Category: News

It was a bumper year for new car sales in 2023, with new figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showing that registrations climbed by 17.9 per cent to more than 1.9 million.

While private and business registrations were both down, there was significant growth in large fleet registrations, with 54.7 per cent of new cars going to this section of the market – eight per cent higher than in 2022.

Several manufacturers had a particularly fruitful 2023

1. Ford Puma – 49,451 registrations

While Ford might have grabbed the headlines earlier this year for discontinuing its well-loved Fiesta, it’s clear it hasn’t affected the firm’s fortunes as Ford returns to the top of the best-sellers list with its Puma crossover.

Introduced in 2020, sales for the Puma have continued to grow and with just shy of 50,000 examples registered, accounts for around a third of Ford’s overall car registrations. With smart styling, a spacious interior and some great engines, there’s a lot to like about the Puma.

2. Nissan Qashqai – 43,321

The Qashqai falls down a place compared to 2022, though is still quite an achievement for Nissan to have the second best-selling car in the UK with 43,321 examples of this crossover sold.

With all Qashqais being produced at Nissan’s factory in Sunderland, it continues to be a great British success story. With a practical interior, generous equipment levels and a range of hybrid engines, it remains a great choice for families.

3. Vauxhall Corsa – 40,816

While more buyers might be choosing crossovers these days, the continued success of the Vauxhall Corsa shows plenty still want smaller hatchbacks. While dropping a place compared to 2022, sales of the Corsa grew by around 5,000 units to 40,816 registrations.

Vauxhall has recently tweaked its Corsa too, giving it a sharper front-end design, more standard equipment and the option of a ‘Long Range’ electric model that can manage a claimed 246 miles between charges. Vauxhall said earlier in the year that it’s hoping to make the Corsa the best-selling car in 2024 as it sweeps up Fiesta owners and has the option of an EV.

4. Kia Sportage – 36,135

Kia had another great year in 2023, not least with its Sportage SUV that continues to grow in popularity – climbing two places, with 36,135 examples registered. It’s a perfect family car with its practical and well-built interior, while all versions get plenty of equipment.

A key part of the Sportage’s appeal is its wide choice of engines, with both hybrids and plug-in hybrids available. Kia’s seven-year warranty continues to be a big asset for private buyers as well.

5. Tesla Model Y – 35,899

Quite surprisingly Tesla’s overall sales dipped in the UK, though registrations of its Model Y SUV remained consistent in 2023 with 35,899 examples registered, making it the only electric-only model to make the top 10.

It’s by far the best-selling EV, with buyers continuing to flock to the Model Y for its advanced technology and modern interior. Tesla’s seamless online sales process and excellent Supercharger network of rapid electric car chargers continue to be a big advantage.

6. Hyundai Tucson – 34,469

Hyundai’s Tucson has now established itself as a regular in the list of best-selling cars, and with 34,469 examples sold, it remains by far this South Korean firm’s most popular car – accounting for almost 40 per cent of Hyundai’s UK sales last year.

Its space-age styling sets it apart in the mid-size SUV class, while generous equipment levels and a spacious interior make it perfect for families. An updated version is due in 2024, which is set to only boost the Tucson’s appeal.

7. Mini – 33,485

While a new generation of Mini’s Hatch might be arriving in 2024, plenty of buyers are still opting for the outgoing version, with 33,485 examples sold last year. Though falling two places, overall sales for this supermini grew, signalling just what a strong year it was for the UK’s car market.

The Mini’s charming looks and premium interior continue to set it apart from rivals, as does its sportier driving experience. The Electric version also continues to account for a big chunk of its sales.

8. Nissan Juke – 31,745

The Nissan Juke was a new entry to the top 10 in 2023, and with 31,475 examples of this Sunderland-built crossover sold, it remains a strong seller behind the Qashqai.

The Juke is a smaller crossover that is renowned for its bold styling and personalisation options. The addition of a hybrid model in the last few years also continues to keep this Nissan relevant next to its rivals.

