New sustainable petrol passes the BTCC racing test

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September 30, 2024

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A new study has revealed the truth about how British motorists assess their own driving abilities.

The survey by Isuzu found that almost one-in-six (15 percent) of respondents rated their driving skills as ‘bad’, with 4 percent admitting they are actually a danger on the roads.

Close to four-in-ten (39 percent) said they struggle with parallel parking, whilst just parking in a bay is problematic for 19 percent of those surveyed.

Remembering to turn headlights on when it gets dark troubles 15 percent of motorists, and 7 percent of respondents said they forget to look for pedestrians.

Driver self-assessment

When it comes to locations with the worst drivers, the study highlighted Cardiff as being the capital of poor driving ability in the UK.

More than one-in-three (35 percent) of those surveyed from the Welsh city graded their driving ability as bad, followed by 33 percent of Londoners, and 31 percent of Liverpudlians.

In contrast, no drivers from Stoke-on-Trent believed they were a bad driver, with only 2 percent of motorists from Nottingham willing to believe their abilities were below standard. Inhabitants of Cambridge (3 percent rated bad), and Edinburgh (4 percent) were similarly self-assured.

Leading reasons cited for being a bad driver included there being too many cars on the road, a factor for more than one-third (36 percent) of those surveyed.

Parking spaces being too small (24 percent), being easily distracted (20 percent), and roads being too small (17 percent) were other leading excuses.

A worrying reality

Road rage was a common factor for those surveyed, with more than half (59 percent) saying they had been shouted at or received rude gestures, because of their poor driving.

Almost one-in-five (19 percent) admitted they have friends or family members who refuse to be a passenger in their car, due to poor driving abilities.

George Wallis, Head of Marketing at Isuzu UK, said: “With over 50 million drivers in Great Britain, it is worrying to think that as many as 7.5 million consider themselves bad drivers. It’s clear from the research that UK motorists face many challenges on all journeys, from smaller roads, tight parking bays and even their own vehicle.”

Perhaps the most telling statistic from the survey was that almost two-thirds (62 percent) of respondents simply wish they were better drivers.

Jaguar Land Rover to invest £500m in Merseyside factory

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September 27, 2024

Jaguar builds final F-Type as it prepares for fully electric future

Vehicle production on Merseyside is set to continue, with Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) confirming a major investment in its Halewood plant.

Some £500 million will be spent on the historic facility, with JLR looking to produce electric vehicles alongside existing combustion-engined and hybrid models.

The investment programme will support JLR’s ‘Reimagine’ strategy, which aims for all of its brands to be electrified by 2030.

In addition, the Reimagine plan should help JLR to achieve ‘carbon net zero’ across its supply chain and production operations by 2039.

Investing for the future

Half of the £500 million investment has already been spent on the Halewood site, with more than one million hours of construction work undertaken during the past year.

Extending the facility by 32,364 square metres, the Merseyside factory now features dedicated electric car production lines, which are supported by 750 autonomous robots.

This ‘factory of the future’ will be used to build mid‑sized luxury electric SUVs, making use of JLR’s new Electric Modular Architecture (EMA) platform.

Other work includes the creation of a new body shop capable of producing 500 vehicle bodies every day. The final production line has also been extended from 2.5 miles to 3.7 miles to accommodate battery fitment.

JLR technology transfers

Tailoring the Halewood site to accommodate electric vehicle production has seen build stations extended in length, along with 40 new autonomous mobile robots to assist employees with fitting high‑voltage batteries.

JLR has also delivered high voltage training to more than 1,600 employees at the factory.

Following the end of combustion-powered vehicle production at JLR’s Castle Bromwich site, equipment has been transferred to Halewood.

Some £16 million worth of production technology has now moved to Merseyside, including articulated robots and automated guided vehicles.

A site for ‘world-class luxury EVs‘

Barbara Bergmeier, executive director at JLR, commented: “Halewood will be our first all-electric production facility, and it is a testament to the brilliant efforts by our teams and suppliers who have worked together to equip the plant with the technology needed to deliver our world-class luxury electric vehicles.”

First opened in October 1963 by Ford, the Halewood site was originally used to build the Anglia. This was followed by the Ford Corsair, Escort and Capri, until production shifted to the Jaguar X-Type in 2001.

More recently, Halewood has been responsible for manufacturing the Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Discovery Sport.

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Armoured Skoda Kodiaq is resistant to bullets and grenades

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September 27, 2024

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A collaboration between Skoda and security experts UTAC Special Vehicles has resulted in a special armoured version of the Kodiaq.

Developed as a joint project, the Kodiaq Armoured is based upon the previous, first-generation SUV, produced from 2017 until earlier this year.

