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The simple answer is no. Let’s take cars. The fact is that we have the second highest number of new car registrations in Europe. So whether we are selling into Europe or importing into the UK, from European countries, it makes commercial sense to keep consistency between all of us.

The problem is that we have always had a seat at the table when deciding on EU laws regarding safety, minimum standards and emissions. And not just a seat but a very influential seat. After exiting the EU we will have the opportunity to make our own laws and safety rules moving forward but without consistency with the EU, any changes to imports to conform to our new rules will potentially make them more expensive.

On the other hand if our rules differ UK based manufacturers will end up making cars for the UK different to those being exported from the UK into Europe. And I’m not just talking about where the steering wheel is fitted.

So will we ever be completely independent?

We will still be able to make representations in the same way that we make representations to foreign countries regarding the use of slave labour in making goods that are imported into the UK. But that isn’t as influential as sitting at the table being part of the negotiations and the decision-making process. Having said that it wouldn’t make sense for us to go our own way when it comes to meeting common objectives such as environment and protecting lives. So most experts believe that these areas, post BREXIT, will remain unchanged.

I also agree with others that we should come away with a free trade agreement. Unlike the free trade agreements between the EU and Canada, that took a painfully long time to agree with the main sticking point – a cheese made by Greece I believe and being called the same name in Canada. That sort of argument shouldn’t exist so it should be fairly simple because we already have a free trade agreement as part of the Customs Union and Single Market Agreements which will end as it stops us negotiating trade agreements with non-EU countries.

But, as I see it, the free trade agreement part of the Customs Union could simply be modified with a few accommodations to keep everyone happy. If we can’t achieve a solution it is estimated that new cars from Europe will cost 10% more and components 4.5% more.

As an old friend of mine, Gerry Keaney, CEO of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), pointed out, if we don’t get a trade deal it will not only affect the cost of cars but also the cost of service and repairs, insurance costs and ultimately inflation and productivity. I’m sure the negotiators have the message loud and clear – we must come out of Europe with a tariff-free trade agreement. By Graham Hill

Data, data, data – nothing but data and BREXIT is all we ever hear about on the news and frankly, it’s getting on my manboobs! Having said that I’m about to add to the pain because apparently there are fisticuffs taking place between manufacturers in order to win over car buyers.

Years ago it was a sunroof, if the car you had your eye on didn’t have a sunroof you would drop it in favour of maybe your second choice of car that did. Then it was air conditioning and CD players. Apparently, it is now the tech that is fitted into your car as the data that it can collect has been estimated to be worth over $750 million (£555 million) by 2020.

So the battle is on to provide the technology that gives the car manufacturers greatest returns because according to Auto-Express this is just the start. Once Autonomous (driverless) Tech kicks in it will really take off. The thing is that the control of much of the data when you connect to the Internet via your car is collected via Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, whichever you connect through.

This could mean a loss of potential profits so some established companies like Jaguar Land Rover and VW Group are investing in startups that are coming up with apps that can take over from the two providers mentioned above. The idea is to come up with apps that drivers can’t live without but are only available in their cars.

Thus moving us away from whether a car has a feature such as Park Assist (self-parking) to an unbelievable app that may tell you something but collects data at the same time. Whilst some manufacturers are spending money on developing their own apps Volvo has taken a different approach.

Thir boss, Hakan Samuelsson, admitted that their new infotainment systems were being developed around Android and Google Assistant. You’ll be able to interact with it and buy third party apps for your car much as you do at the moment for your smartphone. When asked why he isn’t following the same route as many of his competitors he admitted that Volvo,’Isn’t clever enough’ to compete. ‘You’ll have access to thousands of apps this way and they’ll all be better than the ones we would have written.’

So whilst we’re not there yet with so much diversity amongst the car manufacturers, when it comes to their attitude towards their Infotainment Systems and Internet Apps, the time will soon come when we select our cars, not based on things like air con or sun roofs but what apps we can access. By Graham Hill

What Car reported a problem experienced by a reader who bought a £68,000 2015 registered Jaguar F Type Convertible V8 R AWD. The car had covered just 1,800 miles and the driver was delighted until, whilst crawling along in traffic on the M25, ah the memories, the pedestrian airbag under the bonnet deployed.

The bonnet would no longer close making the car undrivable. The car was returned to Lookers, Jaguar in West London. He was told that the airbag needed to be replaced and re-calibrated at a cost of £2,000. I was shocked to read that he agreed to pay for the repair.

If a fault becomes apparent within the first 6 month of ownership the law is on the side of the buyer, the seller must prove that the fault did not pre-exist. Within the first 30 days he can reject the car which is what I would have done. To make matters worse the airbag deployed again, without warning, and whilst driving over a speed bump.

