The first UK production of a class leading, state of the art, automotive hybrid transmission for prestige and high-performance vehicles will begin early in 2020.
The initial £28M engineering program, part funded by the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), has been running for nine months and is already entering the hardware test stage and hofer powertrain UK Ltd is leading a consortium, which includes YASA Motors Ltd and WMG at the University of Warwick, to deliver the transmission to global automotive OEMs from hofer powertrain’s new UK manufacturing facility.
The UK road network isn’t up to running driverless trucks, said the boss of the Road Haulage Association.
Road Haulage Association’s Rod McKenzie speaking on BBC Radio said, “The haulage industry is increasingly IT led and we embrace technology – but not at the expense of safety or practicality. The experts have it all to prove as far as we are concerned. All road users – not just transport operators have to be OK with this. We’re not there yet but we are talking to the truck manufacturers and the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles and are following it all with keen interest and a healthy dose of caution.”
German prosecutors have raided Audi and Volkswagen offices as investigations continue into the rigging of emission results in the US.
The VW Group last week admitted it had acted illegally in the US, but the latest action suggests it’s a new line of enquiry with Audi this time, although it does not involved models in the UK or Europe, according to Automotive News Europe.
In a softening of tone, Volkswagen Group now suggests it may have some sort of tie-up with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles or another company.
This follows the acquisition of Opel/ Vauxhall by PSA Peugeot Citroen and the continuing drain on VW caused by the emissions compensation agreements, reports Reuters.