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As the great in-car touchscreen debate rumbles on, manufacturers remain totally committed, despite the fact that drivers are forced to take their eyes off the road to use them, even if only for a second or two.

A well-thought-out combination of actual buttons for key, primary functions and the touchscreen for secondary functions can help, but things like searching for music albums, playlists or tracks in the infotainment system are still distracting.

To improve on those shortcomings, Nissan has chosen electrostatic feedback buttons for its new Ariya, grouped on the main dashboard and on the centre console.

The technology generates what feels like a kick to emulate the sensation of pushing a mechanical button even though that isn’t happening. Sounds are generated at the same time to help distinguish one ‘button’ from the next. Nissan says the system has been tested by people with different size fingers and fingernails, a wide range of pressure forces, angles and gloved hands.

Haptic-feedback technologies, where the screen generates a sensation like a buzz or vibration in your fingertip when a button is hovered over or touched, can improve things. Hyundai showed off some research and found in trials that mixing audio with haptic feedback made a big difference to the ease of navigating around a touchscreen.

Audi introduced its MMI touch response in 2017 with electromagnet actuators behind a sprung display to deliver a mechanical pulse to your fingertip when a ‘button’ is pressed. Mercedes-Benz’s new ‘Hyperscreen’ also gives haptic feedback, generated by 12 actuators behind the screen.

A few ways of creating haptic feedback have been developed over the years, not all of them suitable for touchscreens.

Small eccentric-rotating-mass (ERM) motors spin an eccentric weight to generate vibration, while piezo actuators contain materials that change size when a current is passed through them, generating a high-frequency vibration if the current is varied very quickly. The faster an actuator can accelerate, the more intense the sensation – something that piezo technology does well.

Ultrasound can generate a haptic response before your finger touches the screen’s surface by disturbing the air close to the surface.

An electrostatic-haptic-surface technology called Tanvastouch has also been developed by US firm Tanvas for a variety of applications, including vehicles. It can go in a screen or surfaces in the cabin, including upholstery, to give haptic feedback. It generates friction between your fingertip and a surface to coincide with graphics so that fine textures, ridges and bumps can be felt as your finger moves over the features.

You can feel what you see, with sliders clicking into place and differentiation between different visual textures on the screen, for example. The technology is so refined that it has even been demonstrated in online shopping applications, allowing you to get a sense of how different materials used in clothing feel in real life. It might also prove to be the secret ingredient missing since cars got too complicated for buttons and touchscreens took over the world.  By Graham Hill thanks to Autocar

Almost two thirds (65%) of car and van drivers says the maintenance of existing roads is more important than building new roads or adding lanes to existing ones, new research from Transport Focus has found.

The independent watchdog spoke to more than 5,600 drivers to understand their priorities for improvement to England’s major roads and found that the quality of road surfaces is their number one issue.

Almost one-in-five car and van drivers rated the quality of road surfaces on England’s motorways and major ‘A’ roads as poor, with potholes and cracks being the main concerns.

The report – Road users’ priorities for improvement – comes as National Highways (formerly Highways England) prepares its long-term plans for England’s strategic road network.

Anthony Smith, chief executive of the independent watchdog Transport Focus, said: “Road users tell us they want to see England’s major roads improved with better roads surfaces and fewer potholes and cracks.

“It’s vital that National Highways focuses future investment on these priorities to ensure all road users have smoother, safer journeys.”

The safer design and upkeep of roads was road users’ second priority for improvement, followed by better management of roadworks.

Transport Focus carried out this research to help put road users’ interests at the heart of the third Road Investment Strategy.

The strategy will set out what the Government requires National Highways to deliver between 2025 and 2030. This includes building new roads, maintaining current ones and operating its network.

