VW funds Europe’s first IT automotive study programme at the 42 Wolfsburg coding school
Volkswagen has announced that, together with the “42” coding schools in Wolfsburg and Berlin and partners including Microsoft, Bosch and the Korean Kookmin University, it has established the SEA:ME degree program, the first open education course in Europe for software engineering in the automotive and mobility sectors. The aim of new programme is to train […]
BMW launches “iFace” face and eye recognition anti-theft system for motorbikes
BMW has announced its Motorrad brand is now the first motorcycle manufacturer in the world to meet the challenge of bike theft with BMW iFace – a face recognition system that makes the previous ignition key superfluous and complements the existing Keyless Go technology. BMW iFace was developed in cooperation with Professor Gerhard Lesjöh, head of the world’s […]
Research suggests economy could save £4bn with shift to cargo bikes
The NHS and other government services would be saved more than £4 billion if delivery companies switched to using cargo bikes instead of diesel vans for the first and last mile of deliveries. That’s according to new research that has worked out the savings thanks to reduced congestion and air pollution. The figures have been […]
Council apologises after fining people for using LTNs during flooding
Lewisham Council in London has apologised for breaking a promise not to fine people for driving on roads in a Low Traffic Neighbourhood when a a burst water main caused a main road to be impassible. The Daily Telegraph reports a local resident has forced the to admit it broke its promise and in fact […]
Paris votes to ban e-scooters
The people of Paris have voted 9-1 in a referendum to ban e-scooters, making it the first European capital to outlaw the travel mode. Lime, Dott and Tier have been offering rental rides but the vote means their contracts will not be renewed. France 24 reports Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s administration welcomedoperators with open arms in […]
New report suggests dualling A75 and A77 would bring £5bn benefits
Dualling the A77/A75 trunk roads linking Scotland and England with Northern Ireland would bring £5 billion of “positive benefits” to the UK economy, according to a new report. The report commissioned by South Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway and Mid and East Antrim Councils suggests benefits range from reduced journey times and vehicle operating costs (£700 […]
£2 bus cap extended
The Government’s announced it’s spending another £75 million to extend the bus fare cap, meaning passengers can save on single bus tickets. Extended from1 April until the end of June, the offer will apply to more than 5,000 routes in England from over 140 operators. With the average single local bus ticket costing £2.80, passengers […]
Section of M8 could be downgraded to “boulevard”
A section of the M8 motorway that runs through the centre of Glasgow could eventually be downgraded to a ‘boulevard’. STV news reports councillors have agreed to look at reducing the impact the motorway has on the city, so parts of the motorway in Glasgow may also become subject to the city’s low emission zone […]
Ford scales back no-steering wheel car plans
Ford has abandoned attempts to get American regulators to allow it to operate up to 2,500 self-driving vehicles annually without requiring a steering wheel. The Institution of Engineering and Technology reports that in a letter sent to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Ford Motor Co said it was withdrawing its petition to get its […]
Government announces new pothole rules for utility companies
The Government is introducing new rules clamping down on utility companies who leave potholes behind after carrying out street works. From tomorrow (1 April) new regulations will come into force for a performance-based inspection regime to ensure utility companies resurface roads to the best possible standard after street works, potentially preventing thousands of potholes from […]