An array of modifications means the Skoda Kodiaq Armoured is fully certified to meet PAS 300 and PAS 301 Civilian Armoured Vehicle standards.

It follows an armoured version of the Skoda Superb Estate, launched in 2018, which has sold more than 500 examples around the world.

Multiple layers of safety

UTAC Special Vehicles has applied extensive modifications to the passenger compartment of the Kodiaq, although the exact details of these have (understandably) been kept secret.

Bullet-resistant glass is used, along with armoured steel protection, allowing the modified Kodiaq to absorb the impacts of bullets and explosions.

Testing for the Kodiaq Armoured saw the Skoda SUV subjected to more than 200 rounds of ammunition. This included attacks from both handguns and assault rifles, with the Kodiaq also evaluated on its ability to protect against grenades and high explosives.

All four wheels of the Kodiaq Armoured are fitted with a tyre retention system. This allows the Skoda to keep driving in the event of a puncture, with the tyre prevented from leaving the rim even when fully deflated.

Unassuming protection

With the additional protection adding to the Kodiaq’s kerb weight, both the suspension and brakes have been upgraded to suit this armoured model.

Buyers can choose from a host of powertrain options, along with all-wheel drive. Offered in five-seat format, the Kodiaq Armoured comes with an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen offering satellite navigation, plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone connectivity.

Blue lights and a siren are included, too. In non-armoured form, the Skoda Kodiaq has become a popular choice for emergency services, including various police forces.

A price for the Skoda Kodiaq Armoured has not been provided. However, the previous Superb Armoured started from more than £118,000.

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Mini owners can now play the Uno card game in their car

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September 26, 2024

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Owners of the latest Mini models with an OLED central touchscreen can now enjoy access to one of the world’s most famous card games.

A collaboration between the BMW Group, Mattel and AirConsole means in-car gaming has arrived in new Mini cars and SUVs.

The launch of the AirConsole Games version of Uno for the Mini brand follows a similar roll-out for BMW models last month – after a public debut at the Gamescom event in Cologne, Germany.

Some 500,000 BMW and Mini owners will soon be able to play Uno, as the popular card game is introduced across the range.

Cards in the car

Mini owners with the latest Operating System 9, plus a Mini Connected data package, should have access to the AirConsole Games application. This allows up to four players to connect their smartphones to the central OLED display, making use of a QR code that appears on the screen.

Sensibly, the AirConsole Games application is only available to be used when the car is parked.

“Uno beautifully illustrates the strengths of AirConsole with a game accessible to everyone, a bespoke integration to the car hardware and our phone-controlled gaming experience,” said Anthony Cliquot, CEO of AirConsole.

“Each player can secretly see their own cards on their phone while playing on the infotainment system of the car. This is an experience that would be impossible to achieve using only touchscreen or Bluetooth controls on the infotainment system.”

New in-car entertainment options

In-car gaming continues to be a growing trend with vehicle manufacturers. For example, Tesla now offers owners the ability to play directly through the YouTube application. And buyers of the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, when fitted with the Individualisation Package, are able to play Tetris and Sudoku.

Electrification is likely to further increase the take-up of in-car games, increasing the number of ways to pass the time while charging batteries.

“We continue to increase the value of the overall digital experience for our customers,” said Stephan Durach, senior vice president of the BMW Group Development Connected Company.

“Our partners AirConsole and Mattel are helping make in-car gaming into a new social experience, and I am thrilled to offer a family-favourite game like Uno for this exciting innovation.”

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Americans are going wild for Volkswagen’s special ketchup

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September 26, 2024

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Volkswagen enthusiasts in North America have jumped at the chance to own one of the marque’s most famous European products.

However, this special offering is not a hot hatchback or other limited edition car, but a bottle of ketchup.

Used to accompany the currywurst sausage made by Volkswagen since 1973, more than 500,000kg of the branded sauce is produced and sold each year.

Now, to help celebrate Volkswagen’s 75th anniversary in the United States, fans have been given a chance to try the special ketchup.

The inspiration to import the ketchup came from a story shared by Pennsylvania-based Volkswagen fan, Jamie Orr.

Having visited numerous Volkswagen events in Europe, Orr kept bringing back samples of the famous sauce to the United States to share with friends. His commitment to ketchup saw Volkswagen take notice.

“This year we’re celebrating more than a big anniversary of selling cars,” said Rachael Zaluzec, senior vice president of marketing at Volkswagen of America.

“We’re celebrating stories, memories, passion, and all the fun and unexpected things that make Volkswagen the brand we are today —things like our Gewürz Ketchup Brand condiment.”

