Aston Martin One-77 on London streets +video

The Aston Martin One-77 in London We’re getting really close to the first production Aston Martin One-77 getting in to the hands of a customer (and in all probability in to the hands of the guy who’s bought 10 AM One-77s), and for the first time we’ve actually seen the One-77 out in the wild. This One-77 was taking part in a supercar run from London to Silverstone on Friday to promote the FIA GT1 World Championship which takes place this weekend at the new Silverstone track, and was the first chance to see the One-77 both on the move and away from a static display at an event. We’ve seen the One-77 in the flesh a couple of times, but each time it’s been the same car (the AM One-77 from Salon Prive last year) but this is a different car.

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.

Family Favourite Gets A Refresh

FORD has taken the wraps off its refreshed Focus. The car, which remains a firm favourite with both private buyers and business users, gains a more distinctive nose and a technology boost. Expected to hit the showrooms later this year, the Focus adopts Ford’s new exterior nose treatment – a version of which has already been adapted for the recently refreshed Fiesta supermini.