Holly's Christening

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Sunday was Holly's Christening and although I managed to miss going in a church, Debbie and I made it to the Humber Pilot afterwards for a drink.

After leaving the pub we popped to see Debbie's granny Brenda. Brenda gave me this old pic of Debbie which I promised I wouldn't post on my web site. So here it is......


(Click on the photo to enlarge. High resolution versions are available)

Just compare the photo above with the new, dynamic Debbie as shown below!!


(Click on the photo to enlarge. High resolution versions are available)

Hella Earns Top Honors For LED Headlamp Concept

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A prototype headlamp system developed by Hella in cooperation with Volkswagen has received top honors for innovation in a bi-annual competition held by Spain's Society of Automotive Engineers (Sociedad de Tecnicos de Automocion).

Hella's LED headlamp came in first among 87 entries in voting by an international panel of judges. The award was presented to Hella at the recently completed Barcelona Motor Show.

The award-winning design was developed in cooperation with Volkswagen for the Golf 5. It incorporates low beam, high beam, indicator and daytime running lights through the use of future-oriented LED technology.

"LEDs as light sources make it possible to create completely new headlamp shapes and arrangements," notes Dr. Raymund Heinen, president of Hella Lighting North America. "The increased durability of LEDs also may lead to automotive headlamp systems that will function without the need for replacement."

Hella is using both standard LEDs and LED assemblies specially developed for use in a variety of automotive lighting applications. Its prototype LED headlamp achieves around 1,000 Lumen luminous flux in low beam, creating light similar in intensity to xenon headlamps. The company expects to begin production of the new headlamp in 2008.

Headlamps using LEDs for main lighting functions already meet applicable U.S. SAE standards. Approval is expected for LED headlamps within the European Community by 2008. LED signal functions located within the headlamp are already in use both in Europe and North America.

In 2003, Hella was the first company worldwide to achieve a series application of white LEDs as a combined position/daytime running light in the Audi A8 W12 headlamp.

Lighting, electronics, complete vehicle modules, air conditioning systems, vehicle wiring systems and signal processing for the automobile industry, as well as automotive aftermarket components, are the core fields of competency for automotive supplier Hella KGaA Hueck & Co. Sales for the Hella Group are approximately $3.9 billion, placing Hella among Germany's top 100 industrial companies.

With its corporate headquarters in Lippstadt, Germany, the company employs nearly 24,000 people at 65 manufacturing facilities, production subsidiaries and joint-venture companies in 18 countries. More than 2,000 engineers and technicians work in research and development. All of the world's leading automobile and systems manufacturers are Hella customers as well as the automotive components aftermarket.

Additional information is available on the Internet at http://www.hella.com.

Nationwide congestion charging by 2011 says Autocar

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Britain's 10 biggest cities will be hit with a London style congestion charge by 2011, according to Autocar magazine.

The magazine has uncovered evidence that as well as applying subtle pressure the government has tied the supply of public finances to the introduction of city centre tolling. No congestion charge means less funding.

Rob Aherne, Autocar editor said "If you live in or near a major city keep an eye on your local newspaper because a congestion charge in one form or another will be on its way very soon".

Autocar also reveals that the government has wider plans to introduce nationwide road tolling as early as 2015. Such a system is likely to use GPS satellite tracking or DSRC (Digital short Range Communications) which uses microwaves to communicate with roadside beacons. Both systems would require all vehicles to be fitted with an in car kit that will cost around £30.00 per car.

Transport Secretary Alistair Darling has already gone on record saying that road tolling could mean British motorists paying up to £1.34 per mile to drive at the busiest times.

The costs of implementing such systems are massive, too. Sources suggest that the financial outlay to administer a nationwide system would be in the region of £23 billion. This figure does not include fitting every car with the technology, or the billions that will be required for the thousands of roadside beacons.

Rob Aherne said: "The introduction of road charging will dramatically affect the way of life for a huge number of people, especially those who live in the countryside or just cannot afford to live near their place of work. Road charging could affect many people's quality of life.'

New research undermines M4 cameras

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New research from road safety group the Association of British Drivers today damned the M4 speed cameras as "a massive mistake". The Association was also charged £111 for access to vital information about the causes of crashes which, it believes, should have been made public.

In data provided by Wiltshire Constabulary, driver inattention topped the list of accident causes, followed by poor lane changing and careless/reckless behaviour. In fact, not one single accident had excess speed as the sole cause.

But included in the crashes that allowed the Partnership to use speed cameras were:

• an accident where a pedestrian fell from a bridge


• an accident where a gust of wind pushed one lorry into another


• several tyre blowout accidents


• a crash where a car drove the wrong way up the motorway

"Excess speed" came fifth on a list of accident causes along with driver fatigue. "Excess speed includes accidents where vehicles were travelling within the speed limit but too fast for the conditions - e.g. fog - where cameras could have no effect.

Mark McArthur-Christie, the ABD's Road Safety Spokesman, said "These statistics show clearly that speed is far from the most significant factor in crashes - but no matter what the causes, the Partnership still thinks cameras are the solution. These figures show that cameras on the M4 will do absolutely nothing for road safety. They should be withdrawn immediately."

In investigating the causes of M4 crashes, the ABD found that hard data was next to impossible to acquire. The camera Partnership even initially denied that they held data on the causes of crashes. After requesting information from a range of departments and organisations, a request under the Freedom of Information Act was also turned down. The ABD was finally forced to pay £111 to Wiltshire Constabulary for the data.

McArthur-Christie continued, "This data - now we've forced it into the public domain - raises very serious questions about the use of speed cameras on the M4. It also raises questions about why the data has not been made public before."

Brian Gregory, the ABD's Chairman, said "This work shows clearly that we need to get away from the whole "the answer's a speed camera, now what's the question?" approach to road safety. We also want to see them forced to publish the causes of crashes they use to justify cameras."

Research Material:
The major causes of M4 crashes, 1999-2004 were:

• Inattention - a factor in 28% of crashes


• Failure to judge others' path or speed (ie - poor lane changing) - a factor in 28% of crashes


• Lack of judgement of own path - a factor in 17% of crashes


• Fatigue - a factor in 14% of crashes


• Careless, thoughtless or reckless behaviour - a factor in 14% of crashes


• Excess speed - a factor in 14% of crashes

"Excess speed" is speed which is too fast for the conditions as well as speed in excess of the posted limit. As such, it is impossible to find out how many crashes were caused by drivers exceeding the limit and how many by simply too fast for the conditions.

