Drivers have been reminded of the risks of looking at screens while driving after one woman revealed she watches entire television episodes behind the wheel… complete with subtitles.

An anonymous caller to a national radio station has revealed she regularly watches television while driving – and both police and other road users have confirmed the practice is becoming increasingly common on Australian roads.

A South Australian woman who dialled into Nova’s Late Drive with Ben, Liam and Belle on September 23 admitted to watching Turkish soap operas with subtitles while behind the wheel.

RELATED: Everyone’s doing it, but is it legal to film yourself while driving?

“It’s really bad, but I will watch catch-up TV while I’m driving,” she said. “It’s just so I’ve got something on in the background, you know, while I’m driving, and there [are] pictures.”

Host Liam attempted to clarify, asking “So are you saying it’s sort of just on and you’re sort of listening to it as if it were like a podcast, like, obviously you’re not actually watching it whilst driving right?”.

The woman replied “No… I’ll watch it as well. I got really obsessed with Turkish soap operas, so I’d have to read subtitles too”.

While the hosts criticised the caller, calling her behaviour “really bad” and telling her to “cut that out”, it appears watching television while driving is becoming an increasingly common habit on local roads.

One Reddit post from June 2024 shared footage of a driver in Australia watching videos on a dash-mounted mobile phone.

“Besides being an ill-advised distraction – wondering what the law is on this?” the Reddit user asked.

The post was inundated with comments from people who’d witnessed similar behaviour on the roads.

“I was next to a lady in Strathfield two weeks ago, she had a phone horizontally in front of the steering wheel watching a video. Two phones facing her attached to the centre air vents, one in use talking to someone. How she was managing to drive was beyond me,” one commenter said.

Another asked “Were they watching it or driving? I have YouTube on pretty often just to listen to something when I’m not in the mood for music on my commute home. It doesn’t mean I’m glued to the screen, I’m just listening along”.

In July 2024, an Adelaide father of three was also jailed for watching TV while driving and under the influence of the drug meth, while an ACT Policing spokesperson told Drive, “Two people have been issued with traffic infringement notices for this offence” in the ACT so far in 2024.

A Victoria Police spokesperson told Drive “Too often police see drivers scrolling through a phone on their lap, texting, or even watching videos when their eyes should be on the road”.

Is it illegal to watch videos or TV while driving in Australia?

Yes, driving with any kind of visual display unit visible to a driver is illegal across Australia, with only one exception made for drivers using navigation services like Google Maps or Apple Maps.

Even then, the phone and/or screen has to be properly mounted to your dash and the driver cannot touch or interact with the display – even when the vehicle is stopped.

Otherwise, the applicable offence is “driving a vehicle with a TV/VDU (visual display unit) image visible” and it attracts hundreds of dollars in fines in every state and territory.

For example, in Victoria, the offence attracts a $593 fine and four demerit points.

It’s also worth noting that even if a driver isn’t holding or actively engaging with the screen, they can still be fined if a passenger is watching something that is in their line of sight.

That means that if your front seat passenger is watching a TV show with the screen facing towards you, or if they briefly show you their screen while you’re stopped at the traffic lights, you could also be fined.

“Driving isn’t a secondary activity, it requires your complete attention. Police can be anywhere, anytime, and we run operations targeting mobile phone use,” a Victoria Police spokesperson said.

“Motorists can also be caught by mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras operating across Victoria. If you’re caught using your phone while driving, whether by police or a camera, you should expect to be penalised.

“The penalty is significant for a reason – distraction is a major contributing factor to road trauma.”

The post ‘It’s really bad’: Aussie woman’s disturbing driving confession sparks police warning appeared first on Drive.

The chairman of some of the world’s top automotive brands has had his assets seized by Italian authorities over a case involving his family’s inheritance.

A senior car company executive has had his assets seized by a judge in Italy after an investigation into alleged tax fraud.

John Elkann, the chairman of both Ferrari and Stellantis – the parent company of 15 car brands, including Alfa Romeo, Citroen, Fiat, Jeep, Peugeot, and Ram – is one of five people to have their assets seized, worth a total of €75 million ($AU122.6 million), according to Automotive News Europe.

While he is not accused of any business-related wrongdoing, Mr Elkann and his two siblings are alleged to have failed to pay taxes in Italy on assets inherited from their grandmother – the wife of the former boss of Fiat – who passed away in 2019.

Mr Elkann’s accountant and the Swiss notary who acted as the estate’s executor have also had their assets seized by the court.

Lawyers representing the Elkann siblings say the seizure was merely a procedural step in the case, and it is not a ruling of guilt.

Italian prosecutors say an investigation shows the Elkanns’ grandmother was a resident of Italy from 2010 – and not Switzerland as claimed – with tax from the inheritance therefore owed to Italian authorities.

The Elkanns dispute the allegations, claiming she had been a resident in Switzerland since the 1970s.

