and horse drawn vehicles.

This includes guiding on at least a 1.5 metre space when overtaking a cyclist at speeds of up to 30mph. More space is expected when overtaking at speeds in excess of 30mph.

If when passing a pedestrian who is walking in the road, drivers are expected to allow at least two metres of space and to maintain a low speed. Extra care should be taken in poor weather.

The guidance also sets out that drivers should not overtake if it is unsafe or not possible to meet the clearances set out.

In addition to setting out safe passing distances, the new Rule 72 establishes the right for cyclists to ride in the centre of their lane, to ensure that they remain visible.

Lorence explained: “Cyclists are only expected to move to the left to allow faster vehicles to overtake when it is safe to do so.

“At junctions or on narrow roads, cyclists can maintain their central position where it would be unsafe for a driver to overtake.”

Rule 213 has also been changed to confirm that on narrow sections of roads, horse riders may ride in the centre of the lane and drivers should allow them to do so for their own safety, to ensure they can see and be seen.

Safely passing parked vehicles and the ‘Dutch Reach’

When cycling by parked vehicles, the risk of doors being opened into a cyclist’s path is a real danger and a common cause of collision.

Previously, the Highway Code had warned only for cyclists to watch out for doors being opened. Rule 67 has now been revised to provide guidance on the safe distance to pass parked vehicles; it now suggests leaving a door’s width or one metre when doing so.

For those opening the doors of parked vehicles, Rule 239 has also been updated to include what is often known as the ‘Dutch Reach’.

“When you are able to do so, you should open your vehicle door using your hand on the opposite side to the door you are opening,” said Lorence.

“For example, if you are in the right-hand seat, you would use your left hand to open the door. In doing so, this forces you to turn your body and your head, better enabling you to check over your shoulder and your blind spot.

“This better enables those in vehicles to check whether it is safe to open their door, reducing the chance of opening their door into someone’s path.”

He continued: “These changes are largely very welcome, and we were proud to take part in the Government’s consultation.

“In preparing our consultation response, however, we reflected on our clients’ stories and how the life-changing incidents they suffered could have been easily avoided had these changes been made sooner.

“Nevertheless, we celebrate these changes which represent an important step towards eliminating deaths and serious injuries on our roads.”

Welcoming the changes to the Highway Code, Brake says that the introduction of a road user hierarchy is important for road safety.

Jason Wakeford, head of campaigns at Brake, explained: “It means it is clear that road users who can do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce the risk they pose to more vulnerable users, such as pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.”

The focus on better protecting vulnerable road users in the new Highway Code follows the Government’s July 2021 announcement of £338m for building segregated cycle lanes and walking schemes.

As part of the hierarchy approach, Wakeford says it is crucial that funds continue to be released for safe space for walking and cycling, with 20mph speed limits in areas where people live and work.

He added: “It’s vital that Government works hard to promote the Highway Code changes, to help all road users understand the new rules and our shared responsibility to reduce deaths and serious injuries.

“We urge all road users, particularly drivers, to look at the updated Highway Code, learn about the changes, and do their bit to put safety first.”

Changes the “right move”

Matthew Walters, head of consultancy services at LeasePlan UK, believes that putting the greatest responsibility on those who can cause the most harm in a collision is the “right one”.

However, he said: “We would have liked to have seen the Government do a wide-scale communications campaign, to ensure that all drivers and road users are aware of the new laws and guidelines.

“Without one, we run the risk of many motorists continuing on as normal, which could lead to a higher level of incident.”

For this reason, Walters says that the onus is on businesses to make sure that their drivers are aware of the changes to Highway Code and adhering to them.

He added: “Business fleet managers should be working with their drivers to improve safety across the team and reduce incidents. This includes thorough training sessions and carrying out regular driving licence checks.”

Louis Rix, COO and co-founder of car finance platform CarFinance 247, thinks we are very likely to big debates – particularly on social media – between those who prioritise motorists and those who prioritise pedestrians and cyclists.

