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Insurers warn over automated vehicle cyber security

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
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The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has urged the motor industry to make sure vehicles have a sufficient level of security to guard against cyber attacks.

Setting out suggested criteria for keeping automation safe, initially on motorways, the Association of British Insurers says automated driving systems “must be able to detect and minimise the consequences of cyber intrusions and data security breaches”.

This is to protect against the risk of hackers using connected services to spread viruses or to remotely access a vehicle’s controls with potentially disastrous results. This  means that strong cyber security could soon be more important for vehicles than their physical crime prevention features such as locks and immobilisers.

The recommendation, made at an ABI event on automated vehicles, is one of ten that insurers and research body Thatcham Research hope will be made part of a set of regulations all vehicles would have to meet before being allowed to operate in fully autonomous mode on the UK’s roads. 

Other points include the importance of vehicle data being available in the event of an accident and that vehicles must be able to handle emergency situations without driver intervention.

A consultation to work through the technical details of all the recommendations is now getting under way, which will then be passed on to relevant national and international regulators.

James Dalton, Director of General Insurance Policy at the ABI, said: “Insurers are major supporters of autonomous vehicles, which have the potential to dramatically improve road safety as well as transform mobility for thousands. However it is important that the transition from increasingly sophisticated driver assistance systems, already operating in modern cars, to fully autonomous vehicles is carefully handled to avoid unnecessary problems.

“In our increasingly connected world, cyber security is a crucial issue for everything from televisions to fitness trackers. Our cars are no different. If people are to put their trust in a vehicle to get them safely from A to B, building in appropriate cyber security is essential and should be a compulsory requirement before any car is allowed to effectively drive itself. It’s easy to imagine that a vehicle’s cyber security systems will soon be its most important crime prevention feature, ensuring the cars of the future are protected from data thefts and other malicious attacks.”

Total Supply Chain Summit – Last 2 FREE VIP tickets

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
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We have just two free VIP tickets left for this month’s Total Supply Chain Summit.

This two-day event takes place on May 20th & 21stat Heythrop Park, Oxfordshire.

These VIP places will go quickly, so register now!

  • Source innovative and budget-saving suppliers
  • Attend insightful and inspirational seminar sessions
  • Network with like-minded peers
  • Enjoy complimentary overnight accommodation plus all meals and refreshments
  • An invitation to our networking dinner with entertainment

Find out more by contacting me today, but act swiftly as we are closing registration shortly.

Or to find out more, call Jamie Higgs on 01992 374058 or email j,higgs@forumevents.co.uk.

To attend as a supplier, call Nick Stannard on 01992 374092 or email n.stannard@forumevents.co.uk.

For more information, visit http://www.totalsupplychainsummit.co.uk.

What does the future of electric vehicles look like?

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What can we expect from our electric automobiles? Well, the concept of the electric car may have been around for over 100 years, but it’s only now that it is becoming a driving force in the car industry. With so many technological advances, cars are rapidly changing, with fully autonomous cars set to be rolled out by 2020. Lookers, who provide Mercedes Benz Serviceplans, take a further look… 

How possible is an all – electric future?

Last year, there was an 27% increase in purchasing electric cars compared to the previous year.  However, if the government is to reach its target of three out of five cars being electric in just over 10 years, it’s argued that more must be done to make this a reality. 

An all-electric future is likely to happen in the near future. Ministers were informed earlier this year that most new cars would have to be electric by 2030. 

In fact, the buzzword was ‘electrification’ at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show. This meant that every car of a certain brand will be available in an electric version. While there are currently models, such as the smart caravailable under its umbrella, Mercedes, parent company, Daimler, announced at the German event that they too would have electric versions of its own fleet by 2022. There’s plenty available! 

However, this didn’t necessarily mean that they would be a fully electric battery-powered vehicle, as the term could also refer to hybrid models. 

Why are electric cars so popular?

Electric cars need a lot less maintenance care, as they have 10-times fewer moving parts to cars powered by diesel or petrol. Also, the prices are steadily coming down, making the initial outlay a lot less hefty. Another perk is that since electricity is a renewable energy, there will always be power available to utilise.

Why is an electric future becoming increasingly likely to happen? 

Protecting the environment has become a worldwide issue – and rightly so. Whether it’s cutting back on unnecessary plastic usage, or cutting back on emissions, creating a greener environment is at the forefront of our plans. 