The post Ferrari chairman accused of tax fraud, assets seized – report appeared first on Drive.

Fears over national security could prompt a ban on autonomous vehicles, as well as those that can connect via satellite or mobile networks.

UPDATE, Tuesday 24 September 2024: Details of the US Commerce Department’s plans to prohibit the use of hardware and software from China in new cars have now been outlined.

The US Government has confirmed its intention to stop Chinese technology from being used in autonomous and connected cars sold in the US, with concerns they could share sensitive information with entities overseas – or be shut down remotely.

The limitations on software from China could be imposed as soon as 2026, with a ban on Chinese hardware – such as semiconductors and control units – to come into effect in 2029.

While less commonplace in the new-car market, similar measures could be enacted on hardware and software sourced from Russia.

According to The Age and Sydney Morning Herald (SMH), the Australian Government is monitoring developments, with the Australian Department of Home Affairs confirming it had been communicating with the US Government about the plan.

MORE: The cars you didn’t know were built in China

A statement from Home Affairs issued to The Age and SMH said it “has been proactively engaging with the US government to understand the implications of any proposed regulation,” but did not confirm whether the Australian Government was considering similar prohibitions.

A US lobby group representing major car companies including Hyundai, GM, Toyota, and Volkswagen, told news outlet Reuters there is “very little” Chinese-made connected hardware in new cars sold in the US, but such a ban would force car makers to find alternative suppliers in some cases.

Such a widespread ban would almost certainly put an end to the Chinese manufacture of some new cars – including some made by General Motors, Ford, and Volvo.

While the prospect of espionage and sabotage has been floated by government officials as the reasons behind the proposed bans, it could also severely limit plans by Chinese car companies to build their vehicles in Mexico using Chinese parts and software – a move which would side-step significant import tariffs on electric vehicles from China.

Our original story continues unchanged below.

Monday 23 September 2024: The US could soon ban software and hardware manufactured by Chinese companies for use in new cars due to security concerns, unnamed sources say.

According to a report from news outlet Reuters, the US Commerce Department is expected to put forward a proposal that bans Chinese technology in vehicles which can connect via satellite or mobile networks.

The ban would also include Chinese-made autonomous vehicles.

The unconfirmed report comes less than a fortnight after US officials locked in 100 per cent tariffs on electric vehicles from China, along with a 50 per cent duty on semiconductors and solar cells.

Electric-car batteries and minerals from China have been hit with a 25 per cent tariff, along with steel and aluminium.

MORE: European Union lowers proposed tariffs for Chinese-built electric vehicles

As reported in August 2024, the US Government has raised concerns over autonomous cars developed by Chinese companies over “national security risks” – but could keep the door open for US car makers to continue manufacturing and selling vehicles built in China.

A year earlier, the head of a leading UK motoring organisation publicly claimed there “major security issues” with Chinese-made electric cars, accusing them of being “trojan horses” which could be remotely disabled if desired.

While experts downplayed the claims at the time as “scaremongering”, this week a Tesla Cybertruck – fitted with a heavy machine gun and being used by Russian forces in the war against Ukraine – was reportedly remotely disabled, forcing it to be towed from the battlefield.

In May 2024, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo reiterated the potential security threat.

“You can imagine the most catastrophic outcome theoretically if you had a couple million cars on the road and the software were disabled,” she said at the time.

MORE: Chinese electric cars ‘an existential threat’ – Ford boss

The comments came after US President Joe Biden ordered an investigation into the national security risk posed by connected vehicles.

“China’s policies could flood our market with its vehicles, posing risks to our national security,” Biden said earlier this year.

“I’m not going to let that happen on my watch.”

The post US Government outlines ban on Chinese technology in connected cars – UPDATE appeared first on Drive.

Hydrogen fuel cells are the focus of a new partnership between Hyundai, and a far less well-known, long-separated relative of car maker Skoda.

Hyundai Motor Company has signed a deal with Skoda to explore a partnership on hydrogen fuel-cell technology in vehicles.

But it is not the Skoda car maker owned by Volkswagen, but rather the Skoda Group – a manufacturer of trains, trams and buses based in the Czech Republic and owned by a private investment firm.

The car manufacturer was split off from the train maker – as well as other parts of what was then called Skoda Works – after World War II, as the communist Czechoslovakian Government nationalised its largest companies.

Skoda Auto bought the rights to the Skoda name and its winged logo for all industries – beyond just car production – two years ago, but it will be used under licence by the train manufacturer until 2029.

MORE: Hyundai wants to become number one in hydrogen with number twos

A 2021 survey conducted for the Skoda Group by data specialists Ipsos found only a quarter of Czech respondents knew about the Skoda train manufacturer, and 93 per cent associated the Skoda brand with car production.