Again Lookers insisted that the airbag had deployed legitimately, took 24 days to repair the car and increased the cost to £3,820. Incidentally the 30 day rule applies to used cars as well as new cars – as does the rest of the Consumer Rights Act.

He complained to Jaguar who took 4 months to respond. They still insisted that the deployments were legitimate and refused to refund any of the cost. This was after he provided photographic proof that the car hadn’t been damaged, there were no police reports of him hitting a pedestrian – hardly likely whilst driving on the M25 from where he was recovered.

He then wrote to What Car. They were incensed and wrote to Jaguar only to be given the cold shoulder. After receiving the same response from Jaguar as Mr Magee they recommended that he contact the Motor Ombudsman, the ‘Independent Arbitration Service’, run by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. I added that bit.

If you think they are independent you have dogs poo for brains. By their own admission on their website they are increasing business to their members, those whom they investigate, as consumers perceive that they are safer in the hands of those signing into the Motor Ombudsman service.

It used to be called Motor Codes – they changed it to the Motor Ombudsman, no doubt to give the impression that they are similar to the Government funded Financial Ombudsman Service. My advice would be to download a copy of my PCP report which contains loads of advice and contacts.

He then needs to register a complaint with Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice Bureau. He should also take up a complaint with:

European Consumer Centre UK  Trading Standards Institute (TSI)
Sylvan Court 1, Sylvan Way
Southfields Business Park Basildon
UK – Essex SS15 6TH
Tel.: +44 (0)8456 04 05 03 (Monday to Friday: 10:00am to 3:00pm)                                 email: eccnet-uk@ec.europa.eu

Once you get the European regulators involved things start to happen. The problem is that so few people know how to deal with issues when it comes to cars. By Graham Hill

Most people are not aware of the way their car is set up to deal with a puncture. According to tyre maker, Continental drivers suffer a puncture once every 44,000 miles or 5 years. And much has happened over that period if you haven’t suffered a puncture over the last 5 year period.

Some drivers still think that they have a full sized spare in the boot and are shocked to find that there is just a puncture repair kit. Unfortunately, they only get to find this out when they get a puncture. It would, therefore, be wise to check as you never know when you will suffer a puncture.

The reason why we’ve moved to tyre repair kits via skinny emergency spares from full-sized spares is given as the need to reduce the weight of cars in order to improve fuel consumption.  and reduce emissions. In fact, it is probably more to do with cost as a repair kit costs about £20 whilst a wheel and tyre will cost the manufacturer more than £100.

Some manufacturers will allow a skinny spare for an extra charge with space in the boot. To give the situation some perspective What Car carried out a survey of 251 new car models and found just 8% had full sized spares, space savers were standard on 30% and tyre repair kits were fitted to 55%. The rest were fitted with run-flat tyres.

So how does a repair kit work? Most consist of a sealant that is squirted into the punctured tyre via the valve with the help of a compressor connected to an in-car 12v socket. What they don’t always make clear is that you must drive the car soon after you’ve inflated the tyre in order to spread the sealant around the inside of the tyre.

You should be able to drive the car for up to 300 miles which should be ample to get out of trouble and to a tyre repairer in order to have the puncture repaired. The problem with the sealant is that it only works in one in five punctures. If the hole is more than 5mm wide or in the sidewall it won’t work.

The tyre will also deflate a day after repair. The sealant may also prevent the tyre from being repaired. Only if it is water based will you be able to repair the puncture as the repairer can flush out the sealant. Currently, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Seat, Suzuki, VW and Volvo have repair kits in their cars that are water-based.

If you wanted to have a space saver wheel instead of the repair kit, research showed that only 52% of the cars that had a repair kit could have the repair kit swopped for a space saver wheel. Prices vary from £30 on a Kia Picanto to £275 on an Alfa Romeo Stelio SUV.

Space savers are only meant to be used temporarily, they only have 3mm of tread and whilst they shouldn’t be driven above 50mph there is no limit as to how far you can travel on these skinny wheels. Finally, there are run-flat tyres. They have extra-stiff sidewalls that are designed to resist the effects of deflation so you can continue your journey after a puncture.

Unfortunately, they are more expensive to buy and following a puncture you will need to change the tyre rather than have the tyre repaired. Some tyre fitters will repair run-flats but the manufacturers advise against it. They also make the ride firmer so you should test drive the car first before buying. You may find the ride too firm.

With so many people suffering blowouts as a result of potholes it is recommended that you have a spare in the car, even if it’s just a space saver. By Graham Hill

A couple of weeks ago the Mail revealed a coverup scandal that is still having repercussions. Even the news on TV showed two men stealing a car from the drive of an unsuspecting driver as I recently explained in one of my reports.

