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Insuring driverless cars Driverless cars are no longer only possible in a fictional futuristic world. They are here, and the technology is constantly improving to the point where we could be seeing them on our roads by the 2020’s. But who is responsible for paying the damages if the car drives itself? Insurance complications are hot topics surrounding this new automotive technology, as these cars morph from being only prototypes to becoming commercial products. Where did it all start? Google seem to be the pioneers of the driverless car technology after developing their Street View software. They have named their version of the driverless software the Google Chauffeur, which uses a combination of GPS, radar and 360° sensors. The plans for the driverless cars were unveiled in May 2014 and a fully functioning prototype was presented in December of the same year. Although they are referred to as driverless, these vehicles will have a function that can allow human interaction to override t...

Hybrid cars – Will renewable technology drive the future of the car industry? The automotive world is ever changing. Whether it’s how vehicles look on the outside, or their composition on the inside. This post will discuss the latter, in particular hybrid cars. There has definitely been a huge increase in the number of hybrid cars on the roads, especially in the UK. Are you thinking of taking the plunge and going green? A brief overview on hybrids will be provided, as well as outlining other alternate energy-powered vehicles. This post will also identify the advantages that may convince you to put down that petrol pump and plug in a Prius! Background It seems to be a common misconception that electric powered cars are a new idea, but the truth is the contrary. Lohner-Porsche experimented with dual-engine hybrid technology in 1901. The idea didn’t take off because petroleum was readily available. This meant that petrol-engine vehicles were favoured due to the accessibility of fuel. It w...

The risks of car hacking When thinking about getting a new car, everyone has a checklist of features they want it to have. Whether it’s alloyed wheels, leather seats or an AUX cable; we all have our preferences. As the decade is progressing, one of these features may be an internal electronic control unit (ECU). This could come in the form of a touch screen system, or an in-car sat nav. But do these connected systems pose a threat to vehicle owner and passenger safety? Many experts believe that these electronic systems can be hacked just like a computer. They have labelled this process car hacking. What is car hacking? Car hacking can be described as the manipulation of code in a vehicle’s ECU to gain control of its functions. To put it frankly, your vehicle will be under new occupancy and you would have no choice in the matter. I know what you’re thinking - “If they hack my sat nav, I can drive without one”. That’s where the risk lies. The functions in which car hackers can gain domin...

2017 will not only commemorate our 20 th anniversary, but also marks the introduction of the updated practical driving test in the UK. Let me provide you with the ins-and-outs of the proposed new driving test, as stated by the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) in a report published last month. Why the change? The new and improved driving test has been administered in an attempt to reduce road traffic collisions, both in general and involving new drivers. This is following a report undertaken in 2012 showing a fifth of those injured or killed in road accidents were involving a driver aged between 17 and 24 years old. In addition to that, a quarter of the deaths of 15 to 19 year olds can be attributed to road accidents – the biggest killer of that age group. Another reason for the adaptations is the increase of in-car technological advancements like satellite navigational systems. The changes aim to keep up with the technologies that are used in modern vehicles. The DVSA stat...