The Skoda car maker is part of the sprawling Volkswagen Group, which has said it is not interested in hydrogen fuel-cell technology for cars, and is instead focusing on battery-electric power.

In contrast, the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Skoda Group could see it use Hyundai hydrogen fuel-cell technology in its trains and trolleybuses.

The agreement signed on Friday covers a “study on adoption of hydrogen fuel-cell systems and technologies,” as well as “study on adoption of energy efficient solutions for mobility projects and products,” according to a statement issued by the brands.

It will also explore “hydrogen ecosystem and value chain opportunities beyond mobility,” which suggests hydrogen power could be used as an alternative to solar, wind, hydro or another form of power generation for land infrastructure.

The announcement said “the parties will explore the possibility that Hyundai would share its fuel-cell system and technology” with the Czech company.

Hyundai Motor Company has invested heavily in hydrogen fuel-cell technology for passenger and commercial vehicles.

It is developing its third generation of hydrogen fuel-cell-powered production cars, and in 2021, Hyundai announced a goal to achieve ‘price parity’ between hydrogen fuel-cell and electric vehicles.

A limited number of Hyundai Nexo fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) have been offered in Australia as part of a trial.

The company has partnered locally with Toyota – one of the other main supporters of fuel-cell technology – plus energy giants Ampol and Pacific Energy to build hydrogen refilling stations.

The post Hyundai and Skoda partner on hydrogen power, but it’s not quite what you’d think appeared first on Drive.

The Lord Mayor of Melbourne moved a motion to evict e-scooters for hire from the CBD, as the number of injuries and fines for using them dangerously rises.

UPDATE, 24 September 2024: Melbourne’s ban on e-scooters for hire will come into effect tonight, with around 1500 being trucked out of the city in the final hours before the cutoff.

Collection of the scooters began yesterday, with the deadline looming as of midnight tonight (11:59pm Tuesday, 24 September). 

It’s understood that any not collected will be impounded with the two providers – Neuron and Lime – made to pay a release fee for each individual ‘vehicle’ held by the City of Melbourne, reports The Guardian.

Melbourne will now join other cities globally including Paris, Rome, Montréal and Toronto in banning the use of rental e-scooters – although people can still hire them in the City of Yarra and the City of Port Phillip.

Responding to the ban, Neuron said it was “extremely disappointed”, while Lime said it remains “optimistic” the ban will be repealed.

Our original story continues on below unchanged.

15 August 2024: Melbourne City Council has officially banned hire e-scooters from the CBD.

Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece launched a motion to cancel the City’s two trial contracts with e-scooter companies Lime and Neuron at Tuesday’s meeting, with the vote falling in favour of the ban 6-4.

The companies have at least 30 days notice, with the e-scooters set to be removed from the CBD before the next council elections in October. 

“The current contracts have six months to go, but we cannot wait six months,” Reece said, reports 9 News.

“We need a fundamental reset.”

Both Lime and Neuron appeared at the meeting to object to the ban.

“They offer an affordable, convenient, and sustainable transport option that people rely on. Last week, Melbourne had higher vehicle utilisation than Paris, during the Olympics,” the spokesperson said.

“If hire schemes aren’t around, riders will turn to unregulated privately owned scooters that can be modified to travel at the same speeds as cars, and without the ability to implement geofencing, slow zones and helmets.”

The move comes just weeks before new laws, introduced by the Victorian Government, come into effect in October legalising the use of private e-scooters – with the authority said to have been caught off-guard by the City Council’s decision.

13 August 2024: Hired e-scooters are set to be banned from Melbourne’s CBD under proposals going before Town Hall tonight.

Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece and Councillor Davydd Griffith is going to move a motion at the city’s council meeting proposing to end its contracts with the two firms which operate in the area – Lime and Neuron, according to The Age.

Lime and Neuron will be given 30 days’ notice before their combined roughly 1500 e-scooters will need to be removed from the city.

The scooters had been available for hire as part of a two-year trial in the Melbourne, Yarra and Port Phillip council areas, with the technology presenting an opportunity in practical ‘last mile’ mobility, while also reducing transport emissions.

But in recent months e-scooters have come under fire, not just in Melbourne but across Australia, for being used dangerously – resulting in increasing numbers of injuries – blocking footpaths and also for presenting a fire risk.

With just hours to go before the meeting, however, the two e-scooter hire firms aren’t laying down about the proposed ban.

A spokesperson for Lime said the company “is committed to safe e-scooter usage in the City of Melbourne”, adding: “What we can appreciate is that the councillors are hearing from a very vocal minority of local residents.”

Neuron too sent out an alert using its app on Tuesday morning asking users to ‘help save e-scooters’, encouraging them to email the Lord Mayor to keep the technology on Melbourne’s streets.

Despite the furore surrounding their use, the State Government is making permanent e-scooter hire schemes legal in October outside of the Melbourne, Yarra and Port Phillip council areas.

