Goodyear is inviting transport and logistics companies based in Europe to participate in its Sustainable Reality Survey and share their insights regarding more sustainable transportation. To encourage participation, the tyre maker will plant a tree for each fleet respondent completing the survey in collaboration with non-profit reforestation organisation Tree-Nation.
The car industry faces strong resistance from much of the British public in its drive to persuade us to buy electric vehicles, a nationally representative survey has found. Digital pollsters Findoutnow.co.uk asked nearly 5,500 people: Would you consider an electric car for your next purchase/lease? Fewer than 2 per cent said they owned one already, while more than 38 per cent offered a flat “no”. Less than half (45.5 per cent) answered “yes”.
Surging demand for new hybrid cars is also being reflected in the used market, with the online car supermarket BuyaCar.co.uk reporting its highest-ever proportion of hybrid customers. But a gap is emerging between brands when it comes to the popularity of hybrid as a consumer choice over diesel or petrol, BuyaCar analysts say.
More than half of European drivers with all-season tyres choose them for their convenience as all-season tyres do not need to be changed twice a year. Another reason, according to the survey conducted by Nokian Tyres in the past year, is the safety aspect. 50 per cent believe that all-season tyres are safe enough to use throughout the whole year in central Europe and they meet all the regulatory requirements for winter tyres. The survey was conducted in four countries: Germany, France, Italy and Poland. The new Nokian Seasonproof all-season tyre is designed for drivers who need reliability and first-class safety for snowy and slushy winter days but who also want top-notch performance and effortless driving feel in the summer.
Read our sister site WhatTyre’s most recommended all-season tyres for 2021, the winner of the inaugural WhatTyre All-Season Tyre of the Year, and why an all-season tyre was WhatTyre’s pick for the overall 2021 Tyre of the Year.
Uswitch, the comparison website, recently commissioned a survey among UK motorists to test their knowledge of the rules concerning when headlights should be switched on. Says Joel Kempson, Personal Finance Writer and car insurance expert at Uswitch; “With the days getting longer, and restrictions easing, we’ll soon be hopping back into our cars for the first time in months. And although they say driving is like riding a bike – you never forget – there are some things that do slip our minds.”
Almost one in seven (14 per cent) UK drivers have considered getting rid of their car because of the pandemic (17 per cent men and 11 per cent women), rising to one in three (35 per cent) of under 34s. According to a new survey of 2,000 UK drivers by InsuretheGap, a provider of Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP) insurance, over half (56 per cent) say they do not need a car as much as they did before the pandemic (53 per cent men and 59 per cent women).
Fresh evidence has emerged of the rapidly-growing appeal of electric vehicles for drivers, with a majority of motorists now saying they will consider one ‘in the near future’. That’s according to research by the online car supermarket BuyaCar.co.uk, which is tracking the attitude of motorists to electric vehicle adoption. It’s the first time a majority of car buyers have signalled that their switch to an EV is imminent.
More motorists are booking joint MOT and service procedures and MOT failures rates are expected to increase, according to service and repair shops. Indeed, demand for combined MOT and service procedures increased almost 50 per cent last month (48%), according to BookMyGarage.com. Meanwhile, MOT-only bookings were down in February compared with February 2020
Despite growing competition by manufacturers and retailers in promoting their electric vehicle offerings, a recent survey of 200 drivers by Venson Automotive Solutions confirms that the most important factors for people when considering an electric vehicle (EV) remain battery and price, closely followed by the vehicle’s safety rating. With EV sales predicted to rocket in the next couple of years, marketing brand lifestyle and experience may fall short when compared to pushing the practicalities of owning and driving an emissions free vehicle.
Triangle Tyre has climbed three places in the China Net Promoter Score (C-NPS). Triangle’s fourth place score of 24.6 was enough to see it rise above Continental (fifth) and Goodyear (sixth) in the table. It is the leading Chinese tyre brand according to the metric, with DoubleStar the next-best in seventh place. Michelin (32.0) retains its place at the top of the table, with Pirelli (29.3) and Bridgestone (25.3) rising two places to make up the rest of the podium.
Venson survey shows drivers support smart motorways, but some education is still required to improve safety and a sizeable minority have safety concerns. With controversial smart motorways continuing to cause debate across the motor industry and within Government, Venson Automotive Solutions has asked drivers for their opinion. Bucking the ‘anti’ trend led by industry influencers calling for alternations to the system, 56 per cent agree that smart motorways are indeed necessary to help improve road safety and ease congestion. Half see the benefits for congestion levels, and a quarter expect smart motorways to ease emissions. However, one in ten admit they don’t know what a smart motorway is, highlighting the need for driver education.
As winter sets in, we are reminded that, not only is December the season to be jolly, but it is also the season to beware of potholes. Research by Opinium of more than 2,000 UK motorists, on behalf of InsuretheGap.com, has revealed that one in four (29 per cent) have damaged their car on speedhumps or potholes, rising to almost one in three (32 per cent) in rural areas. With standing water making it extremely difficult to distinguish between a mere surface puddle and a deep and potentially vehicle-damaging gaping hole in the road, these figures are sure to rise during the coming winter months.
The National Motorcycle Dealers Association (NMDA) has published details of its Autumn 2020 Dealer Attitude Survey (DAS). Paddy O’Connell, Head of the NMDA, revealed that the response rate was the highest ever, at 31 per cent; something that he describes as “very positive” and indicative that a growing number of dealers see the survey as an important and useful channel to provide feedback on the business relationship with their manufacturers.
A new YouGov survey commissioned by Protyre suggests that over 30 per cent of parents could be using dangerous tyres to ferry around their children. The online survey marks this year’s Tyre Safety Month campaign from TyreSafe and its members. Simon Hiorns, Protyre retail director, said that the findings “raise concerns about how much the public are taking on board the importance of tyre safety.” He added that the company wants to “remind parents and motorists generally that tyre safety is just as important as things like seat belts and child car seats.” Protyre also revealed that the proportion of tyres demounted at its branches below the legal tread depth continues to be above 50 per cent. This, it states, shows that the need for tyre professionals to communicate the importance of checking tyre safety remains high.
Auction houses continue to experience strong vehicle values, even with increased volume supply, according to the National Association of Motor Auctions (NAMA). In response to the latest NAMA survey, 40 per cent of auctioneers who responded said they expect auction volumes for cars to increase, with a further 50 per cent expecting them to remain the same. This increase is in part down to September part-exchange cars making their way to auction.
Rathaphon Nanthapreecha; Pexels
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