Category: Fleet News

Volkswagen has received a prestigious award for an innovative new safety feature, which it is bringing in on a range of models and is showcased in the all-new Golf.

Car2X technology is based on the Wi-Fi wireless standard, which is specifically tailored to communicate between vehicles, rather than using the mobile phone network.

This means blanket coverage wherever possible, with cars up to 800 metres apart being able to directly exchange positioning data.

Warnings within fractions of a second

Each equipped vehicle will have the ability to warn others of danger within milliseconds, as well as connecting with traffic infrastructure.

In tests, safety body Euro NCAP put the system through eight hazardous situations that drivers could find themselves in but that they would not normally have time to react to.

In all eight scenarios, Car2X technology was able to successfully warn the driver of hazards, often up to 11 seconds before an impending accident.

Euro NCAP has called the new technology “a technical milestone” and gave special recognition to the traffic hazard alert function.

The new Golf will be the first European car to come equipped with Car2X as standard, but it is eventually to be rolled out to other brands and manufacturers.

Michiel van Ratingen from Euro NCAP said: “This is an exciting area of safety. Volkswagen are to be congratulated for making the technology standard in vehicles selling in high numbers like the Golf.”

At present, Car2X is only active at speeds over 80 kilometres per hour, but work is being done to refine it further so it can boost safety in city traffic situations. It will also become improved as more participants connect.

Jenny Smith, general manager for Tele-Gence, commented: “This is a great achievement for Volkswagen. It is exciting to think that a new system with the possibility to boost safety levels so much is already being rolled out. We’re looking forward to having a go!”

Your business can benefit from affordable telematics with no hidden start-up fees or long-term commitments. Find out how at www.tele-gence.com

It can be hard knowing what make and model to go for when you’re on the lookout for a new
car, with every manufacturer doing their utmost to convince you they’re the best.
However, you might be swayed by the results of a new survey carried out by What Car?, which
has revealed the most reliable used vehicles on the roads today.

 

You can’t go wrong with Lexus, Suzuki and Toyota

The magazine’s publishers quizzed more than 18,000 motorists as part of the research to find
out how dependable their second-hand cars have been over the past 12 months and what
problems they have encountered.

It was found that the Lexus CT is Britain’s most reliable used purchase, scoring a whopping
99.5 per cent on the reliability index.

Rounding out the top three were the Suzuki Swift and the Toyota Auris Hybrid, both of which
have regularly been rated highly by critics.

Other models to achieve a top ten spot included the Honda Civic, the Fiat Panda, the Skoda
Yeti diesel and the Toyota RAV4, while Lexus scored another entry with the brand’s RX.

It wasn’t a good news day for Audi, though, with its 2003-13 A3 diesel model being voted as the
UK's least reliable motor. Compared to the Lexus CT's near-perfect rating, the A3 scored a
pretty dismal 40 per cent.

Editor of What Car? Steve Huntingford said: “Reliability is often at the forefront of any vehicle
purchase. By shining a light on the reliability of various makes and models, we hope to help
buyers make the right decision when choosing their next used purchase.”

A 2018 survey carried out by JD Power UK also saw Suzuki and Skoda ranked highly in a list of
the most reliable manufacturers, so it’s good to see them remaining consistent.

Heather Stark, Brand Manager at The Fuelcard People, comments: “It can really help to hear
other people’s experiences when you need a new second-hand car, so polls like this on day-to-
day dependability are invaluable. It looks like a lot of people will have a Lexus on their shopping
list!”

In-car infotainment systems are now a major selling point for automotive brands, but a new study has suggested they could be as bad for distracting drivers as mobile phones.

Road safety charity IAM RoadSmart commissioned research in which motorists were asked to complete laps on a simulated test route while using either Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, as well as a lap with no in-car system.

The participants also had to drive while using voice control only and then touch control only as instructors assessed their capabilities.

Significant impairment behind the wheel

It was found that both methods of control significantly distracted the participants, with touchscreen proving especially dangerous for concentration.

Drivers were unable to keep a safe distance from the car in front, reacted more slowly to outside stimuli and regularly deviated from their designated lane.

