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Vauxhall launches speed limit detectors on Insignia (2008)

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 19 June 2008 07:53 Vauxhall's new Insignia will be the first of a wave of cars to have a forward-facing camera that can read road signs. The optional kit will detect speed limit and no overtaking signs – and flash up a reminder to the driver on the dashboard.GM calls the tech, which will be launched in early 2009, Traffic Sign Recognition and it uses a small, wide-angled camera system supplied by Hella. It sits at the top of the windscreen near the rain sensors and rear-view mirror, scanning the road ahead taking 30 photos per second.It's 1984 all over again...With a range of 100 metres, the camera focuses on circular patterns and then interprets the numbers inside by contour comparison; if a match is found on the software's database, that road sign will be flashed up in the driver's binnacle.The front-facing camera is also used as a lane departure warning system, alerting the driver if they unintentionally swerve out of their lane on a motorway.Cars with cameras: a growing trendMore and more manufacturers are fitting cameras to their cars nowadays and you can expect a flood of systems like the Insignia's to be launched in 2009, including the new BMW 5-series.CAR tried out these new systems on Bosch prototypes in 2007.

Kumho Tire launches free multicar racing app

Kumho Tire USA is launching “Kumho Tire Drive”--a free multicar racing game application for car enthusiasts who use Apple products. “Kumho Tire Drive” lets the gamer race a supercar equipped with Kumho tires on curvy city streets, a famous proving ground in Germany and other tracks around the world. The garage feature allows racers to use their accumulated points to upgrade from an entry-level import tuner to a classic muscle car or an exotic dream car.

Volkswagen and BYD get cosy

VW and BYD have signed an agreement to work together on developing battery technology (BYD F3DM plug-in Hybrid pictured). Volkswagen has announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Chinese car maker and EV specialist BYD to work together “in the area of electric mobility”. Seems sensible.