Road users’ top priorities for improvement:

1. Improved quality of road surfaces
2. Safer design and upkeep of roads
3. Better management of roadworks
4. Better management of unplanned delays such as accidents or breakdowns
5. Better information about unplanned disruptions (such as accidents)
6. Better behaved drivers
7. Better information about roadworks happening in future
8. Better lighting on the network
9. Reduced environmental impact of road travel
10. Better roadside facilities (service areas, laybys)

By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Between 210 and 250 people were killed in accidents in Great Britain where at least one driver was over the drink-drive limit in 2019, figures from the Department for Transport (DfT) suggest.

The number of fatalities was broadly in line with figures for 2018.

An estimated 7,800 people were killed or injured when at least one driver was over the drink-drive limit. This represents a fall of 10% from 8,680 in 2018 and is the lowest figure recorded.

The total number of accidents where at least one driver was over the alcohol limit decreased by 9% to 5,350 in 2019, the lowest number of drink-drive accidents recorded.

In 2019, the number of killed or seriously injured (KSI) casualties in drink-drive accidents rose while all casualties fell.

This, says DfT, was because the number of seriously injured casualties in accidents in which at least one driver or rider failed a breath test rose, while the number of slightly injured in these accidents fell compared to 2018.

RAC head of policy Nicholas Lyes said: “While there will be much interest in the 2020 casualty figures when they come out to understand the impact of the Covid lockdowns on drink-driving, these figures still represent a rather chilling reminder that in the region of 250 people are killed by drink-drivers on Great Britain’s roads every year, a figure that’s barely fallen since 2010.

“Clearly, much more needs to do done, and one area we’d like to see progress in is around cutting reoffending.

“A report by PACTS found that nearly one-in-five drink drive offences are carried out by repeat offenders, something that could be tackled with the introduction of alcohol interlocks.”

The prevalence of drink-driving in road deaths has fallen over time. In 1979, 26% of road deaths occurred in accidents where at least one driver or rider was over the drink-drive limit. This had fallen to 15% by 1989.

Since then, the percentage of road deaths that are drink-drive related has varied between 12% and 18%. In 2019, the rate was 13%.

The proportion of killed or seriously injured (KSI adjusted) casualties in drink-drive accidents has varied between 5% and 7% since 2005. In 2019, the rate was 6%.

The central estimate of the number of drink-drive casualties of all severities in 2019 is 7,800, a fall of 10% from 8,680 compared to 2018. This is the lowest level recorded.

It is estimated that around 5% of all casualties in reported road accidents in 2019 were involved in accidents in which at least one driver or rider was over the drink-drive limit.

In 1979, 9% of road casualties occurred in accidents in which at least one driver or rider was over the drink-drive limit. This has fallen to 5% by 1992 and has mainly varied around 5% since then.

Hunter Abbott, managing director of personal breathalyser firm AlcoSense, said: “The fact that testing is at its lowest level on record should be ringing alarm bells. Police carried out just 285,380 roadside breath tests in England and Wales in 2019 – less than half the number in 2008.

“All convicted drink drivers in Northern Ireland are now automatically referred to a rehabilitation course – to educate them on the potential consequences of their actions. This should be introduced in the rest of the UK as soon as possible.”

In a poll conducted by AlcoSense, more than a third of motorists (36%) think their ability to drive is only impaired if they are actually over the legal drink drive limit. But, according to AlcoSense you are 13 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash if you are at, but not over, the limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Even with 10mg per 100mL of alcohol in your blood (one eighth of the limit) it is 37% more likely than when completely sober, research shows, it says.

Drink-drive casualties by country and English region

The percentage of all casualties which occurred in drink-drive accidents was the highest in Wales at 6.9% followed by England at 5.1% and Scotland at 4.6%.

Within the English regions, the casualty rates varied from 7.0% in the East Midlands to Greater London at 2.9%.

Since 2010, the proportion of casualties that occur in drink-drive accidents has been higher in Wales than in England or Scotland.

Casualties in drink-drive accidents by sex

In 2019, 78% of drink-drive accidents involved male drivers or riders over the legal alcohol limit.

Some accidents will involve both male and female drivers over the limit, and sex is unknown for some drivers.

