Winter 2016 - Driving Business

DRIVING

Issue 18 Winter 2016 £4.50

Helping you make better decisions

TAX WARNING Chancellor shakes up car salary sacrifice schemes

AJAX COURIERS

LATEST MODELS

Fleet director Derek Golding on why he strove for Van Excellence

Volkswagen Golf Škoda Octavia Seat Leon Nissan Micra Mini Countryman

n SPECIA L REP ORT

SAFE T Y INSIGHT

SAFETY TECHNOLOGY MADE SIMPLE Know your AEB from your BLIS. How car tech can keep your drivers safe

FleetNews

EVENTS

Be a part of the sharing community

FOR FUTURE FLEETNEWS EVENTS, VISIT WWW.FLEETNEWS.CO.UK/EVENTS

Contents

ISSUE 18 Winter 2016

FRONT END

7 ‘Dangerous compromise’ Government plans for salary sacrifice schemes revealed in the autumn statement are questioned.

9 Mobile penalties Drivers are facing tougher penalties as the law bids to clamp down on mobile use at the wheel.

9 A young staffer’s aim Company cars are still a strong perk when seeking to attract and retain the services of young people.

11 Cyber security Take care to ensure the car you handed back is not revealing details about you long after the hand-over of the keys.

Ajax Couriers

�22

FLEET MANAGEMENT LIVE

12 Leading event at NEC A review of the show that attracted more than 100 exhibitors and 1,200 visitors to Birmingham.

BROADER VIEW

22 Ajax Couriers Accreditation schemes keep firm compliant and help to boost brand image.

SAFETY TECHNOLOGY

25 Safety advances up a gear

� 12

Fleet Management Live review

�25 Safety technology

Six-page look at some of the latest technologies designed to make roads safer for drivers and pedestrians.

CARS

34 Coming soon A look at new model launches.

34 � Cars coming soon mydrivingbusiness.co.uk ❚ Winter 2016 ❚ 3

DRIVING

Helping you make better decisions

Contact us Driving Business, Media House, Lynchwood, Peterborough PE2 6EA. Editorial Editor-in-chief Stephen Briers 01733 468024 stephen.briers@bauermedia.co.uk Editor Sarah Tooze 01733 468901 sarah.tooze@bauermedia.co.uk News editor Gareth Roberts 01733 468314 gareth.roberts@bauermedia.co.uk Features editor Andrew Ryan 01733 468308 andrew.ryan@bauermedia.co.uk Staff writer Matt de Prez 01733 468277 matt.deprez@bauermedia.co.uk Web producer Christopher Smith 01733 468655 christopher.smith@bauermedia.co.uk Contributors John Charles Production Head of publishing Luke Neal 01733 468262 Designer Erika Small 01733 468312 Production editors David Buckley 01733 468310 Finbarr O’Reilly 01733 468267 Head of project management Leanne Patterson 01733 468332 Project managers Lucy Peacock 01733 468327 Kerry Unwin 01733 468578 Katie Lightfoot 01733 468338 Advertising Commercial director Carlota Hudgell 01733 366466 Group advertisement manager Sheryl Graham 01733 366467 Account directors Sean Hamill 01733 366472 Lucy Herbert 01733 366469 Lisa Turner 01733 366471 Stuart Wakeling 01733 366470 Account managers Karl Houghton 01733 366473 Publishing Managing director Tim Lucas 01733 468340 Group marketing manager Bev Mason 01733 468295 Office manager Jane Hill 01733 468319 Group managing director Rob Munro-Hall Chief executive officer Paul Keenan Subscriptions: subscription@mydrivingbusiness.co.uk Printing: PCP, Telford. © 2016 Bauer Media No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the permission of the publisher.

You can purchase words or pictures for your own publications.

Phone 01733 465982 or email syndication@bauermedia.co.uk.

Driving Business will not accept responsibility for unsolicited material.

Welcome Are you aware how much your company could be fined if one of your drivers caused a fatal accident while doing a business journey?

If your company’s turnover is between £2million and £10m you could face an eyewatering £2,800,000 if found guilty (with a high level of culpability) under the Corporate Manslaughter Act. Those with a turnover of up to £2m could be fined up to £800,000. And under the Health and Safety at Work Act the company director could be jailed.

There is also the damage to reputation and brand to consider, and the impact on the victim’s family.

Ajax Couriers is one small business that has rightly decided it doesn’t want to take the risk and has undergone two vigorous accreditation schemes to ensure it can demonstrate it has taken the necessary steps to keep its drivers safe on the roads (see pages 22-23).

The accreditations – the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme’s (FORS) Bronze and the Freight Transport Association’s (FTA) Van Excellence – have also helped Ajax look more professional and meet the demands of one of its biggest customers. (If you are pitching for business in London you may well find the company asks if you are FORS accredited.)

But accreditations aren’t the only steps to consider. Have you looked carefully at the safety technology available or fitted as standard when choosing your company vehicles?

Opting for a car with Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) could lead to insurance savings as well as safety benefits. Turn to page 25 for our guide to the latest car safety technology.

And while you’re choosing vehicles, keep one eye on forthcoming tax changes (page 7) to avoid an expensive mistake for you or your drivers.

Sarah Tooze Editor, Driving Business

Complaints: Bauer Consumer Media Limited is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (www.ipso.co.uk) and endeavours to respond to and resolve your concerns quickly. Our Editorial Complaints Policy (including full details of how to contact us about editorial complaints and IPSO’s contact details) can be found at www.bauermediacomplaints.co.uk. Our email address for editorial complaints covered by the Editorial Complaints Policy is complaints@bauermedia.co.uk.

mydrivingbusiness.co.uk ❚ Winter 2016 ❚ 5

THE NEW VOLVO V40

Make a statement Through its luxurious touches and cutting-edge innovations, the new Volvo V40 will drive a clear statement about your business. Its iconic T-shaped LED lights, for example, provide drivers with a striking, unique presence on the road. But as they emit twice as much light as their halogen equivalents, they can illuminate your eet’s safety credentials, too.

VISIT VOLVOCARS.CO.UK/V40BUSINESS

89G/KM C02

84.1 MPG

18% BIK

(combined) HUMAN MADE FOR BUSINESS

Official fuel consumption for the Volvo V40 D2 R-Design manual in MPG (l/100km): Urban 74.3 (3.8), Extra Urban 88.3 (3.2), Combined 84.1 (3.4). CO2 emissions 89g/km. MPG figures are obtained from laboratory testing intended for comparisons between vehicles and may not reflect real driving results.

n FRONT END

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Salary sacrifice moves a ‘dangerous compromise’ The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) has welcomed changes to company car tax bands announced in the autumn statement but believes the changes to car salary sacrifice schemes are a ‘dangerous compromise’.

The Chancellor Philip Hammond has announced that there will be a new, more granulated range of company car tax bandings for ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs) from April 2020.

The changes will see 15 new bandings introduced, of which 11 will be for ULEVs. From 2020, the appropriate percentages for zero emission cars will drop from 16% to 2%, while those for cars with CO2 emissions between 1g/km and 50g/km will vary between 2% and 14% dependent on the number of zero-emission miles the vehicle can travel. The measure also increases appropriate percentages by one percentage point to a maximum value of 37% for cars with CO2 emissions of 90g/km and above.

BVRLA chief executive Gerry Keaney said: “These new bandings will create a greater incentive for employers and employees to choose the cleanest electric and hybrid cars. However, these decisions are pragmatic, cost-conscious ones and we are concerned they may be deferred until the incentives come into effect.

“The ULEV market could suffer in the meantime as company car tax costs rise significantly between now and 2019.”

The Government also announced changes to salary sacrifice, with cars that emit less than 75g/km CO2 exempt.

Cars above that threshold will see the tax and employer National Insurance advantages of salary sacrifice or cash-or-car schemes removed from April 2017.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has said it will not punish people for decisions

they have already made, or are about to make, by confirming that it will protect any existing employer-provided car arrangements made before April 2017.

Keaney said: “The Chancellor has clearly grasped the vital role the company car sector plays in driving uptake of low emission vehicles.

“Nearly 3% of the company cars provided by BVRLA members emit less than 75g/km CO2.