“The shared e-scooter scheme has been popular in Melbourne, but there has also been serious issues,” the Lord Mayor told the newspaper last week. “Riders continue to break the law, endangering others and themselves, creating a nuisance on our streets.”

It’s also understood that there have been a sharp spike in the number of people presenting to hospitals, such as the Royal Melbourne, as a result of being injured using e-scooters.

“As a clinician involved in caring for people who come off e-scooters, I have seen an alarming rise in the number of people who come through our emergency department,” plastic and reconstructive surgeon Anand Ramakrishnan told The Age.

“About four per cent of facial fractures over the last two years have been due to e-scooters. While that doesn’t sound like a lot, some of these injuries have been really life-changing for these individuals.”

Dr Ramakrishnan’s evidence is supported elsewhere in the country too, with the number of people ending up in Queensland hospital emergency rooms after e-scooter accidents doubling in just two years.

Recent figures compiled by the Jamieson Trauma Institute revealed there were 1273 e-scooter-related accidents reported within the state’s emergency departments last year compared to 1018 in 2022 and 691 in 2021.

That means in 2023 the number of injuries jumped by 25 per cent, while between 2021 and 2022 the amount rose by 84 per cent.

Even when users aren’t injured, many are still falling on the wrong side of the law, with almost 300 riders fined in just one day in May, according to Victoria Police, during a two-day enforcement blitz in Melbourne’s CBD – including 73 who were riding on footpaths. Police have issued 1964 fines since December 2021.

Police said they had recorded 860 collisions involving e-scooters since December 2021, including seven fatal crashes. The data includes both hire scooters and privately owned scooters, which the state has also legalised.

According to police, most of the tickets were issued for riders failing to wear an approved bicycle helmet, which attracts an automatic fine of $240, while others were slapped with penalties for riding on footpaths costing them $192 a pop.

Dangers posed by the type of batteries used in e-scooters and e-bikes will be also be a top priority for Australia’s safety watchdog this year as the number of fires caused by them rockets.

Risks associated with the use of emerging technology such as lithium-ion batteries will be a key focus for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) during 2024-25, the organisation has revealed.

The post Melbourne bans e-scooters from tonight – UPDATE appeared first on Drive.

The dual-cab ute remains Australia’s most popular vehicle, but for those who are constantly pushing the limits of what they’re capable of, it might be time to upgrade to a proper truck. But as Ben Zachariah finds out, trucks have come a long way in recent years.

2024 Isuzu NPR 45-155 Tradepack

Some people buy dual-cab utes just because they reckon they look cool. Sure, no shame – drive what you want. Then there are the majority of buyers who choose a ute because it’s a family car that can tow the jet ski and transport that thing you need for work occasionally without worrying about mud and grease ruining the carpet.

It’s like an RM Williams boot. It’s tough, well made, comfortable, and can be dressed up for an occasion, but is just as comfortable doing hard yakka on a farm.

Then there are the people who buy a ute and load it up. Tools, ladders, on-site machinery, materials for the next job, only to have an overloaded vehicle that takes too long to pack and unpack. At the end of the day, they probably should have gone with something more appropriate.

This brings us, my friends, to the Isuzu NPR 45-155. A proper truck. The 45 translates to 4500kg gross vehicle mass (GVM) – meaning it’s car-licence friendly – while the 155 refers to the horsepower, which is how the truck industry still measures performance.

In metric terms, the truck puts out 114kW and 419Nm from its 5.2-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine driving the rear wheels. 

A six-speed manual is available, but in this case we were driving a six-speed single-clutch automatic – essentially a manual transmission that changes gears automatically.

It’s worth noting that the NPR is also available as a 55-155 – meaning it’s been designed to carry up to 5500kg GVM for those with a light rigid truck licence or higher – however, the Isuzu NPR 45-155 has been de-rated to allow anyone with a car licence to drive it. 

Or to put it another way – even when the NPR 45-155 is fully loaded, this thing is well within safe limits.

Compare that to one of Australia’s most popular utes, the Toyota HiLux, which has a GVM of 3050kg.

It’s one thing to compare a ute to a truck, but it’s entirely something else to see the stark differences when they’re side-by-side.

Isuzu recently invited a small group of motoring journalists to the former Holden proving ground in Lang Lang, Victoria to do just that, and to experience the capability of their car-licence range. Not only when parked, but in a variety of driving conditions.

Before you grab the nearest heavy item to throw at whatever screen you’re reading this on, know this: the Toyota HiLux is one of the best utes on the market, and that’s something we stand by.

The HiLux has been the industry standard since it replaced the Toyota Stout in the 1970s. The current generation won its segment in the Drive Car of the Year awards in 2018, and was the runner-up just last year, only losing out to the much newer Ford Ranger.

My point being this: Thousands of people swear by RM Williams boots. And just because they don’t look as good, it doesn’t mean a gumboot isn’t more useful in certain circumstances.