Electric motors are widely seen as a way for us to improve the quality of our air and meet climate goals, and the production of new diesel and petrol cars is planned to cease by 2040. It has been proposed that these vehicles will be off the roads altogether 10 years later. With emission charges already in place in London, other major motorways, including the M4 and M32, are expected to start holding pollution taxes by 2020, meaning that you’ll need to switch to electric cars to avoid these costs.

Purchasing an electric car can personally save you money in the long term and Go Ultra Low also claims that a full charge could cost as little as £3, meaning it may cost approximately 3p per mile. 

What is being done to help with this?

It was reported in February last year that there were approximately 12,000 electric car charging points across the UK. By July this year, that figure had risen to over 17,000 across 6,000 locations, according to ZapMap. 

Worldwide, there are over two million ports, but for the public to go fully electric, this number will have to dramatically increase. Not only that, but there will have to be a lot more batteries produced, and the power to charge them would have to be generated somewhere.This highlights that EV charger installationis now a big part of the action plans for power companies as they bid to provide a low-carbon connection gateway.

It’s clear that, one day, there will be an all-electric future. Whether it happens in the time frame proposed, we will just have to wait and see!

Sources

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-41268513

http://uk.businessinsider.com/google-apple-tesla-race-to-develop-driverless-cars-by-2020-2016-7?r=US&IR=T

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-42709763

www.alphr.com/cars/1008121/electric-and-hybrid-car-sales-hit-record-numbers-in-2017

https://www.goultralow.com/category/ownership/savings/

https://news.sky.com/story/petrol-and-diesel-cars-banned-from-uk-roads-by-2040-10962075

Fleet Services Management Summit – Everything you need to know

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
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Make sure you register for the Fleet Services Management Summit, which is taking place on November 11th & 12th – it will be the best time you spend out of the office this year.

Ensure you have a delegate place by registering for your free VIP ticket.

As a VIP guest, you will be benefit from:

  • A personalised itinerary of face-to-face meetings with innovative suppliers who match your requirements and upcoming projects. No time wasted, no hard sell.
  • Access to educational and inspirational seminar sessions.
  • Networking opportunities with like-minded peers.
  • Full hospitality, including lunch and all refreshments.
  • An invitation to our gala dinner with entertainment
  • Overnight accommodation

It’s entirely FREE to attend. Simply click here to register.

For more information call Katie Bullot on 01992 374049 or email k.bullot@forumevents.co.uk.

Alternatively, to attend as a supplier, call Chris Cannon on 01992 374096 or email c.cannon@forumevents.co.uk.

NIC: ‘Ban new diesel HGV sales by 2040’

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
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Ministers should ban the sale of new diesel HGV lorries by no later than 2040, according to a new report by the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC).

The development of hydrogen and battery HGVs is already well advanced and vehicles are expected to be commercially available in the early 2020s.

Sir John Armitt, the Commission chairman, said the move was necessary to provide the freight industry with the certainty it needs to invest in new, green technologies and prepare for an environmentally friendly future.

The ban on new sales of diesel HGVs should also be part of wider efforts to support the entire road and rail freight industry to become carbon-free by 2050, and also to help ease worsening congestion.

Measures should include the government setting a clear framework for freight at all levels of the UK’s planning system to ensure the needs of the sector are considered in land use, local plans and new developments.

The NIC says the UK freight industry is one of the most efficient and competitive in the world, using air, sea, road and rail to maximise its effectiveness in the face of capacity and technical constraints. In 2016, the road and rail freight industry moved 1.4 billion tonnes of goods.

But with the increase in same day delivery services, just-in-time manufacturing processes and internet shopping, demand on the sector is set to grow.

The NIC says that over the next 30 years heavy freight transport in the UK is expected to increase by at least 27 per cent – and could rise by as much as 45 per cent. And the number of miles covered by vans delivering goods could increase by as much as 89 per cent over the same period.

Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission Sir John Armitt said: “Whether it’s retailers, manufacturers or each of us as consumers, we all rely heavily on our freight industry. As one of the most efficient in the world, it rarely fails to deliver.

“But we are paying the price for this miracle of modern service through the impact on our environment and air quality, and through congestion on our roads. Government must act to help businesses tackle these issues.

“Today’s report says we need to set out bold plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel HGVs, bring emissions from freight on both road and rail to zero and give the industry greater visibility in Whitehall and town halls.”

