Category: News

Triumph has revived its iconic Daytona name for a new triple-powered middleweight sportsbike.

Sharing much with both the Trident and Tiger Sport 660 models, the Daytona uses a 660cc engine with 93.7bhp, which is 17 per cent more than you’ll find in the Trident. These gains come courtesy of upgraded engine internals alongside a new three-in-one exhaust system.

Triumph has tweaked the frame compared with the Trident, too, lowering the handlebars by 110mm to help deliver a more engaging riding experience. It gets Showa 41mm front forks, too, and a preload adjustable monoshock at the rear, also from Showa.

Bringing the whole bike to a stop are four-piston brakes with twin 310mm discs, while Michelin Power 6 tyres should return plentiful grip and feel. With a seat height of 810mm and an ‘optimised bar and footpeg position’, the Daytona should also be confidence-inspiring for newer riders.

Three riding modes – Sport, Road and Rain – come equipped as standard on the Daytona, with each tweaking the bike’s throttle response and traction control for different riding situations. There’s also a new Emergency Deceleration Warning system which activates the hazard lights under heavy braking.

Triumph says that the Daytona DNA has been ‘reimagined’ for this latest version, with eye-catching twin LED headlights up front incorporating a central air intake. At the rear, there’s a sharp LED light.

The Daytona is also available with a range of accessories including an A2 licence kit which limits power so that riders on A2 licences are legally allowed to ride it.

Mercedes-AMG has partnered up with musician Will.i.am to launch a new in-car sound entertainment experience.

The MBUX Sound Drive system uses software which allows the music being played to ‘react’ to the way the car is being driven. This, according to Mercedes-AMG, ‘turns the car into a virtual musical instrument’ which relies on sensors and software to take various driving dynamics and convert them to musical changes.

For instance, when a driver lifts off the throttle in the electric EQS, the car might quieten down or, when accelerating, the music could become more pronounced. Mercedes believes that the system has the potential to turn into an ‘open music platform’ where artists would be allowed to create and upload tracks to use in the car.

Will.i.am said: “Imagine a world where your car can become an instrument creating musical journeys. MBUX Sound Drive enhances driving and sound technology, letting motorists reshape music just by driving.

“I’m excited to see how composers, producers, and songwriters will harness this to create new works and reimagine classics for motorists to drive to. Sound Drive is not only a new frontier for music creation, but also opens up fresh, exciting and interactive listening experiences for drivers.”

Mercedes-AMG says that the new MBUX Sound Drive system will start rolling out into its vehicles from the middle of this year and will be available to existing owners of Mercedes-AMG and AMG Line vehicles with the second generation of the firm’s MBUX infotainment system. An over-the-air update will be required to access the function.

The number of new public chargers installed across the UK has risen by 45 per cent year-on-year, according to newly released figures.

Data from chargepoint mapping provider Zap Map shows that the number of new public chargers installed across the country has increased considerably, up on the 31 per cent seen in the years 2021 to 2022.

In October 2023, the UK passed the 50,000 public charger milestone, representing a considerable uptick on the 40,000 chargers that had been installed as of February 2023.

During the year, the rate of new chargers installed increased to 1,400 devices each month, up from 730 per month during 2022. It represents a growth of 89 per cent in the pace of charge point installations each month.

Melanie Shufflebotham, co-founder & COO at Zapmap, said: “Overall 2023 was a very good year for EV charging with the rate of installation showing record growth, particularly for the higher powered chargers to support EV drivers on longer journeys.

“Zapmap’s focus continues to be on providing EV drivers with the information they need to find reliable, available charging when they are out and about. Whilst less than 3% of EV drivers would go back to petrol / diesel, we know that EV drivers want more chargers and a better charger experience.

The news comes alongside the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders end-of-year results which showed that close to “315,000 electric vehicles were sold in the UK last year, resulting in there being 51 per cent more EVs on the roads than at the end of 2022.

Running alongside this is an increase of 52 per cent in the number of high-powered chargers installed in the UK during 2023, to a total of 10,500 devices installed across more than 5,000 locations by the end of the year.