However, ULEVs are more expensive than the average car and are currently not suitable for every lifestyle or work environment.

“These tax changes could deter employees from choosing a modern, safer, cleaner company-provided vehicle and see them opt for an older, dirtier and more dangerous alternative.

“The average company car is well under two years old and emits under 120g/km CO2. The average privately-owned car is around eight years old and emits more than 150g/km CO2.

“In addition, the Government has set a very ambitious implementation date of April 2017, which gives providers and employers little time to prepare their systems for these new rules.”

The BVRLA was also disappointed to see that the Government missed its opportunity to reconsider the new VED regime being introduced next year, which will mean that zero emissions cars priced more than £40,000 will be hit with the premium rate of £310 for five years after the initial zero first-year rate. Cars up to £40,000 pay the firstyear rate according to their emissions banding and then the standard rate of £140.

The BVRLA welcomed the Government’s decision to freeze fuel duty for the seventh year in succession. ● For more on the changes, visit sister title fleetnews.co.uk

Charging grant to part-fund up to 20 sockets per business Businesses can install up to 20 electric vehicle sockets under a new workplace charging grant, with the Government providing £300 per socket towards the cost.

The scheme’s sockets cannot be installed in customer-only car parks, and is available to businesses in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Applicants that are part of a franchise are eligible for the grant, though only 20 franchisees from each franchise can apply.

The sockets, like those on the domestic scheme, must be mobile connected to report their usage back to the Office for Low Emission Vehicles and must be in place for three years. The Government will also offer a 100% first-year allowance to companies investing in charge points for electric vehicles.

Business drivers each use just a handful of filling stations Business should think carefully about whether they need a fuel card with national coverage after research from Fuelmate found business drivers each use just a handful of fillings stations to refuel and tend to plan their journeys around them.

The company analysed the data and behaviour of more than 15,000 business drivers with a requirement for national coverage, and found

that more than 70% – in excess of 10,000 – each had just 30 filling stations they favoured for refuelling, when there is a total of 8,450 to choose from in the UK. Fuelmate says the research goes against conventional thinking that national fleet operators need to provide drivers with fuel cards that can be used at practically every forecourt across the country.

mydrivingbusiness.co.uk ❚ Winter 2016 ❚ 7

We deliver, so you deliver

The complete fleet package from the AA When it comes to business, you’ll want a service you can rely on. Cue the AA. From lost keys to accident management, whatever the problem, we can handle it.

As Britain’s largest breakdown provider* we can get your business back on the road fast.

So you can keep delivering a top-notch service to your customers.

For AA Business Breakdown Cover call 0800 294 2994 quoting 0771 or visit theAA.com/business

AA Business Breakdown Cover 0800 294 2994 quoting 0771 theAA.com/business

AA Tyres 0800 810 0980 tyres.theAA.com

Fleet Risk Management from AA DriveTech e: TellMeMore@AAdrivetech.com

AA Fuel Assist e: FuelAssistEnquiries@theAA.com 0800 072 6870

AA Key Assist e: Fleet.Enquiries@theAA.com

AA Accident Management e: AAAccidentManagement @theAA.com

*Source: Mintel – UK vehicle recovery report, September 2015.

Automobile Association Insurance Services Limited is an insurance intermediary authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered Office: Fanum House, Basing View, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 4EA. Registered in England and Wales number 2414212.

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Drivers face tougher penalties for handheld mobile phone use Harsher penalties are planned for drivers caught using handheld mobile phones.

Under the new rules, which apply to England, Scotland and Wales and are expected to be introduced next year, drivers will get six points on their licence and a £200 fine – doubled from three penalty points and a £100 fine.

However, more than half (51.3%) of respondents to a poll on fleetnews.co.uk said they did not believe tougher penalties would stop drivers using a handheld phone.

Jayne Willetts, lead for Roads Policing for the Police Federation of England and Wales, welcomed the Government announcement, but said that tackling the issue would “take more than just harsher punishments”.

She said: “Police do actively target people using mobile phones when they are out on duty, but, unfortunately, with fewer officers out on the roads, more of these offences are going undetected. Having officers in marked cars out on the roads does act as a deterrent. However, due to the continued budget cuts over the past few years, there has been a very noticeable decline in the number of traffic police.”

The number of full-time dedicated roads policing officers declined by 27% between 2010 and 2015, reducing the number to 3,901 across England and Wales (excluding the Metropolitan Police).

John Pryor, chairman of fleet industry organisation ACFO, said the tougher penalties would only work “if the police have more people out to stop them”.

Road safety charity Brake believes fleet operators have an important role to play in preventing phone use at the wheel.

“Operators should have policies in place banning all phone use at the wheel, including hands-free use,” said Ellie Pearson, professional engagement manager at Brake.

“It’s important these policies are properly communicated to drivers, alongside educating them about why the policies are in place and the dangers of distracted driving,” she added.

Pearson said it was also important that fleets made it clear to all employees that flouting the policy will not be tolerated and they should consider introducing technology that prevents phone use while a vehicle is in motion.

Has the ‘white van man’ label had its day?

A little less than two-thirds (60%) of van drivers believe they are made a scapegoat for perceived poor driving standards on UK roads, new research has revealed.

According to a study by TomTom Telematics, fewer than one in 10 van drivers (9%) have been involved in a collision in the past 12 months.

In addition, more than half (54%) have their driving monitored by their employer and more than a third (34%) receive driver training.

The findings challenge the views of British motorists revealed in a study earlier this year, in which van drivers finished bottom of the list when it came to which road users are considered the safest or most careful.

“The traditional ‘white van man’ stereotype may no longer be a fair one with a great deal having been achieved over recent years to help raise driving standards among LCV operators,” said Jeremy Gould, VP sales Europe at TomTom Telematics. “Developments in telematics technology have enabled drivers and managers to work more closely, empowering them with actionable insights and performance feedback for continuous driving improvement.”

Gould’s view is supported by Freight Transport Association (FTA) head of vans, Mark Cartwright, who said: “Van drivers are often unfairly maligned and, in some quarters, continue to shoulder an undeserved reputation. Initiatives such as the FTA Van Excellence scheme have been embraced by the industry, demonstrating its commitment to improving standards and increasing best practice awareness.”

Company cars most ‘important’ benefit for young employees A company car is the most desirable employment benefit for workers under 25, according to new research.

In a study by Škoda, approximately ninetenths (88%) claimed their benefits package is important when negotiating a job. Of those, nearly two-thirds cited a company vehicle as a perk that would be of interest.

Desirability was strongest among young drivers (17–24), with 33% revealing they

would be more likely to accept a job if they were offered a vehicle to drive. Meanwhile, more than a quarter of young workers said a company car was the most appealing benefit.

Furthermore, company cars were shown to be a powerful way for businesses to retain staff – with nearly two thirds of respondents saying they would be more likely to stay in a job if given a set of work wheels.

In general, company cars were more popular

than medical insurance, a mobile phone and frequent training.

Men find the offer of a car more appealing than women with 68% saying they would accept a job due to a company vehicle. This is 10% more than women.

Northern Ireland is the region of the UK where people want company vehicles most with nearly 40% saying it’s an important work benefit.

mydrivingbusiness.co.uk ❚ Winter 2016 ❚ 9

READY TO BREAK WITH CONVENTION? The choice is yours from city cars, to SUVs, executive coupés and more.

Put our world leading hybrids to the test and call 0344 701 6186 or visit toyotalexusfleet.co.uk/convention

n F RO N T E N D

CYBER SECURITY: IS YOUR CAR SHARING YOUR PERSONAL DATA?

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mydrivingbusiness.co.uk

OPINION

he web-enabled world in which we live means we are constantly connected whether we like it or not – even while travelling.

This year the Government has invested £20 million in funding research into communications between connected vehicles and the world around them.

Such technology could be planning a journey to a business meeting with in-built navigation, taking a call via Bluetooth, streaming music or accessing emails through infotainment systems.

However, what is helping to save us time as we multi-task our way through the day could actually be a playground for cybercriminals or those who want to access our personal information.

In an economy where car finance, leasing or even car sharing is often preferred to outright ownership, many of us are now familiar with handing our cars back at the end of their contract or lease, or even returning a rental car.

