Garmin Portable Echo™ Kit 010-11849-00 on 2040-parts.com

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.

Peugeot 308 stars at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show

Peugeot is going up-market with its new 308 hatchback, making its world premier here at Frankfurt 2013. Quality and sophistication is the target for the new car, with the French firm setting its sights high. Question is, can it deliver on the promise and truly compete with premium rivals, such as Audi and VW?

Alfa Romeo MiTo Turismo Sport launched

The Alfa Romeo MiTo Turismo Sport Don’t get barkingly excited, this isn’t a barn-storming MiTo in the mould of the much anticipated – but not yet materialised – MiTo GTA. It is in fact a Limited Edition Alfa MiTo based on the MiTo Turismo with £1,610 worth of extras bolted on and available with a petrol or oil burning engine. The extras over the MiTo Turismo spec – which already includes stuff like AirCon and Alfa’s DNA – include 16″ alloys, Cruise, Spoiler, Blue & Me and multi-function wheel.