The next generation of self-driving cars will have to learn the ‘language of cyclists’ to ensure that the roads are kept safe, a new study suggests.

Human-computer interaction specialists from the University of Glasgow have shown the need for upcoming autonomous vehicles to identify and replicate the ‘social interactions’ between human car drivers and cyclists.

The team – due to include its findings in a paper presented at an upcoming conference on human-computer interactions – looked at how drivers and cyclists directly and indirectly communicate with each other on the public road via a series of tests which saw 12 volunteer cyclists equipped with eye-tracking glasses and head-mounted video cameras.

Their findings captured the direction that cyclists looked during their journeys, showing that those on two-wheels relied more on information from roadsigns while also closely looking at cars to see which way they were planning to drive.

The study has influenced a series of recommendations on how autonomous vehicles should operate around cyclists ‘in the decades to come’ as drivers become less ‘actively engaged’ in their journeys. As such, autonomous vehicles must be able to understand human interactions.

The team suggests that autonomous vehicles could be more thorough about showing their driving intentions through displays mounted to their exterior, with a series of traffic-light-like LEDs there to show whether they are speeding up, slowing down or even giving way to another road user.

The paper, titled ‘Keep it Real: Investigating Driver-Cyclist Interaction in Real-World Traffic’ also suggests that cyclists could wear ‘smart glasses’ which can relay an autonomous vehicle’s intentions by allowing the cars to communicate with the cyclists around them.

Professor Stephen Brewster, of the University of Glasgow’s School of Computing Science, and who led the research, said: “Being able to identify the ways in which that language works will help guide the development of versatile new methods of communication with cyclists that are easily understandable in any traffic situation, reliably informative, and predictable.”

A British firm has created a new ‘rapid intervention vehicle’ that can help emergency teams tackle electric vehicle and car park fires.

York-based Prospeed Motorsport has engineered the new vehicle – which is based on a Toyota Hilux but features an entirely new chassis – to help fire teams to effectively deal with car fires.

Called the Hiload 6×6 Rapid Intervention Vehicle (RIV), it features a 3,000kg payload – almos triple that of a regular Hilux – which helps it to carry a new Coldcut Cobra system designed specifically for extinguishing EV fires.

It uses a high-pressure lane to fire ‘abrasive’ suspended in water which pierces a hole in the EV’s floor pans and injects water at 300bar – more than 100 times the pressure you’d find in a normal car tyre. By doing so, it’s able to fire water through the car’s battery module casing, allowing it to col the battery down and prevent a fire from spreading.

However, unlike alternatives which require thousands of litres of water to be pumped into a vehicle, this system could prevent fire from spreading using just 240 litres. This also represents just 20 per cent of the vehicle’s water tank capacity.

The six-wheeled setup of the Hiload means that crews can tackle fires in more challenging or off-grid locations, all while carrying more crew, water and equipment than a ‘normal’ response vehicle.

The Hiload is currently being trialled in the Czech Republic, with this model designed specifically to deal with EV fires and help with ‘fast response occupant extraction’.

The vehicle, which is assembled in York, can also be acquired as a 6×6 conversion module so that buyers can complete final assembly in their own country or location.

Urgent action is needed to improve the behaviour of drivers who believe it’s acceptable to be behind the wheel while under the influence of drink and drugs, a road safety charity has stated.

Research conducted by IAM RoadSmart has found that 31 per cent of 2,010 UK motorists driving for work believe that driving after using Class A drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy is acceptable, compared with five per cent of non-company car drivers.

The survey also highlighted that over a quarter though it was fine to drive when they may have drunk too much alcohol, while 24 per cent would drive after using cannabis. With both, just five per cent of non-company car drivers thought it was acceptable.

Neil Greig, director of policy and research at IAM RoadSmart, said: “It is incredibly concerning that this latest research shows we still have far too many drivers who don’t understand the dangers of driving under the influence of either drugs or alcohol, and not acknowledging the danger they pose to themselves.”

IAM RoadSmart’s recent Driving Safety Culture Report also found that 21 per cent of company car drivers had ‘regularly or often’ ignored a red light within a 30-day window compared with three per cent of other drivers. The research also found that 21 per cent of these drivers also read a text or email when behind the wheel, compared with three per cent of other drivers.

“IAM RoadSmart is calling on all fleet managers to adopt best practices such as checking licences, monitoring driver performance, and offering coaching to their most high-risk drivers. Not only will this save lives but also bring a direct benefit to the profitability and competitiveness of hard-pressed UK plc.”

Ford’s new Level 2 advanced driver assistance system has gained approval for use on the UK’s motorways, meaning motorists are legally able to drive with their hands off the wheel..

In a first of its kind for a system of this type in Europe, the BlueCruise system allows for ‘hands-off, eyes-on’ driving technology on 2,300 miles of pre-mapped motorways in England, Scotland and Wales.