Significantly, the causes of crashes are given rankings by accident investigators. They class causes as definite, probable and possible. "Excess speed" was ranked as a "definite" cause in just one fatal crash - less than 1% of all accidents.

*Data from Wiltshire Constabulary, M4 crashes 1999-2004

For more information about the ABD visit their Website at http://www.abd.org.uk

Euro 5 limits could raise new car costs and hit CO2 reduction targets

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Proposals for tougher emission limits for petrol and diesel engines could raise new car and van prices. The comment from SMMT comes after the European Commission published its plans for Euro 5 emission levels.

These would cut particulates from new diesel engines by a factor of five, make permitted NOx limits much tougher for petrol and diesel models and raise the durability requirements for emission control systems like catalytic converters and particulate traps.

Maximum particulate levels under the latest Euro 4 standards are already 90 per cent tougher than they were 15 years ago. Under the new proposals, limits would be cut further, from 25 to five milligrams per kilometre. These levels mean new diesel cars and vans will need particulate traps, increasing their prices.

This could make diesel less attractive to potential buyers and halt the diesel car sales boom seen over the last six years. Much of the 10 per cent improvement in average new car CO2 emissions comes from new cleaner diesel cars and vans so SMMT believes the latest proposals should be treated with caution.

Commenting on the proposals, SMMT chief executive Christopher Macgowan said, 'The industry is committed to cutting all emissions from new cars and vans and we have come a long way in the last 15 years. However, we need to be clear that the new proposals could mean additional costs to vehicle makers and their customers.

'Additionally, in focusing on one type of exhaust emission, there is the potential to ignore challenges this may create in other areas. If not handled carefully, Euro 5 proposals could stall progress in cutting average carbon dioxide from new cars.'

Motorists putting their necks on the line.

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Think, before you drive!

A majority of motorists (55%) are putting themselves at risk of painful neck injuries because of incorrectly positioned head restraints according to spot check surveys by the RAC Foundation as part of "Think Before You Drive Month". Whiplash injuries are costing the country an estimated £2 billion per year* and thousands of these injuries could be avoided if motorists positioned their head restraints correctly.

Think Before You Drive! Month is a campaign promoted by the RAC Foundation in conjunction with the FIA Foundation and Bridgestone to help motorists understand the four easy steps that they can take to improve safety on the roads.

Researchers estimate that as many as 80% of all rear impact injuries result in at least one occupant suffering from a neck or spinal injury. ** This has lead to the RAC Foundation advising all motorists as part of "Think Before You Drive" month that they should ensure that their head restraints and their passengers' are properly positioned before commencing their journey.

Motorists are urged to follow advice in the Think before you drive! Free leaflet:

The top of the head restraint should be level with the top of the driver's head, or at least no lower than eye level and the restraint should be as close as possible to the back of the head when sitting comfortably in the driving seat of the car.

The survey found that most head restraints were left in the lowest position and therefore offered no protection to most drivers. Indeed for taller drivers such a position can lead to more severe injuries.

Wider introduction of active head restraints and tougher legislative requirements would also enhance safety. Active head restraints are designed to automatically shorten the gap between the head and head restraint in a collision, offering improved levels of protection from whiplash injuries.
The Foundation is also calling for:

• Motor manufacturers to improve head restraint safety design to offer drivers and passengers greater protection. Advice on the optimum position of a particular adjustable head restraint system should be clearly communicated to the owner via the manual.


• Adjustable head restraints should be introduced on all cars.


• "Think before you drive month" should be followed periodically by public information campaigns for drivers and passengers to ensure that they adjust their head restraints properly.


• Legislators to improve the minimum requirements for head restraint design.

Whiplash is officially classified as a minor injury but the after effects are often severe. Sufferers spend an average of 39 days off work and at least 8% of people have not fully recovered at least up to four years after the accident took place. Research*** by the Transport Research Laboratory found that almost 70% of people slightly injured in road accidents had suffered whiplash, sometimes in conjunction with other injuries. Even mild symptoms, headaches, muscle stiffness and dizziness, can last for months.

Edmund King, executive director, RAC Foundation said;

" Our survey as part of National Think Before You Drive month shows that more than fifty per cent of motorist are putting their necks on the line unnecessarily. Many whiplash injuries should easily be avoided if motorists took a few seconds to check that their head restraints are in the right position.

"This two billion pound pain in the neck could be a thing of the past if motorists were given clearer advice on the correct position of head restraints and followed it".

David Ward, the FIA Foundation's director general, said:

"Whiplash injuries are painful, costly and preventable. Just thinking for a second and adjusting your head restraint to the right position can make all the difference. But car makers have a role to play too in ensuring that all head restraints meet the standard set by the best'.

Road safety group welcomes block on new speed cameras

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The Association of British Drivers today welcomed the Government's block on the installation of 500 more speed cameras.

Since the inception of cameras in 1992, the ABD has argued that their effectiveness at reducing crashes has been greatly exaggerated, even for the few cameras sited at genuine speed related accident blackspots. The trends in overall numbers of road deaths strongly back this view.

It is now being admitted that, during the 1990s, cameras were sited indiscriminately without any regard to accident locations. Even the supposedly tighter rules applying to the camera partnerships take no account of the causes of the accidents - whatever the cause, the camera is the solution!

This means that most speed cameras are useless for road safety. In fact they make things worse because they focus the minds of drivers and council safety officers on the wrong things.

Road Safety Spokesman, Mark McArthur-Christie said "Some drivers drive way too fast, and often in completely the wrong places, but there's a huge difference between driving too fast for the conditions and exceeding the speed limit. There are times in many urban areas where 25mph will be criminally fast, others when 35mph is perfectly safe. All a camera can do
is punish the latter whilst ignoring the former. They don't detect and prevent the real causes of crashes - in fact they mask them, leading directly to the wrong road safety strategies."

Using the fear of prosecution to force compliance with limits diverts drivers' attention from the road ahead and its hazards. More seriously, cameras send the message that all a driver has to do to be safe is stick to a limit. McArthur-Christie commented, "Drivers, like anyone else performing a complex task, have only a certain amount of attention they can invest. To force them to invest that attention on limit compliance has led to a profoundly dangerous "driving by numbers" mentality where the limit has become the master, not the servant of road safety."

Brian Gregory, the ABD's chairman concluded "The American journalist H L Mencken said "There is always a well-known solution to every human problem - neat, plausible, and wrong." He could have been talking about speed cameras. We need to draw a clear distinction in road safety between that which is illegal and that which is dangerous. Cameras have completely failed to do this, and their numbers need to be reduced, not increased."

For more information about the ABD visit their Website at http://www.abd.org.uk

What is the Electronic Driver Licence Check?

