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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Graham Hill Thanks To MSN

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What’s changing in the Highway Code?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rules for drivers and motorcyclists at junctions

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

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

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

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

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

Safe Passing Distances

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Safely passing parked vehicles and the ‘Dutch Reach’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Changes the “right move”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Drivers are failing to have regular eye tests to ensure they are not a risk on the road, a survey by Venson Automotive Solutions suggests.

It found that 40% of respondents have not had an eye test within the past two years – the maximum recommended period between tests.

If a driver is stopped by police and found to be unable to meet the ‘standards of vision for driving’, they could receive a £1,000 fine or points on their licence, but most are likely to have their licence removed.

While it is not a legal requirement for drivers to update the DVLA if they have been prescribed corrective glasses or contact lenses since they passed their driving test, the Venson survey showed that one in three responsible drivers had taken it upon themselves to do so.

Other conditions affecting vision may need to be reported including anxiety, high blood pressure, depression and diabetes* and could mean they cannot legally drive certain types of vehicles, particularly lorries and buses.

“Leaving more than two years between eye tests puts drivers at risk of being unsafe on the road because eyesight can deteriorate rapidly within that time,” said Alison Bell, marketing director for Venson Automotive Solutions.

“Anyone can be stopped by the police and be asked to take a roadside sight test, regardless of whether the DVLA is aware of a health condition that affects your eyesight.

“Failing that test can have serious consequences and may leave someone without a licence and unable to drive. For someone who needs to drive for work, the consequences are extensive.”

Bell says that fleet operators have a duty of care to ensure their drivers are safe on the road, and that includes meeting the required standards of vision for driving.

“If a fleet driver is found to be unable to meet the required standards of vision the company could be liable as well as the driver, and the driver may not be able to continue driving,” she added

“Therefore, it is in the best interests of the fleet operator as well as the driver to ensure eye tests are carried out at least every two years and that drivers always wear any corrective glasses or contact lenses they require.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

June to September 2021 saw the RAC deal with the largest proportion of pothole-related callouts in any third quarter since 2006.

RAC patrols attended 1,810 breakdowns for broken suspension springs, distorted wheels and damaged shock absorbers which represented 1.2% of all its callouts over the three-month period.

The RAC said June to September, along with October to December, are normally the quietest quarters for pothole-related breakdowns, both in terms of pure numbers and the proportion they represent of all RAC breakdowns.

Nicholas Lyes, head of roads policy at the RAC, said: “With Government data showing weekday car traffic is still not quite back to pre-pandemic levels, it’s very worrying that our patrols are still attending a higher proportion of pothole-related call-outs in relation to all the breakdowns they go out to.

“While it’s welcome that the sheer number of pothole breakdowns is not as high as we’ve seen in previous years, we see worrying signs in our data that implies little progress has been made in the last 12 months in improving road surfaces for drivers.

“Traditionally, the spring and summer months give authorities a chance to repair and improve roads, but unfortunately it seems many roads remain in a perilous state. We fear we’re only a bad winter away from seeing a plague of potholes which authorities will struggle to repair.

“When it comes to potholes, prevention is always better than cure. Relying on just patching potholes is a fruitless task which simply pours good money after bad as it only acts as a sticking plaster. This will anger drivers incredibly as they already feel not enough of their motoring taxes are invested in keeping roads up to a respectable standard.”

When looking at the proportion of pothole callouts as a rolling average of the last four quarters, there is a ‘worrying increase’ in the share of these breakdowns, the RAC said, as they represent 1.5% of all RAC call-outs – the highest such figure seen in the RAC’s Pothole Index data since the four quarters to the end of September 2018 (1.5%).

The RAC Pothole Index is a long-term measure of the condition of roads which is adjusted for weather and seasonal effects. As of Q3 2021 it stands at 1.48, down from 1.51 in Q2.

The RAC said that drivers are nearly one-and-a-half times more likely to breakdown after hitting a pothole than they were when the RAC first started collecting the data back in 2006.

RAC Report on Motoring 2021

Drivers surveyed for the RAC Report on Motoring 2021 named the poor condition and lack of maintenance of local roads their top concern.

This year, 46% of drivers say that the state of local roads is one of their four biggest motoring-related concerns, up from 38% 12 months ago.

More than half (58%) of drivers believe local road conditions where they live have deteriorated over the past year, a rise on the 52% recorded in 2020 and 49% in 2019.

Drivers would like to see at least some of the revenues raised from the likes of vehicle excise duty (VED) and fuel duty ring-fenced for spending on local road maintenance. This year, 81% of drivers support this idea, an almost identical proportion to 2020 (82%).

At present, revenues from VED in England are used to fund maintenance spending but only on the motorway and high-speed road network.