These pre-designated ‘Blue Zones’ will allow the driver to travel in hands-free mode, providing that they pay attention to the road ahead. It can be operated at speeds of up to 80mph, too.

The system monitors road markings, speed signs and traffic conditions and then uses this to control the vehicle’s steering, acceleration and lane positioning. It also allows the car to maintain a safe distance to the vehicles ahead, but it can also automatically slow the vehicle down should traffic build up ahead.

In-car cameras also monitor the driver’s attentiveness to ensure that they’re maintaining concentration on the road ahead. These infra-red driver-facing cameras check the driver’s eye gaze and head pose, even if they’re wearing sunglasses.

If it detects that the driver isn’t being attentive to the road ahead, it will display a warning message in the instrument cluster. This will be followed by audible alerts and will finally apply the brake and slow the vehicle if the driver fails to look at the road. This will also occur if the driver fails to place their hands back on the wheel when they return to an area outside of a Blue Zone.

Martin Sander, general manager of Ford’s electric division in Europe, said: “It’s not every day that you can say you’ve placed one foot in the future, but Ford BlueCruise becoming the first hands-free driving system of its kind to receive approval for use in a European country is a significant step forward for our industry.”

Those with a 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-e will be the first that can access BlueCruise via a subscription. The first 90 days are included with the car’s price, but after that it’ll require a £17.99 monthly subscription.

US President Joe Biden is set to kick-start his Ireland visit today, commencing a four-day visit.

The President’s itinerary has already been outlined, with Biden touring a number of locations including a visit to Co Louth, where his great-grandfather James Finegan was born. And, though it has yet to be seen, ‘The Beast’ presidential car could be used to shuttle Biden around. Here, we’re taking a look at what this incredible car has to offer.

When was ‘The Beast’ name introduced?

‘The Beast’ name first appeared back in 2001 with the arrival of President George W. Bush. That car was an entirely ground-up built model, incorporating many of the functions that are fitted to the modern version.

It’s a name that would stick, too, and has continued through to the present-day vehicle.

What is the current model based on?

The current model is made by General Motors (GM) in the United States and debuted in 2018. Though many of the details about The Beast’s underpinnings are scarce, it’s believed to be based on one of GM’s larger trucks, albeit equipped with more car-like features similar to those found on the Cadillac Escalade.

It’s thought that The Beast could weigh up to nine tonnes and can seat up to seven people.

Does it have any cool features?

The Beast is jam-packed with features. It has been designed to deliver the best possible protection for the President. As a result, it has 13cm-thick laminated glass for the windows, run-flat tyres with a solid core to ensure that they can still roll when punctured and 20cm thick military-grade armour for the panels.

Plus, the fuel tank is bullet and blastproof, while emergency equipment includes firefighting gear, oxygen tanks and containers of the President’s blood type.

Where has it appeared recently?

The Beast is often used for some of the President’s key visits and was used back in September 2022, by Biden for the state funeral of the Queen.

The Beast was also used during Biden’s first visit to the UK in June 2022 after being named as president.

Have previous presidents been driven in ‘The Beast’?

Yes. Over time, The Beast has evolved and changed to include more high-tech features, but all presidents since George W. Bush have used a version of it. President Obama was driven in The Beast on numerous occasions, while President Trump was also a frequent passenger in it.

In fact, Trump made a notable appearance in ‘The Beast’ when it was used for a spin around the famous Daytona 500 racing circuit.

Lamborghini has unveiled its new flagship supercar – the Revuelto.

It’s equipped with the Italian firm’s first plug-in hybrid V12 engine, which combines the 12-cylinder petrol engine with three electric motors that are coupled to a 3.8kWh battery.

It can be charged either via a plug or directly from the engine, with the former taking around 30 minutes and the latter around six minutes to fully charge.

Combined, this setup produces 1,000bhp and results in a 0-60mph time of under 2.5 seconds and a top speed of 217mph. It’ll also manage the zero to 124mph sprint in just seven seconds flat.

The exterior has distinctive Y-shape daytime running lights, while the V12 is celebrated by being fully exposed. Inside, there are many references to that exterior ‘Y’ design trait, while much of the cabin is centred around the driver. Lamborghini calls this its ‘space-ship’ design and it’s this which encloses the central air vents and 8.4-inch vertical touchscreen.

Plus, there’s a 9.1-inch display ahead of the passenger which mirrors the information relayed on the driver’s 12.3-inch digital cockpit. There’s also a clever ‘swipe’ function which means that driver or passenger can ‘move’ applications from the central screen to their respective displays.

The steering wheel is also packed with functions, with buttons mounted on it to activate the indicators and lights. Four rotors change which driving mode is selected, and these can be tweaked without the need for the driver to take their hands away from the wheel.

Lamborghini says that the Revuelto is also more spacious than the outgoing Aventador Ultimae, with extra headroom and legroom. Plus, there’s extra room behind the seats which is able, according to Lamborghini, to accommodate items ‘up to the size of a golf bag’.