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As part of the Road Safety Bill currently going through parliament in the UK, the Government is 'reviewing road traffic offences involving bad driving'. New charges are proposed for causing death by careless and illegal (such as disqualified or unlicensed) driving. This has brought driver licence checks into focus for the UK fleet industry.

• Fleet News (April 28 2005) described how licence checks carried out by UK fleets have uncovered staff driving illegally on work business, including 1 in 1,500 driving on a provisional licence. According to Fleet News the results demonstrate the importance of fleets carrying out regular licence checks, as an integral part of any company's risk assessment strategy.


• Brake's Fleet Safety Forum News (May 2005) highlighted that 1 in 6 fleet drivers in the UK have 3 or more points on their licence. Speeding, drink driving, running red lights, careless driving and incorrect insurance are the most common offences - all of which are strong predictors of accident involvement.


• Commercial Motor (May 26 2005) reported on a 'desperate' truck driver threatened with jail for driving when disqualified and using a duplicate licence to obtain work. They concluded that 'it is essential to check drivers' licences with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) before offering them employment'.


• Research undertaken by Dr Barry Watson from the Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety suggests that in Australia unlicensed drivers are involved in almost 10% of the national road toll. In the UK, it is estimated that there are over 1 million unlicensed drivers. Licence endorsements, for example for speeding, have been clearly linked to higher accident rates. Drivers who park in illegal places are more likely to engage in other criminal activities.


• More positively, US research published by NAFA Fleet Executive in May 2005, showed that conducting the US equivalent motor vehicle record (MVR) checks is good business, because MVR checks help predict driver risk and reduces costs. The Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) specifies the steps required in an MVR program, recommending that polices regarding driver licensing should be clear and uniformly enforced by fleet mangers. Failing to act on negative information revealed in MVR checks can be ruinous, with negligent hiring and entrustment lawsuits resulting in increasingly high judgments.

Interactive Driving Systems has helped many organisations in the US to successfully undertake their MVR checks online. The data is fed directly into the Virtual Fleet Risk Manager's information system, allowing drivers to be effectively indexed and relevant risk management countermeasures generated depending on their violation/offence record.

We are delighted to announce that we have teamed up with Intelligent Data Systems to provide a similar innovative electronic Licence Check service for the UK. The service will allow employers to check the licences of employees and others who drive on company business in order to confirm: (1) their licence is valid, (2) employee is licensed to drive the vehicle allocated to them and (3) details of any driving licence endorsements.

More details are show below:

• Bespoke online reporting structure for individual clients through secure dedicated password protected web pages with instant access to driver records.


• Simple to implement - clients provide an Excel spreadsheet of participant driver names, employee numbers and addresses, after which the entire process is fully managed - providing an effective intervention with minimum operational disruption.


• Through the Virtual Fleet Risk Manager, licence records are linked and indexed with other important fleet information, such as risk assessment, crash and training outcomes, to provide 24/7/365 data visibility online.


• The whole process is managed electronically, with the potential for human data errors, minimised.

Think, before you drive!

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Your tyres are the only contact with the road

More than two million motorists in the UK are putting their lives at risk by never checking their tyre pressure or tread according to the RAC Foundation launching a new survey today (11). This warning comes at the start of "National Think Before You Drive Month" which is launched by the RAC Foundation in association with the FIA Foundation, Bridgestone and supported by seven times Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher.

The NOP Automotive* survey also showed:

• 7% of motorists only check their tyre pressure and tread once a year


• 15% of women never check their tyres


• 13% only make checks when going on a long journey


• 4% make checks every journey


• 21% every week


• 49% once a month

Six per cent of all fatal motorway accidents are caused by the sudden failure of under inflated tyres and worn tyres contribute to 10% of accidents in the wet. This problem is exacerbated as in spot checks it was found that one in three air pressure gauges in petrol stations were not working or had been vandalised. Petrol retailers should provide free, accurate and well-maintained tyre pressure gauges, according to the RAC Foundation after receiving complaints that gauges often are not working.

The NOP survey also found that:

• Half of all women drivers do not know their recommended tyre pressure


• 85% of male drivers claim to know their tyre pressure


• Young drivers (17 -24) were least likely to know their recommended tyre pressures


• A quarter of high mileage drivers do not know their pressure

A recent safety campaign carried out by the Tyre Industry Council revealed that ninety per cent of the cars they tested had under or over inflated tyres despite correct pressures being vital to safe handling, optimum steering, braking and grip.

Speaking at the British Grand Prix, Michael Schumacher praised the Think Before You Drive! Campaign:

"Before every Formula One race I run through basic safety checks with my pit crew. And there are some simple tasks I always do to help me stay safe on the road. So I am pleased to support the road safety messages of the Think Before You Drive campaign.

"On the race track, the performance of my tyres can make the difference between winning and losing. On the road, the performance of your tyres could make the difference between living and dying. Check your tyre pressure and condition regularly and stay safe on the road.
"Three thousand people are killed on the world's roads every day. We can all do more to prevent these unnecessary and tragic deaths and injuries."

Edmund King, executive director of the RAC Foundation said:

"Tyre safety is not an optional extra. Tyres are the only contact that the car has with the road and therefore it is essential that they are not worn or under or over inflated. All garages should provide reliable air equipment free of charge."

The RAC Foundation Tyre Pressure Fact File:

• 20 per cent under-inflation can increase tyre wear by 25 per cent


• 20 per cent under-inflation can reduce tyre life by 30 per cent


• 20 per cent under inflation can reduce fuel economy by three per cent


• 10% of cars are running on illegal tyres (under 1.6mm tread)


• 90% of tyres are incorrectly inflated


• Tyre manufacturers estimate that three quarters of accidents caused by "blowouts" are down to incorrect pressures


• Under-inflated tyres cause a reduction in the overall control of the vehicle and increased braking distances


• Over-inflated tyres cause poor vehicle handling, reduced stability in braking, cornering and reduced grip


• Drivers should check their tyres at least once a month

John McNaught, managing director of Bridgestone UK said:

"As the world's biggest manufacturer of tyres and rubber products, we are keenly aware of our responsibility to do everything possible to maximise safety. That includes working to acquaint customers with the basics of tyre safety and to inform them about the basics of routine tyre inspections."

The FIA Foundation is also urging European Governments to consider following the example of the United States by requiring that tyre pressure monitoring systems are fitted as standard on all new vehicles. The system can detect when a vehicle's tyres are 25 per cent or more below the recommended inflation pressure. The US Government estimates that, when all new vehicles are fitted with tyre pressure monitoring devices, around 120 lives a year in the US will be saved, and up to 10,000 injuries prevented. Other positive effects should include improved fuel economy and increased tyre life.