Three-quarters (74%) take the view that the motoring taxes they already pay are not sufficiently reinvested into local roads.

Drivers are overall are happier with the state of the UK’s motorways and major A-roads – only 11% cite the state of motorways and high-speed roads as a main concern, although 28% still say that the condition of these roads has deteriorated over the past 12 months. 

Lyes said: “We have long campaigned for national government to recognise the significance of local roads and ring-fence funds over a five-year period to enable councils to plan and deliver longer-term road maintenance.

“If the coming winter proves to be colder than normal as some are predicting we could sadly see our roads crumbling yet further, costing drivers hundreds of thousands of pounds in repairs.

“We’re sounding the alarm now so that this doesn’t happen, but we badly need the transport secretary and the treasury to take a fresh look at how local roads are funded.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The Government will tighten the rules on the use of mobile phones making it illegal to use a hand-held device under virtually any circumstance while driving.

It is already illegal to text or make a phone call (other than in an emergency) using a hand-held device while driving.

Next year, new rules will be introduced to ban drivers from using their phones to take photos or videos, scroll through playlists or play games.

Anyone caught using their hand-held device while driving will face a £200 fixed penalty notice and six points on their licence.

The Government says that drivers will still be able to continue using a device ‘hands-free’ while driving, such as a sat-nav, if it’s secured in a cradle.

However, if police deem that they are not to be in proper control of their vehicle they can be charged with careless driving.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps says that too many deaths and injuries occur while mobile phones are being held.

“By making it easier to prosecute people illegally using their phone at the wheel, we are ensuring the law is brought into the 21st century while further protecting all road users,” he said.

“While our roads remain among the safest in the world, we will continue working tirelessly to make them safer.”

The Government launched a consultation on mobile phone use while driving in October 2020 to close a loophole in the original law.

Existing legislation had made it a criminal offence to use a hand-held mobile phone to call or text while driving, but not for other actions such as taking photos.

The law said that an offence is committed if a driver uses a handheld mobile phone for “interactive telecommunication” while behind the wheel.

The phrase reflected how, when the law was written in 2003, smartphones were not in existence and mobile devices were used for sending texts or making calls.

It has enabled lawyers to successfully argue that using a phone’s camera while driving does not constitute “interactive telecommunication”.

It was brought to a head in 2019, when the Director of Public Prosecutions lodged an appeal with the High Court after Ramsey Barreto had a conviction quashed for filming a crash on his mobile phone.

The 51-year-old was prosecuted and found guilty after police saw him driving past an accident using his phone to make a video. However, he had the conviction overturned at Isleworth Crown Court, after his lawyers successfully argued that the law only banned the use of mobile phones to speak or communicate while behind the wheel.

Publishing its decision in July 2019, the High Court dismissed the appeal, agreeing with Barreto’s lawyers.

Mary Williams, chief executive of Brake, said: “Driver distraction can be deadly and using a hand-held phone at the wheel is never worth the risk. This important road safety decision by Government, coinciding with Road Safety Week, is very welcomed.

“This news is particularly welcomed by families suffering bereavement and catastrophic injury due to drivers being distracted by phones.”

The Government consultation found 81% of respondents supported proposals to strengthen the law and make it easier for culprits to be prosecuted.

Paul Loughlin, a solicitor specialising in motoring law at Stephensons, said: “As phones have become more popular and developed new functions we have seen related offences increase in number as well as seriousness.

This announcement will be welcome news for many and goes some way toward making our roads a safer place for all road users.

“The way people have used phones has changed as phones have become more and more advanced and for the sake of road safety, it is about time the law was modernised to reflect this.

“As ever, the challenge will come back to both education and enforcement. Many drivers have ingrained habits when behind the wheel and unfortunately some don’t hesitate to check their phones, often below the line of sight for any passing police officer to notice.

“While this legislation will certainly act as a greater deterrent, it is important that we now see a sustained effort to educate drivers of this change as well as tough enforcement from the police.”

The Government will now revise The Highway Code to explain the new measures. It will also be more precise about the fact that being stationary in traffic counts as driving, making it clear that hand-held mobile phone use at traffic lights or in motorway jams is illegal except in very limited circumstances.

There will be an exemption to the new law for drivers making a contactless payment using their mobile phone while stationary to ensure the law keeps pace with technology.

This exemption will cover, for example, places like a drive-through restaurant or a road toll and will only apply when payment is being made with a card reader. It will not allow motorists to make general online payments while driving.

Among other findings, the research revealed younger motorists are more likely to have used a hand-held device at the wheel.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The latest assisted driving gradings have been published just as a new set of guiding principles for marketing automated vehicles has been published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

The principles, which have been developed and agreed by the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles’ AV-DRiVE Group, provide an outline for responsible advertising and communication relating to automated vehicles and their capabilities.

