ISA Speed Limiter Amongst Vehicle Safety Features Set To Become Standard

by admin_cheshire | Mar 27, 2019 | General, Industry News, Vans, Vehicle Types

Speed Limiter & Automated Breaking To Become Standard Features.

Cars, vans, lorries and buses being sold fitted with a range of new vehicle safety features as standard, took a step closer this week after a provisional EU deal was reached in Strasbourg – with a view to bring the changes in from 2022.

The new technologies to be fitted as standard under the new rules include; Automated Emergency Braking (AEB) and overridable Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA),

More About The Standard-fit Technologies Being Proposed

ISA uses a combination of GPS data to locate the vehicle and the known current road speed limit to keep the drive within the speed limit. Although how this works in temporary speed limits could be of interest!

Using the Transport for London’s Direct Vision Standard as a guide, new lorries will also be required to have improved levels of ‘direct vision’, giving drivers a greater chance of seeing vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists around the vehicle.

The new rules also aim to tackle drink driving by making it easier to retrofit an alcohol interlock device – using technological solution for tackling repeat drink driving that is already in use in a number of EU Member States.

New vehicles will also be required to be fitted with Electronic Data Recorders. These will help identify conditions of the vehicle before a collision. Such information is vital to understanding why crashes occur and for preventing future collisions – and you would have to assume will be helpful to insurers in determining fault and resolving claims quicker.

How will the “b”-word affect this?

Britain is expected to follow the same rules, irrespective of Brexit.

As part of the process, researchers from TRL – the UK-based Transport Research Laboratory – conducted a cost-benefit evaluation the next generation of vehicle safety standards.

Richard Cuerden, head of TRL’s Academy, said:

“The advanced safety measures for new vehicles will provide state of the art protection to all road users.

“Intelligent Speed Assistance and Drowsiness and Distraction Recognition will support drivers in their ongoing tasks. Autonomous Emergency Braking and Emergency Lane Keeping will intervene in the most critical situations to avoid a crash, and improved crash tests will ensure that injuries of occupants as well as pedestrians and cyclists are minimised in the remaining collisions.”

Negotiators from the European Parliament and European Commission agreed with representatives of EU Member State governments earlier this week on the final shape of the regulations first announced by the European Commission in May last year.

However, the negotiated deal is provisional and still subject to formal votes in the European Parliament and by EU Member States. Due to European Parliamentary elections in May – and so this could take a few more months.

Commenting on the provisional deal, Antonio Avenoso, executive director of the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), said:

“There have only been a handful of moments in the last fifty years which could be described as big leaps forward for road safety in Europe. The mandatory introduction of the seat belt was one, and the first EU minimum crash safety standards, agreed in 1998 was another. If yesterday’s agreement is given the formal green light in September, it will represent another of those moments, preventing 25,000 deaths within 15 years of coming into force.”

“Although this legislation was many years in the planning stages, there has been relatively little time for political discussions over its final shape.

“We would like to pay tribute to the MEPs and representatives of the Commission and Member States that have worked tirelessly to get a deal done before the big changeover at the European Parliament and European Commission this summer. In particular the Romanian EU presidency, European Commissioners Elżbieta Bieńkowska and Violeta Bulc, and the Polish MEP Róża Thun deserve recognition for their commitment to seeing this legislation through.

Bieńkowska, responsible for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs at the EC, also believes that the new vehicle safety legislation will have the same kind of impact as when the safety belts were first introduced.

She concluded:

“Many of the new features already exist, in particular in high-end vehicles. Now we raise the safety level across the board, and pave the way for connected and automated mobility of the future.”

Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart director of policy and research, added: “It should be remembered that excessive speeding is a factor in 14% of fatal crashes whereas human error is present in 64%. Speed limiters have a role to play but on their own cannot eliminate all crashes.

“Advanced drivers don’t need to be reminded electronically what the speed limit is, but for others it could be a real life-saver, and help people not lose their driving licences at the same time.

“ISA as proposed for all new cars after 2022 will be overrideable so it is not the ‘big brother’ solution that some sources suggest.

“IAM RoadSmart believe the EU package of measures is important for road safety. Drivers and fleets can lead the way by specifying options such as autonomous braking tomorrow.”

What are your thoughts on these rules? Can you foresee any issues? Let us know your thoughts on these rule changes in the comments below.

Standard Van Security Not Deterring Van Theft

by admin_cheshire | Mar 8, 2019 | General, Industry News, Vans, Vehicle Types

Tracker Say Number of Stolen Vans Without Keys Has Increased.

Of the stolen vans that were then recovered by Tracker in 2018, the vast majority (89%) were taken without the owner’s keys. This is up from 82% the previous year.

Perhaps rather more tellingly is that the hugely popular Ford Transit was the most stolen and recovered van, whilst the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter weren’t far behind. Although it is worth noting here, that these figures could be somewhat flooded by the sheer numbers of them on the road of course.

