Deestone to keep its name despite Bridgestone brand dispute
On 3 April the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) said Thai tyre maker Deestone can retain its brand name despite opposition from Bridgestone, which owns both the Bridgestone and Firestone tyre brands.
Hella Gutmann: Are workshops recalibrating vehicles after wheel alignment?
As of the start of 2016, new vehicles require a minimum of two advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) to qualify for a 5 star Euro NCAP safety rating. The minimum requirement is to have Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) and Lane Departure Warning (LDW), both of which are complex systems requiring specialist equipment to recalibrate following repair to the vehicle.
As the latest provisional figures from the Department for Transport reveal that fatalities from drink driving have increased in the UK, safety campaigners are once again urging the Government to reconsider the drink drive limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Department for Transport’s report, which was released in February, estimates that 9,050 people were killed or injured in 2016 when at least one driver was over the drink-drive limit – a significant rise from 2015’s figure of 8,470 and the highest figure recorded since 2012.
From February 2019, trucks meeting Euro VI emissions standards will be eligible for a 10 per cent reduction in the cost of the Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) levy. Changes to the levy mean that, from February 2019, Euro 0-V compliant trucks will have to pay a £1200 levy rate. Euro VI trucks however, will pay just £900. The current rate is £1000.
International Tire Repair Solutions (ITRS), a global distributor of tyre repair materials, has acquired Vulcan-Vulcap, a tyre repair and retread equipment manufacturer based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Vulcan-Vulcap specializes in curing equipment including section repair moulds, C clamps, spotters, retread equipment and the Vulcaflex OTR system.
MWheels to discuss unchanged CV wheel inspection law with DfT, DVSA
MWheels will meet with the Department for Transport (DfT) and DVSA to understand why the EU Roadworthiness Directive, and its section on CV wheels, has not been incorporated in UK law. The DfT’s draft Heavy Goods Vehicle Inspection Manual, due to come into force from 20 May 2018, shows “no major changes” to section 06, Road Wheels and Hubs. This is despite the British firm’s eight-year campaign, which saw major input in both Periodic (2014/45/EU) and Roadside (2014/47/EU) documents. Both were expected to be fully adopted by all 27 Member States as part of the EU’s drive to create standardised inspection procedures.
European Parliament acknowledges that access to in-car data is ‘essential’
The European Parliament overwhelmingly supported the adoption of the Own Initiative Report by Istvan Ujhelyi on Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems.
Tyre association ETRMA has added its voice to that of the 633 MEPs that supported the request for the European Commission to publish a legislative initiative to guarantee fair, unrestricted and in real time access to in-vehicle data, before the end of the year.
Chancellor’s tax relief for cleanest vans requires further detail – KPMG
The chancellor of the exchequer, Phillip Hammond, has announced a reduction in tax for the cleanest vans in his Spring Statement. Introducing the measure, he said the government wanted to “help the great British white van driver go green.” Analyst KPMG responded that more detail is needed to allow vehicle manufacturers to develop products to take advantage of the tax reduction.
German cities will be allowed to ban older diesel vehicles from some areas following a landmark court ruling. The Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig said the cities of Stuttgart and Duesseldorf could legally ban older, more polluting diesel cars from zones worst affected by pollution.
Best practice guidelines on ASA ruling to be discussed at next VRA meeting
Best practice guidelines covering how to handle the recent Advertising Standards Authority ruling on previous business use cars will form the core of the next meeting of the Vehicle Remarketing Association. Taking place on 22 March at CD Auction Group in Corby, it will include a detailed presentation on the subject by Jonathan Butler of leading legal firm, Geldards, as well as member reports of how they are managing the issue.
Brake Engineering applauds decision to maintain MOT frequency
Brake Engineering, one of the aftermarket’s leading braking specialists, has applauded the government’s decision to maintain the current MOT frequency, with a vehicle’s first test taking place at three years and then one year thereafter.
CAM’s online tool helps customers become GDPR ready
In fewer than four months, the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will become active, presenting businesses with a number of requirements related to the way they process data. Ahead of the 25 May 2018 deadline, systems provider CAM is introducing a dedicated GDPR online tool created by specialist lawyers to help customers prepare fully for “the seismic changes the legislation will generate.”
Goodyear fined US$69k for Georgia factory safety violations
Goodyear Tire and Rubber has been fined $69,058 for alleged safety hazards at its facility in Social Circle, Georgia, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reported. The fines were issued in late January.
The news that commercial vehicle tyre registration took effect on 1 February has been met with lots of questions from inside the trade. At the most panicked end of the spectrum, some wholesalers fear that all Chinese-produced truck tyres could end up being subject to at least a 30 per cent levy.
On 1 February the European Commission began implementing regulation (EU) 2018/163, making imports of new and retreaded commercial vehicle tyres originating from China subject to registration. The news follows the initiation of anti-dumping proceedings on 11 August 2017 and anti-subsidy proceedings on 14 October 2017.
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