Driverless cars trial set for UK motorways in 2019

There are plans by the Driven Group to test driverless cars on UK roads and motorways in 2019. Previous tests of driverless vehicles in the UK have mainly taken place at slow speeds and not on public roads.

Oxbotica who makes software for driverless vehicles are leaders of the Driven Group. Some of their plans also include trying out a fleet of autonomous vehicles between London and Oxford. The cars will communicate with each other about any hazards and should operate with almost full autonomy - but will have a human on board as well.

The project is backed by an £8.6m government grant and involves an insurance company, which will assess the risks involved at each stage of the journey.

The UK government has committed about £100m in total towards autonomous driving projects and has said it wants Britain to "lead the way in developing" the tech.

"It will save so many lives and so much money."

Source BBC

Speed camera camouflaged as a bin could be coming to Britain

An innovative 'super speed camera' dubbed a car driver's worst nightmare could be making its way to Britain's roads after successful initial tests.

The speed camera created by Belgian company SecuRoad utilises infrared lights and can be hidden in different locations such as rubbish bins or vehicles.

The speed camera, named 'NK7', can be used without anyone operating it and will cost about €50,000 (£42,000).

The use infrared lights by the camera means that drivers do not notice if they are caught on camera. Whats more just one of the devices can simultaneously monitor three driving lanes in each direction.

Belgian authorities have already put the camera into active use and currently have 30 of them at their disposal. They hide them inside rubbish bins and put on the pavement next to a street where they want to enforce a speed limit.

Germany is said to have also started to use similar speed cameras, and Deerlijk-based SecuRoad has plans to use the devices in other countries in Western Europe.

Earlier this week it was revealed that British motorists face being stung with fines of up to £640 for speeding in Europe under a controversial change to EU law.

But European drivers caught breaking the limit in the UK will not be hit with the same penalties because of a difference in motoring laws in Britain.

Meanwhile drivers caught well over the speed limit from next week face a fine amounting to 150 per cent of their weekly earnings.

The higher fines came in to force yesterday and mean any motorists found guilty of the most serious speeding offences may have to cough-up one-and-a-half times their weekly pay to cover the cost of their excessive speeding.

 

For more images of the camera in use please visit the article Source BBC

This Dorking road has a very bizarre and unrealistic speed limit

A lane in Surrey has been challenging drivers to keep to a speed limit which seems to defy logic.

On Wotton Drive, in Dorking , people are tasked with driving at eight and three-quarter miles per hour as they approach the entrance to De Vere Wotton House.  The unique speed limit is one of many quirks at at the luxury hotel.

Some believe this quirk is a reference to the world-famous series by JK Rowling, in which young wizards and witches begin their journey to Hogwarts by running through a brick wall between platforms nine and ten - platform 9 3/4.

The management of De Vere Wotton House said the reasons behind the limit was to add a touch of "magic" to guests' visit.

"There is no real logical reason - it's to add a bit of magic, and make visiting the hotel a more interesting experience," said Tracy Montgomerie.

"It's pretty quirky, and there are other surprises around the hotel and grounds for visitors. We had a six million pound refurbishment and wanted to do something different.

“The eight and three-quarters limit is one of those details. The maximum limit on the road with bumps is ten miles an hour, but we didn't want to be too straight-laced.

"It is funny, I don't think anyone can actually do eight and three-quarter miles per hour."

Source: get surrey

Drunk electrician tried to cut down speed camera

An Electrician attempted to cut down a speed camera in Poole with a saw, a court has heard.

Stuart Langley was spotted sawing at the camera in Bournemouth Road by a police officer who was passing in a marked car shortly before 11pm on Wednesday, March 8.

The camera enforces a 30mph speed limit on the hill down into Ashley Cross.

Langley, of Harvest Close in Tilehurst, Reading, appeared at Poole Magistrates' Court on Friday to admit a single charge of causing criminal damage to the camera.

Prosecuting, Lee Turner said the police officer saw a red Mercedes van parked on the hill next to the camera.

"As he drives past, he sees a male standing by the speed camera holding a large object against the raised arm of the camera," Mr Turner said.

"It looks like he's sawing."

The man was seen putting something into the van as he was approached by the officer.

"He identifies himself as Mr Langley. The officer believes the defendant is drunk," Mr Turner said.

"The officer inspects the camera and can see saw marks on the metal strut of the camera in the same place he saw the sawing motion taking place.

"[The defendant] was clearly trying to cut down the arm of the camera."

Mitigating, Holly Huxtable said: "The saw used, on Mr Langley's own admission, would not have managed to bring something like this camera down.

"This is a rather silly incident."

She said Langley, 30, had downed whiskey before trying to damage the camera.

"At the time of this offence, he told me he had found out his granddad had passed away," Ms Huxtable said.

"He bought a bottle of whiskey and consumed the whole lot.

"There was no real intention to do significant damage.

"He was drunk and it was a stupid act.

"He doesn't quite know what he was hoping to achieve."

No significant damage was caused to the camera, it was heard.
Sentencing Langley to a 12-month conditional discharge, as well as £105 in costs and fines, presiding magistrate Mike Davis said: "What a stupid thing to be doing under the influence of drink."

Source