However, males make up 69% of drivers (excluding pedal cyclists and horse riders) involved in all accidents where the sex of the driver is known.

In 2019, 67% of casualties in drink-drive accidents were male compared to 60% in all reported road accidents.

Casualties in drink-drive accidents by age

A higher proportion of casualties in drink-drive accidents were aged between 25 and 59 than in all reported accidents in 2019 (63% in drink-drive accidents compared to 56% in all accidents).

The same was true for people aged 16 to 24 (23% in drink-drive accidents compared to 19% in all accidents).

Older people (aged 60+) represented a lower proportion in drink-accidents than accidents overall (8% in drink-drive accidents compared to 14% in all accidents). By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Auto Express investigation shows extent of drivers and pedestrians breaking the law on motorways, with illegal stops accounting for more than a third of all offences.

Drivers are putting lives at risk by committing thousands of dangerous motorway manoeuvres every year, Auto Express can reveal. Our investigation surveyed 28 police forces and found officers had issued at least 17,775 tickets over the past five and half years, catching people making U-turns on motorways, driving the wrong way on slip roads, stopping in live lanes and driving on hard shoulders.

What we did

Motorways are subject to specific traffic laws set out by The Motorways Traffic (England and Wales) Regulations 1982. These make it illegal, for instance, to walk on a motorway, and govern where drivers are allowed to enter the roads, and how they must behave once they are on them. These laws are the reason you see signs saying ‘end of motorway regulations’ when you pull into a motorway services area, for example.

We asked the 43 police forces in England and Wales how many motorway-specific traffic offences their officers had issued tickets for between the start of 2016 and May 2021, and received data from 28 forces. Some constabularies weren’t able to furnish us with information because either their systems weren’t set up to allow for this kind of interrogation, or because they have no motorways in the areas that they police.

Nonetheless, our investigation is the most comprehensive of its kind, and paints a clear picture of the sorts of driver behaviour police deal with on motorways on a daily basis.

What we found

There are a number of motorway-specific offences covered by the 1982 regulations, and police make regular use of them.

The most common offence is making an unnecessary stop on a hard shoulder or emergency refuge area; officers issued 6,821 tickets for this between 2016 and mid 2021. Next, 2,645 fines were issued to those driving on hard shoulders or refuge areas, while 837 people were caught driving or stopping on verges or central reservations.

Some forces, including Essex and Avon and Somerset told us of thousands of ‘Red X’ offences committed by drivers travelling in closed motorway lanes, something for which tickets started to be issued in 2019 to reflect how smart motorways work. We’ve included these figures in our totals, although not all forces shared this data, so direct comparisons cannot be made between individual years.

Less common infractions were arguably more worrying than more prevalent ones. A total of 165 people were caught driving the wrong way on a motorway from 2016 to 2021, while 204 received tickets for driving the wrong way on slip roads, and 82 were ticketed for making U-turns on motorways.

And while learner drivers have been allowed on motorways with an approved driving instructor in a dual-control car since 2018, 514 learners were ticketed for either breaching these rules, or because they were on a motorway prior to 2018.

It’s not just people in vehicles police have to worry about, either: 469 pedestrians were caught on motorways, and three penalties were issued by one force to drivers not controlling animals in cars on motorways.

Most of these offences result in three penalty points and a £100 fine, but illegal stops on hard shoulders and refuge areas carry a non-endorsable, £30 penalty. Despite these numbers, and the fact police can only spot a proportion of offences, the UK’s 2,300 miles of motorway are statistically the safest stretches of road in the country.  By Graham Hill thanks to Auto Express

Official figures reveal 230 people were killed in drink-driving accidents in 2019, with a further 1,820 seriously injured.

Drink-driving deaths in Great Britain have plateaued for the ninth consecutive year, prompting calls for a lower drink-drive limit, the use of alcolocks and a wider implementation of rehabilitation courses for offenders.

