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Tech giant Apple has plans to further its phone integration with control over more of your car’s features, including air-conditioning and seat adjustment.

Apple is reportedly working on a project to further its devices’ integration with cars, extending its CarPlay interface to also control functions such as the climate control and seat adjustment for compatible vehicles.

Codenamed ‘IronHeart’, the project is in its initial stages, as reported by financial publication Bloomberg, and its development would hinge on further cooperation with car manufacturers.

However, this is a distinct possibility given the widespread adoption of Apple’s CarPlay connectivity tech since the phone-based app was launched in 2014.

It’s no secret that Apple has delved into the realm of vehicle development, with the tech giant placing a heavy focus on autonomous driving systems. This furthering of its software integration would allow Apple users to adjust their car’s climate control settings and change their seat position, for example, through their device.

It’s reported by Bloomberg that the functionality of the new system could also include inside and outside temperature and humidity readings, temperature zones and fan speed within the car, window defrost settings, as well as the speedometer and fuel gauge displays.

The tech will also reportedly build on CarPlay’s existing offering when it comes to control over a vehicle’s multimedia set-up, with more detailed adjustments to the stereo possible through equalisers and fade and balance controls.

CarPlay users currently have to switch between the Apple-based system and a vehicle’s built-in multimedia tech to adjust many settings; if Apple were to further integrate its technology this sticking point could be negated for some drivers and passengers.

Apple’s main rival Google has already branched out into the infotainment field with its Android Automotive operating system, improving the integration between users’ compatible devices and their cars; Volvo, Polestar and Renault, with its Megane E-Tech Electric, all use this interface.

A more advanced Apple-based infotainment system might also allow the development of third party apps for vehicles in time. However, it’s thought that development to this level might be met by reticence from car manufacturers, who could be reluctant to hand over control of some vital vehicle systems.  By Graham Hill thanks to Auto Express

Familiar old activities have been joined by some scary new ones.

It’s come to something when not even Ethan Hunt, fictional hero of movie franchise Mission Impossible, can prevent his BMW X7 from being stolen. That’s what happened one night in August when Tom Cruise’s SUV was pinched from outside the Grand Hotel in central Birmingham, where he had been staying.

The car, which was equipped with a tracking device, was recovered three miles away a short time later. CCTV footage showed three people leaving it with a bag containing some of its contents.

The actor was reportedly furious about the incident, and we British motorists should be concerned too. At the time, a relay attack, where the car’s electronic security is fooled into believing the key fob is present, was the favoured explanation.

However, weeks later, the police don’t know exactly how it was stolen, only that its electronics were compromised.

The incident appears to show that for all their sophistication, today’s cars are seemingly as easy to steal as their forebears were in the 1990s, when more than 300,000 were pinched each year in England and Wales.

In 2020, ‘only’ 89,000 cars were stolen, 24,000 down on 2019 – a fall credited to fewer journeys being undertaken during the lockdowns, as well as to improved vehicle security, heightened public awareness and more effective policing. For example, West Midlands Police says that it has identified and closed down more than 100 chop shops – where stolen cars are broken for parts by organised gangs – in the past 18 months.

That’s the good news, but the bad news is that last year’s figure is still 20,000 higher than that from 2013. Indeed, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) recently reported a 3.1% year-on-year rise in vehicle crime between May and June.

It’s a confusing picture, but not as confusing as the methods criminals employ to steal, and steal from, cars. Here, we survey the state of affairs…

Thefts of and from vehicles: the numbers

85% of thefts happen during the night, and 39% happen on the owner’s home street

72% of stolen vehicles are never returned to owner

30% of stolen vehicles are written off

The entry method in 44% of thefts is opening unlocked doors, with 36% being by manipulation of a remote-locking signal

39% of items stolen from vehicles are valuables

37% of stolen vehicles are more than one year old but less than five years old

The most commonly reported emotional impact of vehicle-related theft is annoyance, at 76%

Figures courtesy of the Office for National Statistics, from Crime Survey for England and Wales, April 2019 to March 2020

Electronic compromise is the term for gaining control of a vehicle by hacking into its electronic systems. Relay attack is one of the best-known methods: a criminal holds a device against the door of the car, amplifying the security signal that the vehicle transmits.

Another stands near the owner’s home with a device that relays a pairing signal from the vehicle owner’s key to the accomplice, who then opens the car’s door and starts the engine. Relay attacks often take place on a vehicle owner’s driveway.

In a disturbing twist, it appears that some crooks are now disabling home owners’ wi-fi to prevent doorbell video footage being captured as evidence.