9. Audi A3 – 30,159

The family hatchback class has declined significantly in recent years, with once best-selling vehicles like the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and VW Golf all absent from this year’s top 10. The only car in this segment to make the top 10 was the Audi A3, a new entrant for 2023.

Though due to be updated in 2024, the Audi A3’s high-end interior and upmarket image continue to be key draws for buyers. The choice of several plug-in hybrid versions also makes it a big seller in the fleet market.

10. Vauxhall Mokka – 29,984

If you want something a bit larger than a Corsa, the Mokka crossover could be an ideal option, and with just short of 30,000 examples sold in 2023, it helps to round off the top 10 list.

The Mokka helped to introduce a striking new design language for Vauxhall, both inside and out, that has since been rolled out across its entire line-up. The option of petrol and electric models means there’s something to suit a wide choice of buyers.

The government is being urged to halve the level of VAT on new electric vehicles to promote growth in the private sector.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers (SMMT) – which is making the call – states that according to its data, electric vehicle update has risen ‘almost 20-fold’, with ‘the Treasury reaping a VAT windfall due to these vehicles typically having higher purchase costs than their ICE counterparts’.

Battery electric vehicle volumes reach record high in 2023 market share slips to 16.5%.https://t.co/iEBIcJEy9e pic.twitter.com/sdbZuOhaBy

— SMMT (@SMMT) January 5, 2024

However, though battery electric vehicles accounted for one in six new cars registered during 2023, the vast majority of these were taken by business and fleet buyers who are able to take advantage of significant tax benefits. For private owners, the heightened cost of purchasing a new electric vehicle remains a key stumbling block, alongside the price of installing a charger at home. It’s why only one in 11 private buyers chose an EV last year.

With the end of the plug-in car grant in June 2022 – which brought a discount on the price of a new electric vehicle for private owners – the UK becomes the only European market with no EV purchasing incentives.

🔋Battery electric vehicle (BEV) uptake reached a record volume – up by almost 50,000 units with 314,687 new registrations

🏆2023 saw more BEVs reach the road than in 2020 and 2021 combined

Here are the top ten models: https://t.co/iEBIcJEy9e pic.twitter.com/rTV1KJdDRG

— SMMT (@SMMT) January 5, 2024

It’s why the SMMT says that ‘halving VAT would give consumers an estimated additional £7.7 billion in BEV [battery electric vehicles] buying power to the end of 2026, while reducing the Treasury’s tax take by just 22% per vehicle for each additional driver switching from an ICE to a BEV.’

The SMMT says that the move would ‘encourage’ 270,000 new car buyers to make the switch to an electric vehicle while pushing 1.9 million new electric vehicles onto the road by the end of 2026.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “Government has challenged the UK automotive sector with the world’s boldest transition timeline and is investing to ensure we are a major maker of electric vehicles. It must now help all drivers buy into this future, with consumer incentives that will make the UK the leading European market for zero-emission vehicles.”

Tesla’s Cybertruck got people talking from the moment it was first released. Looking like something from a dystopian future, the Cybertruck arrived on the scene with some big promises relating to its range and capability.

But what are the key features you need to know about this larger-than-life EV? Let’s take a look.

When did the Cybertruck first arrive?

Tesla’s Cybertruck was first unveiled back in November 2019, arriving as the brand’s first electric pick-up truck. At the time, Tesla said that the Cybertruck had “more utility than a truck, with more performance than a sports car”.

It also made use of a variety of space-age materials which were shown off during its launch.

What was the launch like?

Held in Los Angeles, California, the Cybertruck’s launch was awash with social media-sparking demonstrations. Tesla CEO Elon Musk proceeded to showcase the new truck’s ruggedness with a series of tests, including asking Tesla head of design Franz von Holzhausen to hit the side of the Cybertruck with a sledgehammer.

146k Cybertruck orders so far, with 42% choosing dual, 41% tri & 17% single motor

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 23, 2019

However, one of the most talked-about moments came when von Holzhausen was asked to throw a metal ball at one of the Cybertruck’s supposedly bulletproof windows – and the metal sphere smashed the glass in an instant. At the time, Musk said that there was ‘room for improvement’.

