All the key news in fleet from the last week…

Last year saw the European Commission publish a list of 19 safety technologies that it is considering to make mandatory.

Campaign to make autonomous features mandatory

The European Commission is being urged to make a number of autonomous features mandatory on new cars, vans and trucks to help reduce deaths and serious injuries on European roads.

Last year saw the European Commission publish a list of 19 safety technologies that it is considering to make mandatory, including Automated Emergency Braking, Intelligent Speed Assistance. Now, a coalition of stakeholders says the Commission should turn this into a formal legal proposal.

For more details, click here.

Ecotricity says the new pricing model will bring typically lower charging costs across all makes and models.

Ecotricity revamps PAYG charging model 

Ecotricity is launching a new pricing model for its Electric Highway rapid charging network in a move to charge more proportionally for energy taken.

Effective from 26 June, the new system separates the cost of energy from the cost of providing the service.

For more details, click here.

Craig McNaughton, corporate director, Lex Autolease, forecasts big data will enable leasing firms to “predict the future”.

Act now on big data to avoid data protection fines

The advent of the connected car will transform the face of the fleet industry but fleets must act now to embrace ‘big data’ and ensure they don’t fall foul of forthcoming data protection legislation.

These were some of the issues covered at last week’s ACFO spring seminar, which also saw speakers outline how contract hire companies will transform into analytics businesses that lease vehicles.

For more details, click here.

The RAC is predicting a late spring surge on the roads this weekend.

Bank holiday to bring chaos on roads

Sixteen and a half million leisure journeys will be taken by car this coming bank holiday weekend, the highest number in four years and up one million on last year, data from RAC Traffic Watch suggests.

Based on the travel plans of over 2,000 UK motorists, the RAC is predicting a late spring surge on the roads, with leisure traffic on motorways and major A-roads peaking on bank holiday Monday at nearly 5m journeys.

For more details, click here.

Ford’s new Omnicraft brand will cover
the 2,000 most commonly requested parts from launch, with more to follow.

Ford dealers branch into all-makes servicing and parts

Ford dealers in Europe can now offer servicing and parts for all vehicle makes following the brand’s launch of a new Omnicraft brand of replacement parts.

Said to offer competitively priced, quality components, the new brand will initially cover the 2,000 most commonly requested parts, including oil filters and brake pads, with more to follow.

For more details, click here.

AMT Group is offering a “free-of-charge consultative approach to vehicle procurement”.

SMEs being given outdated and biased advice, says AMT

Fleet-decision makers are not being given “thorough and honest” advice on vehicle procurement, leaving them exposed to risk in the event of circumstances changing.

That’s the view of AMT Group, which has launched what it says is the “first ever blended fleet service” for SMEs.

For more details, click here.

Fleetdrive Electric’s bespoke charging solution is designed to provide the complete EV fleet package.

New all-in-one EV charging solution

Fleetdrive Electric has launched a new electric vehicle charging solution designed specifically for fleets.

Dubbed ‘Crowd Charge’, the system is intended to provide an easy-to-use means of introducing, implementing and managing EVs at the workplace.

For more details, click here.

Facelifted Fiat 500L

Facelifted 500L revealed

Fiat has taken the wraps off its facelifted 500L, which starts deliveries from September.

Priced from £16,195 OTR, the model comes in three variants, covering the standard Urban model, beefed-up Cross and seven-seat extended Wagon models, and brings new options including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a completely revamped interior.

For more details, click here.

The true fleet sector fell 25.1% in April but Dataforce noted that April 2016 was the highest since its records began in 2004.

Triple whammy for UK true fleet market in April

The UK’s true fleet market fell 25.1% in April as it bore the impact of three less business days, the usual hangover from the UK plate change plus the new Vehicle Excise Duty (VED).

However, the figures from Dataforce show that it was the private market that took the hardest hit with a 28.5% fall.

For more details, click here.