“There’s already such a big debate surrounding motorists and cyclists,” he said. “Look at Jeremy Vine, who loudly campaigns for better treatment of cyclists using roads.

“We have cycle lanes in many areas now, but in the places where they don’t exist, drivers need to be patient and treat cyclists with the same respect as other road users.

“The argument among road users around who should be prioritised isn’t going to end any time soon; we have to learn to co-exist on the roads and motorists should lead the way in changing current attitudes.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A fleet of Dott e-scooters have been used to identify road safety risks in cities.

The e-scooters were fitted with sensors from See.Sense, which monitored rider behaviour on the vehicles for a period of 10 weeks.

Data was collected from 1,800 rides with a total distance of more than 2,000 miles. Throughout each journey, See.Sense’s monitors were detecting changes in rider behaviour to help better understand the user’s experience on the road.

The findings reveal areas which experience particularly high levels of braking or swerving and changes in the road surface. These hot spots will be shared with the authorities to suggest improvements in road quality, helping make the streets safer for all micro-mobility users.

Braking and swerving, for example, can happen around uneven and rough road surfaces or potholes, causing a rider to react suddenly.

Maxim Romain, Co-Founder and COO, Dott, said: “Quality infrastructure is key to helping users of micro-mobility feel safe whilst on the road. The results of this new trial, in partnership with See.Sense, reveal that Dott’s vehicles can do more than provide efficient, reliable and sustainable transport for its riders – they can also deliver valuable learnings to create smart cities which are safer and more pleasant for all residents.”

Data was also collected to compare surface types, and See.Sense’s data could identify consistent patterns on road, cycle path and footpaths.

Understanding when riders are using footpaths could be another indicator of a poor quality road surface. Or it could be down to rider behaviour, allowing Dott to prompt e-learning modules, revise speed limits when the change in surface is detected, or further investigate unsafe riding.

Irene McAleese, Co-founder & CSO, See.Sense, added: “Our technology has been created to provide safety focused data on the adoption and maintenance of infrastructure. We’re excited to partner with Dott on this project to demonstrate a scalable solution that provides cities with powerful data driven insights that will help cities unlock the true potential of micro-mobility”.

Following the success of the trial, Dott is exploring implementing the solution both more widely across London, and into other European cities.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Stellantis will invest more than £25 billion in vehicle connectivity and electrification as it seeks to create a new revenue stream from software-enabled products and subscriptions.

The car maker, which owns Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Citroen, DS Automobiles, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, Peugeot and Vauxhall, expects to generate more than £17m in revenue from new digital services by 2030.

This transformation will move Stellantis’ vehicles from today’s dedicated electronic architectures to an open software-defined platform that “seamlessly integrates with customers’ digital lives”.

It will enable drivers to add features and services via regular over-the-air (OTA) updates, years after the vehicle has been built.

“Our electrification and software strategies will support the shift to become a sustainable mobility tech company to lead the pack, leveraging the associated business growth with over-the-air features and services, and delivering the best experience to our customers,” said Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO.

Stellantis says its software strategy “works hand-in-hand” with its vehicle electrification plans, which targets that more than 70% of its vehicle sales in Europe will be low emission vehicles by 2030.

Stellantis has 12m monetizable connected vehicles on the road currently. By 2024, it expects the majority of its vehicles will be fully updateable over-the-air. By 2026, the business expects to have 26m connected vehicles with the potential to make more than £3bn in revenue.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Used vehicle values are unlikely to return to pre-pandemic levels, despite a softening of the market this month.

According to Philip Nothard, insight and strategy director at Cox Automotive, wholesale vehicle values will show signs of stabilisation throughout mid-2022 as the market attempts to get back to some form of normality.

However, the coronavirus pandemic has rapidly accelerated the online and digital marketplace to what existed two years ago. As a result, it’s also entirely possible that a new benchmark for used vehicle values has been reached that may never dip to pre-pandemic levels.

Nothard warns that there is no “tsunami of used stock” on the horizon, and an increased focus on the detail will be required as the shape of the market evolves.