What did the Cybertruck promise?

At launch, the Tesla said that the Cybertruck would deliver a range of up to 500 miles from a single charge while certain versions would complete the 0-60mph dash in just 2.9 seconds, making it speedier than a lot of the most powerful supercars.

Now in production, some of those claims have been backed up. The official production Cybertruck is accompanied by a 0-60mph of 2.6 seconds while the range has taken a bit of a hit with Tesla claiming up to 340 miles between charges.

How big is the Cybertruck?

The Cybertruck is a very large vehicle. It comes in at 5,681mm long, 2,199mm wide and 1,790mm tall. For comparison, a current-generation Range Rover is 5,052mm long, 2,047mm wide and 1,870mm tall.

It does mean that parking in a conventional UK parking space will prove a challenge, given that the standard parking space size here is 4,800mm.

What is it made from?

The Cybertruck utilises a variety of clever materials which make it both look and feel quite different from anything else. The exterior stainless steel ‘exoskeleton’ – as Tesla calls it – is meant to be damage and corrosion-resistant, and easy to repair, too.

The glass is shatter-resistant and is said to be able to ‘resist the impact of a baseball at 70mph’. The large rear bed opens up electrically, while there’s a separate storage area in the ‘nose’ of the truck.

Could people order one right away?

When the Cybertruck was launched, interested parties were initially asked to place a $100 (£79) non-refundable deposit. However, this was upped to a $250 (£197) refundable deposit as a way to secure a build slot.

During Tesla’s 2019 Q3 investor call, CEO Elon Musk said that over a million people had placed a deposit for a Cybertruck.

When did the Cybertruck enter production?

The Cybertruck was marred with delays, with the first production model rolling off the line in July 2023 despite Tesla promising that it would launch in 2021. It is believed that the Cybertruck’s complex design – as well as supply chain issues – were key reasons behind the truck’s significant delay.

First Cybertruck built at Giga Texas! 🤠 pic.twitter.com/ODRhHVsd0t

— Tesla (@Tesla) July 15, 2023

The Cybertruck is built at Tesla’s ‘Giga Texas’ factory near Austin, where the firm also produces its Model Y crossover. The first customer models were handed over to their new owners in a special presentation at the Texas factory in November 2023, with Musk hosting the entire affair while showcasing the truck’s abilities.

Will the Cybertruck come to the UK?

Though available for purchase in America, the Cybertruck – as for now – can’t be ordered in the UK or Europe in general. Tesla hasn’t stated when the Cybertruck will be available for order here, or even if it’ll ever go on sale.

The growing number of Chinese car companies entering the UK continues at a rapid pace with two new brands now confirmed for arrival on these shores later this year.

Set to be imported by Innovation Automotive (IA) Electric Vehicles, the Cirencester-based firm will introduce Seres and Skywell.

The first comes from China’s Seres Group, though its ‘automobile’ arm is headquartered in California. It will be the Seres 3 that will be its first car sold in Britain, a compact electric SUV that was shown at the London EV Show in December. It’s set to go on sale in April 2024 with a price of ‘less than £30,000’, which will undercut the £30,495 MG ZS EV.

Also due to launch in the UK in 2024 is Skywell, which will introduce the ET5 as a ‘premium and sophisticated’ mid-size SUV, boasting a range of up to 304 miles. IA Electric Vehicles says the car will go on sale in the summer, with no indication of pricing.

Gary White, general manager at IA Electric Vehicles, said: “This is a very exciting time for IA Electric Vehicles as we welcome Seres and Skywell into the family, alongside DFSK. Both brands are highly respected around the world and their technology, comfort and refinement are a perfect match for the UK marketplace”.

IA Electric Vehicles already sells electric vans from Chinese firm DFSK, which is part of the Seres Group, and has done so since 2022. The firm is now looking for dealer groups to help it sell the new models.

There are several Chinese car firms already in operation in the UK, including GWM Ora and BYD, with other firms such as Chery  and Nio set to launch in 2024.

Iceland has hit the headlines once again in recent months after significant seismic activity, earthquakes and the eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula in the southwest of the country on December 18.