The NPCC says that relay attacks accounted for a large share of the increase in vehicle crime during May and June 2021. How large can be gauged by the fact that in 2020, 93% of the vehicles recorded as stolen by Tracker, a vehicle tracking company, were taken as a result of a relay attack.

Thankfully, car makers are fighting back. In 2019, Ford introduced ‘sleeping key fobs’, which become deactivated when not in use, on the Fiesta and Focus, and earlier this year extended the technology to the Kuga and Puma. These can’t be activated by a relay device. Since their introduction, Fiesta thefts have fallen by two-thirds.

Other forms of electronic compromise include having an additional key programmed to the vehicle, manipulating the car’s electronics via the on-board diagnostics port and swapping out the vehicle’s engine control unit. Many of the devices that thieves use are available to buy online.

Pleasingly, there’s little honour among criminals, as a security source explained: “A contact told us that he broke into a new Range Rover with a system that he had purchased for £12,000.

It enabled him to get into the vehicle, but it didn’t have the promised firmware that would allow him to start it. He’s now worried that if he returns the device for the update, he might not get it back.”

Have your car’s windows etched with its registration and VIN.

Park in a well-lit place and, if on your driveway, facing your house so that the thief will have to reverse the car.

If your car has keyless entry, check if you can disable the system; and if not, if a software update is available enabling you to.

Block the key signal by storing it in a Faraday pouch or a tin lined with metallic foil.

Fit an ECU security cradle.

Have your car’s security system updated to accept only two keys.

Fit a mechanical lock, such as a gearstick or steering-wheel lock.

Catalytic converter theft

If you think relay attacks on driveways are audacious, catalytic converter thefts are in another league. Many are done in broad daylight by the roadside and even in supermarket car parks.

The thieves are after the precious metals that the converters contain and which, having passed through various hands, fetch astronomical sums on the open market.

According to figures obtained from police forces in England and Wales by the BBC, 13,000 converters were recorded stolen in 2019, compared with 2000 the year before.

Last April, Ageas, one of the UK’s biggest car insurers, reported a steep rise in converter thefts during lockdown, stating they accounted for around a third of all theft claims (before lockdown, it was a fifth).

However, good news may be on the horizon. Converter thefts peaked this March, with 3245 recorded. The next month, the British Transport Police co-ordinated a multi-agency operation to tackle the problem. More than 1000 stolen converters were recovered and more than 50 people were arrested. Since then, thefts have declined steadily, with only 1378 recorded in July.

The NPCC credits improved liaison between forces for the reduction, as well as a new national database of stolen converters marked with an invisible special formula that contains a unique reference code. Developed by Smartwater Group, the high- temperature-resistant product can be applied to the converter when the vehicle is in a workshop for servicing or an MOT test.

 “On its own, marking a converter won’t prevent its theft,” says Mark Silvester, a West Midlands Police crime prevention manager. “However, when, for example, we find converters in chop shops or in the back of a car, the unique codes identify them as stolen, identify their owners and help us to build a trail that can lead to convictions and discourage further thefts.”

Stay safe

Park your car in your garage or else in such a way that it’s hard to access its converter (for example, parked tightly between other cars).

Fit a Thatcham-approved alarm with a tilt function that senses vehicle movement.

Fit a security device such as a Catloc or Catclamp.

Have your converter watermarked and advertise this fact on the car’s window.

Although thieves will operate in daylight, try to park your car in a well-lit area that’s overlooked.

Key theft

According to Neil Thomas, director of investigative services at AX Innovation, a fleet management company, you’re unlikely to have your car key stolen from your house. “Many criminals who steal cars to order are reluctant to enter their victim’s home,” he says. “Such crooks call themselves twoccers, which stands for taking without consent, and don’t regard themselves as burglars.” That’s a comfort, then. Even so, it does happen. Indeed, one of Thomas’s neighbours woke up recently to finda thief standing on his landing, demanding his car keys…

Mark Silvester says that programming a key fob to unlock and start a car is another method of attack: “The equipment is freely available but, generally speaking, most vehicle ECUs won’t accept more than three keys being assigned to the car. Ask your main dealer to update the car’s ECU such that it won’t recognise a third key.”

Stay Safe

Leave your car key downstairs. Better it’s seen than the burglar coming to you to get it.

Have your car’s ECU updated to recognise only two keys.

Views from a victim

Two years ago, David (not his real name) was confronted in his home by a gang demanding the keys to his BMW. “It was one o’clock in the morning,” he says. “As I opened the bedroom door, I was confronted by three people wearing balaclavas.”