The NPR 45-155 we’re testing has the Tradepack, part of Isuzu’s Ready-to-Work range. In the past you’d buy a cab-chassis truck and then it would be up to you to find someone to build you a tray or a tipper or a service body for the back. Now, Isuzu offers different truck bodies for different needs, available straight from the dealership.

In this case, the Tradepack includes a bullbar, an aluminium tray, and a tow pack. And it starts from approximately $72,000 before on-road costs.

The guys at Isuzu loaded up an NPR with as much gear from Kennards as it could handle, then threw me the keys to hit the 44 kilometres of private roads at the proving ground.

While 14-year-old me would have preferred to have been driving an HSV VS GTS-R on those roads, I can’t imagine too many people have driven a fully loaded truck at speed on the outside lane of a banked test loop. 

It’s no exaggeration I had to keep reminding myself of the weight in the back, because the truck drove like there was nothing there – and it was the same story towing a small digger.

If you’re imagining flat vinyl seats, a loud cabin, and a diesel engine that would barely pull the skin off a cold soup, then I’d wager you haven’t experienced the latest generation of trucks. Sure, it ain’t a Bentley, but it is a comfortable place to spend time – and you might be surprised at just how much gear it has.

For example, the suspension driver’s seat, which can be adjusted for those up to 130kg and adds another layer of comfort on poor roads. Then there’s the infotainment system – a 10.1-inch floating screen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and DAB+ digital radio.

Called the MyIsuzu Co-Pilot, the system also has native satellite navigation software that can take a live traffic feed – taking you on the quickest route – while also avoiding roads, bridges, and tunnels based on your truck’s weight, height, and whether you have any HAZMAT material aboard.

Then there’s safety. The NPR now features a stereo camera on the dashboard, allowing it to recognise hazards ahead – such as pedestrians, cyclists, and other vehicles – as part of its autonomous advanced emergency braking (AEB) system. Sound familiar? Yes, it’s the exact same system made by Hitachi for Subaru, named ‘EyeSight’.

While it doesn’t have the same long reach that you get from a radar, it does allow for preset distances to the vehicle in front, and tells you when the vehicle ahead of you has moved on (in case you’re distracted by something while in traffic or at a set of lights).

Then there are things like electronic stability control, lane-departure warning, ABS, traction control, hill-start assist, automatic headlights, dual airbags, and a customisable speed limiter – all standard across the N Series 4×2 range.

Unfortunately, I can’t tell you how effective these safety systems are to both prevent you from having an accident, nor can I tell you how well they work in the event of an accident, as trucks aren’t tested by the likes of the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) – or its cousin, Euro NCAP. However, in April 2024 Euro NCAP announced plans to begin testing heavy vehicles from November.

But given trucks like this were little more than tractors that could (barely) hit 100km/h in decades past, safety in this segment has come a long way – with research and development continuing to move at a rapid pace.

Capability has also improved. Without wanting to pick on the HiLux, as a standard for that segment, the Toyota dual-cab has a gross combination mass (GCM) of 5850kg – compare that to the Isuzu which has a GCM of 9000kg.

The HiLux can tow a respectable 3500kg braked, while the NPR can tow another tonne on top of that.

Anyone who does a bit of caravanning has probably heard the stories of Australian road authorities cracking down on overweight four-wheel-drives. And it’s not hard to do – buckle the family in, hook up the Jayco, add in the gear for a couple of weeks away, and that GCM comes at you real quick.

Without wanting to get into the weeds of every last dimension, consider this: the tub on a dual-cab HiLux is 1.6m long, whereas the NPR has a 3.5m-long tray – and can be optioned up to 4.5m on the Mid-Wheelbase version. That’s not a bit more cargo area, it’s significantly more.

The turning circle on these trucks is impressive. While the HiLux requires 11.8m kerb-to-kerb (ignoring the wide-track variants like the GR Sport, which requires 12.6m), the short-wheelbase NPR (with the 3.5m tray) needs 10.2m between kerbs. Once you move up to the Mid-Wheelbase model – which is 6645mm long in total – it’ll need 12.4m of space.

On the road and the Isuzu is also pretty fun to drive. Obviously not in the same way a hot hatch is fun, but I’ve personally always been a fan of cab-over configurations – where the driver is ahead of the front axle. It’s a relaxed but commanding driving position, and though it won’t win any awards for handling, it’s fun on another level.

Arguably the area where the Isuzu trucks fail to impress is with the slow automatic six-speed single-clutch transmission. Being a manual gearbox that uses an automated system to swap cogs, it’s old technology and can be a shock if you’re not prepared.

Having said that, it seems to work better with the larger engine of the NPR 45-155, and after spending time with it and learning its foibles, soon enough you’ll start driving around it and will forget how uninspiring it is.

