motoring
NewsPA Media: MotoringUK’s top 30 hotspots worst affected by ‘crash for cash’ scams revealed
The Insurance Fraud Bureau wants drivers to remain vigilant as lockdown eases and more people take to the roads.
BusinessPA Media: MotoringGordon Murray Group announces £300m investment in automotive operations
UK-based car design firm is introducing new electric vehicle division.
NewsReutersU.S. opens safety probe into 1.1 million Honda Accord vehicles
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Monday it was opening a formal safety probe into more than 1.1 million Honda Motor Co Ltd Accord vehicles over sudden loss of steering control reports. The agency said the engineering analysis covers 2013 through 2015 models and said "under normal driving conditions, with no warning or input from the driver, the vehicle may veer or jerk out of its intended path of travel." Honda said it was aware of the investigation and "takes all safety-related concerns seriously and will continue to cooperate with the NHTSA through the investigation process, as we also continue our own internal review of the available information."
BusinessPA Media: MotoringMercedes-Benz EQA range expanded with faster all-wheel-drive options
Mercedes’ small electric vehicle now comes with more variety.
NewsPA Media: MotoringVolkswagen shares first look at new Polo GTI
Sporty supermini will be fully revealed at the end of June.
BusinessThe ConversationChina’s digital currency could be the future of money – but does it threaten global stability?
The digital yuan could make transactions faster, cheaper and more transparent, but there are dangers for the global economy.
NewsThe ConversationFive things that family businesses must do to survive hard times
The British royal family has got more in common with the average family business than you might first imagine.
TechnologyPA Media: MotoringPorsche releases first official images of the electric Macan SUV
The model has been testing on public roads ahead of its 2023 launch.
BusinessThe IndependentElectric cars ‘will be cheaper than fossil fuel vehicles by 2027’
Electric vehicles could begin to dominate new sales in Europe within fifteen years, according to new forecast
TechnologyPA Media: MotoringFirst drive: The MG HS PHEV brings electrification to this family SUV
With a growing number of electrified crossovers to choose from, should the MG HS PHEV be your pick? Ted Welford finds out.
NewsPA Media: MotoringThe Mercedes-Benz EQT previews a seven-seat EV coming next year
German firm unveils near-production-ready electric van.
TechnologyPA Media: MotoringSeat introduces new autonomous robots at Barcelona factory
The robots will work collaboratively with staff at the site.
BusinessPA Media: MotoringThe Toyota GR Super Sport hypercar could have close to 1,000bhp
Firm’s flagship performance model is based on the new World Endurance Championship race car.
LifestyleThe TelegraphBMW X7 review: the large SUV you’ll either love or loathe
Your perception of the BMW X7 will likely rest on your reaction to its outsize grille. You might feel the X7’s nose is grand and imposing, bestowing upon this biggest of big BMW SUVs a sense of class and hauteur that sets it apart from more lowly offerings. You may, on the other hand, think it resembles nothing as much as a pair of oversized, chrome-plated rabbit incisors, and constitutes a crass and thinly-veiled effort to make the X7 look intimidating in other road users’ rear-view mirrors. Make up your own mind. Regardless, behind that grille lurks a car for which BMW has high hopes. Until now, its largest SUV offering was the X5, a car that almost single-handedly defined the sports utility vehicle in the late 90s. Now, though, BMW is expanding into a market hitherto dominated by larger, more luxurious SUVs like the Range Rover and Mercedes-Benz GLS. Can the BMW badge carry enough heft to succeed here? And more importantly, does the X7 have what it takes to cut it against such esteemed competition? Pros Incredibly smooth and quiet Genuinely usable third row of seats (and boot) Remarkably good fun to drive Cons Not cheap to buy Sheer size makes it unwieldy Question mark over resale values Under the skin You can get your X7 in two basic flavours; both are powered by 3.0-litre straight-six engines with turbos, and both get a small electric boost from a mild hybrid battery and generator. The xDrive40i is the petrol model, with 328bhp, while the diesel xDrive 40d we’re testing here has 335bhp.