It also can’t be ignored that around 1.4 million new vehicles have been lost from the market, which will never enter the used vehicle parc. Although the impact in the sub-12-month market has been felt already, it will without a doubt have a bearing on the sector for years to come, according to Nothard.

November saw a slight easing month-on-month in the sector, with marginal falls observed by Cox Automotive, continuing a trend first observed in October’s results.

Last month’s average first-time conversion decreased by 6% to 82.9% month-on-month. Similarly, CAP Clean experienced a marginal month-on-month fall of 2%, to 97.3%. This easing resulted in a lowering of both the average age and mileage of vehicles observed through the Manheim lanes. 

The average age of cars sold also slightly decreased by 5.6% to 97 months, and the average mileage of cars sold, decreased by 4.3% and down by 2,987 miles to 66,343 miles.

Despite four key indicators experiencing month-on-month falls, used car values continued to rise, with the average sale price experiencing one of the largest month-on-month increases of 16.8% or £1,129, to £8,553.

Nothard said: “While prices have now increased for eight consecutive months, recent signs point towards a potential softening in the market. And while it remains the case that prices overall have continued to rise, the situation is becoming increasingly complex, with some models starting to see significant price decreases.

Moreover, some figures we’ve observed are misleading, as it doesn’t represent live market data where many models that saw an increase at the start of the month, which dropped off by the end.

“We expect current market conditions to continue throughout Q1 2022, and it’s entirely possible that we are seeing a revised benchmark for the used vehicle parc.”

Used car values reached the second highest on record at BCA in October with the average car selling for £3,000 more than a year ago.

October used car values averaged £11,295 at BCA, maintaining the pattern of consistently high average used car values this year. Year-on-year, average monthly values are up 38.6%. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Pressure group Transport & Environment (T&E) claims that synthetic e-fuels are no cleaner than ordinary petrol or diesel.

The organisation commissioned a series of laboratory tests to compare the emissions from a car running on E10 petrol with three synthetic fuels.

No difference in NOx emissions were observed for any of the e-fuels tested either in the lab or on road tests compared to today’s petrol fuel.

T&E says the use of e-petrol in cars will have “little impact” on NOx emissions, which are “at the heart of toxic NO2 pollution” across Europe’s cities.

Carbon monoxide emissions from e-fuels were found to be much higher in the tests. Emissions were up to three times higher in the lab test and 1.2-1.5 times higher on the RDE test compared to fossil fuel. The largest increase in emissions occurred when the engine was first switched on, according to the test.

Julia Poliscanova, senior director for vehicles and e-mobility at T&E, said: “No amount of spin can overcome the science of burning hydrocarbons. As long as fuel is combusted in engines, toxic air will persist in our cities. Lawmakers who leave loopholes for e-fuels in emissions targets are condemning the public to decades more of avoidable air pollution.”

A substantial decrease in particle emissions was observed on all e-fuel tests, however. The number of particle emissions (PN) larger than 10nm decreased by 97% in the lab test, and by 81-86% on the RDE test cycle – a significant improvement compared to the fossil fuel tested.

Hydrocarbon emissions from e-fuels decreased by 23-40% in the lab test too, but no difference was observed on the RDE test due to low emissions for all fuels.

Emissions of dangerous but not yet regulated aldehydes – acetaldehyde and formaldehyde – decreased with the use of e-fuels when the engine was first switched on, but no significant difference was seen on the test overall.

Ammonia emissions of two e-petrol blends roughly doubled on the RDE test, with emissions particularly increasing after the engine was first switched on. These results, according to T&E, indicate that some e-petrol blends may cause an increase in ammonia emissions, which is a precursor to PM2.5 pollution.

The testing was carried out by French research organisation IFP Energies Nouvelles. It used a Euro 6d-temp Mercedes A 180, on WLTC and RDE drive cycles performed on a chassis dyno.

Due to a lack of commercial production, IFP Energies Nouvelles had to blend three e-fuel blends representative of potential future fuels that are compatible with petrol cars. Two different 100% e-petrol blends and one blending 2nd generation ethanol (10%) and e-fuel were made.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News