David Ward, director general of the FIA Foundation, said:

"If more drivers in the UK followed the simple advice in our campaign such as checking their tyres and head restraints then many unnecessary injuries and deaths could be prevented."

Ford Leads With Bio-Ethanol Powered Cars For Europe

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New Flexi-fuel Focus and Focus C-MAX for Sweden

• Ford was the first manufacturer to market a low CO 2 bio-ethanol powered car in Europe in 2001


• New generation 1.8-litre Ford Focus Flexi-Fuel model is launched in Sweden along with, for the first time, the Focus C-MAX Flexi-Fuel


• These Flexi-Fuel cars demonstrate Ford's commitment to market environmentally friendly, yet highly affordable technologies


• Close co-operation between Ford, the bio-fuel industry and the Swedish government makes sustainable mobility a realistic goal

(Click on the photo to enlarge. High resolution versions are available)Ford has introduced its new generation Focus Flexi-Fuel, plus a Flexi-Fuel version of the Ford Focus C-MAX in Sweden this week, and remains the leading manufacturer of ethanol-powered vehicles in Europe.

Offering up to a 70 per cent reduction in overall CO 2 (carbon dioxide) emissions, the new Focus and Focus C-MAX Flexi-Fuel vehicles play a key role in Ford's broad portfolio approach and wide-ranging efforts towards sustainable mobility. The success of the previous model Focus Flexi-Fuel is also a prime example of what can be accomplished through co-operation and partnership between companies from different industries, local and national government and non-governmental organisations.

"There is a lot to be proud of with this vehicle, from demonstrating Ford's commitment to lead the industry in affordable bio-ethanol technologies to showing what can be achieved when government and business and private enterprise work together," said Wolfgang Schneider, Vice President, Governmental and Environmental Affairs, Ford of Europe. "We consider these technologies to be of critical importance and that is why Ford will continue to explore and support other bio-ethanol initiatives across Europe ."

Providing the technology, establishing the infrastructure and incentives

Most important to establishing bio-ethanol as a successful pillar of sustainable mobility is the co-operation between government, manufacturers and the private sector.

Working closely with the Swedish Flexi-Fuel Buyers' Consortium, a conglomeration of public organisations, commercial enterprises and private individuals, Ford was the first manufacturer to offer bio-ethanol powered vehicles in a European market. Since its introduction in 2001, Ford has sold over 15,000 Focus Flexi-Fuels in Sweden . In 2003 and 2004, more than 80 per cent of environmentally friendly cars sold in Sweden were Focus Flexi-Fuels.

"It was this co-operation that allowed us to deal with what we call the "chicken and egg situation," said Schneider. "An adequate fuel infrastructure is a prerequisite for consumers buying these vehicles, yet a lack of vehicles on the road would provide little incentive to establish a fuel infrastructure. The Focus Flexi-Fuel Vehicle, or FFV, proves what can be accomplished when all the major players are working towards a common goal."

Easy technology to use

The all-new Focus and Focus C-MAX Flexi-Fuel models being introduced are capable of running on both bio-ethanol (E85) and petrol or any mix of both in one fuel tank, making them truly flexible, both in terms of their technology and customer operation.

As bio-ethanol is a renewable fuel derived from plants (such as cereals, sugar beet etc.) or biomass (such as wood waste), the primary environmental benefit is the reduction of CO 2 emissions - the main greenhouse gas thought to be responsible for global warming .

When using this biomass or plant based material to derive bio-ethanol fuel, the CO 2 circle can, to large degree, be "closed-loop". The photosynthesis process of plants sees carbon dioxide absorbed by the plants, etc during their growth only to be released as the bio-ethanol is used as fuel. Thus, from a holistic "well-to-wheel" perspective, the use of bio-ethanol can lead to a 70 per cent reduction in overall CO 2 emissions compared to a traditional petrol only engine.

Another key advantage is relative cost. Ford of Sweden offers the Focus Flexi-Fuel technology at a very reasonable cost to customers. Offering this kind of benefit at a low cost is highly unusual when compared to other environmentally advanced technologies. With bio-ethanol E85 (85% bio-ethanol, 15% petrol) being similar in price to petrol with the government tax exemptions, the Focus and Focus C-MAX Flexi-Fuel models make both good economic and environmental sense for customers.

In addition to providing CO2 benefits the Focus Flexi-Fuel has air quality impacts with lower levels of emissions such as NOx than many conventional petrol vehicles.

"These Flexi-Fuel vehicles are a great win for our customers as they get a vehicle that is very environmentally friendly with highly affordable technology, and the car is available today," said Schneider.

What's different?

The technology to achieve the low CO 2 levels is not significantly different from the conventional petrol Focus model. Basically, three alterations were made to the conventional model.

First, the valves and valve seats of the 1.8-litre 16-valve gasoline engine are made of especially hardened material.

Second, there is a variable ignition map that adapts to the respective ratio of bio-ethanol and petrol present in the fuel tank. This is done automatically without the driver having to make any adjustments.

Finally, because bio-ethanol fuel has less positive cold starting characteristics than petrol, the cylinder block has particularly effective pre-heating once the temperature decreases below minus15 degrees Celsius.

Ford's SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY portfolio

Ford's portfolio of environmentally advanced vehicle technologies also includes advances in conventional powertrain technology that leads to higher fuel efficiency and less emissions. It also comprises high-tech diesel engines and direct injection petrol technology with lower fuel consumption.

The bio-ethanol powered Focus and Focus C-MAX Flexi-Fuel cars are alternative fuel powered vehicles that broaden this technology base. "What is exciting about these vehicles is that they are available today and that they not only help to reduce the environmental footprint of mobility today but also reduce European dependency on fossil fuels. Since they can also function as a hydrogen carrier, they could serve as a direct bridge to the era of hydrogen powered vehicle technology in the future," said Derrick Kuzak, Vice President, Ford of Europe Product Development.

Kuzak continued, "Via bio-ethanol technology, as well as hybrid applications and hydrogen powered internal combustion engines, there is - although still several years or even decades away as a commercially viable technology - potential to bring even more energy efficient, hydrogen powered fuel cell technology to the market in the long term."

Related Articles:
First Ford Flexi-fuel in Britain

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London Bombings - Help Trace The Missing

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Philip Russell, 28, south-west London
He was evacuated from a tube station and rang his office in the City to say he would be late but was getting a bus. His brother-in-law John Steadman: "He called his office at 9.30am on Thursday and we have not heard from him since."