David handed over the keys and in a few seconds his car and the gang had gone. “The police arrived in minutes and tracked my X5 hitting the ANPR cameras as it went up the M6 before it vanished. I never got it back.”

David says the experience has had a huge emotional impact on him and made him more risk-averse and security-conscious. “People should check the layers of deterrent they have,” he says. “For example, when I see cars pointing out of a driveway, I think how stealable that is. You have to think like a thief.”

Carjacking

You might think carjacking is something that happens only in other countries, but three years ago in Birmingham, a motorist who stopped his car to move wheelie bins blocking his path wasset on by baton-wielding thugs who forced him out of the vehicle before taking it. It was one of a series of carjackings that occurred in or near the city the same year.

Other techniques the criminals used included waiting near the victim’s house to attack them and grab their keys; and encouraging victims to stop their car by pretending to be broken down, bumping their car from behind or flashing their headlights.

In a concerted effort to quash the city’s carjacking epidemic, the police made 600 arrests in just a few weeks.

Stay Safe

Be suspicious of anything blocking your path, headlights flashing you to stop or groups of people lingering nearby.

Reverse into a parking space so you can leave easily and quickly, as well as see who is around you.

Change your parking place regularly.

Have your keys to hand so that you can quickly enter the vehicle and lock it from the inside.

Make sure you unlock only the driver’s door.

Always lock the car when, for example, paying for fuel.

Always allow sufficient space between you and the car in front so that you can pull away quickly.

Theft of belongings

In the league table of vehicle crime, theft from a car is still number one. In the past, it occurred because cars were easy to break into or windows were left open, but today it can be because the car is simply unlocked. “Check your fob has done its job,” says Mark Silvester.

“Not all cars signal that they’re locked or unlocked. It can be hard to check, too, because, depending on the model, it may unlock as you pull the handle. Mirrors that fold in and indicators that flash are a good indication that a car is locked.” Meanwhile, the old advice about not leaving valuables on view remains as valid as ever: “A lot of car crime is opportunistic. Leaving valuables on display is an open invitation.”

Stay safe

When locking your car, make sure by checking that the indicators flash or that the door mirrors have folded in.

Ensure the windows are closed.

Keep valuables including portable sat-navs out of sight.

Park in a well-lit, overlooked or busy area.

By Graham Hill thanks to Autocar

New product: Breath Alcohol Tester – Kenwood Car Audio CAX-AD100

KENWOOD’s premium analyser is quick to respond and has a highly accurate measurement. The sensor is heated to accelerate the reaction, plus heating removes dirt and impurities adhering to the sensor.   

Supports straw method and open blow method 2-way measurement

Supports 2-way measurement of straw method and open blow method. The straw method is less affected by the environment than the open blow method that blows exhaled air directly. This enables more accurate measurement.

Stylish design & compact design

Compact design that fits in one hand with a clean and slim design, so you can easily use it at home, or when you are on a business trips.The sensor cover has to be closed when you are not using the unit, so it protects the highly sensitive sensor.

5000 times long-term sensor and life notification function

The sensor can measure up to as many as 5000 times. When you exceed this amount of measurements, the sensor replacement mark will flash to inform you of the lifestatus.   

Measurement timing Electronic sound

At the time of measurement, the countdown of the digital display starts, and the timing is notified by electronic sound.   

LCD display of alcohol value during exhalation

Clear measurement is possible with a digital display from 0,00mg / l without cutting the low concentration area of alcohol

* 0.05mg / l or less is displayed as 0.05 mg / l   

Power saving design and automatic power off function

Power-saving design that can measure 1200 times with 2 AA alkaline batteries. Even if the power is left on, the power will be turned off automatically after 1 minute, so you avoid depleted batteries.  By Graham Hill thanks to Kenwood

A new device has been developed to prevent vehicles from aquaplaning and losing traction control due to adverse road conditions.

The Run Dry Traction System (RDTS) works by firing a jet of compressed gas close to the front of the wheel, removing surface water in front of the tyre to ensure the vehicle has a dry patch of road ahead, to ensure grip is not compromised by road contaminants such as water, sand and gravel.

The device has been developed by Professor Mike Blundell and Ravi Ranjan from Coventry University’s Research Centre for Future Transport and Cities, following a two-year research project.

Professor Mike Blundell, professor of vehicle dynamics and impact at Coventry University, said: “Our tests demonstrate that RDTS has the potential to make a huge impact on vehicle safety in a whole host of conditions.

“The prospect of producing something that could even save lives on the road is extremely exciting and after some initial success with testing, we’re now eager to look into manufacturing potential and further research to take this concept to the next level.

