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Increase for April’s new car registrations
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The SMMT has released figures regarding the rise in new car registrations for April which are up by 3.3%, to make up 142,322 units. This is the largest percentage increase of the year so far, causing the SMMT to adjust its 2012 forecast figures for a more positive result; this rise should continue to boost consumer confidence.
Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive has said “A strong April has raised confidence across the UK motor industry with registrations increasing by 3.1%.”
The growth is an encouraging sign that the market is stabilising after also witnessing a strong March; if the current revised SMMT 2012 target is hit for the year then this would represent a growth of 0.4% on 2011’s figures.
April’s market progress was evident in many vehicle segments; the small car, executive/sports car and dual-purpose vehicles. However it was not all good news as fleet and business registrations shrunk by 3.4% and 11.2% respectively.
Report details the average rates of independent garages.
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AftermarketOnline.net has published details of a recent report from the RMI’s Independent Garage Association (IGA), which includes the labour rates charged by garages across the UK.
Perhaps unsurprisingly London was named the most expensive region with average labour rates of £51 per hour, whilst Northern Ireland has cheapest labour rates. The report also shows these independent garage rates are half the price of the rates charged by comparable franchise dealers.
The report surveyed over 2,000 IGA members and from this figure only two were charging more than £90 an hour and the significant majority were charging less than £50 an hour.
Google granted license for ‘self-driven cars’
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For some time now Google has been looking to establish driverless car technology, and it appears it has come one step closer.
The internet giant has been granted the nation’s first autonomous vehicle license by Nevada’s Department of Motor Vehicles. It has been reported that the license was obtained after officials took a ride in the modified Toyota Prius. The issuing of a license means that Google will be able to carry out further tests on Nevada’s public roads and the car will be allocated red Nevada License plates with a Greek infinity symbol intended to alert other motorists that the vehicle is computer controlled.
Google’s self driven cars utilize radar sensors, a laser range sensor and video cameras mounted to the roof to “see” other traffic.
The general public will not be able to obtain a self-driven vehicle license just yet; however this is Google’s eventual aim.
Late fines costing motorists millions per year
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The website www.AutoExpress.com has revealed new research into the ways in which people pay their motoring fines, or don’t for that matter.
The website has found that more than 30 percent of motorists don’t pay fines such as speeding tickets, within the 28 day deadline; this leads to penalty price increasing by 50 percent. In total motorists are wasting as much as £18 million a year on these inflated fines.
The individual departments behind the fines are allowed to ease the 28 day payment period, however research has shown that this is a rare occurrence. Depending on the region you live in it will take over 50 days before the courts get involved.
However the number of speeding tickets issued are falling, fewer fines were handed out in 2010 compared to 2009. Reasons for the reduced amount of fines issued can be down to the decline in active speed cameras and the rise in speed awareness courses – many speeding offences can now lead to an awareness course, not license points.
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