Carbon fibre is used across the dashboard, while there’s also a combination of leather and a special Corsa-Tex fabric made from recycled polyester via a water-based production process.

Lamborghini has yet to announce a price for the Revuelto, but expect it to far exceed the £365,000 required for the previous equivalent Aventador.

Alfa has developed a new concept version of its Tonale SUV designed to make travelling with children easier.

Called the Tonale Edizione Bambini, it’s a model equipped with a range of accessories to help parents out, including a built-in slide-out baby changing unit, an in-car baby monitor and a custom-made cleaning mat.

When opening the Tonale’s electric tailgate, the changing unit slides out from the parcel shelf and, when no longer needed, slides back again to ensure that it doesn’t dent boot space whatsoever.

There’s also an in-built boot organiser which, thanks to a concertina design, can be stowed away when not in use. A cleaning bag located in one of the compartments contains handy items, too, including a boot-cleaning brush, leather cleaner, tissues and wipes.

In the cabin, Alfa has fitted custom-made seat organisers which are shaped against the contours of the driver and front passenger seats. These are also made from grey leather to match the rest of the cabin, and even get their embossed Alfa Romeo logo. It includes a drinks holder, a bento box for snacks and a rattle-free pen holder.

A survey by Alfa Romeo? of 2,000 adults who drive with children between 0-11 years old also found that 55 per cent of parents reported that children complaining of boredom caused them stress while driving, which is why the Edizione Bambini gets a number of entertainment-focused features.

There are tablet holders fitted to the back of the front seats, for example, while a foldable central toy tidy helps to keep kids occupied. There’s a leather tablet holder for each rear-seat passenger, too.

A Nissan Skyline GT-R made famous by its appearance in Fast & Furious 4 with the late Paul Walker behind the wheel is set to go under the hammer at auction next month.

Due to be auctioned off in a dedicated standalone online auction hosted by Bonhams on April 28, the R34 GT-R was specially customised by Daryl Alison of Kaizo Industries to Paul Walker’s ‘personal specification’, according to Bonhams, and it’s in this guise that it’s currently offered.

Walker, who starred in a number of the Fast & Furious movies, died in November, 2013 at the age of 40 following a collision in a Porsche Carrera GT.

Special features for the Nissan include a custom roll cage, a dashboard-mounted PC and custom OMP racing bucket seats which remain in Paul Walker’s seat position to this day. Underneath the bonnet sits a 2.6-litre twin-turbocharged engine which was given a Turbonetics intercooler for even better performance.

On the outside, the GT-R was given Volk Racing RE30 wheels and an upgraded Nismo NE-1 exhaust. At Walker’s request the car was also de-stickered, with many of the car’s vinyl’s and decorations removed leaving the Bayside Blue Skyline exterior colour unspoilt.

The GT-R was heavily featured in the Fast & Furious 4 movie, which premiered in 2009, with scenes seeing it tear through the streets of Los Angeles – though many of the action sequences were conducted with one of six ‘stunt’ Skyline cars, with a body of one car mounted onto an off-road dune buggy to enable it to conduct extreme jumps.

The film star GT-R is being offered following long-term museum display and comes accompanied by a copy of the Universal Pictures rental contract. Bonhams says that an estimate is available ‘on request’. The auction will go live on Friday, April 28 before closing a week later on Friday, May 5. The GT-R can be viewed at Motorworld in Munich until April 26.

A ‘shocking’ gap in the price between petrol and diesel remains at the pumps, despite the wholesale cost of the two now matching, the RAC has stated.

The average price of petrol stands at 146.63p, according to RAC Fuel Watch, while diesel sits at 164.26p, despite the pair selling for around 114.5p on the wholesale market. The RAC also states that wholesale diesel was cheaper on two days in the last week than petrol.

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: “The forecourt price disparity between petrol and diesel across the UK is absolutely shocking given their wholesale prices are now virtually identical.

“At the beginning of March wholesale diesel was only 6p more expensive than petrol yet there was a 20p a litre gap between both fuels on the forecourt. Now the two fuels are identical on the wholesale market, and there’s still more than 17p difference at the pump.

“For retailers to be taking a margin of nearly 20p a litre on average throughout March, compared to the long-term average of 7p, is devastating for every driver and business that relies on diesel.”

Since the start of March, the average weekly wholesale price of diesel has fallen by 5p a litre, while unleaded has remained the same.

Williams added: “As the supermarkets buy so frequently they have had plenty of time to pass on the lower prices they are benefitting from on the wholesale market to drivers at the pumps, but they remain totally resolute in their refusal to cut their prices substantially which is nothing short of scandalous, particularly in a cost-of-living crisis.

“The sole national retailer prepared to buck this trend appears to be membership-only chain Costco, which is charging just under 150p a litre for diesel at the moment.”