But most people aren’t aware that the data stored in our cars remains in the vehicle’s memory long after it is handed back, or that it is still accessible even when the car is switched off.

Protecting your in-car data privacy is a simple matter of knowing how to clear personal data

from a vehicle. Deleting call logs, phone books and addresses is a good place to start, as wireless connections store a lot of information generated by ‘paired phones’.

Clearing destinations and trip logs from an in-built sat-nav is key, as is removing sensitive stored locations such as home or business addresses.

Uncoupling from the cloud will also shut down any links to social media networks and search engines previously accessed through the vehicle’s Wi-Fi. Protecting personal data is a vital concern for vehicle manufacturers who are constantly seeking ways to increase connectivity in line with consumer demand, while ensuring systems are robust enough to reduce hackability – both now and in the future.

Investing a small amount of time considering and clearing your in-car data and connected systems will minimise the risk of them being accessed without your knowledge, and ensure the new driver of the vehicle starts with a clean slate.

n JOHN CH U H A N , CH IEF RISK O F F I CER , ALPHABET

DATA PROTEC TION

“

Most people aren’t aware that the data stored in our cars remains in the vehicle’s memory long after it is handed back

”

mydrivingbusiness.co.uk ❚ Winter 2016 ❚ 11

n F L E E T M A N AG E M E N T L I V E

HIGH-QUALITY AUDIENCE USES FML TO LEARN AND NETWORK

In association with

Best practice, new cars and 100+ exhibitors attract more than 1,200 to show

By Sarah Tooze, Gareth Roberts, Andrew Ryan, Christopher Smith and Matt de Prez he second Fleet Management Live attracted 16% more visitors to the NEC, Birmingham, than last year’s event, with a number of new exhibitors, features and seminar content. More than 1,200 fleet industry professionals attended the annual event on October 19-20, which featured more than 100 exhibitors (52 of which were first-time participants), and saw the industry come together to network and share best practice.

“We saw a 30% growth in floor space as more exhibitors supported the show or

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12 ❚ Winter 2016 ❚ mydrivingbusiness.co.uk

expanded their stands to display even more products and services this year,” said Chris Lester, events director at Fleet News. “It was great to see Fleet Management Live becoming a launch pad for so many new vehicles and products, such as the Audi A5 and Q2, Honda Civic, Land Rover Discovery and Volvo V90.”

Members of fleet representative body ACFO attended an on-site briefing, while local SMEs joined a fleet breakfast briefing, which was jointly hosted with the Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce.

Finance, procurement and HR managers benefited from tailored sessions hosted by HR Grapevine, and those new to fleet management Supported by

attended the Breakfast for Beginners session, run by the ICFM. At the Fleet News Hub, columnist Nigel Trotman was on hand to offer advice to fleet managers, while England cricketing legend Graham Gooch shared his leadership tips.

Fleet Management Live will return to the NEC on October 4-5, 2017.

Lester said: “We are planning to create even stronger features and partnerships for the 2017 event to grow the audience in line with the exhibitor base.

“We have some exciting new features now in development to discuss with exhibiting companies for next year.”

You put in the hours to make your business successful.

We’ll work around the clock to keep you moving.

Managing your company vehicles can be time consuming and eat into resource and productivity, so why not let us share our expertise with you?

We will take care of all your company vehicle requirements, from selecting the right cars or vans through to the ongoing management and maintenance of your vehicles.

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Call us on 0370 50 50 100 or visit www.alphabet.co.uk

n F L E E T M A N AG E M E N T L I V E

SME INSIGHT SESSION The ‘hot potato’ fleet decisions that will not go away Grey fleet (private vehicles used for business journeys) is vital to SMEs, but needs to be correctly managed, according to the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) director of policy, Jay Parmar.

Speaking at Fleet Management Live’s Insight Theatre, Parmar outlined the organisation’s grey fleet report, and emphasised the ways SMEs can help to reduce the costs and risk associated with drivers using private cars for business.

The average grey fleet vehicle is more than eight years old, with

Dan Abbott, LeasePlan Go

average CO2 emissions of 152g/km – not as clean or green as the average fleet car, so Parmar called on SMEs to measure mileage, cut excess travel, and look to make the most of existing vehicles.

Other speakers included Simon Down, tax director at Deloitte, who explained that, in real terms, company car tax has stayed broadly static, thanks to reducing CO2 emissions of vehicles.

He warned that the current company car tax consultation was likely to increase costs for both businesses and drivers.

BREAKFAST FOR BEGINNERS

LeasePlan Go’s Dan Abbott, said that for SMEs, fleet was the ‘hot potato’ that can be passed around as often as a business likes, but warned that fleet decisions have to be made and ‘do not go away’.

Lesley Upham, commercial director at IAM RoadSmart, spoke about the importance of targeted actions when it comes to driver training – not necessarily a blanket approach. She said a businesses’s staff needed to be ‘prepared for learning’, and that senior managers should lead by example.

Sponsored by

Understand the needs before thinking of funds

Paul Hollick, ICFM

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Running a fleet is no longer a ‘doing’ job, it is a ‘strategic’ job, delegates at the Breakfast for Beginners session were told.

The session focused on finance and Paul Hollick, chairman of ICFM, gave insight into the various funding options available to fleets.

“The first thing fleet managers need to do is think about the reasons why their business needs company cars or vans.

Once you know, then you can think about funding,” he said.

According to Hollick, a blended funding approach is the most effective because different parts of the business will have different vehicle requirements and potential lifespans.

Delegates also heard from Peter Eldridge, ICFM board member, about how to manage a fleet effectively.

“Interrogate your business structure. There is a lot of habit in fleet and traditionally people seem to do as they always have done. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Take the time and effort to find out what’s happening now,” he said.

Big data was also discussed and Eldridge said data is the most powerful tool for fleets when planning for the future.

Using predictive modelling, he said, data enables fleets to predict the future using information from the past.

His final point was about

Peter Eldridge, ICFM mobility management. He questioned whether businesses emphasised the real cost of travel and whether they considered the cheapest option to travel for each journey or if they even needed to travel at all.

BEST PRACTICE SESSIONS FLEET COMPLIANCE

RISK MANAGEMENT

Managers should be clear about data gathered and what to do with it

Worst times – and places – to be a working driver aged under 30

Effective use of data is key to helping fleets meet demands for greater productivity and compliance at a lower cost, said Richard Evans, head of business development at Jaama.

He told visitors the number of sources from which fleet managers can gain data has increased significantly over the past 10 years, and this has added another dimension to the challenge of management.

“As fleet professionals, you need to ensure the data collected is the strategic information you need,” said Evans.

AA DriveTech reported on its latest road safety analysis, studying 40,000 recorded incidents on UK roads over the past five years, involving those driving for work aged under 30.

The young working car driver is 127% more likely than a normal working driver to be involved in an incident between 6-9am, while the young van or professional vehicle driver sees their risk of an accident increase from midnight to 9am.

Rural roads also emerged as more of a risk for young working drivers.

OUTSOURCING

REMARKETING

Dangerous to overlook internal expertise in favour of outsourcing

Factors that combine to produce the ‘perfect storm’ for car remarketing

Businesses often see outsourcing the management of their fleet as a “utopia”. However, if internal expertise is not retained it can be “quite dangerous”, according to Ross Jackson, chief executive officer of fleet management and consultancy firm Fleet Operations.

If fleet is core to your business “think long and hard” about what impact outsourcing could have, Jackson advised. He said: “Understand the importance of what you need to retain. Be honest and look at what sits best internally and what sits best externally.”

Fleet managers and leasing companies may need to change the way they remarket cars to maximise residual values, according to Martin Potter, remarketing director at Aston Barclay.

“We have a perfect storm here where we’ve got an increase in the total used car volume, we’ve got an increase in personal contract purchase product that will generate a lot more ‘late and low’ mileage cars and we’ve got an increase in that fleet profile, putting pressure on the cars you are trying to remarket,” Potter said.

SAFETY

FUNDING

Combined approach to managing driver risk in the real world

Cutting CO2 emissions will help reduce impact of tax changes

Managing risk is a fundamental issue for fleet operators because a vehicle involved in a crash does not only affect the fleet – the entire business can be affected by the associated losses and legal implications, plus there’s the reputational damage that can occur.