Coming to America

Offered through Volkswagen’s DriverGear website, the VW Gewürz Ketchup Brand was made available for free. The initial shipment of sauce was snapped up almost instantly, such is the level of enthusiasm from North American fans.

Volkswagen’s ketchup caused controversy in 2018, when the company chose a new supplier to produce its currywurst sauce.

A change in flavour caused uproar amongst VW employees, where the sauce is offered in canteens at more than 15 different factories.

Those in the United States will get another chance to taste the Volkswagen ketchup next month, when it makes an appearance at the ChainFEST gourmet food event in Los Angeles.

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New car insurance ‘Vehicle Risk Rating’ to replace 1-50 groups

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Richard Aucock

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September 25, 2024

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A new system for assessing car insurance premiums has gone live, based on a 1-99 scale that will ultimately replace the existing group 1-50 car insurance rating.

The new system is called ‘Vehicle Risk Rating’ (VRR) and covers five detailed criteria for insurance risk.

What’s more, the new system is dynamic, meaning car insurance ratings can change during the lifetime of a vehicle as new information, such as real-world security statistics, emerges. The current group rating system is a static one, set when the vehicle is launched.

Thatcham Research has developed the new VRR system. It has taken 18 months, and evolved the evaluation of over 1,300 data points from 25,000 cars and vans.

“New technology is challenging the existing motor insurance model, prompting an unprecedented shift in the balance of risk from the driver to the vehicle,” said Thatcham Research chief executive Jonathan Hewett.

“We’ve worked closely with insurers, drawing upon cutting-edge data analysis to create a rating system that offers a more precise and detailed assessment of vehicle risks.”

Hewett said this will not only allow car insurance premiums to be calculated more accurately, but will also encourage firms to consider insurance when designing new cars.

Car insurance Vehicle Risk Rating explained

The new Vehicle Risk Rating system is based around five assessments. These ‘provide a holistic view of each vehicle’s risk profile’:

Each assessment is scored on a scale of 1 to 99. The aim is to give car insurers a more granular understanding of individual vehicle risks, enabling more accurate and individualised premiums for motorists.

Performance: speed, acceleration and the impact of modern powertrains
Damageability: how design, materials and construction influence repair costs and damage severity
Reparability: the ease and cost of repairs – to encourage repair-friendly designs
Safety: active and passive safety systems, including crash avoidance features
Security: physical and digital security measures, using Thatcham Research’s New Vehicle Security Assessment data

Repairability is particularly important, with repair costs for car insurers rising by 28 percent in just one year. What’s more, Thatcham Research has found that electric cars are 25 percent more expensive to insure than petrol cars – and take 14 percent longer to fix.

“Repairability is increasingly important,” said Hewett. “Without a keen focus on sustainable repair at the design stage and vehicle launch… the industry’s environmental endeavours are at risk of being undermined by vehicles that become disposable too early into their use phase.”

What next for car insurance ratings?

Thatcham Research says the new Vehicle Risk Rating system will run alongside the older group rating system for the next 18 months.

Cars will be ‘dual rated’, with a weighted overall VRR rating calculated for each new car on sale. VRR will then become the sole reference point for vehicle risk assessment.

The two systems are not directly comparable, warns Thatcham. A car with a group 20 rating today will not automatically be rated 40 under VRR.

Because it is so much broader – with more than 1,000 data points across the above five pillars, instead of the fixed 125 vehicle attributes of the current system – more accurate vehicle information will be combined with traditional driver-specific aspects such as claims history.

The aim is to help create more accurate individual premiums, which acknowledge the advances many car firms are making.

This will include the benefit of crash-avoiding advanced driver assistance systems, or ADAS, along with new security technology to keep ahead of criminal gangs.

“Vehicle design and technology has undergone a massive step-change,” said Vehicle Risk Rating panel chair (and Saga underwriting manager) Richard Birch.

“Vehicle Risk Rating, with its enhanced scoring, informed by the five risk assessments, delivers a vastly more accurate assessment than the outgoing group rating system, on which insurers can rate and underwrite, while proving transparency to manufacturers allowing them to design and build more insurable vehicles.”

Motoring Research will keep you updated as the new Vehicle Risk Rating car insurance system rolls out – including feedback from car insurers, motorists and car makers.

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Study finds PHEV owners drive electric 81 percent of the time

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September 23, 2024

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New research commissioned by Mitsubishi in Australia has revealed the habits of drivers with plug-in hybrid cars.

Although the Japanese company no longer sells cars in the United Kingdom, its research provides an interesting insight into the ownership experience for plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs).

In particular, the independent study of 800 Australian PHEV owners discovered that they made use of full-electric mode up to 81 percent of the time when driving.

The survey comes as Mitsubishi now accounts for 43 percent of the growing plug-in hybrid market in Australia.