The Icelandic Met Office continues to issue fresh warnings of another possible eruption as new cracks were spotted near the town of Grindavik – where its 4,000 residents were evacuated in mid-November.

Just a few days before the evacuation, and only a few miles away, we’re looking around somewhere you probably don’t want to be stood when there’s a risk of an eruption – a facility that produces methanol from carbon dioxide and hydrogen.

We’ve been told nearby land has risen by 10cm because of the seismic shifts while the famous Blue Lagoon geothermal waters, only a mile away from the Carbon Recycling International facility we’re looking around, closes on the same day because of volcanic activity. But Icelanders are aware of the risks and monitor things closely – it seems part and parcel of living on an ‘active’ island with around 130 volcanoes.

We’re looking around it for a reason though, as the plant essentially produces e-fuels which can take the place of petrol to sustainably power cars, and we’re with Mazda as it’s something the Japanese firm is a big believer in as it promotes e-fuels as an alternative to the increasing push to electrification. It’s putting a lot of money behind them too.

Though Mazda does sell an electric car – the MX-30 – it brings quite a lot of compromise, not least when it comes to its electric range of only 124 miles and considerably less in real-world conditions.

But Mazda now has an answer in the form of the MX-30 R-EV plug-in hybrid, which sees a return of a rotary engine in a Mazda for the first time in more than a decade. The firm has been one of the champions of this kind of engine, which sees the internal components work in a more circular motion, contrasting a conventional engine’s ‘up and down’ action – the benefit is that the engine uses fewer parts and takes up less space.

On the MX-30 R-EV, the engine works as a generator to power the electric motor, enabling a much longer range – with a 50-litre petrol tank allowing scope for many more miles without the need to charge, though Mazda still claims around 50 electric miles is possible once plugged in.

The increased range will come in handy today as we have 550km (342 miles) to cover up to Iceland’s northern coast. It’s a journey that could prove painful in the standard MX-30 because of its range, though Iceland is well ahead of the UK when it comes to EVs and their infrastructure.

Despite the rugged nature of the island, more than 60 per cent of the population lives around the capital Reykjavik and many don’t travel all that far. That mixed with generous government incentives and impressive charging infrastructure means Iceland has the second highest share of combined plug-in hybrid and electric car sales of any country, only behind Norway.

Our day starts in Reykjavik at around 7am. Even in early November, the number of daylight hours is limited, so we are well out of the capital and into the wilderness before the sun starts to rise several hours later. The route takes us across both tarmacked roads and gravelled surfaces, with the latter ironically often being in a smoother and better condition than some of the UK’s roads.

The sun is just starting to show behind the mountains as we drive around Hvalfjörður, a fjord that stretches almost 20 miles inland. It’s a shame it’s almost still dark at this point as the ripples of the water look to be quite the spectacle. We go cross country next, and despite the MX-30 R-EV being a front-wheel-drive crossover, our cars are equipped with studded tyres. They’re pretty noisy on tarmac – at first, it’s as if you’ve got a puncture – but on gravel and icy surfaces, come into their own.

We join a piece of tarmac that forms Iceland’s Ring Road – a huge 828-mile loop around the island – heading up through the aptly-named town of Bifrost as the temperature drops from just above zero to well below. The wilderness here is open and bleak, with little in the way of civilisation until a petrol station emerges on the horizon. We’re told to fuel both the Mazda and ourselves here as there won’t be another stop for miles.

They’re not wrong, and as we leave the main tarmac and turn onto ‘road number 68’, we won’t pass another car for what seems like hours. The road flips from tarmac to dirt tracks with almost no notice and connects the villages of Borðeyri and Hólmavík, which are an incredible 63 miles apart, to give you an idea of how isolated this place is.

We start by driving alongside the Hrútafjörður fjord for 22 miles, and as the sun rises above the water, it’s nothing short of spectacular. We pause to get a few photos of the MX-30, painted in Mazda’s renowned Soul Red Crystal paint, which even covered in a hundred miles of dust, still looks exceptional.