Most of the growth was undertaken in the installation of ultra-rapid chargers delivering speeds of over 100kW. These are able to add the most amount of charge in the least time, with compatible EVs able to take on 100 miles of range in around 20 minutes. At the end of 2023, 4,870 of these chargers were in place in the UK.

The number of sites with more than six rapid or ultra-rapid chargers – often referred to as ‘hubs’ – also increased by 145 per cent, rising from 108 sites at the end of December 2022 to 264 by the end of 2023.

BMW will expand the video, gaming and augmented-reality features available in its cars, with the firm revealing a range of new advancements.

Shown at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, where BMW last year revealed a colour-changing car, one of the main pieces of technology are augmented-reality (AR) glasses, which the firm says will ‘enrich the driving experience in the future’.

The AR glasses can show navigation instructions, entertainment content as well as information on electric car charging. While yet to be fully integrated into a production vehicle, BMW is continuing to explore the feature as it says ‘mixed reality’ technology will become ‘increasingly popular’ in the next few years.

BMW has already introduced in-car gaming (for when the vehicle is stationary) into cars like the i5 and says that more games are being available to customers, while physical controllers will be able to operate the games in the future – such as for when an EV is charging.

While Amazon Fire TV is already built into BMW’s flagship 7 Series, the firm has expanded its video offering and is using a similar operating system as the latest smart TVs.

Elsewhere, BMW had made changes to its voice assistant and automated parking features, with the former being powered by Amazon Alexa and its artificial intelligence. The firm says the expanded service enables ‘human-like interactions and dialogue’.

At CES BMW is also demonstrating its latest Level 4 self-parking feature, which includes an ‘automated valet parking’ assist. It works by the customer leaving their vehicle in a dedicated drop-off area, with the car then autonomously finding available space and can then be brought back to the drop-off area once the customer is ready.

BMW is offering various demonstrations across Las Vegas for those attending CES to try out its latest technology.

Kia is set to further its dominance by entering the van segment in 2025, revealing its first concept commercial vehicles at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

While sibling brand Hyundai has offered commercial vehicles for several years, this will be Kia’s first foray into the van segment for some time. Revealed overnight at CES, the firm has shown five concept versions of what it calls ‘Platform Beyond Vehicles’ (PBV).

Kia says its vans will revolve around software and technology and that it will ‘redefine the concept of space’ in its vehicles.

The first electric Kia van to launch will be the mid-size PV5, which will be available with various conversions and targeted at ‘delivery and utility’ companies. Shown in concept form, it looks to be available as a more conventional van alongside an MPV version, as are many other commercial vehicles on the market.

The introduction of the PV5 will be the ‘first phase’ of Kia’s van rollout, with the second being the introduction of a full line-up of electric vans. This has been teased with concepts of the micro-sized PV1 and then the large PV7, which is likely the same size as a big Ford Transit.

Kia’s third phase of its PV3 unit is said to become more focused on ‘mobility solutions’, evolving to be self-driving vehicles. Kia says it will ‘open the door to completely new lifestyles’, though minimal additional detail has been given.

There is a big focus on flexibility, with swappable technology allowing a vehicle to be easily and quickly adapted for another use – such as a panel van being changed into a campervan.

Ho Sung Song, president of Kia, said: “Kia’s PBV business represents our vision of going beyond the traditional concept of automobiles by fulfilling the unmet needs of diverse customers and communities through optimised vehicles and services catering to specific market and business circumstances.”

Further electric commercial vehicles in the pipeline include a smaller PBV3 and a pick-up that’s expected to be focused on the American market.

A classic car show in south-east London has been scrapped due to the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ), its organisers have said.

The Bromley Pageant of Motoring, which has been running for the past 40 years, took place in Norman Park, Bromley, with classic cars of all ages in attendance.

However, the site became part of the ULEZ area after the zone’s expansion in August, which would result in many attendees having to pay a £12.50 charge to attend the show. Though cars bought more than 40 years ago are exempt from the ULEZ charge, many ‘modern classics’ attending the event would end up having to pay.

Organisers Pippa and Jason Griffiths, from A-ME Event Management, said that they had taken ‘considerable time’ to ‘evaluate the options’ for the future of the event following the introduction of the ULEZ zone across Greater London.