Commissioner Bridget Rosewell OBE said: “Heavy goods traffic on our roads could increase sharply over the coming decades, and distances covered by light goods vehicles like vans could come close to doubling.

“Clear, decisive action – including a ban on new diesel HGV sales and tackling emissions from rail freight – is needed now if we’re to have a zero carbon freight industry by 2050, which could help us to meet our stretching climate change targets.”

Commissioner Andy Green said: “Unless the government commits now to working with the industry, the impact of freight on congestion and carbon emissions will only increase, damaging the quality of life of communities up and down the country.

“Freight can no longer be a mere afterthought, but must be factored into long term transport plans, with a coordinated approach across government departments to ensure it doesn’t slip through the cracks.”

“That’s why we’re recommending city authorities should also incorporate freight as part of their long term infrastructure strategies, alongside transport, jobs and new homes.”

Do you specialise in Fleet Management Software? We want to hear from you!

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
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Each month on Fleet Management Briefing we’re shining the spotlight on a different part of the fleet & logistics market – and in May we’ll be focussing on Fleet Management Software.

It’s all part of our ‘Recommended’ editorial feature, designed to help fleet buyers find the best products and services available today.

So, if you’re a supplier of Fleet Management Software and would like to be included as part of this exciting new shop window, we’d love to hear from you – for more info, contact Chris Cannon on 01992 374096 / c.cannon@forumevents.co.uk.

Here are the areas we’ll be covering in 2019, month by month:

May – Fleet Management Software
June – Telematics
July – Contract Hire & Leasing
August – LPG/Alternative Fuel & Fuel Management
September – Vehicle Tracking
October – Duty of Care
November – Grey Fleet
December – Service, Maintenance & Repair

For more information on any of the above, contact Chris Cannon on 01992 374096 / c.cannon@forumevents.co.uk.

GUEST BLOG: Effectively managing driver risk by making safety part of every day

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
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By Andy Cuerden, Managing Director, Europe, eDriving

What do you do if a customer calls your company employee while they are driving?

An eDriving client recently shared a story about a customer calling their customer services department from a mobile phone while driving.

The customer services representative politely informed the customer: “I’m sorry, it is against our company policy to talk to customers when they are driving. Please call back when you’re not driving.” 

For eDriving, a risk management company with over 23 years of experience of working with fleets on a global scale, this story is an excellent real-world example of a safety culture successfully becoming part of an organisation’s DNA. Especially when you consider that, with a non-driving role, a customer services rep would not typically be part of a company’s road safety programme or subject to their mobile phone while driving/ distracted driving policies.

It clearly demonstrates that safe driving is top of the company’s agenda, across the whole organisation. And, despite the customer not being too impressed, the employee was fully supported by her line manager and leadership. 

The reason for sharing this story is to demonstrate that, while risk management might officially be the responsibility of your company’s health and safety, risk or fleet management departments; safety is in fact everyone’s responsibility. And that includes leadership. Regardless of job title, everyone wants to make it home safely at the end of every day and everyone therefore has a shared responsibility for your organisation’s safety mission. 

At eDriving we talk about working towards a crash-free culture®. That’s a culture in which risk  reduction efforts are at the forefront of your organisation’s activities and one that does not accept crashes as an inevitable part of driving for work. 

Making safety part of every day

Safety should be part of daily discussions, activities and meetings. It should also form part of performance reviews, annual conferences, etc. Any opportunity to bring safety to the table should be taken, so that it’s never seen as a “campaign”, or “tick-box” exercise. It must become a way of life. 

Driver policies, risk assessment and routine training should be standard, but these should be supplemented and supported by ongoing safety messaging that maintains or guides safer driving behaviours and quickly addresses risky behaviours before they become habits. In the digital age it’s relatively straightforward to communicate your safety goals, missions and objectives regularly. Think of different ways to engage employees; from email signatures to prizes for best performance, it all helps to keep the focus firmly fixed on driver safety. 

Start at the top

If creating a crash-free culture was easy, everyone would be doing it. It does take effort, but it’s worth it. Securing leadership backing is crucial for the messaging and commitment to work its way down – and across – your organisation’s hierarchy. 

Make sure all managers are on board and engaged, and give them the tools they need to communicate with their teams. Involve your customers and employees’ families wherever possible, who might include authorised drivers of company vehicles. Set goals, targets and produce analytics to measure progress. In-house attitude surveys will keep you on track, as well as informal discussions wherever possible.