Melvyn Hodgetts, risk and safety consultant at Visiontrack, explained the benefits of using a combined video-telematics system to manage risk. “Changing driver culture is about looking at the way things are done. Camera technology puts you in the cab,” he said.

Reducing CO2 emissions will be an effective way of minimising the impact of forthcoming tax changes, said Claire Evans, head of fleet consultancy at Zenith. Changes to company car tax bands, vehicle excise rates, lease accounting and salary sacrifice are either being introduced or proposed. She added: “If reducing CO2 caps is an option, that would help reduce higher costs. You can speak to your leasing company for assistance, find out what the impact of the changes will be and look at what vehicles are available on your policy.”

TELEMATICS

ADAS

The truly ‘smart’ technology many fleets cannot do without

Windscreen replacements require extra care so safety devices work

Telematics is fast becoming the ‘must have’ technology for the fleet industry, according to ALD Automotive.

Research from the leasing company shows that almost nine out of 10 fleets with 500-plus employees have introduced telematics.

But, with fleets of all sizes adopting the technology, Rhys Harrhy, telematics product manager at ALD Automotive, said: “It will become a fundamental part of fleet management over the next few years.”

He said telematics can help tackle four main issues facing fleets: cost control, risk management, carbon reduction, and fleet productivity.

Fleets should ensure advanced driver safety assistance system (ADAS) sensors are recalibrated after repairs to make sure they work correctly, said Steve Greenway, senior partnership manager at Nationwide Windscreen Services. All new cars are being equipped with some form of ADAS, he said. These include autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control, many of which rely on sensors mounted behind windscreens. Accuracy can be affected by tasks such as windscreen replacement and wheel alignment, as well as mechanical and accident repairs that affect the geometry of a vehicle.

Supported by

mydrivingbusiness.co.uk ❚ Winter 2016 ❚ 15

JAGUAR XE

THE NEW BENCHMARQUE

Yes, another car claiming to be the new standard. But let us elaborate…

Jaguar XE is the Auto Express Best Compact Executive Car 2016. It’s won Business Car of the Year 2016 at the Business Car Awards. It has sector-redefining driving dynamics, category-unique technology and class-leading emissions from just 99g/km.

Consider that bench, re-marqued. jaguar.co.uk/xe

Official Fuel Consumption Figures for the XE range in mpg (l/km): Urban 24.4–64.2 (11.6–4.4); Extra Urban 46.3–83.1 (6.1–3.4); Combined 34.9–75.0 (8.1–3.8). CO2 Emissions 194–99 g/km. Official EU Test Figures.

For comparison purposes only. Real world figures may differ.

2016

BEST COMPACT EXECUTIVE CAR

JAGUAR XE

Best practice advice

Keeping your business on the move this winter

“For SMEs with just a small number of vehicles, if there’s a breakdown or accident the options to keep business on the road can be limited”

Vehicle hire gives SMEs a safe, affordable way to deal with the effects of bad weather

D

riving conditions are more challenging in the winter, with less daylight and the risk of heavy rain, fog, ice and perhaps even snow. For small businesses, the challenges can be more acute.

With a small number of vehicles, if there is a breakdown or accident, the options to keep a business on the road can be limited.

Keeping employees safe while they are travelling for business also becomes a bigger concern. Getting stuck on the side of the road is stressful and more than that, SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) have a duty of care to their drivers. Whether travelling to and from meetings or making deliveries, freezing temperatures and inclement Kevin O’Keeffe, head conditions make breakdowns a real concern. of SME, Europcar Europcar, the European leader in vehicle hire and mobility solutions, provides small businesses with a wide range of vans and cars to choose from for the winter months. Vehicle hire from Europcar is a safe, affordable solution for businesses keen to ensure their drivers stay on the road whatever the weather. Our cars are, on average, six months old and we are constantly replenishing the fleet with the latest models – ensuring seasonal demands can be met, with no impact on productivity. Added peace of mind is provided with all vehicles fully maintained. Plus our fleet is fully covered by free 24-hour Roadside Assistance.

Hiring from Europcar this winter means SMEs can stay on the road safely.

Counting the cost of daylight saving We may get an extra hour in bed when the clocks go back at the end of October, but it also appears to increase danger on the roads, which is a concern for small businesses keen to operate a safe fleet and stay in control of costs.

A National Audit Office report from 2009 found that pedestrian deaths and injuries increase by 10% in the four weeks following the clock change, compared with the four weeks preceding it. Another study recently revealed that among drivers on the road between 5pm and 8pm, when it is both dark and busy, the risk of having an accident rises by 30%* compared with the previous month.

Drivers are probably more tired after a day of work, and hazards are harder to spot in the dark, increasing the rate of road accidents in the winter months.

An increase in accidents in the winter months adds to the administrative, financial and productivity burden on all businesses – but small businesses in particular. Vehicles can suddenly be out of commission, hitting productivity and earnings. The time taken to check damage can stretch already limited resources. That is equally the case for company-owned vehicles and hire cars and vans.

Taking the stress out of vehicle hire damage reporting Managing the reporting of damage on hire vehicles is one of the most common causes of frustration for SMEs. Recognising the need to remove the administrative burden and helping businesses stay in control of their budgets, Europcar has introduced the Light Damage Option (LDO), for a

streamlined rental experience.

With accidents increasing during the winter months, it makes more sense than ever to take advantage of Europcar’s LDO product, which means small damage claims can be handled within a daily rate.

With LDO, customers don’t need to fill out forms for individual vehicle damage assessments. Instead, we simply apply a nominal daily charge per rental which means any damage charges under £400 will be covered, including the cost of estimates, billing and collection.

With Europcar’s LDO product, those little scratches and niggles are all taken care of, so businesses don’t need to worry about unexpected bills at the end of their hire. *Analysis of 11,700 accident claims – October/November 2013 – 2015. Based on incident time.

Analysis conducted by Insure The Box, October 2016.

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Europcar’s top 10 winter driving tips Don’t use hot water to defrost the windscreen, it could crack. Use de-icer and a plastic scraper.

Ensure all lights are working and the windows are clear before setting off.

Allow plenty of time for journeys in case you have to take a longer route.

Leave a safe distance between you and the car in front – this could be 10 times the usual distance if you are braking in icy conditions.

Avoid sharp steering or harsh braking manoeuvres.

In snow, stop frequently to clear snow from windows, wheel arches, lights and number plates.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Use a low gear to brake on ice and snow without locking your wheels, drop your speed and brake gently.

Be extra vigilant for pedestrians and cyclists as they may be less visible.

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When snowing, use dipped headlights as visibility can be reduced.

Beware shady roads. They may be hiding icy conditions, as can bridges and overpasses.

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Best practice advice

The business benefits of vehicle hire

Europcar’s Deliver & Collect service is focused on the challenges of ‘time-poor’ business travellers

Investing in a fleet of vehicles is an expensive decision for any size of business. Buying your own vehicles is a big capital commitment, not to mention the financial and administrative burden of servicing and maintenance. Add to this the cost of depreciation and the time and resources spent on replacing vehicles as necessary. Once all these hidden costs are accounted for, vehicle hire becomes a serious contender, offering flexible, affordable access to a wide range of transport solutions.

We understand that every business is different and has particular needs at different times, which is why Europcar offers services that fit your organisation and your business goals. For instance, having access to different types of car and vans can help you meet seasonal demands, such as Christmas deliveries. When the busy period is over, those vehicles come back to us, rather than sitting in your car park.

If you don’t think vehicle hire is right for your business, think again, with Europcar’s myth-busting guide to rentals.

Challenging the myths: Car hire companies only have a small fleet, so they can’t meet my demands The Europcar UK vehicle fleet – including cars and vans – peaks at 60,000 a year, with the average age of cars at six months. This means Europcar provides access to the newest models.

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I need a wide range of vehicles, so hiring isn’t an option Europcar’s fleet includes varied types of vehicles, including cars, vans and electric and alternative fuel vehicles. All Europcar vehicles also pass through 71 safety and cleanliness checks before being hired to any customer, giving reassurance that their rental experience will be of the highest quality.