“A device like this really could be the difference between life and death if it can help vehicles to stop safely within certain distances and that’s why we’re so keen to continue developing this concept.”

The prototype product aims to prevent aquaplaning and loss of traction in a variety of road conditions.

Aquaplaning, also referred to as hydroplaning, happens when a layer of surface water builds up between a vehicle’s tyres and the road surface, leading to a complete loss of grip.

This can occur with as little as 2-3mm of standing water on the road surface when vehicles are travelling at a variety of speeds and is a leading cause of road traffic accidents. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Police are appealing to fleet workshops, garages and MOT test centres to support a new initiative targeting the theft of catalytic converters and other components.

The SmartWater Group, which is spearheading the new, policebacked scheme, wants them to become accredited registration hubs, after the unique identifier proved to be a deterrent.

In a recent SmartWater trial with the National Infrastructure Crime Reduction Partnership (NICRP) and the British Transport Police (BTP), thefts of catalytic converters more than halved.

Thefts peaked in March, when 3,245 catalytic converters were stolen, but they have been declining since, with 1,378 recorded in July – a 57% fall. Key to that decrease was a joint operation codenamed Goldiron, which recovered more than 1,000 stolen catalytic converters in April.

The operation, which was coordinated by the British Transport Police (BTP) and involved experts from SmartWater’s intelligence unit, the Centre for Infrastructure and Asset Protection (CIAP), also resulted in more than 50 arrests.

Over a five-day period, officers and partner agencies visited 926 sites, stopped 664 vehicles, recovered 1,037 stolen catalytic converters and 297 items of stolen property and identified 244 offences.

Rachael Oakley, director at CIAP, says SmartWater is a “highly-proven deterrent to criminals and rogue scrap metal dealers as it makes stolen parts too hot to handle”.

The heat-resistant solution, which is invisible to the naked eye but glows yellow under UV light, leaves a long lasting and unique identifier.

Oakley explained: “The combination of the materials that is put into the solution makes each individual vial unique.

“The registration of this bottle is what’s key. Every item marked with SmartWater is registered on our database.”

NATIONAL SMARTWATER DATABASE

It can be applied by brush in 10 minutes and only a fragment of SmartWater is required to link it to a specific vehicle on the ‘National Asset Database’, which is operated by CIAP on behalf of the police.

NICRP lead and BTP Superintendent, Mark Cleland, said: “Thanks to the support of the Home Office in creating the NICRP, our joint working with SmartWater and other industry partners, and the drive by enforcement partners across the UK, we have made a real impact in tackling metal and catalytic converter crime.

“While arrests continue to be made, it is the preventative approach through the forensic marking of catalytic converters that gives motorists the opportunity to protect their property and stop the crime in the first place.”

Catalytic converters have been targeted because they contain a honeycomb coated with precious metals such as platinum, palladium and rhodium which help to filter harmful gases from the vehicles’ exhaust systems.

The RAC says that when the global value of these metals increases it usually leads to a spike in thefts. Prices of rhodium hit a record high earlier this year, up more than 200% since March 2020.

In an effort to deter criminals from targeting Toyota’s cars, the carmaker joined forces with police and SmartWater earlier this year to covertly mark the catalytic converters on more than 100,000 cars.

The initiative is costing Toyota more than £1 million and will be provided to existing owners for free.

Oakley, who met the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) with the British Transport Police to discuss the initiative, believes other manufacturers are watching with interest.

OTHER SMARTWATER APPLICATIONS

She also told Fleet News that, while catalytic converters were a focus, the forensic marking could be applied to other high-value vehicle components, which could be targeted by criminal gangs.

She explained: “We can basically react to where there might be a crime spike or a trend and if fleets are asking us to help with solutions, we can look at what we can do to make sure SmartWater can assist with that.

“Criminals will move quickly; the prices of precious metals will start to come down and they’ll move on to something else.

“What we’re seeing is that’s likely to be something like hybrid batteries or electric vehicle cables.

“We’d like to get ahead of the game by putting in the preventive measures to stop these crimes becoming the issue that catalytic converter crime has become.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Annual road casualty statistics for Great Britain show the number of people injured and killed using e-scooters for the first time.

The Department for Transport’s (DfT) figures show that there were 484 casualties involving e-scooters in 2020, of which one person was killed, 128 were seriously injured and 355 slightly injured.

E-scooter firms were given the go-ahead by the Government to start trials on UK roads in July 2020, with schemes being set up with local authorities across the country as people looked for alternatives to public transport, because of Covid-19.

However, road safety charity IAM RoadSmart says that the results of these pilot schemes have been repeatedly delayed, meaning a full review has yet to be conducted.