As the miles accumulate, we temporarily leave the coastline and head up into the mountains as the roads get snowier and the temperature drops again – minus 11 is the lowest we saw. With the studded tyres, though, the grip is remarkable. Not that you should, but even if you jump on the brakes, there’s next to no skidding at all. The ride quality from the MX-30, even on less-than-ideal road surfaces is impressive, with plenty of adjustment and padding to the seats ideal for hours behind the wheel.

We’ve got a flight to catch so our stopping time has to be kept to a minimum. But as we cut across from the village of Hólmavík across the mountains on Road 61 to Road 60 – there’s a lot to be said for Iceland’s logically named routes – we have to make a stop on the incredible link road across the Gilsfjörður fjord. It stretches for more than a mile to connect two pieces of land, and offers remarkable panoramic views. With a brisk easterly wind, you can’t stand in it for long without needing to jump back to the car; the MX-30’s Iceland-ready heated seats quickly get us back up to temperature again.

Road 60 runs us back to the main Ring Road near Bifrost and we stop at an eerily quiet restaurant. We question whether it’s even open as we step inside as we’re quite well off the beaten track still and well outside of tourist season to be greeted by a smiling waitress. We’re the only ones in the place during our whole visit. Not keen to try some of Iceland’s delicacies that include whale, puffin and reindeer (a month before Christmas it doesn’t feel right to be having Rudolph on our plate), we’re stocked up on conventional burgers and back on the road.

Iceland flicks between incredible scenery and industrial-looking factories at the flick of a button, and as we get closer to Reykjavik, we’re back into the latter. One last highlight is the Hvalfjörður Tunnel, which lasts for almost four miles underground and goes up to 165m below sea level. Originally a toll road, it’s been free since 2018 after the government took it over.

As we arrive back in Reykjavik, we look back at what has been an exceptional day of driving into some of the most spectacularly isolated places we’ve ever been. Even as the country continues to face more earthquakes and volcanic activity, it’s only a small southwestern region that is affected with Reykjavik and the rest of Iceland not impacted at the time of writing and still open for tourists, though it’s worth checking travel advice first.

Most of Iceland’s tourists stick to the capital city and surrounding areas, but it’s worth heading a bit further north on a route like this to explore what else the country has to offer – and it can be easily done in a day.

Despite Iceland’s advanced electric vehicle provisions, this is a route where you really (and we mean really) don’t want to run out of juice, and is one of those journeys that a plug-in hybrid comes into its own. It’s an ideal showcase for the MX-30 R-EV – you can still potter around the city as an EV, but with the backup of the extended petrol range when you’re miles away from civilisation, as is so often the case in Iceland.

A new year can mean a new start, and that’s definitely one way of thinking about your car.

Over the year, your vehicle might have been neglected inside and out, but starting 2024 off with a thorough spruce-up will get it looking and feeling fresh again, and be a good beginning for a new year.

Let’s take a look at some thorough tips for cleaning your car.

Start with the inside

Cars are usually cleaned more regularly outside than in, which is why the cabin of your car is often the part that’s dirtiest and takes the longest to sort.

The first step is to empty the vehicle, including all the door pockets where rubbish and receipts you might no longer need can gather, as well as the boot, which can be full of sorts of items you’ve accumulated over time. Getting all this emptied will allow you the perfect base to start the next cleaning process

Thorough vacuum

Getting the vacuum out is the next step, and take your time to do a proper job. It’s worth removing any floor and boot mats from the vehicle so you can get underneath them as this is often a place that’s overlooked.

If there’s any ingrained dirt, you don’t necessarily need any cleaning products, but rather a damp cloth to agitate the dirt. If this isn’t working, we recommend getting an all-purpose cleaner, which are widely available in motor part retailers and can be heavily diluted and used for a variety of different jobs both on the interior and exterior.

Don’t forget the touch surfaces

It’s worth going a step further than just a vacuum if you’re doing a ‘new year clean’. Leather is the only real part of the interior that requires a specialist product, so if your car has the material for the seats, gearstick and steering wheel, for example, it’s worth paying for a proper leather cleaner which can be used again and again.