It goes without saying that dialling into conference calls, sales or product development meetings while driving needs to become a thing of the past for ALL employees – yes you might experience pushback on this but if it’s company policy it’s important for everyone, at all levels, to live and breathe it.

And, interestingly, many of our clients report an increase in productivity, wellbeing, creativity and profitability when they prohibit the use of mobile phones while driving. 

Make use of actionable intelligence

While telematics data alone will not change driver behaviour, telematics data can provide helpful insights into how your crash-free culture and wider risk management programme is performing.

Acceleration, braking, cornering, speed vs. speed limit of the road, and distraction events data, combined with your drivers’ crash and licence endorsement history can help you to identify your most “at-risk” drivers for further support and coaching.

Similarly, this combination of data helps you to review the progress of your risk management programme and ensure that driver safety remains where it should be on your list of company priorities: right at the top, every day. 

About eDriving
eDriving helps organisations to reduce collisions, injuries, licence endorsements and total cost of ownership through a patented closed-loop driver behaviour-based safety programme that reduces collisions by up to 67% and provides ROI of 20-40%. 

Mentor by eDriving’s comprehensive systemprovides behavioural insights and actionable intelligence to help organisations build a total view of driver risk within a company-wide crash-free culture to ensure that all drivers return home safely to their loved ones at the end of each day. 

eDriving is the risk management partner of choice for many of the world’s largest and safest fleets, having served over 1 million drivers in 45 languages and 96 countries over its 23 years in the industry. eDriving’s programme has been recognised through 70+ client and partner awards around the world.    

EU backs new vehicle safety standards

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
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The European Parliament has given the green light to new minimum EU vehicle safety requirements that will come into force from 2022.

The vote by the full parliament, at its last session of this mandate, follows a provisional deal reached by the EU institutions last month.

According to the final deal on the legislation, new cars, vans, lorries and buses sold in Europe will be fitted as standard with a range of new vehicle safety features such as Automated Emergency Braking which can detect pedestrians and cyclists, as well as overridable Intelligent Speed Assistance.

New lorries will be required to have improved levels of “direct vision” to give drivers a greater chance of seeing vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists around the vehicle.

The legislation also tackles drink driving, making it easier to retrofit an alcohol interlock device – a technological solution for tackling repeat drink driving in use in a number of EU Member States.

New vehicles will also be fitted with Electronic Data Recorders. But only data from a few seconds before, during and after a collision will be recorded, in order for analysis to take place that could help prevent future collisions.

Commenting on the vote, Antonio Avenoso, Executive Director of the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) said: “Thanks to this legislation, the latest safety technologies will be fitted as standard on new vehicles in Europe. It’s a massive step forward that could prevent 25,000 deaths on our roads within fifteen years. Importantly, the new requirements will also improve the safety of all road users, not just vehicle occupants. Lorry drivers will have better visibility of pedestrians and cyclists around their vehicles, all drivers will find it easier to keep within the posted speed limits, and automated emergency braking systems will be able to detect people, not just other vehicles.

“We would like to thank MEPs from across the political spectrum that have supported a number of important road safety measures over the last five years. Thanks to their commitment, many lifesaving measures have been agreed, including automatic emergency calling (eCall), cross-border enforcement of traffic offences, improved road infrastructure safety standards, and finally the world’s most advanced vehicle safety standards. These are major achievements that Europe can be proud of.”

Looking for new supply chain & logistics solutions? Start right here…

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
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Sourcing new suppliers, solutions and innovations is time-consuming and, frankly, dull. Hours of Googling, arranging meetings and travel… but there is another way.

The Total Supply Chain Summit is the answer.

20 & 21 May 2019 – Heythrop Park, Oxfordshire

This two-day event will give you the opportunity to meet with innovative and budget-saving suppliers, face-to-face, based on your own individual requirements.

No time wasted. And no hard sell.

It’s free for you to attend, plus overnight accommodation, all meals and refreshments, plus an invitation to our gala dinner with entertainment are included.

But you should register now to avoid disappointment as we have a limited number of free VIP places.