We spent most of our time evaluating the NPR 45-155, but it’s worth noting it’s just one of five car-licence models within Isuzu’s N Series range – each with their own variants – including the smaller entry-level NLR, a dual-cab NNR, and an all-wheel-drive NLS.

But there are certainly compromises. The back seats in the NNR aren’t exactly suitable for long distances, but on the other hand, it’s a seven-seater. It’s got the same seating capacity as a Kia Carnival, but has an extra 3.6m tray and a towing capacity of 4000kg (braked).

If I had to choose between the all-wheel-drive NLS 45-150 and a HiLux to traverse the Simpson Desert, there’s no question I’m taking the Toyota – but if you’re hauling cement mixers to muddy worksites, or your farm has poor drainage, the Isuzu suddenly makes a lot more sense.

Isuzu doesn’t expect every ute buyer to abandon their HiLux or Ranger in the middle of the highway and suddenly slap down a wad of cash for one of its trucks as a replacement. But for a good percentage of ute owners, it’s easy to see how a heavy-duty Isuzu truck could be a better fit in their lives.

The post 2024 Isuzu NPR 45-155 Tradepack review: Quick drive appeared first on Drive.

Peugeot’s new-generation Toyota RAV4 competitor is due early next year with sportier styling, a high-tech interior and lower fuel use – but less power and a higher price.

• 2025 Peugeot 3008 pricing and specifications
• New-generation SUV sold with mild-hybrid power
• Two launch variants to be joined by mid-trim grade
• Electric E-3008 plans unclear
• Priced from $52,990 before on-road costs

The new 2025 Peugeot 3008 mid-size SUV will go all-in on mild-hybrid technology – axing pure petrol and plug-in hybrid power – when it arrives in Australia early next year.

Two variants of Peugeot’s new coupe-styled 3008 SUV – Allure Hybrid and GT Premium Hybrid – are available to order now, ahead of a mid-grade GT Hybrid at an unspecified later date.

Prices have risen by up to $2915, and now start from $52,990 plus on-road costs – or about $56,000 to $59,500 drive-away, depending on the state of registration.

MORE: Peugeot delays electric-car plans in Australia, axes all plug-in hybrids

An electric E-3008 version was previously earmarked for local showrooms in the second half of this year, but it has been delayed to sometime in 2025 – at the earliest – in a broad rework of Peugeot’s electric-car plans.

All variants use a new 1.2-litre turbo-petrol three-cylinder mild-hybrid engine with claimed fuel consumption of 4.9L/100km, down from 5.6 to 7.3L/100km in the current 1.6-litre turbo four-cylinder 3008.

But the new engine develops 100kW/230Nm – compared to 121kW/240Nm or 133kW/250Nm from various tunes of the four-cylinder.

MORE: 2025 Peugeot 3008 to offer mild-hybrid petrol engine (published August 2024)

Unlike most mild-hybrid vehicles, the technology in the 3008 can drive the wheels on electric power alone at low speeds, in addition to the typical functions of providing assistance to the engine under acceleration.

Front-wheel drive is the only choice, with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that incorporates the electric motor.

Standard equipment in the new base Allure Hybrid includes 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, a 21-inch curved screen which incorporates the instrument and infotainment displays, fabric seats, and dual-zone climate control.

The flagship GT Premium Hybrid includes luxuries such as nappa leather trim, heated and ventilated front seats, and a sunroof.

A middle-of-the-range GT Hybrid will become available sometime after the rest of the range arrives early next year – with a price yet to be confirmed – offering features such as adaptive LED headlights and a Focal premium stereo.

Peugeot says it will announce a more comprehensive list of standard features closer to the 2025 Peugeot 3008 SUV’s Australian arrival in the first quarter of 2025 (January to March).

2025 Peugeot 3008 price in Australia

• 3008 Allure Hybrid – $52,990 (up $2915 over 2024 Allure petrol)
• 3008 GT Hybrid – $TBC
• 3008 GT Premium Hybrid – $64,990 (up $1600)

Note: All prices above exclude on-road costs.

2025 Peugeot 3008 Allure Hybrid standard features:

• 19-inch alloy wheels
• LED headlights and tail-lights
• 21-inch curved i-Cockpit display incorporating instrument panel, infotainment touchscreen
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Touch-sensitive i-Toggle shortcuts under touchscreen
• Fabric seat upholstery
• Dual-zone climate control
• Wireless smartphone charging
• 360-degree camera
• Body-coloured roof and rear spoiler
• Black mirror caps
• Autonomous emergency braking
• Lane-keep assist
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Speed sign recognition

2025 Peugeot 3008 GT Hybrid adds (over Allure Hybrid):

• ‘Pixel’ adaptive LED headlights
• 10-speaker Focal premium audio system
• 3D-effect LED tail-lights
• Black roof and rear spoiler

2025 Peugeot 3008 GT Premium Hybrid adds (over GT Hybrid):

• Nappa leather seat upholstery
• 10-way power-adjustable front seats
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Heated outboard rear seats
• Panoramic sunroof

Available colours:

• Obsession Blue (no cost)
• Okenite White ($690 extra)
• Nera Black ($690 extra)
• Ingaro Blue ($690 extra)
• Titanium Grey ($690 extra)
• Artense Grey ($690 extra)

The post 2025 Peugeot 3008 price and specs: Mild-hybrid power for higher price appeared first on Drive.