A total of 230 people were killed in road traffic accidents in 2019 (the most recent year for which data is available) where one or more drivers involved were under the influence of alcohol.

Since 2010, when 240 people were killed, the figure has barely varied – the lowest death toll in that nine-year period is 230 and the highest has been 250.

According to newly released Government figures, a further 1,820 people were seriously injured in drink-driving accidents in 2019 – another figure that has shown no sign of improving, actually increasing 9.64 per cent on 2018’s figure of 1,660. The total number of collisions in 2019 where at least one driver involved was over the drink-drive limit was 5,350 – an average of 14 per day.

Road safety organisation IAM Roadsmart has responded to the figures by calling for the drink-drive limit in England and Wales to be lowered to the same level as in Scotland. The organisation also wants to see alcolocks fitted to cars, meaning the ignition can’t be turned on until the driver has provided a breath sample showing they’re fit to drive.

Education campaigns on the subject should be run for longer and at a higher profile, IAM says, with more rehabilitation courses, the provision of evidential roadside breathalysers to the police and the seizure of vehicles belonging to repeat drink-drive offenders.

“Hardcore drink-drivers are simply not getting the message and these figures will not improve until policy changes,” said Neil Greig, director of policy and research at IAM RoadSmart.

Hunter Abbott, managing director of personal breathalyser firm AlcoSense, added: “The fact that testing is at its lowest level on record should be ringing alarm bells. Police carried out just 285,380 roadside breath tests in England and Wales in 2019 – less than half the number in 2008.”

The drink-drive limit in England and Wales is currently 80 milligrammes (mg) of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, or to 35 micrograms (mcg) per 100 millilitres of breath. Scotland has tougher limits of 22 mcg of alcohol in 100 ml of breath or 50 mg in 100ml of blood.  By Graham Hill thanks to Auto Express

A new collaboration between Verisk and Thatcham Research aims to help UK insurers identify new advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).

Thatcham says that the lack of data regarding the varying features of newer vehicle models can ‘fundamentally’ affect an insurer’s understanding of vehicle risk.

Many insurers struggle to identify features that have become available in more car models and marketed under different product names, it explains.

Verisk, a global data analytics provider, is enhancing its motor insurance products with Thatcham Research’s Variant Code, a dataset that provides updated information on the growing variety of standard and optional features in UK vehicles.

“This is about accurate risk assessment at a uniquely granular level,” explained Dan Payne, chief digital officer at Thatcham Research.

“Variant Code offers a competitive advantage, empowering Verisk’s insurer customers to make more informed and intelligent decisions, and price according to the features present on a particular model variant.

“This is fundamental as vehicles evolve and technologies that were once the preserve of high-end models are increasingly made available at entry level.”

Verisk is also benefitting from the aggregated view of data that Variant Code provides, says Sean Moriarty, operations manager at Verisk.

“Carmakers have their own naming conventions for vehicle features, which can be problematic,” he said. “However Variant Code provides this information using a consistent nomenclature, ensuring the quick and easy identification of these features.”

Features such as advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), expensive headlights, and keyless and connectivity systems, are ‘accurately’ captured, says Thatcham, addressing what has been a frustration for the insurance industry.

Moriarty said: “Variant Code addresses a long-standing challenge to the accurate underwriting of new vehicle models, benefitting both insurers and insureds.

“Until now, there has been a lack of clarity regarding the fitment of certain features across vehicle variants and their potential positive or negative impact on risk.

“ADAS have been a particular issue – with little information available to insurers on the presence of technology that can reduce accident risk.”

Variant Code enhances the vehicle risk data Thatcham Research has delivered for the past 20 years on behalf of its members and the Association of British Insurers (ABI)

It contains data for more than 50,000 vehicle variants, provides data on key systems such as ADAS, lighting, security and connectivity and covers 98% of the car parc released in the UK since 2015.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Four-in-five drivers mistakenly expect to be warned by their vehicle when advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) are faulty, research from Autoglass suggests.