The suppliers attending will cover the full range of supply chain, logistics and distribution solutions, and include:

  • BITO Storage Systems – Storage Solutions
  • Ceva Logistics – Supply Chain Management
  • Honeywell – Voice-Enabled Work Solutions
  • Kite – Packaging Services
  • Lucas Systems – Warehouse Managed Solutions
  • SSI Schafer – Storage & Warehousing Solutions
  • Hermes – Parcel Delivery
  • TimoCom – Augmented Logistics
  • Rosss – Storage & Racking
  • Ideagen – Supply Chain Software
  • Neopost – Shipping/Tracking
  • Mda – Fulfillment
  • Peak-Ryzex – Enterprise Mobility Integrator
  • VIIA – Rail Freight
  • Viridor – Waste Management
  • VoiteQ – Voice-Directed Work Solutions
  • WTRON – Order Picking Solutions
  • Pallite – Pallets & Temp Storage

This is two days of ‘speed dating’ for business, and you’ll also have the opportunity to attend inspirational seminar sessions and network with like-minded professionals throughout the event.

Places are limited though, so register today.

Or to find out more, call Jamie Higgs on 01992 374058 or email j,higgs@forumevents.co.uk.

To attend as a supplier, call Nick Stannard on 01992 374092 or email n.stannard@forumevents.co.uk.

For more information, visit http://www.totalsupplychainsummit.co.uk.

UK front runner in £62 billion self-driving car race

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
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The UK is in pole position in the global race to market for connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs), with a £62 billion boost to the UK economy by 2030 up for grabs.

That’s according to a report published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) and Frost & Sullivan, which analyses the wide-ranging societal and economic benefits to be achieved by gradually increasing CAVs on our roads.

Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) such as Autonomous Emergency Braking and Collision Warning are already available on the majority of new cars registered in the UK.

Combined with the gradual introduction of automated vehicles from 2021, this will deliver massive safety benefits, the report claims.

Over the next decade, the technology is set to prevent 47,000 serious accidents and save 3,900 lives. At the same time, some 420,000 new jobs will be created, including in the automotive industry and other sectors such as telecoms and digital services.

Driving commuters, we’re told, will gain back the equivalent of a full working week thanks to more ‘downtime’ and smoother traffic flows during their commute.

Connected and Autonomous Vehicles: Winning the Global Race to Market identifies three critical areas that will help CAV rollout and in which the UK has a significant advantage: supportive regulation, enabling infrastructure and an attractive market.

With the world’s first insurance legislation for autonomous vehicles already in place, the most comprehensive review of road transport underway and more miles across motorways, urban and rural roads able to be driven autonomously, the reports says the UK is already ahead of global rivals in its readiness to commercialise self-driving technology.

It ranks the UK above other major automotive countries, including Germany, US, Japan and South Korea as a global destination for the mass rollout of CAVs.

To realise this potential, however, the reports says conditions must be right, and sustained support from government will be vital – particularly if we are to meet its ambition to get autonomous vehicles on to UK roads in 2021.

The report’s key recommendations for government include updating road traffic laws, improving 4G coverage across all road networks, encouraging local authorities to work with industry to implement urban mobility services and influencing future harmonisation of international regulations to ensure these new vehicles can operate seamlessly between the UK and abroad.

Crucially, however, the UK’s departure from the EU must be orderly with a deal that supports both the industry and technological collaboration, especially in data. A ‘no deal’ Brexit will result in lasting damage to the UK’s reputation as a politically stable destination for inward investment, putting the benefits identified in the report at risk.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said: “A transport revolution stands before us as we move to self-driving cars and the UK is in pole position in this £62 billion race. Government and industry have already invested millions to lay the foundations, and the opportunities are dramatic – new jobs, economic growth and improvements across society. The UK’s potential is clear. We are ahead of many rival nations but to realise these benefits we must move fast.

“Brexit has undermined our global reputation for political stability and it continues to devour valuable time and investment. We need the deadlock broken with ‘no deal’ categorically ruled out and a future relationship agreed that reflects the integrated nature of our industry and delivers frictionless trade.”

Sarwant Singh, Senior Partner and Head of Mobility, Frost & Sullivan, said: “The UK already has the essential building blocks – forward thinking legislation, advanced technology infrastructure, a highly skilled labour force, and a tech savvy customer base – to spearhead CAV deployment over the next decade. However, it will require sustained and coordinated efforts by all key stakeholders, especially the government, to realise the significant annual economic benefits forecast for the UK from CAV deployment by 2030 and drive the vision of safe, convenient and accessible mobility for all.”