One picked up the signal emitted from a keyless device inside the house which was bounced across to another device held close to the car which unlocked the doors.

The devices used can be picked up off the Internet for just a few pounds but worst of all is the fact that this problem has been known about for years – according to the Mail. It has been revealed that 5 years ago VW won a high court injunction to prevent details of security flaws being made public. But 3 years later researchers found millions of cars still at risk.

The potential theft problem, that affects millions of drivers worldwide, has been seriously covered up for years. Keyless entry has been about since 1995 and any of the cars with keyless entry are vulnerable to anyone with the equipment that the Mail found could be bought online for £100.

As I reveal in my PCP report, now complete and awaiting publication, the whole of the motor industry is corrupt. Not every person or company but whether it’s vehicle recalls, supply, finance, data, dealers – there is corruption and abuse everywhere. Now we find out that even when cars are at risk of being stolen in seconds drivers aren’t aware of the vulnerability.

Even with the mass of evidence collected by the Mail, Mike Hawes, CEO of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), responded by saying ‘Industry takes vehicle crime extremely seriously and any claims otherwise are categorically untrue.’

Oh really Mr Hawes? Read the bloody Mail report and repeat that statement. In the meantime, if you have a keyless entry car and you park your car in a place where it can easily be driven away from, once the car is unlocked, you need to protect the key when in the house. You can buy signal blockers from Halfords or online for just a few pounds. By Graham Hill

I have to say I was quite shocked that the DVSA does not have the legal powers that I believed it had when it comes to car safety recalls. They have been proven to be ineffective if a manufacturer considers that a car is safe when the public believe that their cars are not roadworthy.

BMW recalled 36,410 petrol cars last year with a fault that could cause cars to either lose power and or lights. The fault that caused the recall was a connector between the battery and fuse box that was found to wear prematurely.

At the time of the recall in 2016, BMW announced that the problem had been contained and all other cars were fine. However, it took the BBC to expose the true extent of the problem and force BMW to recall the cars that could actually be affected – a total of 312,000 1 series, 3 series, X1’s and Z4’s built between March 2007 and September 2011 including petrol and diesel cars.

It seems that the DVSA was totally powerless to do anything if BMW said there wasn’t a problem. Not only was it frightening if the power in the car suddenly died or the lights failed late at night it was extremely dangerous. This situation has got to change and the law improved to protect drivers and passengers straight away. We can’t put peoples lives at risk whilst manufacturers act in such an irresponsible way.

One would imagine that the car manufacturers would act responsibly when it comes to keeping drivers and passengers safe but this latest case has shown that manufacturers cannot be trusted. Action required immediately Mrs May. By Graham Hill

Back in the news is the rise in electronic theft of cars whereby crooks use a device that picks up the code as you lock the car and use the gadget to open the car, press the start button and take off. The latest devices have become so sophisticated that they can pick up signals emitted from what are known as Proximity Keys from inside the owner’s house without even having to break in.

Their kit picks up the signal, relays it to another box that is held near the car which in turn unlocks the car. Proximity keys are what keyless entry keys are. It is possible to buy a storage box that you can put your key into when you get home that stops the signal from being picked up.

However, rather than put your key into a secure box, many in the car security industry are reverting to old technology as a better way to secure your car. Back in my early days of driving we all bought KrookLocks that would lock the steering wheel in place.

It seems that there has been a sudden increase in sales of the latest version since security experts have recommended visible security devices to put off crooks. Andy Barrs, head of police liaison at Thatcham, whilst recommending these devices has suggested that before you buy one check the Thatcham website www.thatcham.org to see which devices they favour.

He also suggested that if you buy a device you let your insurance company know as it could result in a reduction in your premium. By Graham Hill

BMW is extending a recall after Watchdog found that cars could cut out completely whilst being driven.

It is recalling 312,000 vehicles, including the BMW 1 Series, the 3 Series, the Z4 and its X1 petrol and diesel models made between March 2007 and August 2011.

BMW initially recalled 36,410 petrol cars in 2017 over safety issues. It said it now agreed that there may have been similar problems in cars not covered by the first recall.

The German carmaker initially recalled cars in the UK after Narayan Gurung, who was travelling with his wife on Christmas Day in 2016, died when their Ford Fiesta crashed into a tree to avoid a broken-down BMW in Guildford, Surrey.

The BMW had suffered an electrical fault, causing its brake lights to fail and resulting in the vehicle stalling on a dark A-road.

An investigation by Watchdog has found that the fault could affect a wider number of cars.

One BMW owner, Mwape Kambafwile, told the BBC how his BMW 3 Series car had cut out completely while he was driving in December 2016.