Miriam Hyman, 32, Finchley, north London
The freelance picture researcher spoke to her father at 9.45am on Thursday after coming out of King's Cross station. She was sitting on the pavement and said she was fine - no one has heard from her since.

"I called her on her mobile shortly after 9.30am when I heard what was happening on Radio 5," said her father, John, who is in his 70s. "It was a very bad line, I couldn't hear what she was saying. She was milling around outside King's Cross and that was the last I heard from her."

Laura Webb, 29, Islington, north London
She was last seen leaving her home in the morning. She didn't arrive at work. Her family believe she may have been caught up in the Edgware Road blast.

Rachelle Yuen, 27, Mauritius
A poster left at Kings Cross Station said that her family and friends feared that she might have been in the explosion on the Tube line between Kings Cross and Russell Square.

Michelle Outto, 46, Mill Hill, north London
Diana Gorodi said the dental technician was travelling from Mill Hill East, north London, to Knightsbridge. She said trains were diverted on the Northern Line, High Barnet branch to King's Cross because of a signal failure and she feared Michelle might have been on the Piccadilly Line train from King's Cross that was bombed.

Shahera Akther Islam, 20, Plaistow, east London
Nazmul Hasan said his missing niece used the Tube to go to her work at the Co-operative Bank, via the Circle Line at Liverpool Street. "I am trying to keep my hopes alive for her, I am hoping she is in hospital somewhere," he said.

Neetu Jain, 37, Hendon, north-west London
She vanished after she was evacuated from Euston Station, and made the decision to catch a bus to her office where she works as a computer analyst. She made a telephone call to say she was going to be late for work and was going through Tavistock Square. Boyfriend Gous Ali, 32, said: "I just don't know what to do. I'm going crazy."

Phil Beer, 22, Borehamwood, Herts
Was with a friend who was injured in the Tube blast near King's Cross. Sister Stacy, 24, said she and her parents Phil and Kim were feeling "emotionally drained". "It's the wait that's the worst," she said. "There is nothing we can do."

Jamie Gordon, 30, Enfield, north London
Yvonne Nash, 30, feared her boyfriend was on the bus ripped apart by a blast in Tavistock Square. Miss Nash said there was no other explanation for him being missing than that he was on the number 30 bus that was hit. She could not eat or sleep with worry.

Monika Suchocka, 23, Archway, north London
The Polish trainee accountant lived and worked in West Kensington, west London, was also feared missing. Her friend, Magdalena Dondelewska, 24, said: "She would normally take the Tube, but we have been told that at 8.40 she rang her company to say she would be late, and was taking a bus, but we just don't know what happened after that."

Slimane Ihab, 19, Paris
A friend of the waiter feared he was also missing after he boarded a Tube from Finsbury Park, where he lived. Xavier Rebergue said Mr Ihab, who has been in England for three weeks, had not arrived at the restaurant in Picadilly Circus where he worked.

Anthony Fataji Williams, 26
The oil executive, is believed by friend Rajeet Sahni to have boarded a bus bound in the same direction of number 30 after his Tube station was closed. "We're just trying to find anyone who may have seen him in the area, or any of the survivors who may have seen him on the bus," he said.

Richard Ellery, 21, Ipswich
Richard travelled to into Liverpool Street station from his home in Ipswich on his way to work at Jessops store in Kensington. Parents Trevor and Beverley said they were "extremely worried" about their
son.

Gamze Gunoral, 24, Turkey
Gamze left her aunt's house in north London to catch the Tube to go to her language college in Hammersmith, west London. One of her friends, Serif Kunt, said: "We have tried to ring her mobile lots of times. We don't have any idea where she could be."

Christian Small, 28, Walthamstow, east London
Friends have heard nothing since he left for his advertising sales job on Thursday morning.
Andrew Togobo said: "We are just really worried now but are hoping he might just be trapped."

Karolina Gluck, 29, Poland
Karolina said goodbye to boyfriend Richard Deer, 28, at 8.30am and has not been seen since.
The administrative worker was travelling from Finsbury Park tube to Russell Square for work.

Mike Matsushita, 37
The girlfriend of the former tour guide, Rosie Cowan, 27, said she was "trying to be optimistic" about what happened. "Maybe he took off his jacket with his ID in it on the Tube," she said. "I am too young to become a grieving widow."

Ojara Ikeagwu, 55, Luton
Married mother-of-three Ojara caught her usual train into King's Cross on her way to Hounslow where she is a social worker - and would have taken a Picadilly Line Tube to get there. Cousin Chris Agwu, 45, from Kent, told Sky News: "We are just hoping and praying that before the end of the day we will able to find her - maybe injured, but that we will find her. With every passing hour we get more concerned."

Behnaz Mozakka, 47, Finchley, north London
Behnaz, a biomedical officer at Great Ormond Street Hospital, has not been seen since leaving home at 8am to begin work an hour later.

Lee Baisden, 34, Romford
The Evening Standard newspaper reported that Lee, an accountant for the London Fire Brigade, had not been seen since leaving home for work. "We think he was on the Circle Line when the Aldgate bomb went off," friend Helen Lasky told the newspaper.

James Mayes, 28, Islington, north London
Mr Mayes, who works as an analyst for the Healthcare Commission, is believed to have travelled through Kings Cross station on his way to a seminar. Friend Pravenn Wignarajah said: "We haven't heard anything from him, nor have his family and my priority now is to help them find James."

Marie Hartley, 34, Oswaldtwistle
Marie was in London on a course. Uncle Ian McMinn told Granada Reports: "If there was any chance she could have contacted home she would have done. Hopefully she is in hospital unable to get to a phone to let us know she is safe."

Ciaran Cassidy, 22, Finsbury Park, north London
Ciaran, who lives with his parents in Finsbury Park, was last seen heading into work in Chancery Lane. His sister Lisa, 26, told the Evening Standard: "He never got to work. He was on the Piccadilly line, but we've lost all communication with him."

Benedetta Ciaccia, 30, Norwich
Siaz Bhatti has been search for his. She left their home in Norwich at 6.30am on Thursday for Liverpool
Street where she works as a business analyst.

Gladys Wundowa, 51, Chadwell Heath, Essex
The University College London cleaner has not been in touch with husband Emanuel since the blasts. Mr Wundowa said his wife finished her early-morning shift at 9am before heading for a college course at Shoreditch, east London.

William Wise
Thought to have taken a bus towards King's Cross

James Adams, 32, Peterborough
Friends said James last spoke to his mother to tell he had arrived at King's Cross.