“It became clear that Norman Park is no longer an option and any move to a new venue and date needs to ensure that this firm favourite of the classic car calendar has a bright future. We have made the very difficult decision to not hold the event in 2024 but are working on plans to bring back the Bromley Pageant of Motoring in 2025.”

“We appreciate the support we have received from car owners, clubs, trade and visitors over the time we have had the honour of looking after the Pageant and we are as disappointed as you that it will not take place this year.

“We do look forward to what the future will hold for this wonderful event, and we hope to bring you further details later in the year.”

The ULEZ area was expanded on August 29, having previously been introduced in April 2019 to cover everywhere within the North and South Circular roads. However, the August expansion saw all London boroughs covered with many key sites such as Wembley, Chessington World of Adventures and Heathrow Airport coming within the ULEZ’s new boundaries.

Volkswagen is to incorporate the artificial intelligence-based service ChatGPT into its cars, the firm has just revealed.

Announced during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the move will see the ‘chatbot’ included on the infotainment systems of a variety of Volkswagen’s latest models, including the electric ID.3 and ID.7, the new Tiguan and new Golf.

In fact, all models that use Volkswagen’s MEB and MQB evo platforms as well as the firm’s in-car IDA voice assistant will have access to the ChatGPT service via a system called Cerence Chat Pro, which has been designed by VW’s technology partner, Cerence Inc.

The system will allow the cars to offer a ‘multitude of new capabilities that go far beyond the previous voice control’. For example, it’ll let drivers use their voice to activate the navigation or air conditioning and even ask general knowledge questions. However, Volkswagen has stated that ‘nothing changes for the person behind the wheel’, with no need to create a new account, install a new smartphone app or even activate ChatGPT in the car itself – it’ll all come already loaded.

Kai Grünitz, VW board member for technical development, said: “Volkswagen has always democratised technology and made it accessible to the many. This is simply ingrained in our DNA. As a result, we are now the first volume manufacturer to make this innovative technology a standard feature in vehicles from the compact segment upwards.”

Drivers will be able to activate the service by saying ‘Hello IDA’ or pressing a button on the steering wheel. Volkswagen says that ChatGPT ‘does not gain access to any vehicle data’, with any questions or answers being deleted immediately afterwards.

Grünitz added: “Thanks to the seamless integration of ChatGPT and strong collaboration with our partner, Cerence, we are offering our drivers added value and direct access to the AI-based research tool. This also underlines the innovative strength of our new products.”

Gridserve has opened a new ‘Electric Forecourt’ at Gatwick Airport.

Arriving as the third installation of such a site by the firm, the new forecourt has the space to charge up to 30 electric vehicles with 100 per cent net zero energy.

Situated on the Ring Road South approach to Gatwick’s South Terminal – and adjacent to the nearby M23 – the new Electric Forecourt includes 22 high-power chargers which can deliver up to 350kW of charging energy. These are some of the most powerful units in the country and could, when connected to a compatible EV, add up to 100 miles of range in five minutes.

The move increases Gatwick’s charging capacity five-fold, too. As with Gridserve’s other Electric Forecourts, the new Gatwick site features a number of convenience stores that EV owners can browse while their car charges up.

Travelling out of @Gatwick_Airport this Christmas? 🎄

Well great news! The chargers are now open at London Gatwick Electric Forecourt®! There is also access to the toilets and seating area.

Stay tuned.. full building coming in early January ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/OeYXDjCr72

— GRIDSERVE Electric Highway (@ElecHighway) December 22, 2023

Toddington Harper, CEO of Gridserve, said: “As we launch our third, and most technologically advanced Electric Forecourt at London Gatwick, we mark a significant milestone in the evolution of sustainable transportation. We are excited to open our first charging facility at an international airport and help support London Gatwick on its journey to net zero.

“Our purpose at Gridserve is to deliver sustainable energy on the scale needed to move the needle on climate change, and this is certainly a project that moves the needle for the airport, and local workers and residents.

This new installation features a Little Fresh store, from ‘upmarket grocery store’ Simply Fresh. Here, visitors tap their contactless payment when they enter the store and can then take the items they want. The store’s technology automatically detects what the shopper has taken – or put back – and creates a ‘virtual basket’. The shopper can then leave the store with their items and they’ll automatically be charged for them using their payment setup on arrival.