Don’t forget to wipe over the dashboard surfaces and door cards with a clean cloth, either, and it’s worth cleaning the most commonly used buttons and any touchscreens, which can be a magnet for fingerprints. If your vehicle has any gloss black surfaces, be careful not to put too much pressure on it when cleaning as these can easily scratch.

Move to the exterior – pre-wash

Now that the interior is looking much better, it’s time to move to the outside. Over the winter months, your car will likely have gathered all sorts of grime and winter salt, which is why we strongly recommend a good pre-wash.

You could use the all-purpose cleaner we’ve mentioned already, or what’s known as a ‘snowfoam’ cleaner through a pressure washer. Spray this product on, and leave it for five minutes or so, and it will help to break down the dirt, ready for it rinsed off. A pressure washer is best if you have one as the aim is to get as much grime off the car as possible before you begin the contact wash.

The wash stage

For the wash stage, we strongly recommend using a dedicated car shampoo as washing-up liquid can degrade your paint. Use a proper cleaning mitt and not a sponge, as well, and preferably use two buckets – one filled with the shampoo mixture and another with clean water that you use to rinse the wash mitt.

While washing, remember to work from the top down as generally the lowest areas of the car are the ones that will have the most dirt, which you won’t want to spread around. Remember to rinse the wash mitt regularly and work in straight, not circular, motions as this could cause swirls that dullen your vehicle’s finish over time.

Drying and finishing touches

Once the car has been thoroughly washed, give it one final rinse down. While it’s tempting to leave it at that, you don’t want any water spots to be left on the vehicle, which is why we recommend using a proper microfibre towel to pat it dry. Don’t forget to clean the door and boot shuts either, as these can attract water which you don’t want to leave sitting there over time as it can cause rust over time.

If you want to go a step further, it could be worth applying some protection to the vehicle, such as a wax or sealant, which will help to preserve the finish and also make it clean next time. That final point is important, as it’s an easy way to keep on top of cleaning a car because it makes it less time-consuming when you next go to spruce up your car.

A Government target for electric car chargers near motorways has been missed, new analysis shows.

The Department for Transport (DfT) set an ambition for there to be at least six rapid or ultra-rapid chargers at every motorway service area in England by the end of 2023.

But just 46 out of 119 sites (39%) meet the target, according to RAC analysis of data from charger locator service Zapmap.

That is up from 23% at the end of April.

Four locations – Leicester Forest on both sides of the M1, Tebay South on the M6 and Barton Park on the A1(M) – have no charging facilities whatsoever.

Rapid charge points can add 100 miles of range to an electric vehicle (EV) in around 35 minutes.

They are seen as crucial to encouraging more motorists who make long journeys to switch from petrol or diesel to electric.

A DfT document from March 2022 stated that “many operators” of motorway services had “embraced the ambition” to install six high-powered chargers by the end of 2023, with “over 70%” of locations having a plan to deliver this.

It added: “We will continue to work with site operators to ensure that every site is reached.”

The document stated that a £950 million rapid charging fund would support the rollout of these chargepoints across England’s motorways and major A roads.

The fund was set to be available for applications from spring 2023 but has not been opened.

A £70 million pilot scheme for up to 10 motorway service areas and a consultation on the wider fund were launched in November last year.

RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: “It’s clear from our research that the Government has fallen well short of its target of having six high-powered chargers at every motorway service area in England.

“There is undoubtedly an eagerness among chargepoint companies and motorway service operators to install these types of units but unfortunately, it’s often the high-power cabling to the grid that’s the major barrier which is out of their hands.

“More clearly needs to be done to make this process simpler than it is currently.

“Hopefully once the Government’s rapid charging fund kicks fully into action, some of these hurdles will be overcome.

“We continue to believe that the wide availability of ultra-rapid charging is crucial in giving both current and future EV drivers confidence to know they can easily make journeys beyond the range of their vehicles in a time-efficient way.”

A DfT spokeswoman said: “The number of public chargepoints is surging across the country and around 96% of motorway services now offer charging facilities for drivers.