The petrol safety blanket

The survey covered owners of both the latest, fourth-generation Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and the Eclipse Cross PHEV.

It found that Outlander PHEV drivers made frequent use of their SUV’s 18kWh battery, spending an impressive 81 percent of their time in electric mode. Those with the smaller Eclipse Cross PHEV still avoided using the internal combustion engine for 75 percent of journeys.

This is substantially more EV driving than European owners of plug-in hybrid models. Real-world data shows PHEV drivers in Europe use battery-only mode around 45 to 49 percent of the time.

Mitsubishi’s survey suggests that Australian PHEV owners are therefore using plug-in hybrids as short-range electric vehicles, but with a reassuring lack of range anxiety.

A gateway to going electric

Feedback from owners confirmed that worries about a lack of charging infrastructure made them view plug-in hybrid models as a ‘stepping stone’ to full EV ownership in the future.

More than half of Mitsubishi PHEV owners reported charging their car every day, with 96 percent having access to a home charger.

Some 58 percent of Outlander PHEV owners, along with 63 percent of Eclipse Cross PHEV owners, said they actively adjust regenerative braking levels to boost their car’s electric range.

In the UK, recent sales figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show plug-in hybrids taking 8.1 percent of new car sales for 2024 to date, compared to fully electric cars on 17.2 percent.

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When you should NOT allow an emergency vehicle to overtake

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Motoring Research team

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September 23, 2024

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What should you do an emergency vehicle is behind you, with blue lights ablaze, but the road has double white lines in the middle? The answer may not be what you expected.

Double white lines mean overtaking is prohibited. So if you are being followed by an emergency vehicle, such as a police car, ambulance or fire engine, the driver will probably switch off the blue lights and siren.

You should continue driving within the speed limit until clear of the solid white lines. When the siren and blue lights come on behind you, that’s your cue to let the vehicle go past.

Rule 129 of the Highway Code states: ‘Double white lines where the line nearest you is solid. This means you MUST NOT cross or straddle it unless it is safe and you need to enter adjoining premises or a side road.

‘You may cross the line if necessary, provided the road is clear, to pass a stationary vehicle, or overtake a pedal cycle, horse or road maintenance vehicle, if they are travelling at 10mph or less.’

Although this isn’t related specifically to the question about emergency vehicles, it does mean that crossing a solid white line, even while overtaking a tractor at 15mph, would break the law.

If in doubt, this short video from breakdown cover provider GEM Motoring Assist explains how to let an emergency vehicle past when there is a solid white line along the middle of the road.

‘Main cause of confusion’

GEM chief executive Neil Worth said: “The research we conducted told us that solid white line systems were one of the main causes of confusion, along with traffic light junctions and roundabouts.

“Having such a large number of people taking the time to watch this video must be good news for road safety. By fostering a better understanding of the rules of the road, and how an emergency driver wants us to assist, we play our part in reducing risk, minimising delay and perhaps even saving a life.”

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Sing while you charge: Ford brings in-car karaoke to new EVs

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September 21, 2024

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Owners of certain Ford electric cars can now take part in carpool karaoke – without the need to involve James Corden.

The Stingray Karaoke app is making its debut in the Mustang Mach-E SUV, along with the US-market Ford F-150 Lightning pick-up truck.

It means Ford owners will be able to sing along to their favourite songs, with lyrics appearing on the SYNC 4A central display screen.

Other car manufacturers have previously introduced karaoke apps, including Stingray for Chinese-made BYD vehicles.

Shake it off while parked

The Stingray Karaoke app offers songs from a wide range of genres, including rock, country, pop, R&B, Latin and K-pop. Some 38 languages are supported, including 10 that use local characters, such as Greek and Thai.

Ford intends for karaoke to take place while parked, in particular as a way to pass the time when charging. Song lyrics are only shown on the touchscreen when the car is stationary.

However, where a front-seat passenger is detected wearing a seatbelt, the karaoke app can be used on the move through the screen using a QR code.

This is scanned to access songs and playlists, along with showing lyrics on the smartphone. Music is then played through the Ford’s own audio system.

Improving owner experiences

“Our goal at Ford is to continue to improve the ownership experience for customers by delivering experiences like Stingray Karaoke that ultimately bring joy,” said Chet Dhruna, manager of ‘connect and engage’ at Ford.

“The Ford and Stingray teams worked closely to bring the app to Ford owners so they can make memories with their friends and family, no matter where they are on their journey. We can’t wait to hear about these stories.”

Ford F-150 Lightning owners in the United States and Canada will get access to the Stingray Karaoke app first. It will then be rolled out to European customers in the Mustang Mach-E.

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