He said, “I just thought to myself if I was driving on the motorway with my family in the car, that could have been very dangerous.”

Mr Kambafwile said he took his car to BMW who called the next day to say that they had found the fault, which looked like “the cable had burnt out and no current was passing through the fuse box”.

BMW allowed Mr Kambafwile to take the car home without any warning not to use it.

He refused to drive the car and was furious to later discover that petrol versions of the same vehicle had been recalled for the same fault.

It recently emerged that BMW had failed to tell the UK’s Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency about the electrical fault in some of its cars that led to the death of Mr Gurung.

BMW said it had worked with the DVSA and rejected suggestions it had ignored instructions or provided incorrect information.

An inquest revealed that the carmaker had received complaints of an electrical issue that caused a total power failure as early as 2011.

BMW recalled 500,000 cars in the US in 2013, as well as in Australia, Canada and South Africa.

Commenting on Watchdog’s investigation, BMW said: “We now recognise that there may have been some cases of similar power supply issues in vehicles not covered by the original recall.

“In order to reassure customers with concerns about the safety of their vehicles, we are voluntarily extending the recall.

“We are therefore announcing today that we will take the proactive step of expanding the existing UK recall to cover all vehicles potentially affected by the power supply issue.”

BMW said that it will open a customers’ complaints line and will contact affected owners directly. By Graham Hill

Jason Lloyd is MD of www.petrolprices.com. He recently commented on a report/map published by insurer Admiral of fuel usage across 16 Western European Countries.

It reveals that petrol is Europe’s most popular fuel with the Netherlands topping the list and the UK coming in at 6^th place.

The UK uses slightly more petrol than diesel with a split of 49% petrol and 47.5% diesel which pretty much reverses the situation of about a year ago.

The UK comes 10^th in the diesel usage chart with Ireland top of the list. Italy leads the Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) chart with the UK hardly using any at all.

Norway leads the way when it comes to Electric Vehicles (EV) and Hybrids at 39.2% in combined usage.

The change in Norway over the last 3 years has been amazing, leaving most other countries behind. A series of tax breaks has made electric vehicles cheaper to buy.

EV users also have access to cheap electricity for charging, free parking and road tolls and free use of bus lanes.

Whilst the UK has been fairly bold in announcing that there will be no petrol or diesel cars sold after 2040 we are badly lagging behind other countries when it comes to EV and hybrid sales.

They really need to follow Norway’s lead if they are to mean what they say and offer enough incentives to make buying an EV, in the words of Jason Lloyd, ‘a no brainer’. By Graham Hill

Years ago, whilst in industry with a proper job, I had use of the company’s chauffeur car and driver. I hated getting up at the crack of dawn to be in say Birmingham by 10.00am so being picked up by the chauffeur was one of life’s little luxuries that I liked.

I could go through paperwork or more important I could have a little snooze and arrive at the other end fully charged up.

So whilst there is a lot to dislike about driverless (autonomous) cars, the one big advantage for me was that I could effectively be chauffeur driven again. Have a snooze, read a newspaper or report, listen to music, watch a movie or anything else that took my fancy whilst being transported to my destination was very appealing.

Unfortunately, we now learn that this is not going to be the case. We had already learned that we couldn’t get plastered then jump into the car and let it drive us home via the kebab shop.

We still need to be responsible and whilst ‘in control’ of the car adhere to all drink and driving regulations. But now we learn that drivers may still be required to actually watch the road.

Proposed new laws, aimed at drivers of autonomous vehicles, will stop drivers from doing anything that will distract them, including reading newspapers, watching TV and using their phones. The aim is to ensure that drivers are able to take back controls in an emergency.

A new study carried out by autonomous vehicle consortium Venturer concluded that it takes 2 seconds between instructing the car that the driver is taking back control and actually assuming total control.

At 50mph that represents a distance of 45 metres when neither the car nor the driver are in control.

With this in mind the regulations will seek to reduce the ‘out of control’ period to as little as possible by making sure that drivers are always alert and not being distracted.

Report director Professor Sarah Sharples, said that , ‘It may be necessary for the rollout of highly autonomous vehicles to be accompanied with the advice, or even law, that in some or all circumstances the driver must maintain attention to the driver situation and that other activities should be minimised or avoided.’

Others have called for a totally new driving test for drivers of autonomous cars. Professor Natasha Merat from the Institute for Transport Studies has suggested that there should be a new form of licensing and training for autonomous vehicles.

The ‘handover lag’ between car and driver presents a challenge for insurers if there is an accident because attributing blame between car and driver could prove difficult.

It has even been suggested that response times should be taken into account with older drivers paying more than younger drivers as they would be slower to respond. Think I’ll buy some Lotto tickets and with the winnings get another chauffeur! By Graham Hill