Elizabeth Daplyn, 26, Highgate, north London
The manager in the neuroradiology department of University College hospital, has not been seen since she travelled to work on the Piccadilly line tube to Russell Square.

Fiona Stevenson, 29, Danbury, Essex
Fiona has been missing since she failed to turn up to work in London. Her family and friends are very worried and concerned.

Are Smart Keys a Smart Choice?

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SBD report identifies cost and security as principle concerns as market for easy-entry and easy-start systems accelerates

The past two years have seen a surge in the number of cars featuring "smart key" systems, with more and more motorists enjoying the convenience of using an electronic card or token in place of a traditional mechanical key.


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SBD, one of Europe's top independent vehicle security consultants, has taken the lead in benchmark testing new smart key systems and analysing market trends. In a new technical report it focuses on the principle factors that will move the market forward and highlights UK security requirements that will place new demands on manufacturers.

The report, Smart key system development and availability in Europe, shows that since Mercedes-Benz pioneered the technology on its S-Class range in 1999, 24 other vehicles have adopted similar systems, with 12 more scheduled for launch by the end of 2006. The majority are prestige models, although volume brands such as Ford, Opel/Vauxhall and Nissan, are making smart keys available to a much wider market.

SBD demonstrates how the relatively high cost of smart keys as optional equipment has dropped steadily in the past six years, to an average of almost £670. At the same time, the proportion of vehicle sold with smart keys provided has standard has grown significantly.

Smart keys are marketed as convenience features, yet their operation has implications for vehicle security. The UK insurance industry has taken a lead in Europe with the adoption of specific operating standards for smart keys. Developed by the research organisation Thatcham, these came into force in May this year and apply to systems fitted as standard equipment to new model ranges.

In the past year, SBD has tested nine vehicle smart key systems against the Thatcham criteria and found that all bar one - that offered on the Nissan Micra - would not meet the required level of security. Although the system developed for the Ford Focus does not conform exactly to the new criteria, SBD believes it could be passed.

Assessment of each system's convenience and features showed generally high performance levels, with the Audi A6's smart key emerging the best overall.

David Bell, SBD managing director, said: "Our testing has shown that many of the smart key systems on the market would not meet the security levels demanded by UK insurers, although in many instances the margins of non-compliance are small.

"This doesn't have a direct impact on their market status or on the insurance premiums paid by motorists, as most were launched before the Thatcham standards came into force, or are not offered as standard equipment across a model range. However, the results do show that manufacturers and equipment designers will have to work hard to meet the standards, if smart keys are to become standard features on future new models." ENDS

Research Material:
SBD Ltd. is an independent company providing specialist consultancy services in the design and development of automotive components and systems. The company founded in 1995 has extensive knowledge of the strategic development of vehicle systems.

Working closely with manufacturers and suppliers, SBD provides consultancy support at various levels, including: Technical Research, Strategic Planning, Program Management and Product Development.

SBD also provides the industry with detailed market and technical reports on various technologies, market trends and competitor analysis. The company has helped to develop many successful systems seen in the market today and is continuing to help manufacturers implement the next generation of systems with an emphasis on Vehicle Security and Vehicle Telematics.

For further information: -
Patrick Strauss, Business Development Manager
SBD Ltd
The Old Brewery
The Stocks
Cosgrove
Northants MK19 7JD

Telephone 01908 305101
Fax 01908 305106
web site www.sbd.co.uk

The Route to the "Sensitive Automobile"

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Bosch's plans for driver assistance systems which will get you to your destination even more safely and with much less strain


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• Electronic Parking Assistance


• Improved Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)


• Predictive Safety Systems


• New Bosch concept: CAPS combines active and passive safety systems

Sensors and electronic systems in automobiles will soon be able to sense and interpret a vehicle's surroundings, allowing them to rapidly identify dangerous situations. "Electronic vehicle environment sensing makes it possible to implement numerous novel driver assistance systems", says Dr. Rainer Kallenbach, Executive Vice President Automobile Electronics Division at Bosch with responsibility for driver assistance systems, at the Stuttgart company's Automotive Press Briefing in Boxberg.


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One example: Bosch's semi-autonomous Parking Assistance system will make parking much easier in future. It measures the size of a parking space and tells the driver what steering movements to make. The product will be ready for series production in 2007. In a more advanced version of the system called Park Steering Control, the steering manoeuvres, once calculated, will be performed by an electronically controlled power steering unit.


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Bosch is also expanding the range of functions of its current Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) driver assistance system. The new system, known as ACCplus, will not only maintain a safe distance to the vehicle in front at speeds above 30 kph, but will in future also operate at lower speeds than this, right down to full stop, and automatically bring the vehicle to a halt in stop-and-go traffic. "The driver decides whether or not to move the vehicle forwards after coming to a halt", explains Kallenbach, "because - like all Bosch's driver assistance systems - ACC is intended to take the strain off the driver, not treat him like a child". ACCplus will go into series production in 2006.


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In the very near future, video sensors will play a central role, for example in systems for lane departure recognition. If the vehicle starts to drift off course, the system gives the driver a warning. Other possible applications include night vision support, road sign recognition, recognition of other vehicles and the identification of obstacles in the road ahead.


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With the aim of reducing accident rates, Bosch is taking a number of driver assistance systems designed primarily for driver comfort and convenience and developing them further into a group of products under the heading of Predictive Safety Systems (PSS). The first level of development is Predictive Brake Assist (PBA): if the ACC identifies a dangerous traffic situation, the system imperceptibly moves the brake pads close to the brake discs and prepares the braking assistance system for a possible emergency braking manoeuvre. This system was fitted as standard to the Audi A6 in 2005. The second level of development expands the PBA's range of functions: Predictive Collision Warning (PCW) gives the driver timely warning of critical situations. Bosch will start series production of this system in 2006. The third stage of development, known as Predictive Emergency Brake (PEB), triggers an emergency braking if the driver fails to react at all, or not adequately, to the warning just given. "PEB can significantly reduce the force of a collision", explains Kallenbach. Bosch plans to offer these systems from 2009 on.


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Bosch has also begun the CAPS (Combined Active and Passive Safety) program aimed at linking up all the active and passive safety systems. For example, if the ESP® Electronic Stability Program identifies a situation which critically affects the driving dynamics, it will activate passive safety systems such as the seatbelt tensioners. Kallenbach is confident: "Working in combination with the sensors which detect the vehicle environment, CAPS creates further potential for reducing both the number of accidents and their severity."

