Hyundai plans ‘self-repairing’ car
Hyundai Motor Group has outlined plans to bring connected cars to reality and is currently working on technology that, it claims, will “remotely diagnose and fix vehicle issues before they become apparent.”
Hyundai Motor Group has outlined plans to bring connected cars to reality and is currently working on technology that, it claims, will “remotely diagnose and fix vehicle issues before they become apparent.”
The Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMI) and Scottish Motor Trade Association (SMTA) are seeking to survey their members and the motor industry to assess the impact of the Government’s latest changes to road tax on the annual MOT test. Both organisations have concerns that following the removal of the paper tax disk and the introduction of monthly direct debits to pay road tax, motorists are unintentionally breaking the law by forgetting to MOT their cars.
March diesel sales were up by 7.9 per cent, petrol sales up by a surprising 5.6 per cent and overall sales including commercial up by 7.0 per cent versus same month last year. “Latest Government data suggests that increased economic activity and cheaper prices had a significant impact on the demand for fuel in the month to 14 March”, said Brian Madderson, chairman of the Petrol Retailers Association.
In April 2017 a new apprenticeship levy will be introduced with the purpose of increasing the quality and number of apprenticeships across UK. Employers with a wage-bill of less than £3 million will not pay the levy, whereas those with a wage-bill of £3 million or more will have to contribute at a rate of 0.5 per cent of their pay bill. However, the first £3 million of the payroll will be excluded by a discount that will give some relief, in line with smaller businesses.
East Yorkshire-based grocery retailer Heron Foods states that its tyre running costs and related downtime have dropped after appointing ATS Euromaster to supply and manage its tyres on a fixed-price contract. The company selected ATS Euromaster to manage its Michelin fitment policy across a busy fleet of 45 trucks, which is comprised of predominantly 40-tonne tractor units and trailers and 26-tonne rigids. Mobile technicians keep a close eye on Heron Foods’ tyres, with near daily inspections and reporting at the retailer’s depot in Melton, all aimed at ensuring the longest tyre life and greatest performance.
ZC Rubber’s Westlake Tyres brand has seen its sponsorship of WBC flyweight world champion Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez (44-0, 38 KOs) start successfully, as the boxer defended his title on HBO Boxing. The 28-year old completed a near-perfect victory against challenger McWilliams Arroyo, the IBF super flyweight champion, on 24 April, sporting the tyre brand’s logo on his shorts.
Evans Transport is to introduce Continental Tyres’ ContiPressureCheck system into its fleet. The 150-truck, 220-trailer fleet said that early trials have shown safety and economy gains from installing the system.
Pirelli will take its medium, soft and supersoft compounds to the Russian Grand Prix at Sochi, marking the fourth time in as many races in 2016 to feature the Red, Yellow and White P Zero Formula One tyres. The varied, technical track has a smooth surface that typically leads to low tyre wear and degradation, but Pirelli says its nomination will deal with any evolution of the three-year old asphalt that may have occurred since 2015’s visit, or indeed across the weekend, since the circuit is not heavily used.
Continental brand Semperit is introducing further additions to its Runner commercial tyre range, having launched the line in 2015. The steer-axle tyre, Runner F2 and the drive-axle tyre, Runner D2 which are for use in combined regional and long-distance transportation are now available in the size 315/70R22.5, joining the existing 315/80R22.5 model. The high-mileage tyres offer both a long service life and good fuel efficiency. The complete Runner range, which includes the trailer-axle tyre Runner T2, are on display at the Commercial Vehicle Show 2016 in Birmingham.
The China International Tire Expo, or CITExpo, has a new website. Not only does the new site offer a fresh look, it features links to the show’s social media accounts and is designed for user friendly navigation. English and Chinese language options increase the site’s appeal.
Kal Tire’s Mining Tire Group has opened a new mining tyre repair facility in Australia. The operation in Muswellbrook is within the Hunter Valley coalfields, some 160 miles northwest of Sydney, and is said to be the first of several measures planned by Kal Tire as part of an expansion of its mining tyre management service offerings in Eastern Australia.
Although he claimed no intentional involvement in the theft of Pirelli tyres worth more than £102,000, Graham Wait was found guilty of conspiracy to commit theft in February. At his sentencing at Carlisle Crown Court last Friday, Wait received an 18 month suspended sentence for the role he played in the theft of 358 Pirelli tyres, and was ordered to pay £1,500 in court costs and to perform 200 hours of unpaid work.
Prelude to a new era of production or the Tyre Maker Who Cried Wolf? News out of Tanzania suggests that General Tyre East Africa Ltd. (GTEA) may be ready to start making tyres again, something it hasn’t done for close on a decade. And while Tyrepress.com reported on moves to recommence production several years ago and has followed the often bitter negotiations between minority shareholder Continental AG and Tanzania’s government since 2007, this time the decision to restart tyre manufacture lies with one party alone.
Demand for new commercial vehicles in the EU increased for the 15th month in a row in March, reports the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA). Across the entire EU, new commercial vehicle registrations of all types rose 8.0 per cent to 242,049 units. Generally speaking, the highest rates of growth were recorded in the EU12 countries, where registrations were up an average of 15.9 per cent during the month.
Valentino Rossi won a sixth premier-class victory on Michelin tyres – his first of 2016 – at Jerez, Spain, having started from pole. The nine-time world champion got the hole-shot on his Yamaha and led into the first corner, increasing his lead over a pack led by current champion Jorge Lorenzo’s Yamaha and Honda’s championship leader, Marc Marquez. Rossi’s faultless race meant he was never under pressure, winning by more than two seconds.
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