Still, the trend is worrying and Clive Wain, head of police liaison at Tracker said –

“In 2018, our analysis shows that nearly half a million pounds worth of vans were stolen and recovered by Tracker,”

“Keyless entry technology is becoming the norm in the LCV market, but thieves are constantly finding new ways to exploit weaknesses in modern security systems, which is leading to a rise in van thefts.”

The Need For Added Security

So if the factory standard security measures are not enough, what else can be done? Well, Tracker recommends using additional deadlocks and steel-clad locks, as standard locks are easy for thieves to pick. Slam locks ensure a door locks every time it’s closed – ideal for quick stops, it said.

Tracker also suggests that fleet operators should reinforce doors to stop thieves prising open sliding doors by adding an extra lock at the top or reinforcing the top of the doors.

Furthermore, fleets could add extra alarms to vans and use immobilisers, make sure tools are removed from vans overnight and install a tracking device to help police recover a stolen van and close the net on thieves, it says.

Wain made some very valid points when he added;

“SMEs need to think about protecting their vans because that ultimately protects their bottom line. Don’t just rely on the security technology that comes as standard with a new van, take additional steps to deter criminals from stealing your livelihood.

“Although installing a tracking device won’t stop a van being stolen, it does significantly increase the chances of police locating and recovering it, minimising the impact of theft on a business.”

Over £534 million worth of stolen vehicles has been recovered by Tracker working with the police and continues to recover on average £1 million worth of stolen vehicles each month.

Regardless of the size of your business, having your vehicles stolen will have a huge impact on your business meeting it’s demands. If you would like a free review of your fleets security set-up then please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

A No-Deal Brexit Could Increase Car/Van Prices By £1500

by admin_cheshire | Mar 4, 2019 | General, Industry News

Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Predict Increase in Cost of Vehicles In Event of No Deal Brexit.

The uncertainty of Brexit is causing lots of speculation as to the implications of what a “no-deal” brexit might mean. One of the most heavily impacted industries is likely to be the automotive industry. The UK’s automotive trade body are the latest to wade in with their forecasts. They are predicting that the average cost of a car or van from an EU country could rise by £1,500 in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

No-Deal – “Not An Option”.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has warned that leaving without a deal was simply “not an option” for the automotive sector, which supports more than 800,000 jobs in the UK.

It said time was running out to avert tariffs that would force up the price of cars both in the EU and UK, costing consumers more, as well as damaging jobs and reducing profitability.

Is It Just Scaremongering?

I am sure some people could say it’s just scaremongering. The reality is that I have been told this myself several times already before today’s articles in the press – and the uncertainty of the situation certainly means that anything is possible.

Manufacturers are saying that if vehicles are not on our shores by the 28^th March there could be a 10% increase due to imposed tariffs. Then there is the implication of supply of components coming from the EU into the UK for the production of vehicles. If parts are held up then the impact on production could be significant.

The reality is though that at this stage, the only thing that we can report is that there are palpable fears coming out of the motor trade from manufacturers to traders.

Things To Consider

Brexit by itself may or may not have short-term implications for vehicle costs and jobs. What is certain though is that the current uncertainty and the not-knowing is making the trade twitchy. If we knew what was going to happen – whatever that may be – at least the trade can plan for it. At the moment everything seems to be in limbo.

Couple this scenario with the looming deadline date for the London ULEZ. our fear is that there will be falling levels of stock available. If you are thinking of changing any vehicles in the next month our advice would be to place orders sooner rather than later.

If you are looking to change vehicle and would like to discuss this with someone then call us now on 07971 865102.

The Financial Impact of Clean Air Zones On Business Fleets

by admin_cheshire | Jan 31, 2019 | Industry News

The Likely Impact of Clean Air Zones on Fleet Management

By 2021 there could be as many as 20 Clean Air Zones here in the UK. And, with 5 major cities already targeted to implement changes by next year, the impact of Clean Air Zones on business fleet vehicles looms large.

But what are Clean Air Zones and what are the implications for a business fleet? This short video from ALD Automotive illustrate how it could affect a business with a fleet of 30 vehicles based in Bristol.

What Areas Are Introducing Clean Air Zones?

Up to now, London, Bath, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Southampton & Sheffield are expected to have a CAZ in place by the end of 2020. The cities of Liverpool and Leicester are expected to also have Clean Air Zones, whilst Manchester and a few other cities have them under consideration.

Whilst the Government are looking to phase out the sale of all petrol and diesel cars by 2040 – the introduction of Clean Air Zones is likely to force businesses into bringing their thinking forward. As you can see from the video and the costs mentioned for Bristol, these aren’t inconsiderable amounts to begin to factor in.

Planning For The Impact Of Clean Air Zones on Business Fleets.

We know this is something that won’t be going away – and we are already encouraging many of our existing client base to bring forward their plans to review the types of vehicles they use.

If you would like to find out more information about the impact of Clean Air Zones on your own business fleet, then we are more than happy to assist you. Call 07971 865102 or email us using the form below.

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ISA Speed Limiter Amongst Vehicle Safety Features Set To Become Standard

Speed Limiter & Automated Breaking To Become Standard Features.