Ford Mustang Hat Blue Gray on 2040-parts.com

Call For Widespread Use of Anti-Crash Car Tech

THE insurance industry’s research centre, Thatcham Research, has said that thousands of lives could be saved if there were Government incentives for drivers buying cars with anti-crash technology. According to the organisation, initial UK market data shows cars equipped with autonomous emergency braking (AEB) have 18% fewer third-party injury claims. Thatcham's chief executive Peter Shaw has called for support for his company's Stop the Crash campaign, which plans to ask the Treasury to introduce and fund a £500 incentive for those choosing to buy new cars with AEB fitted.

2015 Audi A3 wins World Car of the Year

The World Car of the Year awards were announced last Thursday at the New York auto show. Porsche, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz all took top honors in different classes. It seems 'ze Germans know what makes judges tick.

Smart Forspeed concept signals new design direction

Smart will unveil a new concept at the forthcoming Geneva motor show that signals a new design direction, hints at future product and confirms parent company Daimler's renewed commitment to the brand. Car Design News was granted early access to the concept, baptized Forspeed, at a secret photography studio in Stuttgart last week and heard the head of advanced design, Steffen Kohl, explain how the two-seat, electric-powered vehicle prefaces design themes in both the next Fortwo and the revived Forfour, which will be launched in 2014. "The fullness of this concept's exterior surfaces is important and will be reflected in future production models," said Kohl, "Smart will still be short, spacey, agile, and with wheels at the corners of the car, but with an added sporty and emotional design and without losing all the brand's iconic elements like its ‘plastic fantastic' aspect and the safe and hi-tech modular tridion shell assembled with all these changeable body parts.