Sales of sedans may be shrinking, but another of Australia’s newest car brands is considering a rival for the Toyota Camry and Mazda 6.

The next car maker to take on the Toyota Camry – Australia’s top-selling mid-size sedan for 28 of the past 30 years – may be growing Chinese brand Chery.

The mid-size Arrizo 8 sedan is on the wish list for local showrooms, according to Chery Australia chief operating officer Lucas Harris.

However, it is not yet available in right-hand drive, and the Australian division must first prove itself on the sales charts with the SUVs already in its showrooms, said Harris.

“I’d love to be able to bring the Arrizo 8 to Australia. It’s a 2.0-litre turbo [petrol], and also has the PHEV version,” Harris recently told Drive.

“I had the pleasure of being able to drive both of those cars, [they’re] really cool cars. They handle really well. Their performance is exceptional. The interior fit out is really good.

“I think there’s a market for those, but at the moment they’re left-hand-drive only, so we need to do a good job of what we’ve got and then we can start looking at other segments.”

Harris said Chery headquarters can have a right-hand-drive version of a left-hand-drive-only model developed, tested and launched in Australia within 18 to 24 months of receiving the green light.

MORE: MG confirms Toyota Camry rival for Australia next year

Launched in China two years ago, the Arrizo 8 is 140mm shorter nose to tail, and 35mm shorter between the wheels than a Toyota Camry, but is a similar width and height.

Regular petrol variants are powered by a choice of 145kW/290Nm 1.6-litre and 187kW/390Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engines, matched with seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmissions.

Chery claims fuel consumption of 6.5 to 6.8L/100km under an unspecified Chinese lab testing protocol.

A plug-in hybrid variant is available – branded as the Chery Fulwin A8 (below) – combining a 1.5-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor, 18.3kWh battery pack and front-wheel-drive layout.

MORE: Hybrid, plug-in hybrid and mild hybrid: What’s the difference?

Power and torque outputs of 265kW and 530Nm are claimed for the system, as well as 106km of electric-only driving range in WLTC lab testing, and a 1400km-plus WLTC driving range in hybrid mode.

Fuel consumption is claimed to be as low as 1.0L/100km in optimal lab-test conditions.

With a near-flat battery – so charge in the battery sent to the electric motor is sourced primarily from energy recuperated under braking – Chery claims fuel consumption of 4.2L/100km in WLTC lab testing.

For context, the latest Toyota Camry Hybrid sedan – with a 2.5-litre ‘plug-less’ hybrid that operates similar to the Chery with a near-empty battery – claims fuel consumption of 4.0L/100km in similar Australian NEDC lab testing.

Harris said Chery Australia’s focus is on growing sales of its expanding range of SUVs, before turning its attention to other types of vehicles.

“Obviously at the moment, the SUV segments are where all the action is, and that’s why a lot of the other brands are in those segments as well, and that’s where all the volume seems to be,” he said.

“I don’t see a departure from that anytime soon. And really, the focus for us is to do a good job with the models that we’ve got before we go with our cap in hand to the factory, asking for some other segments.”

The post Chery keen on Toyota Camry rival for Australia appeared first on Drive.

Nissan’s latest semi-autonomous driving system will tell drivers to move over when they have finished overtaking.

A carmaker has developed a new software feature to inform drivers to return to the adjacent lane after they have successfully overtaken another vehicle.

Nissan’s ‘ProPilot’ semi-autonomous driving system has been updated to include the system, with 2025 versions of the Rogue and Armada SUVs – sold in Australia as the X-Trail and Patrol, respectively – the first vehicles to receive the system in the United States.

The Nissan ‘ProPilot 2.1’ system in the Rogue and Armada – along with the new Infiniti QX80 – will issue a message on the instrument cluster when it is time for a driver to move out of the outer-most lane.

The feature will only work when the semi-autonomous highway driving system is active – currently limited to selected roads in the United States – and it will not automatically complete the lane-change manoeuvre, instead asking the driver to do so.

ProPilot 2.1 also utilises Google Maps technology compared to earlier versions of the system.

Local timing for the updated Nissan X-Trail has not been confirmed as it is on a different timeline to US-built models – while the Y63 Patrol is due in Australia in late 2026.

