Automotive News – 17th April – 21st April 2017
Be sure to drop in every Friday for the latest automotive news provided by Yorkshire Fleet.
Meet the Mercedes-Benz of the future
Mercedes-Benz’ Concept A-Saloon was revealed at the 2017 Shanghai Motor show, and points towards German manufacturers future intentions.
One of the key features is that the car it self appears to be seamless. With all movable-external parts are completely flush with one another.
Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer Daimler AG expresses “Our Concept A Saloon shows, that the time of creases is over.”
He also added;
“With its perfect proportions and a sensual treatment of surfaces with reduced lines, it is the next milestone of Sensual Purity and has the potential to introduce a new design era.”
The German car giant also unveiled their main-focuses for their future vehicles technology. With emphasis being on assistance systems, connectivity, and driving pleasure.
Changes to the UK Driving Test
The DVSA (Driver and Vehicle standards Agency) have announced that the UK driving test is changing.
Road traffic accidents or RTA’s are the biggest killer of young people. Accounting for both a staggering and chilling, quarter of all fatalities of those aged between 15 and 19.
DVSA proposed changes to both the lessons (training) and the test is self will look to reduce the number of young people being killed in RTA’s.
These changes have been proposed because:
- most fatal collisions happen on high-speed roads (not including motorways) – changing the format of the test will allow more of these types of roads to be included in driving test routes
- 52% of car drivers now have a sat nav – DVSA wants new drivers to be trained to use them safely
- research has proven that new drivers find ‘independent driving’ training valuable – they can relate it to driving once they’ve passed their test
Research between the DVSA and the Transport Research Laboratory was conducted throughout 2016. With over 4,500 learner drivers and 850 driving instructors taking part in a research trial at 32 locations across Great Britain.
You can read the full report here
DVSA Chief Executive, Gareth Llewellyn, said:
“Great Britain’s roads are among the safest in the world. But there’s still more that we can do to keep road users safe – particularly newly-qualified drivers.
Making sure that the test better assesses a driver’s ability to drive safely and independently is part of our strategy to help every driver through a lifetime of safe driving.”
Volvo announces first electric vehicle due 2019
Volvo announced at the Shanghai Motor Show that there all electric model will start rolling off the line in 2019. Using China as it’s production base and exported worldwide.
This will be the Swedish/Chinese brands first foray into the EV world. The vehicle itself is based on the brand’s compact modular architecture, which we believe that it could be something similar to a S40 or XC40. This is in addition to the brand confirming that a plug-in hybrid would also be introduced, and the majority think this will be sooner than 2019 for the “Pure EV”.