Despite a clear majority (72%) of drivers understanding that ADAS can help to reduce accidents, the research warns that millions of drivers could be relying on their dashboard to tell them when something is wrong.

However, ADAS technologies currently do not have the capability to alert the driver if they have not been correctly recalibrated or recalibrated at all, for example following a windscreen replacement, or if a minor accident has caused them to be knocked out of alignment, says Autoglass.

Chris Abbotson, national sales manager at Autoglass, explained: “Advanced driver-assistance systems are dramatically improving road safety, but they can only do so if the sensors are properly recalibrated by a skilled technician.

“It’s incredibly dangerous for a driver to be in charge of a vehicle if the onboard sensors are either not recalibrated or not recalibrated correctly, as they would likely be relying on safety systems that are unable to accurately identify hazards on the road.”

ADAS technologies, which include safety features such as blind spot warning, parking sensors and lane keep assists, are found on more and more fleet vehicles in the UK and are increasingly relied upon for the safety of drivers and other road users.

ADAS sensors need to be recalibrated correctly after a windscreen replacement to ensure they are functioning as the manufacturer intended them to. As it stands, only half (48%) of UK drivers realise this is the case.

Autoglass says it is important that fleet managers check that the ADAS sensors on the vehicles in their fleet are recalibrated after any windscreen replacement and that they are recalibrated correctly to minimise the risk of accidents.

Overall awareness of ADAS features amongst drivers also remains concerningly low, with only 33% having heard of advanced emergency brake systems, and only 21% aware that vehicles can automatically recognise traffic signs.

The research highlights that more must be done to educate drivers about managing the systems to ensure these advanced safety systems function correctly, says Autoglass.

“When choosing partners for any windscreen work, fleet managers need to ensure they are working with the best technicians who have received the latest training to ensure they are capable of correct ADAS recalibration and are aware of the latest technologies in vehicles,” said Abbotson.

“All technicians at Autoglass complete the IMI accredited ADAS training to ensure they can replace windscreens and recalibrate the ADAS sensors in one appointment, minimising downtime for vehicles and reducing the risk for drivers.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

If you are ordering a new car next year, you and fleet decision-makers are being urged to prepare drivers now for vehicles being fitted with intelligent speed assistance (ISA) technology from next year, says FleetCheck.

The European Commission has provisionally agreed that all new vehicles sold in Europe will be fitted with a speed limiter as a legal requirement from July 2022.

The regulation also mandates all new cars that have already launched be fitted with ISA technology by July 2024.

The UK is likely to follow the new road safety regulations, despite leaving the EU, as it has retained most EU laws for new cars.

Peter Golding, managing director at the fleet management software specialist, says the move should be seen as significant opportunity to enforce a safety message on speed.

“Thankfully, macho attitudes towards speeding that were once quite common among drivers of company vehicles have reduced considerably in recent years,” said Golding. “However, speeding tickets are still pretty common, as any fleet manager will tell you.

“Our view is that the introduction of ISA technology is a moment that employers should be seizing as an opportunity to make clear that there is no corporate leeway when it comes to speeding and the dangers it represents.”

The speed limiter technology uses GPS data and/or traffic-sign-recognition cameras to determine the maximum speed allowed in an area.

It then limits the engine’s power and the vehicle’s speed to that limit, but it is possible to override the system by pressing hard on the accelerator.

Golding says that, with the first ISA cars, vans and trucks now less than a year away, this is a good moment to adopt a “zero tolerance approach” to excessive speed.

“With the long lead times currently being experienced by fleet operators, vehicles being ordered within the next few months will potentially arrive with ISA fitment, so this is very close to being a live fleet issue,” he continued.

“Our view is that this should be presented to drivers as a genuine benefit. Firstly, these are safer vehicles – reduced speed means fewer accident and fewer serious accidents. Secondly, it will potentially remove the chance of you picking up a speeding ticket.”