Costa Coffee is also situated within the new Electric Forecourt, while visitors are also able to test drive the latest electric vehicles through Gridserve’s EV Gurus service.

Mark Drakeford has suggested drivers will not be fined for breaching the new default 20mph speed limit in Wales if they were “genuinely confused”.

The outgoing First Minister said those who “deliberately” break the law will face consequences but that police will not jump straight to enforcement if people have simply “misunderstood”.

Last year, Wales became the first country in the UK to drop the default speed limit from 30mph to 20mph in built-up areas. Enforcement of the limit begins this month.

Asked during a press conference in Cardiff about the possibility of people being fined because the messaging over the law has not been clear enough, Mr Drakeford said: “I don’t think they will be fined in those circumstances.

“I think if the police find somebody driving above 20 miles an hour and the reason is because they are genuinely confused about that, then that’s why the police will always start with education and conversation.

“I don’t think in those circumstances of genuine confusion, the police will move to enforcement.”

The First Minister conceded that the policy should be “fine-tuned” and kept “under review” to ensure consistency across different local authorities throughout Wales.

There have been “anomalies” in its introduction, he said, including with road signage which some drivers have complained is unclear.

Mr Drakeford said that in cases where motorists drive “well above” the limit the law would have to be enforced.

Asked to specify what speed would be considered “well above” 20mph, he said previous cases relating to pre-existing 20mph zones had involved people driving “closer to 30 than 20”.

“Not a couple of miles over, but well in excess of what people were obliged to do, so if that’s a sort of rule of thumb I think that’s how the police have interpreted that so far,” he said.

A petition against the rollout of the law, on the Welsh Parliament’s petitions page, has now been signed by more than 460,000 people.

The two candidates in the running to replace Mr Drakeford as the next Welsh Labour leader after his planned resignation in March have said they would launch a review of the law if elected.

Mr Drakeford said on Monday he had been clear from the outset that the policy would be kept under review.

Outlining the wider agenda for the last months of his leadership, the Welsh Labour leader said getting the draft 2024-25 budget passed through the Senedd would be a “key piece of work.”

He hit out at “real-terms” cuts in the block grant received by the UK Government.

The budget is now now worth £1.3 billion less than when it was set by then-chancellor Rishi Sunak three years ago due to inflation, he said.

“It’s after more than a decade of austerity, a botched Brexit, a Covid pandemic and a cost-of-living crisis that we’ve had to make some very stark and difficult choices as we developed the draft budget for 2024-25,” he told the conference.

BT is launching a trial to convert street cabinets traditionally used for broadband and phone cables into electric vehicle chargers.

The pilot will see the first unit powered up in East Lothian in Scotland, with the potential to upgrade 60,000 cabinets to support EV charging and help boost sustainable transport.

The scheme is being run by Etc, the start-up and digital incubation arm of the BT Group, and has been unveiled ahead of the CES technology convention in Las Vegas – where the technology has been recognised as an innovation champion for the 2024 show for outstanding design and engineering.

The annual trade show, which attracts around 100,000 attendees and some of the biggest tech firms in the world unveiling new products, officially opens on Tuesday.

Etc plans to upgrade near end-of-life green street cabinets as EV charging points to extend their usefulness.

The firm said it would consider a range of technical, commercial and operational points to establish if the scheme could be rolled out more widely.

Tom Guy, Etc chief executive, said: “Our new charging solution is a huge step in bringing EV charging kerbside and exploring how we can address key barriers customers are currently facing.

“Working closely with local councils in Scotland and more widely across the UK, we are at a critical stage of our journey in tackling a very real customer problem that sits at the heart of our wider purpose to connect for good.”

“This is a key step in our mission to build products and services right now that work for the future, with positive transformation at the heart.”

Etc also announced it was scaling an app-based solution for remote health care in the north of England, which enables clinicians to monitor patients and identify the risk of serious cardiovascular events.

Previously piloted among just over 1,000 patients, it is now to be trialled among 228,000 people based in Warrington, Cheshire.

The app involves patients uploading their vitals and biometrics for clinicians to monitor, identify and reduce or manage cardiovascular disease using early monitoring and pre-emptive intervention.