Neil Greig, director of policy and research at IAM RoadSmart, said: “By delaying yet again the results of the pilot schemes we have another Christmas looming where people will be buying and using a totally unregulated form of transport in the UK.

“The pilots were launched in July 2020 and are now not due to finish until March 2022, plus the time required after that for analysis and legislation – this has taken far too long in our opinion.”

In the meantime, Greig says the police should make it clear that anyone caught riding an e-scooter outside private land or a trial area will have their vehicle seized immediately.

“E-scooters may have a role to play in the future transport mix, but this can only happen once their legal status has been made completely clear and that cannot happen soon enough,” he added.

Road deaths and casualties during 2020  

DfT figures from the Reported Road Casualties Great Britain 2020 report show that last year 1,460 people were killed on Britain’s roads, which is a fall of 17% compared with the figure in 2019.

In 2020, there were also 115,584 reported road casualties of all severities, which was a fall of 25% from the previous year.

However, during much of 2020, the UK was in lockdown and the RAC estimate that miles travelled in the country were 21% down on the previous year.

Data from the DfT also shows that in 2020, 141 cyclists were killed in road accidents. This was up 41% from 100 deaths in the previous year. The number of children killed on Britain’s roads also increased, from 49 in 2019 to 52 in 2020.

David Walker, head of road and leisure safety at RoSPA, said: “By any measure 2020 was an abnormal year. It is of no surprise that the overall number of road casualties fell. This is in no small part due to less traffic on the roads.

“With traffic levels returning to pre-pandemic levels and some understandable reluctance towards using public transport, we must today continue to focus on the harm to motorists and more significantly, from motorists.”

He continued: “We welcome the fact that more people have been getting out on their bikes and recognise the reduction in the rate of deaths per mile travelled. However, this should not distract from the shocking fact that more cyclists and more children died on our roads than in the previous year.

“At RoSPA we believe that having more cyclists and pedestrians should not result in an increased number of serious and fatal accidents involving vulnerable road users.

“We must continue to act decisively if we want to maintain the position of British roads being among the safest in the world.”

With travel restrictions in place throughout 2020, there was a huge increase in the number of people electing to use active travel such as walking and cycling.

According to the DfT‘s Road Traffic Estimates in Great Britain 2020, pedal cycle traffic was up by 45.7% from the previous year.

Edmund King, AA president, said: “It is clear that the lockdown travel restrictions during the pandemic helped the year-on-year fall in road deaths.

“Rather than simply accept this as a dip in the records, we should use this moment as the catalyst to reset ‘zero’ road deaths as the target for the end of the decade.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

This article applies to fleet users but it has raised some interesting points that you may wish to address if you are a consumer driving your first electric car and want to make sure that you are covered for all eventualities. I’ve underlined those items that need special attention when taking out your insurance. Also, training may be useful in order to maximise the benefits of having an EV.

Allianz Insurance has enhanced its Motor Fleet (15 or more vehicles) and Small Fleet (4-14 vehicles) products to provide cover for electric vehicles as well as a wide range of services to support fleet electrification.

The specialist EV cover includes third-party liability during charging, as well as damage cover for cables, connectors and electric wallboxes located at the insured’s premises or an employee’s home.

Allianz has also future-proofed its wording and clarified some existing cover and limits in regard to vehicle automation and connectivity.

Gerry Ross, head of commercial motor, Allianz Insurance said: “These are really exciting times for us as we continuously challenge ourselves to bring the latest solutions to our customers. We constantly review our motor proposition to ensure we remain at the forefront of the market, meeting and anticipating broker and customer needs.

“The inclusion of EV cover reflects the evolving priorities of our customers and the option to use green parts demonstrates our commitment to sustainability. Our expert underwriters, local branch network and excellent claims teams are committed to delivering a comprehensive offering that reflects the challenges and opportunities modern fleets are facing.”

The new proposition is supported by Allianz’s risk management partners DriveTech and Lightfoot. DriveTech provides driver training, including an appreciation of regenerative braking, charging and EV safety. Lightfoot, meanwhile, uses connected technology to deliver real-time driver coaching, with a smartphone app offering drivers rewards and prizes.

This can help to reduce fuel consumption and improve the battery range of electric vehicles, while also reducing CO2 emissions. Both partners also provide risk management services that are valuable to drivers and fleet managers alike.

As part of its sustainability commitments, Allianz will also look to use green parts wherever possible on non-safety critical items (with the insured’s permission) when repairing fleet vehicles. With more fleet customers receptive to choosing environmentally sustainable solutions, green parts can make a positive and practical environmental impact.