On average, reaction times at motorway speeds increased to as much as five car lengths – and in one scenario, a motorist took their eyes off the road for 16 seconds.

This meant using an infotainment system while driving could be as bad as texting at the wheel and even driving under the influence of alcohol or cannabis.

Policy and research director for IAM RoadSmart Neil Greig said he is seriously concerned by the study’s findings.

“We’re now calling on industry and government to openly test and approve such systems and develop consistent standards that genuinely help minimise driver distraction,” he added.

Last year, Brake hosted a free webinar on reducing driver distraction for fleet owners, so it may be that such initiatives need to be scaled up.

Jenny Smith, general manager for Tele-Gence, commented: “Infotainment systems are handy tools, but they should not be used to the detriment of road safety. Set yours up before you head off and resist the urge to mess with it while you’re behind the wheel.”

Your business can benefit from affordable telematics with no hidden start-up fees or long-term commitments. Find out how at www.tele-gence.com

Fleet owners have been encouraged to take as many precautionary steps as they can to ensure their drivers are not taking to the roads under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The Global Fleet Champions campaign in partnership with D.Tec International has produced a host of new resources for operators that are designed to step up policies on banned substances.

Is your team fit to drive?

Among them is a new short film called Fit to drive: Drug and alcohol testing for a safer fleet, which fleet owners are encouraged to show to their workforce during training sessions.

A series of posters has also been created for businesses to put up around their workplaces in order to remind employees of the dangers of taking drugs and alcohol before driving.

The Global Fleet Champions campaign wants fleet managers to commit to improving safety too, by carrying out screening tests during recruitment and after any accident.

It has reminded managers as part of this drive that should one of their employees be found driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, they themselves could also be held proportionally liable and therefore face prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive – or even a jail term.

According to police reports gathered by D.Tec, as many as 30,000 people a year are prosecuted for drug-driving in Britain. One force said 50 per cent of the drug-drivers it caught were driving for work in some capacity.

Meanwhile, 273,000 people die annually worldwide in alcohol-related crashes, according to the International Transport Forum.

Managing director at D.Tec Ean Lewis said: “Fleet managers need to take responsibility and do all they can to ensure their employees are fit to drive. Putting an effective deterrent in place should also help alleviate the pressure these employees are putting on valuable police resources.”

Ellie Baker, Brand Manager at Fuel Card Services, comments: “As ever, the figures surrounding drink and drug-related driving are shocking and unacceptable. Let’s hope fleets make good use of these excellent resources to review their drug and alcohol policies and weed out those who continue to make our roads unsafe.”

The Department for Transport has said it is considering bringing in a nationwide ban on parking on pavements in a bid to help pedestrians and increase safety.

Last year, the Commons’ Transport Committee published a report on the phenomenon, calling it ‘anti-social behaviour’ and warning that it puts vulnerable road users at unnecessary risk, as well as making people feel as though they cannot leave their homes safely.

A legal loophole?

Although parking on footpaths has been banned in London since the 1970s under Highway Code rule 244, it is not technically illegal anywhere else in Britain.

In other locations, the law simply states that drivers of vehicles except lorries “should not” do it, unless a vehicle is spotted by a police officer causing a particularly obvious obstruction.

Now, the government has confirmed it will be opening up a consultation on whether or not local authorities do need more power to crack down on people leaving their cars on footpaths.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps said: “Vehicles parked on the pavement can cause very real difficulties for many pedestrians.”

Although the news has been welcomed by organisations including residents’ groups, the AA has warned an outright ban could cause “chaos”, pointing out that many highways are so narrow that people have no option but to leave their cars slightly off the road.

Heather Stark, Brand Manager at The Fuelcard People, comments: “Anyone who has ever had to steer a child’s buggy around a car that completely blocks a footpath is sure to be looking forward to the outcome of this consultation. That said, emergency services may be wondering how they will reach some addresses if people don’t park on pavements. Perhaps the government should address increased parking provisions before it implements any kind of outright ban.”