The cost and environmental pressures faced by businesses for employee travel directly influence the mix of vehicles in the Europcar fleet. Diesel Guarantee is offered in compact and standard groups, enabling businesses to benefit from lower fuel costs as

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a result of higher mpg performance. When there is a need to impress, the marketleading, ‘Selection’ fleet of fun and luxury vehicles gives a business the ability to make a statement – without having to make a huge capital investment.

Hiring cars won’t help our company go green As a matter of policy, our cars are de-fleeted once they are, on average, six months old or have reached 13,500 miles, whichever comes sooner. This means we are continually updating the fleet with vehicles featuring the latest safety and green technologies.

Europcar also invests in vehicles with the lowest average emissions of any hire fleet, resulting in lower fuel costs due to more efficient engines. Low CO2 also means lower benefit-in-kind tax for the business driver and less class 1 national insurance contributions for their employer.

Europcar has also publicly stated a

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commitment to moving its fleet to 5% electric vehicles by 2020. Underlining this focus, in 2016 we signed the biggest ever single UK order of the 100%-electric Renault Zoe, available for hire by our customers as well as being used to support our Deliver & Collect service in key cities around the UK. It’s a hassle because the nearest car hire location is too far away Europcar understands that time is money for SMEs, so we ensure the need to travel to collect and return vehicles is kept to a minimum. With nearly 270 separate pick-up points across the UK, you are never more than 15 minutes from a Europcar location.

The average delivery distance is less than eight miles, meaning you don’t waste any time as part of the rental experience.

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We can’t waste time collecting a hire car Cutting out journey time to and from the

For further information, please call 0116 217 3531 or visit www.europcar.co.uk/business

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Company Profile

branch – Deliver & Collect is Europcar’s service, focused on the challenges of ‘time-poor’ business travellers. The aim is to deliver every vehicle within a two-hour window and have the ability to deliver on the same day of booking, even when the reservation is received after 4pm. Deliveries and collections can be made to home, office and hotel addresses and Europcar carries out about 1.6 million deliveries and collections a year.

Vehicle hire companies don’t know about vans With a firm commitment to commercial vehicle hire, alongside our extensive car offering, Europcar has invested in both the network and range of models available for businesses needing vans for the short or long-term.

Our national van network means we can get vans to our customers, or they can collect them, within four business hours. Our 14

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specialist sites in all the major business conurbations across the UK, offer an even more tailored service, with a broad range and volume of commercial vehicles. The teams in our specialist supersites know vans inside and out – literally – as well as knowing their local customers and their needs.

Car hire cannot provide a flexible alternative for long-term needs For SMEs that want to change the traditional ‘company car’ approach, Europcar provides a range of solutions. Our innovative ‘car pool’ service provides vehicles at a single or small number of sites for employees to share. Each ’car pool’ fleet is an optimum fleet size for a business’ individual requirements and usage patterns, with a dedicated fleet manager co-ordinating vehicle allocation to ensure Europcar’s same high level of service is experienced throughout.

Designed to offer SMEs the flexibility they need to match seasonal demand, the Europcar ‘car pool’ fleet service guarantees availability all year round. It also provides important cost and environmental benefits by reducing the need for multiple journeys for Deliver & Collect.

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Speed, convenience and value for money are the key drivers behind every aspect of the Europcar service, providing improved mobility for all.

Services that fast-track the rental experience, including an innovative mobile app for car pick-up without having to go into a branch, ensure the business traveller can get on the road without delay. Branches open 24/7 in key business hubs, as well as a presence in all major UK and international airports, make Europcar the convenient choice for onward journeys. An integrated online reservation management system – Europcar.biz – ensures businesses can respond to the travel needs of their employees efficiently.

Europcar UK Group provides access to a fleet of more than 45,000 cars and vans, through its network of more than 200 locations across the UK and 140 countries worldwide. With a proven track record of innovation, great service delivery and a quality fleet, Europcar offers flexible shortterm and long-term products to suit all business requirements.

These include Deliver & Collect, diesel-only models, corporate loyalty programmes and a range of payment options. Innovative online solutions help businesses monitor and manage vehicle use and support cost efficiencies, duty-of-care responsibilities as well as address environmental concerns.

When it comes to company car and van hire, Europcar may be a national organisation, but it prides itself on understanding the needs of smaller, more localised businesses.

n BROADER VIE W

A JA X COURIERS

You have to think big when you are small Ajax Couriers became one of the first courier companies to gain accreditation through the Freight Transport Association’s Small Fleet Programme for Van Excellence, reports Matt DePrez

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ompliance and best practice are words that are banded about in fleet quite regularly, and it’s often the bigger players which lead the pack when it comes to the way things are meant to be done.

Small businesses that operate just a few vehicles often don’t see themselves as a ‘fleet’ and fail to realise that both the Corporate Manslaughter Act and health and safety legislation apply to them.

With a fleet of just 10 vehicles (nine vans and one pool car) it might therefore be easy to regard Ajax Couriers as just another ‘white van man’ operation, but the reality is quite the opposite.

Derek Golding, director of fleet operations at Ajax Couriers, has more than 30 years’ experience in fleet, with transport manager roles in the Army and at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office before he joined Ajax in 2010.

In the past year he has helped Ajax achieve both the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme’s (FORS) Bronze and the Freight Transport Association’s (FTA) Van Excellence accreditation – the first business to do so through the FTA’s new Small Fleet Programme, designed for businesses that operate 10 vans or fewer.

It was a slow journey to success for Golding though.

While the company was experiencing growth an ‘allhands-on-deck’ approach was required, meaning he spent most of his time on the road, doing deliveries, and had to manage the fleet remotely.

Golding explains: “Things had to change. One of our biggest customers started asking us for FORS and others were following suit. We decided these accreditations were best for the company, worked out what we needed to do to get them and put it into action.

“Accreditations are good because people see them on our vehicles and it makes us look more professional. It shows we are actually there for the customers.

“We’re not the cheapest company around, but they know they are going to get a quality service from us.

Seeing accreditations reinforces that. It makes us look serious about our work.”

It took Golding eight months to get the fleet FORS 22 ❚ Winter 2016 ❚ mydrivingbusiness.co.uk

accredited and then another six months for Van Excellence.

“It was a lot of hard work as there was nothing in place.

I was in the office for whole days writing processes, uploading information, making forms up and chasing drivers. But we’ve just renewed with FORS and it only took a couple of weeks. If you’re maintaining it properly then it should be easy. When Van Excellence comes up again I think it will be even quicker.

“Plus my life is a lot easier now, everything is automated or has a set process, if I go away and come back all I have to do is check on the system,” Golding says.

As an existing FTA member the company was invited to join the Van Excellence Small Fleet Programme.

The FTA also offered Golding the chance to trial FleetCheck fleet management software, which has resulted in FleetCheck becoming the approved system for Van Excellence.

Golding says: “FleetCheck has made my side of the operation easier because it tells me when a vehicle is coming up for MOT, insurance, tax and servicing. I can look at it and see when a licence needs checking or a driver’s eyesight check is due – it is definitely making my life a lot simpler.”

The Corporate Manslaughter Act, which places responsibility with a business if one of its at-work drivers causes a death or serious injury that could have been prevented with proper procedures in place, was recently updated with tougher sentencing guidelines taking effect from February.

A micro organisation (defined as a company with a turnover of up to £2 million) found guilty with a high level of culpability could face a fine of up to £800,000, while a small organisation (turnover of £2m-£10m) could be fined up to £2,800,000.

This makes it more important than ever for a fleet operator to ensure it complies with regulations.

Golding says: “I think the Corporate Manslaughter Act is the biggest thing to push fleets towards compliance.

We are only a small fleet but it certainly made us stop and think. We’ve clamped down even tighter now so hopefully others will be doing the same, there are quite a few cowboys out there – I see them every day when I’m out driving.”

Given Ajax is a small business, Golding regularly gets involved in more than just managing the fleet.

mydrivingbusiness.co.uk

He spends about 5% of his time out delivering parcels just like the rest of his drivers, giving him valuable insight into what they experience day-to-day.

“When we are really busy, me and the co-founder of the business will jump in and do our share.