Recognising that many commercial motor customers will want to continue to support people in their local communities, cover that was provided for volunteering during lockdown will continue, either for the NHS or the distribution of food aid from a recognised Trust or Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN) charity. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Ford and a UK Government-funded consortium have developed technology to predict traffic incident locations based on data from connected vehicles, roadside sensors and accident reports. 

The new ‘RoadSafe’ technology uses a smart algorithm to crunch anonymised data from sources including connected vehicles, roadside sensors and accident reports to pinpoint where there is a higher chance of traffic incidents occurring.

This information can then be displayed on a map that identifies the level of risk and could also be used to warn drivers of hotspots.

Jon Scott, City Insights project lead for Ford Mobility Europe, explained: “There are areas in every city where the chance of an incident is higher, whether it’s due to a poorly placed sign, an unrepaired pothole or junctions built to accommodate far less traffic than we have today.

“Ford can pinpoint the areas of concern, so drivers could be made more aware of them and authorities can address them.”

RoadSafe is the culmination of four years of research by Ford, including most recently a 20-month Government-funded project conducted together with Oxfordshire County Council, Loughborough University and AI sensor specialists Vivacity Labs, with support from Transport for London (TfL) and backing from Innovate UK.

Road safety hotspots identified

The research began with an analysis of Greater London to highlight road safety hotspots and to identify the potential causes and safety mitigations.

In the past 15 months, the research expanded to Oxfordshire, with more than 200 passenger and commercial vehicles voluntarily connected in London and Oxfordshire.

The data enabled the team to develop a ‘Road Segment Risk Rating Heat Map’, which identifies stretches of road that are of particular concern.

It includes various layers of data, including historic accident data and a ‘Risk Prediction’ rating algorithm for each road segment based on a range of data inputs, calculated using advanced data analytics techniques.

The Road Segment Risk Prediction rating uses colours to show where incidents are more likely to happen, with red having the highest risk level and yellow the lowest. 

To gather the data, the connected vehicles record driving events, including braking, steering and accelerating, while Vivacity’s road-side sensors track the movements of different modes of transport.

The sensors employ machine-learning algorithms to detect near-miss incidents and analyse movement patterns of vulnerable road-users such as cyclists and pedestrians, as well as non-connected vehicles.

All data shared by the sensors is anonymised with video feeds discarded at source, enabling safer roads without intruding on privacy.

Combining vehicle and sensor data can help identify a wide variety of hazards such as places where vehicles pass too close to cyclists; a poorly located bus stop causing traffic to become congested; and badly designed infrastructure such as a roundabouts and junctions causing confusion and near-misses. 

For businesses and fleets, the RoadSafe algorithm could be used to optimise driver routing to detour away from particular problem areas, or warn drivers when they are in riskier areas, reducing potential down time resulting from incidents, says Ford.

In the future, such technology could also benefit passengers riding in autonomous vehicles. Combining the on-board sensors of the vehicle with a digital tool could help them anticipate hazardous situations even earlier and therefore adapt their operation accordingly  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) is urging fleets to think carefully before ordering company cars where safety devices have been removed due to the semiconductor shortage.

The same applies to consumers about to order a new car. The global shortage of chips has caused delays to new car orders and seen some specifications removed such as lane departure warning and rear parking sensors.

The AFP says that there are a number of issues to be considered by fleets – from ethics to risk management responsibilities to future residual values.

AFP chairman, Paul Hollick, said: “We appreciate that the semiconductor shortage is leaving manufacturers with some tough production decisions to make and some have decided to delete what might be described as non-core safety equipment such as lane departure warning and rear parking sensors.

“Our view is that everyone should think carefully before buying these vehicles. From a risk management point of view, there is a moral and potentially also a legal issue in terms of operating some vehicles that are known to be potentially less safe than would normally be the case.

“Similarly, although safety equipment has not historically had a significant effect on vehicle residual values, the trade will know that these are ‘decontented’ cars and are likely to price them according in three or four years at disposal time. The impact on overall operating costs is difficult to assess.”

Hollick added that ongoing vehicle shortages caused by the semiconductor shortage were prompting a range of issues for fleets.

“There are predictable problems such as ensuring that cars and vans that are being operated for longer are maintained to a level that ensures they remain fit for purpose,” he continued.

“This is relatively simple but can be expensive and does require a lot of attention to detail.

“However, probably the most frustrating issues are the delays that are being caused to fleet electrification programmes.

“There are relatively large numbers of drivers with an EV on order who are facing the prospect of driving their existing diesel for another 6-12 months.

“Not only is there annoyance at the enthusiasm for EV adoption that exists being hindered but the practical fact that much higher benefit-in-kind taxation bills are being paid for much longer than expected.

