April 2003
From page 33 of today?s Daily Mail:
?Big Brother? in the boot that will stop drivers speeding? by Ray Massey, Transport Editor
Cars are to be fitted with electronic devices that will automatically keep drivers within the speed limit in trial costing £2 million.
If successful, manufacturers could be ordered to fit the ?black box? limiters costing between £100 and £200 to all new cars within a decade.
Supporters say the idea could save more than 1,000 lives a year. But, coming at a time when speed cameras are proliferating, it triggered fresh allegations of Big Brother-style interference to slow cars down.
The Government is backing the two-year experiment by Leeds University and the motor industry research body MIRA, which will involve up to 20 Skoda Fabia cars.
The system ? which could eventually make speed cameras redundant ? is known as Intelligent Speed Adaption and works in a similar way to in-car satellite navigation systems.
Its backers say it could be easily and relatively cheaply integrated into existing dashboard technology.
Each Skoda has a small computer in the boot which carries in its memory a digital road map showing the limits on all roads in Leeds, as well as the motorways around the UK.
A satellite positioning system tell s the computer where the car is at all times.
When a vehicle drives into an area where the speed limit drops from, say 40mph to 30mph, a signal is sent to a device which controls the engine management system, preventing the speed from rising above the legal limit.
The driver hears a ?beep? when the limit changes and can see a warning on the electronic map on the dashboard.
The system detects whether the driver is responding to the new limit. If not, the car will begin braking automatically some 300 yards before the 30mph sign.
Drivers taking part in the trial will be able to override the system in an emergency, for example to accelerate out of danger.
It is not known, however, if an override would be included if the device was approved for general use.
Professor Oliver Carston from Leeds University?s department of transport studies, who is leading the project denied it smacked of Big Brother.
?I don?t think it is Big Brother to enforce the law,? he said. ?This system is cheaper than speed cameras and more effective at changing driver behaviour.?
A 12-month trial has already been carried out successfully on one Ford Escort. In the new project, some 80 drivers will be monitored in sessions lasting six months easch ? checking their driving for a month before the limiter is switched on, for four months while it is on and then for one month without it.
Professor Carsten said: ?We want to assess whether the system changes people?s driving habits.?
?Once the system is switched off, they may feel so liberated that they drive like a bat out of hell. Alternatively, they might be more aware of speed limits and be better drivers.?
Initial tests showed that drivers felt safer and had fewer near-misses with pedestrians or cyclists. Jonathan Simpson of the RAC Foundation, said: ?We think the real danger is that this system would put motorists on auto-pilot rather than, in any way, thinking about their speed.?
Discuss?
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Anyone familiar with E36 (older model) 328i Coupe (1999)?
Need to
1. Replace n/s headlamp bulb (low beam)
2. Replace o/s headlamp unit or, at the least, the outer glass
Questions:
1. Do I need to take the headlamp unit out to replace the bulb?
2. If only the glass is damaged, how easy is it to simply replace the glass as opposed to the whole unit? Do I need any special equipment or seals or does the glass simply slot in to place?
Thanks in advance Read more
Questions:
1. Do I need to take the headlamp unit out to
replace the bulb?
2. If only the glass is damaged, how easy is it
to simply replace the glass as opposed to the whole unit?
Do I need any special equipment or seals or does the
glass simply slot in to place?
Thanks in advance
1. no you do not need to take out headlight unit. IIRC you unscrew the back cover of the light and just unclip the bulb.
2. don't know
Hi.
Pushing the boat out on this one and asking for some serious backroomer help. I have just had a Controle Technique (MOT) on my VW Passat CDTDI (which is British) in order to get new French licence plates as I now live in France full time. However, at the MOT the passat failed on hand brake (not serious), but also because the head lights point the wrong way (the lens is for British cars which drive on the left). The MOT chap told me to get new lenses (made in Europe, set for driving on the right) or new lights in total. VW main dealer only sells full front light sets, not lenses and guess what, they cost 400E a pair!!!! So I called a small garage and found a price for 210E a pair, which is more reasonable. Apparently the lenses are not available on there own and moreover I have already called 10 scrap yards all to no avail. Ok, so I am stuck with changing the lights and thus falling into legality with European standards? Is there any way round this?
One more thing, the stickers that most of us tape onto our head lights when touring in Europe are apparently on valid for 6 months duration, and only on a car of UK licence plates. They are only for Tourist use and the European governments are apparently annoyed that they have to put up with the dangers (so they say) that the British cars cause on the continent with their lights set for left side drive - night time blinding i suppose.
many thanks
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thanks everyone, i think on balance that i am stuck with getting the new lights. I have phoned dozens of breakers all to no avail, plus i am hesitant about getting these things posted to me aas they could arrive cracked or damager quite easily. I have sourced a supplier who can get them for 202 euros the pair, whihc aint too bad, so wqill go with that. The control technique (MOT) will not accept the plastic strips on the lens as legally permissable. In other words, pink fulffy dice
Having finally put SWMBO's 1.8 20V Passat back together following a cambelt failure (20 very bent valves, but thankfully no other damage!), I gave it a 30-mile 'test run' last night - and all seemed well :-)
However, on starting the car this morning, the 'Climatronic' system just refused to operate - no display, no nothing. Resorting to technical diagnosis, I gave the surrounding area a couple of 'gentle thumps', whereupon the system sprang into life! Looking more closely, I had accidentally caught the rear window demister switch, and was somewhat perplexed to find that the 'Climatronic' now only operates with the demister switched on!!!