“There’s a definite advantage to that, I can keep an eye on the vehicles and see the conditions my drivers have to face. I think it gives me a better perspective than if I was stuck in the office all day.”

When Golding isn’t on the road he keeps an eye on the fleet using TomTom Webfleet. Initially it was introduced for its tracking capabilities but Golding soon saw the benefits of monitoring driver behaviour as well.

“We’ve had Webfleet for six years, I got it as soon as I started. We needed it because customers would phone up and ask how long the driver will be to the destination and we’d have to phone up the driver to ask because we had no way of tracking them,” he says.“Now we can give the customer an answer straight away – you just look at the screen and it tells you.”

Webfleet is making the day-to-day managementof the business much easier, allowing the operations team at Ajax Couriers to find the nearest driver and send them the route via the system.

Golding says: “It saves the business time, speeds up deliveries and reduces dead mileage.”

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I think the Corporate Manslaughter Act is the biggest thing to push fleets towards compliance

Derek Goulding regularly gets involved in delivery work, giving him a first-hand appreciation of what the company’s drivers face

He adds: “We didn’t have resistance when we introduced Webfleet, the drivers liked it because they got the job on screen, pressed start and it directed them right there.”

When he started looking at speeding reports, Golding realised he could also reduce fuel consumption by letting the drivers know he was aware of their behaviour behind the wheel.

To comply with FORS all of Ajax Couriers’ vans are Euro 5. The business did operate a 13-year-old vehicle but it was replaced as it was too old to meet the standard.

Currently, the oldest vehicle on the fleet is from 2007 and the newest is from 2013.

The fleet, which is serviced regularly by a local garage, covers between 25,000 and 50,000 miles, on average, per vehicle per year.

The business buys the vehicles and leases them to the drivers who are self-employed.

For Golding, driver behaviour isn’t a major issue, the fleet has suffered no major accidents and some of the drivers have attended the FTA Driver CPC course.

A more pressing issue for the business is the road network. As a same-day courier company the business relies on good roads to move parcels about for clients.

Golding explains: “We are seeing an increase in the amount of time it takes to deliver something, you used to get in and out of London in two or three hours but now we are losing a driver for four hours, sometimes five if it’s in the morning. The road infrastructure just isn’t suitable, especially in London.” mydrivingbusiness.co.uk ❚ Winter 2016 ❚ 23

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n SAFE T Y

GUIDE TO TECHNOLO GY

Advances on safety shift into top gear Technologies to help reduce driver error and keep motorists and pedestrians safe are developing at an ever-faster pace, reports Simon Harris

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he speed at which car technology has advanced on the path to autonomous vehicles is astonishing.

As we outline some of the safety features available on an increasing number of vehicles, it’s worth remembering that if this were written just 10 years ago – less than two typical car generations – more than half would not exist.

With much of the technology available only as an option or included in a more expensive safety or assistance pack, there could be a cost associated with it.

However, choosing a higher-specification car because it has a particular safety feature as standard could see insurance costs reduced. Already, fleets choosing autonomous emergency braking have seen a reduction in car park prangs and low-speed bumps that come within insurance policy excesses or defleet recharges, and have a direct impact on the bottom line.

Other technologies could help high-mileage drivers avoid fatigue, but the value is perhaps more difficult to quantify. And some systems, which drivers will ultimately become familiar with as the systems permeate down from premium models to mainstream versions, are building blocks on the road to fully autonomous cars.

There are some features that we now take for granted, so this list focuses on those items that are beginning to appear more frequently.

However, it also raises the question that if we were writing this in 2026, could we even imagine what technology we would be discussing?

360° CAMERAS/FRONT CAMERA What is it? Cameras placed around the car provide a comprehensive view of surroundings, shown on the dashboard screen.

How does it work? Rear-mounted cameras with the view displayed on the dashboard screen have been available for 15 years or more, but as cameras have become smaller and cheaper, but with better picture quality, it has become possible to display the view all around the car when parking, or left and right ahead of the car when approaching junctions. It’s usually possible to switch 26 ❚ Winter 2016 ❚ mydrivingbusiness.co.uk

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Choosing a higher-spec car because it has a particular safety feature as standard could see insurance costs reduced

Volvo’s City Safety feature will apply the brakes if the driver fails to react to hazards

between different views using the car’s touchscreen.

Land Rover has used it to provide close-up views of potential obstacles near the wheels when off-roading.

What is it available on? Most premium cars and many mainstream cars offer this function. The Nissan Qashqai makes it perhaps most accessible – it comes as standard on a special edition.

What does it cost? A rear-view-only camera typically costs about £250 as an option, but full-surround monitoring can be less than £400, even on some premium cars.

AUTOMATIC HIGH BEAM What is it? Enables main beam to be selected at night all the time, without dazzling other road users.

How does it work? There are a few versions of this feature, with varying levels of sophistication. The simplest uses a forward-facing camera to detect the lights of other vehicles or cyclists in the road ahead, then switches to dipped headlamps until the view is clear again. A more complex version, especially with LED

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By Dominic Gill, business sales operation manager, Volvo Car UK Traditional ‘passive’ vehicle safety systems, such as crumple zones, seatbelts and airbags, reduce the likelihood and severity of injury after a crash has happened, but Volvo’s ‘active’ safety systems help drivers avoid accidents in the first place.

With City Safety, Run-off Road Protection, Pedestrian Airbag and many other worldleading safety features as standard, the new S90, V90 and XC90 are constantly working to keep those driving on business, safe on the road. In a significant step towards autonomous driving, Pilot Assist, Volvo’s innovative, semiautonomous drive technology, is able to share some of the driving by combining adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assistance to automatically keep drivers at a set speed or distance from the vehicle in front, braking and accelerating with traffic, and gives gentle steering inputs to keep the car within lane markings at motorway speeds up to 80mph.

The S90, V90 and XC90 also feature two world-first safety aids. By expanding its safety technology to cover one of the most common causes of single-vehicle accidents, Volvo’s Run-off Road Mitigation uses auto-steer to help keep you on the road, while Large Animal Detection minimises the risk of collisions with animals the size of a small deer and upwards.

It’s not just the number of collisions that these aids help to reduce, but also the severity. This means fewer whiplash and other neck-related injuries, and less accident damage to cars, all of which is translating into lower insurance premiums, with insurers offering discounts of 20-25% on premiums for Volvo drivers. For fleets with multiple vehicles, this can start adding up to significant savings.

These advances in vehicle safety are working towards Volvo Cars’ Vision 2020, in which no one is to be seriously injured or killed by the year 2020 in a new Volvo. Our longer-term goal is to design cars that do not crash.

headlamps, masks the main beam from traffic ahead only in their location, with the dipped area moving with the other road user. It means most of what the driver sees is still lit with the high beam.

What is it available on? Some form of automatic high beam is available on most cars that feature automatic headlamps, usually as an option. The more complex versions are typically offered on premium-badge cars and often as part of a lighting pack upgrade.

What does it cost? About £100-£150 as a stand-alone option, but usually included as part of a lighting pack, which can be less than £500, but sometimes £1,000 or more.

AUTONOMOUS EMERGENCY BRAKING (AEB)

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What is it? Applies hard braking in an emergency without intervention from the driver. While the technology is generically called AEB, manufacturers often give it another name, such as Volvo’s City Safety.

How does it work? Laser and radar sensors continuously monitor the road ahead, and pick up any obstacles,

n For more information, call the Volvo Car Business Centre on 0345 600 4027. mydrivingbusiness.co.uk ❚ Winter 2016 ❚ 27

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which can include cyclists and pedestrians. If the system deems a crash imminent, it will give the driver an audible and visual warning. If the driver doesn’t intervene, it will apply a significant braking force to try to avoid it. Some systems only work at low speeds, where the majority of these incidents are likely.

A few of the more sophisticated versions also work at motorway speeds. Euro NCAP research has found that the technology leads to a 38% reduction in rear-end crashes.

What is it available on? As a result of Euro NCAP tests favouring cars to which it has been fitted, AEB is offered by most manufacturers, often as standard equipment.

The most sophisticated versions can also help prevent collisions with crossing traffic at junctions.