“Additionally, many of these new EVs will now have life cycles that end beyond the current benefit-in-kind taxation tables, which adds a further layer of uncertainty.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A guide to everything you need to know about speeding, from fines to the cameras the police use.

There was a time when fixed and average speed cameras didn’t exist, and the most likely way of accruing endorsements (now better known as penalty points) on your licence was to miss seeing the local policeman pointing a ‘speed gun’ at your car as you edged above the posted limit. Those days have long since passed, and the rise in digital technology now means that drivers are faced with a plethora of different roadside devices.

How can I be caught speeding?

There are a variety of different speed-detecting technologies on British roads today. Here are the most common.

Truvelo

All speed cameras have to be coloured bright yellow by law and the Truvelo is no exception. Most commonly mounted on a pole at the side of a single or dual carriageway, the Truvelo uses a front-facing camera to record your speed, backed up by a matrix of small squares painted on the road. (Secondary evidence of speed is required with all fixed-position cameras.)

While images of motorcycle numberplates can be tricky to capture, due to their lack of front registrations, the Truvelo can identify drivers of other vehicles, adding a further layer of evidence if a prosecution is disputed. More recently, a Truvelo D-Cam has been launched for motorway applications, with front- and rear-facing capabilities.

Gatso

The name that most of us are familiar with, the Gatso first graced our road scene in 1991 and is a rear-facing camera, meaning that it records your vehicle after it’s passed the camera unit, with two images taken in quick succession. Like the Travelo, the images are supported by secondary evidence of speed provided by painted ‘dashes’ on the road surface. These dashes may be found on both sides of the road next to the camera, but the Gatso will only record your speed in the direction in which it is facing.

SPECS

SPECS (average speed check cameras and speed enforcement) units measure your speed over a set distance, via two banks of cameras. Most commonly found through roadworks, or where there is a lower than normal speed limit, they use automatic numberplate recognition (ANPR) to identify vehicles. As you pass the first set of cameras, your vehicle’s details are recorded, and if your average speed before reaching the second cameras is above a set threshold, a notice of intended prosecution (NIP) will be automatically generated. (See below.)

HADECS 3

The catchily named Highways Agency Digital Enforcement Camera System 3, or HADECS 3 for short, is most commonly found on smart motorways, mounted on the overhead gantries that carry variable speed limit alerts. The camera’s limited use of yellow cladding and the fact that it is a fraction of a Gatso/Travelo’s size mean that it can be easily missed, especially if you’re travelling at 70mph. HADECS 3 is rear facing, and once again it uses painted dashes on the road as secondary evidence of a vehicle’s speed. It also adapts to posted, mandatory speed limits that can vary depending on road conditions.

Mobile speed camera units

It’s not uncommon for the police to monitor vehicle speeds at known accident hotspots using mobile units – quite literally, vehicles with miniature Gatso cameras pointing through their rear windows. These are often found parked in laybys or above dual-carriageway or motorway bridges and have a range of up to one mile. The police also have access to handheld radar- and laser-controlled devices that can be used at a variety of locations.

How will I know if I’ve been caught speeding?

If you’ve been caught speeding with a hand-held device, or one installed in a moving police car, you could be asked to stop there and then. In this case, the police have two options: they can either give you a verbal warning and send you on your way, or they can issue you with a fixed penalty notice (FPN). But if you’ve been caught speeding by a remote device, the registered keeper of the vehicle will receive a notice of intended prosecution (NIP) and section 172 notice by post within 14 days of the offence. The section 172 notice then has to be returned within 28 days, providing details of the driver who committed the offence. A fixed penalty notice (FPN) will then be issued to the driver, or if the offence is deemed serious enough, a court summons.

What kind of penalty can I expect?

If you receive an FPN, you can either plead guilty or not guilty to the offence, with each decision triggering its own process. A guilty plea will generally carry a fixed £100 fine and three points added to your licence. Depending upon where you were caught speeding, there will be different ways to pay the fine, which can be found here.

However, you may be offered the option of paying instead for a speed awareness course (typically costing a similar amount to the fine itself), which will avoid the addition of points to your licence. Certain caveats exist, though. The police will decide if it’s appropriate to your offence (so it tends to be offered for more minor transgressions).

And it will only be offered if you’ve not been on such a course in the past three years. It’s also worth noting that not all police authorities run speed awareness courses, so this option is by no means a given. 

The situation becomes more complex if you plead not guilty, though. Of course, if you’re convinced of your innocence, then it’s the right and proper course of action and it will probably involve a trip to court. But if you lose your case, you could be fined more and receive more penalty points.

