Category: Fleet News

In late 2019, Highways England revealed that 300 miles of smart motorway will be rolled out across England by 2025 as part of a commitment to better monitoring and managing traffic flows when things get congested.

Essentially, this means that during times when traffic starts to ‘jam’, a variable speed limit can be implemented via gantry signs or use of the hard shoulder allowed to slow the build-up of traffic in certain areas.

How to stay safe on smart motorways

It means millions of drivers are now faced with using a new type of carriageway they might not necessarily understand. As a result, there’s a growing need for drivers to make themselves aware of best practice advice when it comes to tackling the nation’s new smart motorways.

Our top tips for using a smart motorway are:

• Pay attention to the gantry signs
• Stick to the national speed limit
• Never drive in a lane that has a red ‘X’ displayed over it
• Only use the hard shoulder to drive in when directed
• If you break down or have car problems, move to the left-hand lane (if you can) and put your hazards on, or;
• exit at the next services

By paying close attention to the overhead signage and knowing what to do in the event of an emergency, motorists can safely use this new form of infrastructure, even if for some it will take some getting used to.

Ellie Baker, brand manager at Fuel Card Services, comments: “The introduction of smart motorways will no doubt cause debate among many drivers; however, they are here to stay and a step in the right direction to easing the UK’s future congestion problems.”

The government has announced additional support for smaller businesses developing the latest technologies for the UK automotive sector.

Financial and logistical support is now being provided to companies wishing to take part in many of the nation’s biggest trade exhibitions. An expansion of the UK Pavilions programme will also provide more opportunities for business’ exposure.

Helping small businesses to be seen

This extra support for smaller enterprises is being organised through the Advanced Propulsion Centre’s (APC) International Events Programme.

APC is a joint venture between the government and the UK automotive industry as a centre of excellence in the research, development and production of low-carbon propulsion technology.

It forms part of the government’s ongoing Road to Zero Strategy that aims to facilitate a carbon-free future for UK transport.

Ian Constance, chief executive of the APC, commented: “The cost to a business attending key events in the global automotive calendar can be in the region of £100,000+ once you factor in flights, hotel rooms, stand design and build.

“For small technology developers this can often be out of their reach and therefore can make engaging with potential customers, such as OEMs and suppliers, very difficult. The International Events Programme removes this barrier for entry.”

Jenny Smith, general manager for Tele-Gence, commented: “It’s positive to see the government taking action to support the UK’s small automotive developers. Doing so ensures the long-term future of automotive design in the UK.”

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One of the greatest challenges in bringing about full autonomous driving is the amount of data that connected vehicles need to transmit and receive in order to stay safe when out on the open roads.

However, a new system is now in development that could soon make this problem a thing of the past, courtesy of an ongoing partnership between autonomous vehicle software developer Oxbotica and Cisco.

Data transfer a headache for developers

According to Oxbotica, autonomous vehicles are required to make upwards of 150 independent vehicle detections every second and generate up to 80GB of data per driven-hour.

As a result, in just 16 hours this equates to a massive 1.2TB of information that needs to be collected and seamlessly shared by the vehicle.

Spread across an entire fleet, the amount of captured data can therefore be enormous, so a system that is able to transfer this information as it is collected – rather than relying on data transfer when a vehicle returns to base – is essential.

Matt MacPherson, wireless CTO at Cisco, said: “For industrial applications where devices, such as autonomous vehicles rather than people, are moving through areas that are covered by Wi-Fi, this technology is designed to enable that simple, automatic connection that users experience when using mobile networks.

“OpenRoaming opens up the possibility of a cost-effective alternative for transporting high-volume data to and from the vehicle, autonomously.”

OpenRoaming could hold the key

The partners have now worked in collaboration to develop OpenRoaming – a system that allows connected vehicles to transmit data via trusted Wi-Fi networks and hotspots to ensure a significant improvement in connectivity.

Ozgur Tohumcu, CEO at Oxbotica, commented: “As part of our Universal Autonomy vision, our pioneering software already reduces the amount of data sharing that is required, allowing vehicles to operate wherever they are, with or without network connection.