What does it cost? Often standard equipment, but when optional, usually between £250 and £400. Cars with it fitted as standard usually have lower insurance groups than equivalent variants without it.

BLIND SPOT WARNING What is it? Detects vehicles approaching from the rear in the driver’s blind spot, alerting the driver should he or she be planning a lane change.

How does it work? When introduced by Volvo (as a Blind Spot Information System or BLIS), it relied on cameras mounted under the door mirrors, which could be fouled by grime.

It is now more common to use radar sensors that monitor behind the car and illuminate a warning light in or around the door mirror on the side where traffic is approaching. Should this have been missed and the driver indicates to warn of a lane change, an audible warning sounds.

What is it available on? Originally on Volvo and premiumbadge cars, it is now more widespread on mainstream medium models, either as an option or part of a safety pack, and sometimes as standard on higher equipment grades.

What does it cost? About £500-£600, but often in a pack that includes other features. For example, in a Ford Focus it is £525, but includes power folding mirrors and one-touch electric windows front and rear.

DRIVER MONITORING

GESTURE RECOGNITION

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Moving your hand towards a car’s touchscreen can reveal a number of ‘buttons’ normally hidden

What is it? Instead of fumbling around for buttons, drivers can activate functions with hand gestures.

How does it work? Even modern car interface systems can create unnecessary distractions to find the function you want when driving. Using similar 3D sensor technology to those found in household gaming systems such as the XBox or Wii, moving your hand toward a car’s touchscreen can already reveal a number of ‘buttons’ normally hidden.

These systems have become more sophisticated on some luxury cars, but we will see them proliferate in future. Why use a steering column-mounted stalk when tilting your head in the direction you want to turn will activate the indicator lamp?

This kind of feature is destined for the cars of the next decade, and manufacturers such as Volkswagen are keen to bring them mainstream.

What is it available on? Some luxury cars have gesture control as an option. Rudimentary systems are offered on some mainstream cars, revealing hidden touch-screen buttons.

What does it cost? Typically, a few hundred pounds for current systems, but could become more expensive as they become more sophisticated.

EVASIVE STEERING ASSISTANCE What is it? Monitors the road ahead on a single carriageway and prevents the car from veering into the path of an oncoming vehicle or other road users.

How does it work? Forward sensors linked to autonomous braking technology can prompt the car to alter its line smoothly to avoid a pedestrian suddenly stepping into the road, and return to the original line afterwards.

What is it available on? Mercedes-Benz offers it on some models, and it is likely to become more widespread.

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What is it? Through a wearable wrist strap, the driver’s condition is monitored by the car, which can then adapt its behaviour accordingly.

How does it work? A concept developed by Audi, called Fit Driver, has a wearable device – a fitness wristband or watch – that monitors vital parameters, such as heart rate and skin temperature.

The car’s sensors supplement them with information on driving style, breathing rate and relevant environmental information, such as the weather or traffic situation. By combining and analysing this data, the car can deduce the current state of the driver, for example whether the driver is stressed or tired. The vehicle systems then adjust their modes of operation to relax, revitalise, or even protect the driver. In a later extension phase, Audi Fit Driver will also incorporate driver assistance and safety systems as well as systems for piloted driving – with functions that extend all the way to piloted emergency stops with emergency calling.

What is it available on? A concept for the future in Audi.

Likely to be offered on other Volkswagen Group models after production.

How much does it cost? Unknown.

Audi Fit Driver monitors the driver’s condition via a wrist strap

mydrivingbusiness.co.uk ❚ Winter 2016 ❚ 29

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What does it cost? Usually part of a more expensive safety pack. For example, included in the Driving Assistance Plus package on the new E-Class for £1,695.

HEAD-UP DISPLAY What is it? Projects key information on to the windscreen or a raised transparent panel to ensure it can be viewed without the driver’s eyes leaving the road.

How does it work? In some cars, a recess in the top of the dashboard projects information directly on to the windscreen in the driver’s eye-line. In others, the information appears on an electrically retractable transparent panel. Peugeot’s ‘head-up display’ on the 208, 2008 and 308 is not related, and merely describes the position of the instrument panel. It displays speed, navigation instructions when set, and safety alerts such as collision warning or lane departure warning.

What is it available on? Usually on premium-badge cars, but also available on medium and large mainstream cars, where it is often a less expensive option.

What does it cost? £500-£1,200.

Parking assistance requires the driver to respond to alerts

LANE DEPARTURE WARNING What is it? The driver is alerted if the car appears to unintentionally drift out of its lane, so they can prevent the vehicle veering into the path of other traffic.

How does it work? Lane markings are monitored and if the car moves close to the line without the driver indicating, a visible alert in the instrument display, sometimes combined with an audible alert or a vibration through the steering wheel.

What is it available on? Now available on most cars.

What does it cost? Varies from £500-£700 as a standalone option or as part of a more expensive driver assistance pack. But standard on some high-specification mainstream cars.

of the brake on the corresponding front wheel to bring the vehicle back into line.

What is it available on? Offered as an option or part of an optional safety pack on most premium cars. Available on many mainstream cars, usually as an option, or sometimes standard.

What does it cost? Can be about £500-£1,000 as an option, or part of a more expensive safety pack, although it is fitted as standard to some high-specification mainstream cars.

PARKING ASSISTANCE

LANE-KEEPING ASSISTANCE What is it? Prevents the car from drifting unintentionally out of its lane.

How does it work? Linked to the same technology that monitors the edges of the lane, the car can make subtle steering inputs to prevent it leaving the lane unintentionally. The steering correction can be overridden by the driver, and the system relinquishes control if it thinks the driver isn’t holding the steering wheel. Most systems are based on electrical power steering systems, where it’s possible for the car to correct the steering using the power steering motor. Where it’s available on cars with hydraulic power steering, it makes the corrections to the car’s trajectory with subtle application Lane markings are monitored to help stop unintentional lane-switching

What is it? Steers the car automatically into a space, whether at the side of the road or in a car park.

How does it work? Driving at low speeds triggers sensors at the sides of the vehicle, which begin measuring gaps between parked cars. The driver is then prompted to confirm it wants the car to park automatically. The car instructs the driver to select reverse, and control the car’s speed while it steers into the parking space. The latest versions of the technology can instruct the driver to make multiple forward and reverse manoeuvres to ensure the car fits into the space when parallel parking. Some versions of the technology can also help cars steer out of tight parking spaces, instructing the driver to select forward and reverse gears as appropriate to complete the manoeuvre.

What is it available on? Most mainstream and premium cars now offer this feature as an option.

What does it cost? As little as £150 on some models, such as the Ford Mondeo. Volkswagen charges £250 on a Golf. Can be as much as £1,000 or more on some premium cars.

REAR COLLISION WARNING

▲

What is it? At low speeds or when stopped in traffic, it can warn a fast-approaching vehicle at the rear to slow down or stop.

How does it work? Sensors at the rear monitor approaching vehicles, and if the speed is too high and risks a rear-end collision, it will flash the hazard warning lights quickly, to try to attract the attention of the driver in the vehicle behind and warn them to slow or stop.

30 ❚ Winter 2015 ❚ mydrivingbusiness.co.uk

Advertisement feature

Take a practical approach to risk management Follow these fundamental tips to an effective road risk management policy

P

utting comprehensive fleet safety procedures into practice can seem daunting, but there are clear reasons for doing so.

Department for Transport data indicates that up to a third of all road traffic incidents may involve someone driving for work, and taking action on road risk management can help reduce your driver casualty rates while also improving employee efficiency, help comply with your legal responsibilities and reduce running costs. A clear plan of action can make the process of implementing a road risk policy much simpler.

Vehicles When choosing vehicles, you should ensure they are fit for purpose and offer high levels of safety – Euro NCAP crash safety ratings are an excellent basis. You should also look to ensure that they come with a good level of safety features. Ensure you introduce and familiarise drivers with new vehicles to avoid problems once they are behind the wheel.

Vehicles should be regularly inspected and maintained in line with the manufacturer’s recommended service schedules. Drivers should visually check vehicles daily and weekly, including tyres and ‘lights and levels’, with checks and any subsequent actions recorded in a log book.

Drivers Job applications that involve driving should set out the skills and expertise required.

