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.

Range Rover Evoque 2012 GTS by Overfinch

After a sneaky peek at Goodwood, Overfinch has now launched their take on the Evoque – the Range Rover Evoque 2012 GTS. The fact that the Range Rover Evoque already sells, to a big degree, on looks might make you conclude that there’s a limited market for customised versions. But you’d be wrong; there’s a huge potential market.

Bluebird electric car guns for new EV speed record

The grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell is continuing his quest for land speed records - with a new attempt to set the electric car v-max. Don Wales has announced he will attempt a world speed record of 500mph in an electric car in 2013. 500mph?