“However, we fully recognise that in an autonomous world, fleets will need to upload and download vast amounts of data and the partnership with Cisco offers us the chance to solve one of the greatest data challenges of the future, already today.”

Jenny Smith, general manager for Tele-Gence, commented: “Addressing the issue of how to ensure autonomous vehicles are able to collect and transmit the vast amount of information needed to keep them viable is a major stumbling block for the industry. However, it’s positive to see that this problem could soon be a thing of the past.”

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

The car of the future will be “a home from home”, a place where passengers can relax and unwind in comfort, according to the latest predictions from Auto Trader.

What will cars be like by 2050? Well, Auto Trader’s design team have come up with a thought-provoking concept that does away with the traditions of motoring and embraces a new, automated future.

Full autonomy and a safe space to relax

A key design element of the car of 2050 will be the fact it is fully electric, with all remnants of the petrol/diesel era consigned to the history books.

It will also be fully automated and driverless, meaning connected systems will take over all aspects of the actual driving, meaning the vehicle’s occupants can simply sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.

As a result, Auto Trader predicts the interior of the cars of tomorrow will be very different from today, with the driver’s seat completely taken out and replaced with a comfortable, expansive interior that allows all occupants to engage.

Futurologist Tom Cheesewright argues: “Tomorrow’s car takes you from A to B with minimum fuss and in maximum style. Future technologies will give designers free rein to create more space and comfort, so that we can get on with our lives while an AI takes care of the driving.

“While our cars won’t be flying any time soon, we can all benefit from cleaner, quieter, safer roads. In just 20 years, the age of the combustion engine will be well and truly over.”

Innovations in leisure and aesthetics

Another element of the future design for cars in 2050 will be the extent to which owners will be able to customise and personalise their vehicles.

Auto Trader’s Rory Reid commented: “It’s no surprise that the 2050 car will be fully electric, but it’s fascinating to think what these advancements, including driverless tech, could mean for the actual design of cars and how they could be used.”

He added that the advent of technologies like ‘digital paint’ could also prove ground-breaking in terms of vehicle design and satisfaction.

“People are increasingly using technology to express themselves and this tech would remove the need to wait for a colour of car to come into stock or fork out extra to have a car spray painted a certain colour.”

Other innovative aspects of the 2050 concept include voice-activated controls, preferred options for driving style – are you rushing to office or out for a leisurely drive? – and the widening of in-car entertainment, such as internet-connected TVs or in-car gaming.

Jenny Smith, general manager for Tele-Gence, commented: “Trying to figure out what the cars of tomorrow will be like is no easy feat, but the boffins at Auto Trader believe we’ll all benefit from the uptake of driverless technology. It’s certainly something that appears a feasible future, but we will miss the days when the driver was truly at the heart of the driving experience.”

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

With Valentine’s Day upon us, many of us will be rushing home this evening (February 14th) to spend time with loved ones, but spare a thought for the UK’s van drivers, who may be unable to do so due to work.

Research published by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has revealed how two-thirds of UK van drivers have had to miss special occasions, like Valentine’s Day, because of their job.

Busy schedules mean heartache for some

The research showed that birthday celebrations were the most common occasion to succumb to many drivers’ busy schedules, but this was closely followed by anniversaries and children’s sports days.

Across the country, the survey revealed that drivers in the north-east were the most likely to have to make these sacrifices, with 83 per cent having done this in the past.

Conversely, drivers in Scotland were at the other end of the spectrum, with 45 per cent of respondents stating they never miss a special occasion because of work.

David Hanna, head of service and parts at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, said: “The stereotype is that people forget Valentine’s Day and have to make a late dash to the petrol station for flowers, but we know that sometimes missing out on the occasion is sometimes unavoidable.”

Ellie Baker, brand manager at Fuel Card Services, comments: “The conscientiousness of the UK’s van operators, who place work commitments ahead of their personal lives, is something to be applauded. However, we do feel for them, as these special occasions are sometimes once in a lifetime events.”