Excess speed bands and your weekly income make up the fine

In 2017, the speeding penalty system was overhauled, with larger fines for drivers charged with excessive speed. If you are prosecuted in court, the amount you are fined and number of points you receive (or the disqualification period) will firstly be determined by the speed you were travelling over the posted limit, as shown here.

But as you can see from the last line, the actual fine is ‘personalised’ depending on your average gross weekly income.

For example, based on a driver earning the UK average income (2020-21) of £29,600:

Speeding at 81-90mph in a 60mph zone = £428-£713 fine plus 4-6 penalty points

Speeding at 66mph+ in a 40mph zone = £713-£998 fine plus 6 penalty points

There are a further three bands (D, E and F) that deal with more extreme transgressions, which may include excessive speed where the driver is: on bail; has existing convictions; in charge of a large vehicle; heavy load; towing; carrying passengers; driving through a heavily pedestrianised area.

It’s also worth noting that if you’ve only held a full driving licence for less than two years, it will be revoked if you reach six or more penalty points.

On the upside, mitigating factors, such as it being a first offence, or being of ‘good character’, may help reduce the fine and penalty. The court may even take into account speeding for a genuine emergency.

Either way, under any circumstances, there is a £1000 fine cap for all speeding offences, apart from those committed on motorways, where it increases to £2500.

How many points do I need before I lose my licence?

Even less serious speeding offences can cause you to lose your licence. If you accrue 12 or more penalty points in a three year period – potentially four minimum-fine/points offences – you could end up with a six-month ban. And this could have further repercussions. If you’re disqualified for 56 days or more (see also the more serious single-offence bans, above) you’ll need to apply for a new licence, and this may even entail retaking your driving test.

How will speeding penalties affect my car insurance?

Insurers will generally regard drivers who’ve accrued penalty points for any offence – including speeding – as a higher risk and will likely impose a higher premium as a result. While penalty points for speeding are generally only valid for three years as far as totting up endorsements and a potential ban goes, they remain visible on your licence for four years. Most insurance companies will ask you to declare any motoring offences in the past five years, and if you withhold information, it could affect a future claim, so it’s important to be honest when searching for new quotes.

Top 10 speeding trivia

Would you be surprised if we told you that the world’s first speeding fine was issued in the UK? Well, it was. Driving his new Benz, Walter Arnold was nabbed at four times the national speed limit in Paddock Wood, Kent.

That the limit was just 2mph and the year, 1896, explains a lot. To make matters worse for Arnold, he was reprimanded for not having a red flag waver walking in front of him, too.

And from one extreme to another… The UK’s fastest speeder was caught in 2015 travelling at 192mph in a Nissan GTR. A 28-month custodial sentence followed and Northamptonshire police banned him from driving for 10 years.

But you don’t need anything exotic to get your collar felt. In 2003, an off-duty policeman was caught driving his unmarked Vauxhall Vectra at 159mph on the M54.

It wouldn’t have been as much as the hapless Swiss driver had to shell out, though, after he hit 85mph in a 50mph zone driving his Ferrari Testarossa. Swiss authorities base fines on your financial worth, and with £14.1 million in the bank, this driver ended up with a £180,000 ticket.

But that was nothing compared with another Swiss millionaire who managed 180mph on local roads in his Mercedes-AMG SLS and set a new speeding fine world record at $1,001,400 (£727,166).

Both the above would have got away with it if they’d come to the Isle of Man, where no speed limits apply (although dangerous/careless driving is still an offence, as is breaching local speed limits through built-up areas). Other speed-limit-free havens are Germany’s autobahns (for now) and Australia’s Northern Territories.

But not Dubai. Driving a rented Lamborghini Huracán, a British tourist managed to trigger 33 speed cameras while joyriding through its downtown area, generating $48,000 (£34,847) in speeding fines, before fleeing the country and leaving the rental company to sort out the mess.

If you live near Bristol, though, it takes only one speed camera to extract mega-sums in fines. A camera positioned on the city’s M32 motorway captures on average 50 speeding drivers each day, and over a three-year period relieved them of £5.7m.

Showing slightly more lenience, Poland has the highest speed limits in Europe, at 140km/h (87mph), and in the US, Texas’s Highway 130 allows 85mph before fines are imposed. But the world’s highest speed limit is 160km/h, or, tantalisingly, 99.4mph, in the UAE.

But like it or not, speed cameras in the UK are now part of our motoring life, and with 7000 of them positioned around the country, only Russia, Italy and Brazil have more on their roads. By Graham Hill thanks to Autocar