New employees should have their driving licences checked and be risk-assessed, with any necessary training implemented.

Licence checks and risk assessments must also be carried out periodically thereafter.

You should ask drivers to declare their fitness to drive and advise them on the dangers of drugs and alcohol – including the risks of ‘morning after’ drink-driving, fatigue and stress. It’s vital to ensure drivers have up-to-date eye tests and you

A ‘driving at work’ policy should outline what to do if the worst happens

“DfT data indicates up to a third of all road traffic incidents may involve someone driving for work” highlight that mobile phone use behind the wheel is unacceptable.

Address ‘grey fleet’ driving Drivers who use their own vehicles on company business – known as ‘grey fleet’ – must also be included in risk interventions. As with business drivers, licence checks must be carried out. You should also look at insurance details and check the MOT and road tax certification for the vehicle. You will also need to check the suitability of the vehicle for work purposes, including age, condition, and if it’s fit for purpose.

To find out more, contact Lombard Vehicle Solutions on 0117 908 6490 or visit www.lombardvehiclesolutions.co.uk Lombard Vehicle Solutions is the contract hire and fleet management product provided by ALD Automotive. Registered address: Oakwood Park, Lodge Causeway, Fishponds, Bristol BS16 3JA

Put safety before driving For many businesses, an effective road risk policy can mean a rethink on work practices, for example encouraging videoconferencing or public transport.

Where employees need to drive for work purposes, they should use safe journey planning to avoid dangerous routes and/or adverse weather. Ensuring drivers are running to realistic schedules and taking adequate rest periods is vital.

‘Driving at work’ policy All of these elements should be outlined in a ‘driving at work’ policy, which must be signed by all drivers and regularly updated with any changes to legal obligations and requirements. Businesses should also ensure all accidents and ‘nearmisses’ while driving for work are reported and investigated, with actions incorporated in the policy if needed.

It may also be advisable to seek advice from road risk management experts such as LVS, who can advise you and help to implement a comprehensive risk strategy.

n SAFE T Y

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What does it cost? Around £500 when part of the blind-spot warning system.

TRAFFIC JAM ASSISTANCE

▲

BMW Series 7 allows drivers to step out of the car and let it park by itself

If sensors predict a collision is imminent, the seatbelt pre-tensioners are activated and the brakes are also applied automatically to help reduce the risk of whiplash injury and reduce the distance travelled after being hit.

Of course, if the approaching vehicle has autonomous emergency braking technology, it is likely that his or her own vehicle will deliver prompts to attract the driver’s attention before the vehicle in front is spurred into action with its own warning.

What is it available on? Available on some premium cars, such as the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, usually as part of a wider safety pack.

How much does it cost? On the new E-Class, it is part of the Driver Assistance Plus package, priced at £1,695.

REMOTE PARKING

SPEED LIMIT DETECTION What is it? Monitors road signs and subtly adjusts the cruise control if set higher than the new speed limit.

How does it work? The camera that picks up the speed limit signs to display the speed limit in the car’s instrument display or dashboard screen also relays the information to the car’s adaptive cruise control system and gradually reduces speed through reducing throttle input. It will allow the cruise control to be set up to 5mph higher than the speed limit.

What is it available on? A number of mainstream cars now offer this technology. It made its debut with Ford on the latest S-Max. What does it cost? Usually included as part of adaptive cruise control, but this can be standard on certain highspecification cars. ▲

What is it? The car can be ‘summoned’ to drive forward remotely from a tight parking space or garage before the driver enters. Or the driver can leave the car before it is parked and allow it to manoeuvre into the parking space itself.

How does it work? The function can be controlled via the key, or a smartphone app, depending on the vehicle. The proximity sensors and technology for parking assistance manoeuvres, along with automatic braking, combine to allow the car to travel a short distance unaccompanied.

The vehicle will brake if an obstruction is detected and stop if necessary. When leaving the car, it automatically applies the parking brake and locks.

What is it available on? BMW 7 Series via the key, and Tesla Model S via an app. Soon available on more cars.

What does it cost? Included in the Advanced parking package on the BMW 7 Series for £1,100, or part of the Autopilot convenience pack with Tesla for £2,200.

What is it? A semi-autonomous mode that allows the car to keep pace with frequently stopping, slow-moving traffic, maintaining a safe distance to the vehicle in front and remaining within the lane without driver intervention.

How does it work? Usually a combination of autonomous braking and lane-keeping assistance systems monitor the road ahead and the edges of the lane to ensure the car deals with stop-start traffic autonomously.

Some versions of this only control the distance with the vehicle in front, relying on the driver to steer the car. The most sophisticated versions of the technology recognise if the vehicle in front is turning off at a junction and won’t follow it off the road, instead catching up to the next vehicle in front.

What is it available on? Most premium cars offer a version of it, even on compact- and medium-sized vehicles. Less common among mainstream brand cars for now, but likely to become more widely available as customers recognise the benefits of autonomous safety features.

What does it cost? Usually features as part of a driver assistance pack, with prices about £1,000.

REAR CROSS TRAFFIC ALERT What is it? When reversing out of a car park space, the driver is alerted to approaching vehicles, and the car is prevented from moving.

How does it work? Activated when reverse gear is selected, sensors monitor the areas to the left and right of the rear end of the car and alert the driver if an approaching vehicle is detected. It might also be able to detect smaller objects, such as cyclists or pedestrians.

What is it available on? Many mainstream cars offer this function as an option or part of a driver assistance or safety pack. The technology is linked to the blind-spot information system.

Speed limit detection will reduce the throttle when on cruise control

mydrivingbusiness.co.uk ❚ Winter 2016 ❚ 33

n NE W MODEL S

Coming soon...

We take a look at what manufacturers have in the pipeline VOLKSWAGEN GOLF / ŠKODA OCTAVIA / SEAT LEON

ON SALE: February PRICES: from £14,000 (est) CO2 EMISSIONS: from 39g/km (GTE) WHAT’S NEW: Sister brands Volkswagen, Škoda and Seat have all announced updates to their small family cars this autumn.

Technology and efficiency are the main focuses, with slight styling tweaks also featuring to freshen up the design of the vehicles.

The 1.0-litre 115PS petrol engine first seen in the Golf is now available in the Octavia and Leon, and all cars offer a new seven-speed DSG automatic.

The Leon now offers keyless entry, electronic handbrake and traffic jam assist, along with a bigger eight-inch touchscreen.

The Octavia gains split front headlights, pedestrian protection and an optional 9.2-inch touchscreen update, along with

NISSAN MICRA

connected services.

The estate model now includes a removable torch in the boot.

The Golf gains a digital instrument display similar to that first seen on Audi models is now optional, along with the addition of traffic jam assist functionality.

A new 150PS 1.5-litre petrol TSI joins the engine range, while the Golf GTI gets a 10PS power boost.

MINI COUNTRYMAN

ON SALE: March PRICE: from £10,000 (est) CO2 EMISSIONS: from 85g/km WHAT’S NEW: The new Nissan Micra is radically different from the incumbent model, and features an array of new technology. In previous generations, the Micra was a front-runner in the supermini segment, and the brand is hoping this fifth generation model will help it shoot up the sales charts.

Safety features include lane departure prevention, intelligent emergency braking with pedestrian recognition, as well as intelligent around view monitor, traffic sign recognition, high beam assist and blind spot warning.

It will include a Bose speaker system, active ride control, and features more space, as well as a lower driving position.

The car launches with two engines, both 90PS – a 1.5-litre diesel, and a 0.9-litre petrol, as seen in the Renault Clio, which it will be assembled alongside in France.

ON SALE: February PRICE: From £22,465 CO2 EMISSIONS: from 113g/km WHAT’S NEW: Six years after joining the range, Mini has introduced a completely new version of its Countryman SUV. This new model is larger than its predecessor, and for the first time in a production Mini, will offer a plug-in hybrid variant.

The second row of seating now contains three fully-fledged seats, and the rear door openings have been enlarged, enabling easier entry and exit.

The Cooper D model launches with 113g/km CO2, and 150PS. A One D model, aimed at corporate buyers, is set to follow later in the product cycle.

34 ❚ Winter 2016 ❚ mydrivingbusiness.co.uk

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