Greater Safety Through New Brake Control Systems

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New Developments From Bosch

• Scalable range of ESP® products


• Widespread use of ESP® significantly reduces accident figures


• Networking of active and passive safety systems with driver assistance systems forms the basis for new safety functions

In 1995, Bosch was the first company in the world to begin series production of the Electronic Stability Program (ESP®). Since then, the leading automotive components supplier has developed a scalable range of products which allow further safety and convenience functions to be easily integrated into the ESP®. "All relevant additional functions can in future be implemented on the basis of a conventional hydraulic braking system", explains Klaus Meder, head of development in the Chassis Systems Division at Bosch on the occasion of the company's Automotive Press Briefing in Boxberg.


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Just how significantly ESP® increases vehicle stability is shown by several new studies by automobile manufacturers and international institutions. They demonstrate that the use of ESP® could prevent around half of the serious single car accidents. "Currently almost two-thirds of new cars in Germany are fitted with ESP®. Across Europe, an average of just under 40 percent of cars are fitted with the system", according to Meder.

The basic function of ESP® remains that of increasing vehicle stability in situations where there is a risk of skidding. In 2005, Bosch began series production of a hardware variant, ESP® plus, in which a finer control of braking pressure makes it easy to implement extra safety and convenience functions. For example, if the driver suddenly takes his foot off the accelerator, "Electronic Brake Prefill" interprets this as a reaction to a dangerous traffic situation and as a precaution moves the brake pads into light contact with the brake discs. If the driver then really has to brake hard, maximum braking effect will be produced more quickly. ESP® plus also increases safety when driving in the rain: without the driver being aware of it, "Brake Disc Wiping" repeatedly brings the brake pads into light contact with the discs to remove the film of moisture on them. When the driver hits the brakes, there is no waste of precious time before full braking takes effect. Other new functions are also already making life easier for drivers of some cars: "Hill Hold Control", for example, prevents the car from rolling backwards unintentionally on a hill start.


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In 2006 Bosch will begin production of a third version, which will be fitted at first to cars of the executive and luxury classes. In ESP® premium, an even more powerful and efficient hydraulic system allows very rapid and at the same time especially quiet and imperceptible control interventions, through which all further appropriate extra functions can be realized. Thus ESP® premium can expand Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) into ACC "Stop & Go", for example, by using gentle braking actions, or perform an automatic emergency braking maneuver in situations where an accident can no longer be avoided.

Further development of ESP® is strongly focused on networking it with other vehicle systems. A first application - the Active Steering system produced by Bosch-Joint-Venture ZF Lenksysteme GmbH - is already being fitted as standard by BMW. In this system, ESP® triggers steering interventions to enhance vehicle stability. In the first half of 2005, a steering assistance was also fitted to DaimlerChrysler's A- and B-class cars. In its CAPS (Combined Active and Passive Safety) project, Bosch is developing even more advanced safety and convenience functions by networking the braking systems with the passive safety systems and driver assistance systems. One focus of the development engineers lies on linking ESP® with information on the vehicle's environment coming from vehicle-mounted sensors.

Another Fantastic Afternoon

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Yet another warm afternoon so we went for a wander after visiting Uncle Tom to drop some stuff off.

We parked the car near Hessle Railway Station and went for a walk over the footbridge which crosses Clive Sullivan Way then onto Hessle Foreshore.


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I was suprised at how many people were on the Foreshore but it was a nice day and Debbie wanted to go for a walk.


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Here's a few pics of the Humber Bridge taken this afternoon.


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The south bank of the Humber and the south tower.


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And Debbie is worn out already - WUSS!!


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Shock Horror, Mark isn't Working Again!

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Yet more proof, not that any is needed. Mark trying to pose at the first sight of a camera. For some strange reason he still thinks he's a model but what Mark doesn't realise is that Airfix models are plastic and if he wants to be a plastic gay icon I'm not planning on getting in his way!


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Then Mark figures out why I need a photo of him doing bugger all so he grabs a pair of waterpump pliers and trys to make out he is working. This is the first ever photo of Mark with a tool in his hand but it's not a pen, a phone or a coffee cup!


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You can vote on whether Mark is sexy and God's gift to women by clicking here. Simply read the short article and click on the Post a Comment link.

Related Articles:
Mark Thinks he is God's Gift to Women!
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Fears Raised Over Rear Loading Taxis

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The danger of using rear-loading vehicles as taxis for wheelchair passengers has been aired in the House of Commons. The issue was raised in an Early Day Motion (EDM) by Andrew Rosindell, MP for Romford and has received full 'cross party' support.


A typical rear-ramp taxi that MP's do not favour.
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Andrew Rosindell said, "This House believes that converted vehicle hackney carriages (taxis) that load wheelchair passengers from the rear, that are currently licensed in a growing number of local authorities outside London, particularly in the North East, are unsuitable for taxi use; notes that whilst being loaded such rear-access taxis place the wheelchair user passenger in a dangerous position on the road to the rear of the taxi, where he risks being hit by traffic coming up from behind; further notes that many AA, RAC and Green Flag recovery technicians are killed on UK roads by traffic approaching from behind whilst standing behind vehicles; notes the concerns that Radar and the Spinal Injuries Association have about rear loading taxis; further notes that those licensing rear loading taxis do not seem to have undertaken a comprehensive risk assessment; and therefore calls upon licensing authorities throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland only to license side loading wheelchair accessible taxis from now on".

The use of minibuses, MPVs and combi type vans with windows are all criticised by wheelchair user groups, the Spinal Injuries Association and RADAR, the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation. They have written to local authorities across the country expressing concern about these vehicles being used as Hackney Carriages when they say there is ample choice for the use of purpose built taxis which have side loading access and wheelchair ramps.


A typical side-loading taxi favoured by MP's.
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Wheelchair users also say it is an undignified process for them to be wheeled into the gutter to be loaded into rear loading taxis and they want to be treated the same as able passengers and use the side entry doors to and from the pavements. All of London's 20,000 purpose built taxis have side loading access for wheelchair users

Official figures show that 20 per cent of all traffic accidents are rear end impacts so wheelchair passengers in rear loading taxis are in the most vulnerable position in the vehicle.

Lowering diesel emissions even further

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Innovative technology from Bosch for clean and fuel-efficient diesel engines

• 4th generation Common Rail with pressure amplification


• Unit Injector system for improved combustion


• Bosch solutions for exhaust gas aftertreatment

"Modern diesel engines are very attractive thanks to their high torque at low revs and their low fuel consumption", says Dr. Ulrich Dohle, President of Diesel Systems Division of Robert Bosch GmbH, in a speech to the Stuttgart-based components supplier's Automotive Press Briefing.