Any ideas??? I haven't had chance to investigate further - that's tonight's joy, just hoping someone's seen it before........! Read more
Had similar thoughts, Dave, so had another look this evening (not too long 'cos it's b****y cold out there!).
Had a look at the fuses - found No.5 fuse blown, listed in handbook as 'air conditioning'. Hmmmm - stuck in spare, and it blew too. Pulled Climatronic control unit and disconnected all four plugs. Try another fuse - and that blew too!
Guess this is good news because the control unit probably isn't U/S, but bad news because I don't have the wiring diagrams to determine what else fuse 5 supplies (which is probably where the fault lies). My Haynes manual only gives wiring diagrams for the manual air conditioning model.
Short of taking it to a dealer (waves Holy Cross and garlic at arm's length!!), is there any way of obtaining the appropriate wiring diagram??
Amazed no mention so far of the front page article from Sir John last Saturday.
Absolutely correct in his thoughts on enjoying motoring in a realistic manner.
MM Read more
Wondered if anyone would comment on Sir John's photo on the front page and a likeness to a certain Liverpudlian actor.
Wondered if he went to Peter Hall DT Editor and said "Gizza job!"
But well said Sir John. Now I'd better get writing to balance up the input from N of the Border! You should have kept quiet!
Guys, I have recently bought a Mondeo 1.8 LX TD. I changed the glow plugs myself and replaced the air filter and the oil, oil filter.
while changing the glow plugs I disconnected the trottle cable from top of the diesel pump, and manage put it back together afterwards. since then whenever i start the car in the mornings, I get alot of smoke when starting up, it has a funny smell and the smoke is dark. There appears to be a loss of power at the begining. The car does not picks up for a while. Car uses alot of fuel in this phase. Once the car is warmed up it drives fine.
Could someone recommend what if anything i could do to sort this problem out?.
Many thanks
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Something strange is happening to my wife's Golf Mk3. It is not particularly a problem but more a nuisance. The digital clock resets itself to midnight every now and then. My first thought it that the battery is somehow disconecting itself but this sounds a bit strange as the car runs around happily.
Do you guys have any thoughts and could there be a larger problem lurking?
Ta. Read more
I had the same problem recently on same model. It turned out that my battery was nearing the end of it's life but I couldn't complain, it was nine years old and had had a lot of cold starts.
Hehe - this is what we have to put up with.
More than half of all driving licences issued since 1998 are thought to have been issued in an "irregular manner", according to the acting minister of transport, Jeff Radebe.
"It is very difficult to make an accurate estimate of the number of fake or invalid driving licences.
"licences are sold to applicants, eye tests are not done, applicants are not tested as prescribed, or not tested at all, and licences are being authorised by non-authorised examiners."
It was estimated that over 5 000 fraudulent foreign licences, including Mozambican, Congolese, Chinese and Pakistani licences, had been converted to the new format.
In the Western Cape, it was estimated that more than 3 000 fraudulent Cameroonian, Namibian, Congolese, Transkeian, Ciskeian, Ethiopian and Somali licences had been converted, and another 750 were under investigation.
... and up to 10 000 fraudulent Transkei and Ciskei licences "are floating around".
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LOL Ian! I can take you to a place in Chinatown where all you need is 2 photos and about 3 pounds per license and you can have as many made as you want. Takes 2-3 hours. Order more than 5 and they give you 10% off.
They don't have the hologram facility yet but that's OK because if you quote an address in the provinces you can say the license was issued by an office that isn't computerised yet.
I have and always carry a genuine license, but always have a few fakes on hand to have them confiscated when I get apprehended for some imaginary offence along with a request for a "consideration" to forget the matter. It saves time going to the so-called correction class for a day in an iron-roofed shed under 38 C heat to get your real one back. Common practice.
We also have a mandatory drug test for license renewal. Costs 300 pesos. You go in the "comfort room" (along with clothes-peg for the nose) and fill the bottle. Returning to the issuing officer, you hand it in and he just places it on the shelf with lots of others while he approves your application. When I asked why my "spedcimen" wasn't tested I was told they had run out of the testing strips 3 months ago!
....on motorbikes hunting in pairs on the A246 this morning. How refreshing! It certainly made me check my speed more often than normal - not just at the scamera!
Just proves that in at least one case a physical presence is more effective at crime prevention than relying on automation.
Oh - I was okay but a couple of school run mums are a few quid worse off :o)
Terry Read more
Well, my wife has had her new Ka for a week now and is well pleased.
My question regards how secure this car would be to drive away theft by the likes of a typical kill-joyrider. Does the fact that the key has an embedded chip mean that they will not get the engine to start, or that it would simply take too long to hot-wire, and therefore not bother? Or can they do it quite quickly?
We currently use a Stoplock Pro as a (hopefully) visual deterrent, and were wondering about up-grading to one of the type that fully encloses the steering wheel, but regarding the above do we need to? Read more
Thanks for that Renault Family, the sort of thing I was wanting to hear and which I had already half-supposed. It's also the reason why I don't bother with any extra security on my Clio dci as I reckoned that it would have a more sophisticated ecu than the Ford, and certainly can not be hot-wired like older diesels could be. I was just slightly worried that a Ford like the Ka may be easier to steal as it is quite a basic, older designed car.
Gen, good idea, but it comes with two already fitted.
Browse
Funny you should say that HF. I'm Manchester now but grew up 30 odd miles west along the M62. At this rate of drift I'll be spending my retirement years in Hull.