Euro Car Parts has put together a range of products to enable independent garages to service tyre pressure monitoring systems. Euro Car Parts’ director of communications, Donna West, explains: “TPMS is going to be massive. The technology features on many models already on our roads but, thanks to European Regulation 6612209, it will be mandatory on all new models from 1 November 2011 and on all new cars from 2014.
With 1.5miles of the 2.6mile Indianapolis circuit recently resurfaced, the twelfth round of the 2011 MotoGP season will pose a new challenge for Bridgestone’s tyres, though Hirohide Hamashima, assistant to director in the company’s motorsport tyre development division is unworried. Speaking as the company confirmed its allocations would remain the same as last season’s visit to the Brickyard, Hamashima said: “Reports are that IMS have done a great job resurfacing the circuit which will make for more consistent conditions this year. It won’t change the physical demands placed on our tyres, because the corners are still the same and haven’t been re-profiled, so we haven’t changed our compound selection from last year other than with the addition of the third spec of front tyre with the new regulations.
The Czech Republic Grand Prix weekend saw the introduction of a change in the regulations for tyre allocation, giving riders one more front slick tyre each, a third softer compound option and greater choice of both front and rear slick compound allocation. Bridgestone motorsport tyre development general manager Tohru Ubukata commented that while the weekend had not shown the true impact the regulation changes should have, it had provided a good trial run for riders and teams, The new rules are designed to provide softer compounds for increased safety in cold weather. Ubukata said the impact on the company was purely in increasing the number of tyres it must now bring to each Grand Prix. The tyre supplier also took the opportunity to continue the development of its 2012 tyres, “designed for the new 1000cc engine regulations”.
On July 29 the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg introduced a regulation making the use of winter tyres compulsory in certain weather conditions. As of October 1, 2012, cars will be required to have M+S marked tyres fitted when frost, ice, slush or packed snow is present; trucks, buses and other heavy vehicles will be required to have M+S tyres fitted to drive axles.
Pirelli test driver Lucas di Grassi suggests the Hungarian Grand Prix could be different in character to previous seasons, with the manufacturer’s rubber once again central to the race’s result. The Hungaroring is the slowest permanent circuit on the Formula One calendar – with full throttle applied for only about 10 seconds per lap – and the action for this Hungarian Grand Prix is complicated by the risk of rain, which is forecast intermittently for the rest of the weekend. The track has been lightly modified from last year, with the gravel traps on turns three, eight and nine replaced by run-off asphalt, in the interests of safety. Pirelli anticipates a challenging race for Formula One’s drivers, and for the tyres as the drivers seek to gain advantage. The supplier suggests the chicane at turns six and seven will result in a racing line involving some kerbing, adding stress to the tyres, and the penultimate turn 13, where drivers will rely on the tyre compound to work as hard as possible in order first to pull the car through the corner and then guarantee good traction out of it, with limited downforce available.
The European Commission has cleared the proposed acquisition of German chemical company Evonik’s carbon black business under the EU Merger Regulation. This approval under the EU Merger Regulation means that the business’ purchase by US based firm Rhône Capital and Jersey’s Triton is not considered one that will significantly alter the structure of the carbon black market or significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA); the Commission reached this decision as neither firm has any existing ownership interests in any business that manufactures or sells carbon black.
A testing crisis may be looming at Pirelli. The Italian tyre maker’s motorsport director Paul Hembery shared with Autosport that he foresees future issues with the Toyota TF109 Pirelli currently uses for Formula One tyre tests. “We cannot get access to current cars, and nobody wants to seem to give us an answer or a solution,” Hembery commented. “As much as Toyota has done a good job, you can only go forward so far before we have no access to testing. We want to be a good partner for the sport and we want to try and deliver the best product, but until we can test and verify our own results it is becoming a little bit more difficult."
South Korea’s reported June 15 announcement regarding the introduction of voluntary tyre labelling before the end of this year and mandatory labelling a year later is being billed by Lanxess as a “huge success” for its global public affairs strategy. The German specialty chemicals firm shares that South Korea’s “Ministry of Knowledge Economy” has announced the commencement of a formal process for the implementation of a tyre labelling in the country with a “pre-notification” note. According to Lanxess the Korean government body plans to begin voluntary tyre labelling in November 2011 and introduce mandatory labelling in November 2012 – the month the EU tyre label becomes mandatory.