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Bosch is pursuing a large number of technical improvements with the aim of further reducing harmful emissions from diesel engines and thus of making these engines even more environmentally-friendly. Following on the introduction of the Euro 4 emissions standards, the focus of Bosch's development efforts is on the prospective Euro 5 standards, which will apply from 2010 and which are currently being debated in the EU Commission in Brussels. Euro 5 represents an enormous challenge for the development engineers in respect of emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulates: for particulates, a maximum emission level of a fifth of the current Euro 4 standard is being discussed. That can only be met by using particle filters on all diesel cars.

As well as a diesel particle filter (DPF), Bosch is also developing a new injection system which will feature extremely precise metering of fuel in order to further reduce the levels of harmful emissions. High injection system pressures and variable control of the injectors through which the fuel is injected into the combustion chambers are both centrally important here. By using novel piezo-electric technology and maximum injection pressures of 1600 bar, the 3rd generation of the Common Rail system introduced by Bosch in 2003 is already capable of meeting the current Euro 4 limits without employing additional exhaust gas aftertreatment. In view of the further improvement to fuel mixture preparation required by the Euro 5 standards aimed at lowering raw emissions, Bosch is planning to develop and market the Piezo Common Rail system for system pressures of up to 2000 bar.


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Bosch is also developing the 4th generation of the Common Rail system with a "Hydraulically Amplified Diesel Injector" (HADI). Using a pressure-amplifying piston, it will enable injection pressures of up to 2500 bar to be achieved. "This new technology opens up the possibility of operating with a significantly lower pressure in the Common Rail itself, with the required maximum pressure only being generated in the injector", explains Dohle. In addition to the Common Rail systems, the development engineers are also working on improving the Unit Injector System. The latest UIS3 generation designed by Bosch operates with two actuators instead of one and allows the injection process to be variably configured, with five injections per cycle, similar to the 3rd and 4th generations of the Common Rail system.

In order to exploit the potential of its injection systems to the maximum, Bosch is developing a new engine control unit (EDC17), which will go into series production in 2006. Using revolution counters, the system can analyze the injection parameters of each cylinder and adjust them if necessary. The system permits a simple control system which can easily be transferred to a variety of engines and which benefits from the direct feedback from the engine. Precision and resistance to mechanical wear can be optimised.

For breaking down nitrogen oxides in diesel engines, either NOx storage catalytic converters (NSC) or SCR systems are employed. SCR systems require the reducing agent 'AdBlue', which converts the nitrogen oxides into nitrogen and water. Bosch is developing dosage units and control unit designs for these SCR systems. This will allow an especially effective removal of nitrogen oxides with a conversion rate of up to 85 percent.

"These are some of the innovative solutions which Bosch is offering in order to lower emissions in all diesel cars and commercial vehicles", says Dohle.

2nd Generation of the DI-Motronic Gasoline Direct Injection System from Bosch

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For powerful, fuel efficient and clean gasoline engines

• Combination of direct injection and turbocharging


• Piezo injectors for future jet-directed injection processes


• One in five gasoline engines to be fitted with direct injection by 2008

As has already happened with diesels, the combination of Bosch direct injection and turbocharging will radically affect the sales of gasoline engines. At an Automotive Press Briefing hosted by the Stuttgart-based automotive components supplier, Dr. Rolf Leonhard, Vice President Development, Gasoline Systems Division of Robert Bosch GmbH, states: "The new direct injection gasoline engines resolve the conflict of objectives between driving dynamics and fuel consumption. The high torque they produce at the lower end without sacrificing their high-revving capability at the upper end makes them very attractive." The higher torque results from synergies between direct injection, turbocharging and variable valve timing.

Bosch's DI-Motronic direct gasoline injection is the single most effective means of reducing fuel consumption. A combination of downsizing and direct injection with homogeneous combustion (Lambda = 1) makes it possible to achieve a roughly 15 percent reduction in consumption. Even without downsizing, the same kind of improvement can be achieved using the jet-directed combustion process and stratified charge injection. Further potential for reducing consumption results from the combination of sprayguided direct injection combustion with turbo- charging, as well as through novel Start-Stop systems such as Bosch's direct injection Directstart.

Gasoline engines with direct injection already meet the US SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle) regulations. The emissions standards currently being debated in Europe for a future Euro 5 standard can also be realized with this system at acceptable cost. Bosch has developed a new warm-up strategy for the catalytic converter for direct injection systems. For a direct injection gasoline engine, the cost of the entire system consisting of engine, electronic engine management and exhaust system is about the same as for a system with simple downdraught fuel injection.

The 2nd generation of DI-Motronic will go into series production at the end of 2005. It will make future gasoline engines more responsive, fuel-efficient and cleaner. Improved direct injection features new high-pressure injection valves with multi-hole nozzles, an improved single-cylinder high-pressure pump and improved engine management. The injectors of the 2nd generation of DI-Motronic are designed to handle higher fuel pressures of up to 200 bar, as against the previous 120 bar. There are multi-hole, variable-configuration, valves for the magnetically-driven injectors.

Bosch is also developing Piezo injectors for future spray-guided DI combustion processes which are also designed for a fuel pressure of 200 bar. These injectors feature extremely short response times, enabling highly flexible injection strategies to be employed. A newly-developed single-cylinder high-pressure pump generates the required pressure in the fuel supply line. The pump is driven by an extra cam on the camshaft and has only two hydraulic connections: one for the fuel supply, the other for the connection to the fuel distribution tube (high-pressure rail). The power consumption of the new high-pressure pump is lower and it is both smaller and lighter. As regards the engine control unit and the overall functioning of the system, Leonhard says: "For engine management Bosch has developed electrical circuits and functions for all current DI combustion processes and engine designs. The all-round improvements to the DIMotronic system make it easier to convert conventional gasoline engines to direct injection."

Leonhard believes that gasoline direct injection is set to be as successful as diesel direct injection. By 2008, one in every five new gasoline-powered vehicles is expected to have direct injection. Around half of these will also have a turbocharger. His assessment: "Across the globe, gasoline direct injection with turbocharging will in future further consolidate the current market dominance of the gasoline engine."

Road Death Toll still too High

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Casualty figures on our roads continue to fall according to Government figures issued today, but there is no room for complacency. Young drivers and those driving at work are still high risk.

Commenting on today's announcement by The Department of Transport, Adrian Walsh, director of RoadSafe said: "This continued decline in casualties results from a huge effort by government and many others to find new and innovative ways of reducing death and injury on our roads, however until we all accept some measure of responsibility people will continue to be killed and injured. Parents of young dri