Research undertaken by the EU shows that drivers like ISA-equipped cars because, in everyday driving, sticking to the speed limit becomes one less thing to worry about. “We are sure that this will soon become the case among drivers of company vehicles,” said Golding.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Nextbase has witnesses a 341% increase in the number of video clips uploaded to its National Dash Cam Safety Portal (NDCSP).

The platform, which launched three years ago, allows users to upload footage of dangerous driving. To date, more than 68,000 clips have been uploaded.

The footage is passed to relevant police forces, with the aim to improve road safety.

As lockdown restrictions began to ease in April, the portal saw 5,457 road traffic offences over the course of three months. This rate is double the three-month average since the portal’s inception. The past three months has also seen a total of 19,565 videos uploaded to the platform – 341% higher than average.

Bryn Brooker, head of road safety at Nextbase, said: “These stats show that the portal is needed now more than ever and, as we name today National Dash Cam Day, I would like to remind the public of the fact that Dash Cam technology can help other road users, as well as you and your passengers.

“If we all work together, with the police, to continue to identify the worst of the worst – those dangerous drivers that, put simply, should not be allowed behind the wheel – then we will continue to see motorists from across the country interacting with the Portal.

“This is why it was built, to make the roads of this country safer for those of us that are just trying to get from A to B and go about our daily routines. We have watched this platform grow from both a public and police perspective and are hugely encouraged by its continued appeal.”

Currently, 37 UK police forces are signed up to the NDSCP, with more in talks to join. Nexbase says the initiative has saved police 263,240 hours – the equivalent of over 29 years of police time. Fewer than one in five cases have resulted in no further action.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Drivers and fleet operators are being urged to keep their cars and vans safe by the UK’s top police officer investigating vehicle crime.

Provisional figures from the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) show a 3.1% increase between May 2021 and June 2021 in vehicle crime, with a large part of this increase from keyless theft.

Police intelligence suggests that organised crime gangs are using relay technology to receive the signal from a key inside a house and transfer it to a portable device, allowing them to unlock and drive the car.

Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims, National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for vehicle crime, said: “Whilst the rapid development of technology has dramatically improved the experience of drivers it has also allowed criminals to exploit weaknesses in electronic security.”

Sims explained that they are working closely with car manufacturers to help them “design out crime” by sharing intelligence and equipment seized from criminals. She said: “We are already making substantial progress in this regard.”

She continued: “I would urge drivers to take simple steps to keep their vehicle safe like storing your keys in metal tins or protective pouches that block the devices criminals are using. A return to basics like making sure your car is locked is worthwhile too.

“We know from research that some owners think that cars automatically lock – they don’t. Always double check before you walk away that it’s locked.”

Despite the recent small increase in this type of theft overall theft of, and from, motor vehicles was down by 21% in the latest ONS crime statistics.

In June, new research from Verizon Connect showed that stolen vehicles or equipment costs fleet-based businesses an average of £12,250 each year.

For businesses with more than 100 vehicles, the cost is even higher, with the data suggesting fleets lose, on average, £21,000 each year.

Police say they have made significant gains against these criminals and arrests are being made across the UK.

Just recently, Leicestershire Police secured the conviction of seven members of an organised crime gang who were involved in more than 50 keyless thefts involving vehicles totalling £2.4 million. They were jailed for a total of more than 30 years.

Earlier last month in Liverpool, five people were sentenced to a total of more than 23 years in prison after being convicted for a range of offences including the theft of keyless cars totalling around £2.6m.

Meanwhile, Cheshire Constabulary secured the conviction of a man for several car and key burglaries and he was sentenced to more than seven years imprisonment in July.

Sims added: “These crime gangs care little for the impact they have on ordinary people, but they should know that police are coming after them.

“We are carrying out proactive operations every single week and as recent results show, they can expect to spend a significant time in prison when we catch them.”

To prevent theft drivers can take simple steps like double checking a car is locked, keeping keys out of sight and away from windows and doors and storing key cards in a metal tin or security pouch.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News