NewsPA Media: MotoringMost drivers back wider use of average speed cameras on motorways
More than half said they would be in favour of using them more away from roadworks.
BusinessThe TelegraphElon Musk's self driving claims contradicted by Tesla engineers
Elon Musk’s enthusiastic public claims about Tesla’s self-driving technology have been privately contradicted by the car company’s own employees, who told authorities that the billionaire’s comments do not “match engineering reality”. Documents from California’s Department of Motor Vehicles appear to show that a Tesla director told the regulator that the company was some way away from being fully autonomous. Mr Musk has repeatedly stated that Tesla is approaching the point where its vehicles can drive themselves. Since 2016, the company has sold cars that it says will be capable of being fully autonomous, and has allowed users to pay thousands of dollars up front for access to the technology when it is available. However, the company has repeatedly missed its chief executive’s deadlines. Mr Musk once said that a Tesla will be able to drive itself across the United States by the end of 2017 - a feat it is yet to publicly achieve - and said in 2019 that the company would launch a robotaxi service in 2020 that would allow owners to rent out their self-driving cars as taxis. He claimed late last year that the company would achieve “level 5” autonomy, the point at which a car needs no human intervention, by the end of 2021. The DMV documents, obtained under freedom of information laws by the investigative website Plainsite, detail a call between the regulator’s staff and Tesla engineers in March after officials asked for clarification on Mr Musk’s latest claim. A memo about the call states that “Elon’s tweet does not match engineering reality per CJ”, referring to CJ Moore, Tesla’s director of Autopilot. It is unclear what tweet Mr Moore was referring to, although Mr Musk had made similar claims at an awards show in December, and repeated them in an investor call in January. The Tesla director also stated that Tesla was currently at “level 2” autonomy, a limited capability that involves a car being able to assist driving by controlling steering and speed. The company has made an early version of its self driving system available to a group of drivers, although videos from early testers posted on YouTube have shown the system making errors and requiring human intervention. Tesla is also under scrutiny over its Autopilot software, the more limited driver assistance system designed to steer, brake and accelerate on motorways. US regulators are investigating more than 20 crashes in which Autopilot was involved. The company itself has claimed that Autopilot results in far fewer crashes per mile than when human drivers are in control of a vehicle. Tesla is gradually expanding access to its full-self driving software.
BusinessThe IndependentTesla’s rivals hijack SNL adverts during Elon Musk debut
Lucid Motors, Ford and Volkswagen all reportedly boasting their electric models
TechnologyThe IndependentCar review: The Cupra Formentor e-Hybrid is a highly styled affair
As a package, the plug-in hybrid should reward you with low running costs blended with more than adequate performance, space and a kind of exclusivity that derives from rarity, writes Sean O’Grady
BusinessPA Media: MotoringGenesis hints towards upcoming estate model
Korean brand has recently announced its presence in Europe.
NewsPA Media: MotoringElectric Bristol Buccaneer to kickstart firm’s revival
Bristol Cars aims to become a leading British electric vehicle company by 2026.
LifestyleEvening StandardWhat lies beneath: the ‘secret’ tech under your SUV’s bonnet
City-dwelling owners of 4x4s can test their skills and SUV’s capabilities at Land Rover’s Experience Centres
TechnologyPA Media: MotoringNew Hyundai Ioniq 5 to start from £36,995
Electric car is underpinned by an entirely new platform.
NewsPA Media: MotoringThe budget convertibles to get your hands on this summer
Fancy a slice of that wind-in-your-hair experience but don’t want to break the bank? Here are some of the best options.
NewsPA Media: MotoringSubaru reveals new Outback model will start at £33,995
Go-anywhere estate model has proved popular with those who live active lifestyles.
BusinessPA Media: MotoringUsed car prices continue to surge following dealerships reopening
Post-lockdown used car demand is driving massive growth.