The industry-led initiative will ensure consumers receive consistent and clear information regarding automated driving features, ahead of their expected introduction to British roads in 2022, says the SMMT.

2021 Assisted Driving Grading results

By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Thatcham Research and Euro NCAP have released the results of their latest assisted driving results, with the BMW iX3 rated top out of the cars tested.

The assisted driving grading assessments were introduced in October 2020 and are designed to support the sensible marketing and safe adoption of assisted driving technology.

Seven new cars were assessed during the latest tests, with five of them pure electric vehicles (EVs), reflecting the increasing popularity of this type of vehicle within the new car market.

Each car was evaluated and rated for the level of assistance, level of driver engagement and effectiveness of the safety back-up offered by their assisted driving systems.

The best systems strike a good balance between the amount of assistance provided and how much they do to ensure drivers are engaged and aware of their responsibilities behind the wheel, according to Thatcham Research.

Matthew Avery, Thatcham Research’s chief strategic research officer, said: “Assisted driving technology can be a great comfort feature, especially when supporting drivers on long motorway journeys. But it must strike the right balance between offering a meaningful level of assistance and ensuring that motorists don’t sit back and let the system do the driving.

“We’ve seen the dangerous outcomes on roads around the world when drivers become convinced that their role is secondary.”

Capabilities described ‘correctly’

Last year’s assisted driving grading results prompted Thatcham Research to raise concerns that some carmakers were overselling the supposed self-driving capability of their technology.

The naming, marketing and performance of Tesla’s ‘Autopilot’ system was highlighted as a concern.

However, the capabilities of cars in this year’s assessments have been described correctly and consumers are not being led to believe they are driving a car equipped with automated functionality.

Avery said: “All seven cars we’ve just tested are clearly marketed as having ‘driver assistance’ functions, not ‘automated’.

“These systems are engineered to involve and support the driver in a very cooperative manner.

“They’re certainly not trying to offer automation, where the driving task can be relinquished to the vehicle, and we strongly believe that’s the right thing to do.”

BMW’s iX3 emerged as the top performer, scoring 169 points (out of a possible 200) and earning a ‘very good’ grading, while the Ford Mustang Mach-E (152 points) and Cupra Formentor (144 points) both secured a ‘good’ grading.

The all-electric Polestar 2 (135 points) and Hyundai Ioniq 5 (126 points) earned a ‘moderate’ grading, while the less expensive Toyota Yaris (109 points) and Vauxhall Mokka-e (101 points) were both handed an ‘entry’ grading for the solid core performance of their Assisted Driving technology.

Avery said: “These encouraging results reveal solid system performance across a good spread of new vehicles, and the fact that five of the seven cars are full EVs is also positive.

“It shows the newest cars in this growing sector are being equipped with Assisted Driving technology that delivers comfort and safety benefits to drivers.”

On the BMW iX3, Avery added: “It’s the only vehicle to get our ‘very good’ grading. It responded well in our collision avoidance scenarios and at 85%, it has one of the highest scores for driver engagement, in part because the iX3 features good in-vehicle video to show the driver how to use the system.”

Toyota’s Yaris, meanwhile, gets an ‘entry’ rating, but Avery says it’s impressive to see assisted driving functionality on a low-cost super mini.

However, he said: “It’s let down by its comparatively poor performing vehicle assistance and safety back-up functions.”

Technology still in ‘early’ stages

Today’s assisted driving technologies give support to the driver and, although they are providing the foundations for tomorrow’s automated driving technologies, they cannot be classified as ‘automated’ yet, says Thatcham Research.

At the heart of an effective assisted driving system should always be a good balance between driver engagement, vehicle assistance and safety back-up.

Thatcham Research believes the results of its latest assisted driving grading assessments as a positive step along the road to automation, however, the ‘moderate’ rating achieved by the Polestar 2 shows that this technology is still in its early stages.

The Polestar 2 achieved an impressive 85% for safety back-up and a solid 70% for driver engagement, but it was the lowest scorer – at 50% – of all the cars tested for vehicle assistance.

Its speed assistance function, in particular, was highlighted as an area that needs improvement by test engineers. “The Polestar 2 is really impressive in an emergency, almost equal to the BMW in terms of its safety back-up score. But its assistance score holds it back overall,” said Avery. “Finding that sweet spot in terms of system balance is a challenge that carmakers continue to face.”

Although its current assessments focus on testing today’s assisted driving technology, Thatcham Research and Zenzic are working in partnership on a safety rating scheme for automated driving systems.

The intention is that this will become the benchmark for a global independent rating scheme for automated driving systems, with a view to driving best practice and reassuring consumers that – when the technology is mature enough – it’s safe to hand over control. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News