“As well as our £70 million pilot to help roll out ultra-rapid chargepoints on motorways, we are driving forward the biggest reforms to our electricity grid since the 1950s – halving the time it takes to build networks, and speeding up connections.”

Councils in London collected nearly £8.5 million through pavement parking fines in the 12 months up to November this year.

New research by Autocar found that 22 London councils generated a total of £8,442,068 from Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) issued to drivers who had parked on the pavement. However, the research also found that of the 167,066 PCNs issued, only 111,495 had been paid meaning that close to a third of the charges had yet to be resolved.

Parking contravention code 62 – or rule 244 in the Highway Code – prohibits vehicles from being parked with one or more wheels on the pavement. Earlier this month, the Scottish government introduced a new law banning pavement parking with drivers slapped with a £100 fine if they were found to be flouting the rules.

However, in London, it was the borough of Newham which proved to be a flashpoint for pavement parking fines with more than 21,000 PCNs issued in this area alone. Despite a high proportion of unpaid fines, Newham earned £936,391 during the same period.

Mark Tisshaw, Autocar editor, said: “Scotland is following London’s lead by clamping down on pavement parking, which can have serious consequences for pedestrians – especially those with reduced mobility. Drivers across the country – in both rural and urban areas – need to understand the rules to avoid being fined.”

By law, any profit made from parking penalties must be used to fund off-street parking, help public transport services or highway maintenance.

Mercedes will use turquoise-coloured lights in its self-driving cars when they go on the road in America.

Becoming the world’s first car maker to do so, Mercedes has gained permits for the use of turquoise-coloured ‘market lights’ in California and Nevada, allowing vehicles in both states to use these lights as a way of highlighting their self-driving nature to other road users.

The California permit applies to testing vehicles over a two-year period, while in Nevada it covers 2026 production-year vehicles and will remain ‘valid until a statutory modification is achieved with the state legislature.’

Markus Schäfer, member of the board of management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, chief technology officer, development & purchasing, said: “With the development of automated driving marker lights, Mercedes-Benz is once again setting new industry standards. We are the first automaker in the world to receive such approvals in the U.S., specifically in California and Nevada. The more automated driving vehicles populate the road, the more important communication and interaction between the vehicle and the environment become.”

Mercedes says that both permits allow the brand to ‘gain important insights into the interaction of automated vehicles and other road users’ with the distinctive marker light colour introduced to help ‘substantially enhance’ public acceptance of automated driving.

The turquoise colour was selected as it provides ‘reliable and fast detection for other road users’ but is still easy to differentiate from other existing lighting colours, such as those on emergency service vehicles or within traffic lights.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has launched its own insurance product after customers of its vehicles struggled to get cover following a spate of keyless Range Rover thefts.

Autocar reported earlier in the year that owners of Range Rovers in London – a hot spot for thefts – were struggling to insure their vehicles or facing soaring premiums if they could. Vehicles such as the previous-generation Range Rover and Range Rover Sports are among the UK’s most stolen cars.

JLR is now launching its own insurance with the firm saying it has been ‘developed to help alleviate recent challenges clients have faced when seeking insurance’.

Targeted primarily at Range Rover owners, but also available to Jaguar and Land Rover Defender and Discovery drivers, the firm says it has provided more than 4,000 quotes to owners since October, with an average ‘monthly premium of less than £200’, though this is considerably more than the average monthly premium of £74, according to Compare the Market’s data.

JLR has been rolling out a security update on various Range Rover models made since 2018 to help reduce the likelihood of keyless theft, and says it has ‘proactively shared’ its latest data that is said to demonstrate their improved security ‘to help increase the range of insurance options on the open market’.

The firm also says its own insurance makes sure that repairs are completed by a JLR-authorised bodyshop.

A JLR spokesperson said: “Customers of luxury cars and other luxury items are experiencing an increase in thefts due to organised criminal activity in the UK. The desirability of our luxury vehicles, coupled with concerns around thefts, has recently led to challenges in obtaining insurance cover for some clients.

“We are fully committed to doing everything we can to address this by adopting a multifaceted approach: from our significant investment in vehicle security, to now providing our own insurance.”