Campaign groups are warning that Government plans to allow longer lorries on UK roads could lead to more road deaths and put small hauliers out of business. But not everyone agrees. Campaign for Better Transport and Freight on Rail – backed by Campaign to Protect Rural England, CTC – the national cyclists' organisation, Friends of the Earth, Living Streets, RoadPeace and Sustrans – warn that contrary to Government claims, plans to increase lorry lengths could lead to six extra road deaths a year, result in more road congestion and lose small and medium sized hauliers up to £1.8 billion over five years. On the other side of the argument, the Freight Transport Association has called on the Government to take a level headed view on longer semi-trailers and asked it not be swayed by "emotive language and unsubstantiated claims" by stakeholders wanting to derail the proposals.
The European Commission has cleared the proposed acquisition of US-based Columbian Chemicals by Indigold Carbon, which is controlled by the Indian Aditya Birla Group, both worldwide producers of carbon black. Even though the Commission concluded that the merger would create one of the three largest companies in the carbon black sector, approval was granted under the EU Merger Regulation as it is believed European customers will “continue to enjoy healthy competition.”
After a meeting with the Independent Garage Association (IGA), the European Commission plan to review the way vehicle manufacturers make security information available to independent garages. At a recent meeting with Maria Rehbinder, Head of Unit, from the European Commission, the IGA, CECRA (European Council for Motor Trades and Repairs) and BOVAG (Independent Dutch Trade Body) presented a detailed report on the problems independent garages are currently experiencing when trying to access security information from vehicle manufacturers. Car manufacturers have an obligation to provide technical service bulletins, recall information, online diagnosis and software updates for new cars.
The Retail Motor Industry (RMI) has become the latest automotive industry body to voice opposition to the proposed MOT test changes. Says John Ball, MOT Chairman for the RMI: "The RMI has taken a leading role in the fight against the possible change to the frequency of MOT testing and will continue to lobby on behalf of its members. The MOT debate is already very much underway on the Red Tape Challenge site and it is important that our views and accurate information are put across to help our anti 4.2.2 regulation cause. We are urging everyone to voice their opinion against the change to ensure the safety of our road users and livelihoods.
A HiQ fast fit manager has revealed his frustration at the preponderance of acronyms in the automotive industry – a state of affairs he describes as “infuriating”. Stuart Carr says he has been driven to distraction by the creeping usage of perplexing acronyms in manufacturers’ manuals. Carr said: “I actually enjoy picking out a manual from the glove box and having a read through, but upon recent inspection I stumbled across reams of unnecessary jargon.
Paul Goggins, Labour MP for Wythenshawe and Sale East, has been awarded ‘Parliamentarian of the Month’ by road safety charity Brake and Direct Line. The award is said to have been presented in recognition of his efforts to raise the issue of regulation for heavy goods vehicle wheel safety in parliament.
In June 2010, Paul was approached by Motor Wheel Service because the firm was concerned about the lack of regulation to ensure the safety of second hand heavy goods vehicle wheels. They believe that there has been a rise of approximately 10,000 substandard second hand HGV wheels entering the UK market per year. Paul is concerned that there are no guarantees that these second hand wheels are safe because while tyres are heavily regulated to ensure they meet minimum standards of safety, wheels are not.
The issue of safety checks on commercial vehicle wheels achieved government attention at the end of March, as the Labour member of parliament for Wythenshawe and Sale East, Paul Goggins sought to raise the concerns of his constituent John Ellis, managing director of Motor Wheel Service (which is keen to raise the profile of this safety issue), with the Department for Transport (DfT). On 29 March, Goggins formalised the discussions in a Private Members’ Debate at Westminster Hall in conversation with the Conservative MP for Hemel Hempstead, Mike Penning, who is the current government minister for roads. MWS estimates that over 10,000 second hand and take-off wheels entered the market in 2009, of which the large majority were sold by companies who do not possess the technical abilities or examination procedures to ascertain the history and fatigue of a wheel.
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