In most states and territories in Australia, drivers must keep left unless overtaking where a sign applies, or if the speed limit is over 80km/h, except Western Australia and Queensland where the limit is 90km/h – even if the section of the road does not include a sign informing drivers to keep left.

MORE: ‘Seriously?’ – Victorian drivers fined for surprising freeway faux pas

Drivers can drive in the right lane for a short distance to turn right or make a U-turn, where permitted.

In mid-2023, Victoria Police targeted road users hogging the right lane in a road safety blitz, with a handful of drivers fined for failing to keep left unless overtaking on a freeway.

The Surf Coast Police issued infringement notices to five separate drivers who were caught travelling in the right lane for over a kilometre, with each driver receiving a $192 fine and two demerit points.

While it not illegal to ‘undertake’ on marked roadways in Australia, some brands – such as Volkswagen – include a feature within the adaptive cruise control system in some vehicles to prevent it from passing a vehicle in the adjacent lane, which can be overridden by tapping the accelerator pedal.

The post New feature developed to warn drivers they’re hogging the overtaking lane appeared first on Drive.

Should you base your speed on a phone app or your car’s actual speedometer? We have the answers.

A recent update to Google Maps has allowed motorists to see their live speed, similar to the function already offered by the navigation app Waze.

If you’re new to apps with a GPS speedometer, you may have noticed a sizable difference between the speed shown on your in-built speedometer and the one on your app.

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This is quite normal, but it’s hard to tell which one is accurate. Luckily for you, there is plenty of research into this equipment, and we consulted with the police to find out if you can contest a speeding fine using GPS proof.

How accurate is a car’s speedometer?

Car speedometers are calibrated from the factory to ensure that you don’t accidentally exceed the speed limit and become a liability on the road. Because of this, vehicle manufacturers often calibrate the speedometer in the car to show a higher speed than the speed you are actually travelling.

As per the Australian Design Rules for vehicles manufactured after July 1st, 2006, your speedometer cannot show a speed lower than your actual speed, e.g. it cannot show that you are travelling 100km/h when you are actually doing 101km/h. But it allows for your speedo to show a speed up to 10 per cent above your actual speed.

With the rules being so strict for showing a speed lower than what you’re actually travelling, manufacturers will typically set the calibration to be about five per cent or higher than your real speed. This isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution; some cars will be more accurate than others.

You also have other factors such as a change in tyre size and tyre wear that can throw the calibration of the speedometer out of whack. For example, if your factory tyre size is 205/50 R15 and you fit a 205/40 R15 tyre to get a lower-profile tyre look, then your speedo will now read even faster than your actual speed because your wheel has a smaller rolling diameter. This is relatively harmless as you are going slower than before.

Motorists who tend to get caught out are 4×4 fans who put larger wheels and tyres on their vehicles without knowing how it will affect their speedometer. Say you purchase a new 4×4 with road tyres and then decide you want to put on some 33-inch all-terrain tyres, this will make your speedometer read your speed slower than your actual speed.

A good rule of thumb to follow is if you put wheels and tyres on your vehicle with a larger rolling diameter, your speedometer will show a slower speed than you are travelling. If you put wheels and tyres on with a smaller rolling diameter, your speedometer will show a faster speed than you are actually travelling.

How accurate is a GPS speedometer?

Unlike the speedometers factory-fitted in your car, GPS speedometers are free, unregulated software, which can be a good and a bad thing.

The good thing is that they don’t have any governing body regulations to adhere to when it comes to showing your exact speed, which means that they will frequently read as close to your actual speed as possible.

The bad news is that there can sometimes be a lag between when the speed is recorded and when it appears in your app, plus smaller third-party apps are often unregulated, making it very hard to tell whether your can trust the speed shown.

GPS speedometers are quite accurate when travelling on a flat and straight road, but can struggle to show an accurate speed when it comes to travelling on a slope or around winding curves.

Additionally, GPS speedometers occasionally cannot operate in places such as tunnels and satellite dead spots, meaning that if you’re only using a GPS-operated speedometer, there could be times when you don’t have a working one at all.

Is a GPS or car speedometer more accurate?

It depends heavily on the road you are travelling along as to whether your car or GPS speedometer is more accurate. On average, you’re better off using the car’s built-in speedometer rather than a GPS to avoid a fine.

A University of New South Wales study from 2023 focused on the differences between a car’s speedometer and a GPS app, noting that there is a lag and a differential in the speeds shown across both when travelling on inclines and declines.

“While there may be a very short time lag as the GPS calculations re-adjust, it’s so insignificant that drivers probably won’t notice it,” says University of New South Wales Road Safety Expert, Emeritus Professor Michael Regan.

“If you’re driving on a flat, straight road, the GPS is likely to be more accurate than what’s displayed on your speedo.”

“However, if you’re going up or down a steep hill, the actual speed, for example, as measured by police mobile radar, will usually be greater than the GPS value but proportional to the steepness of the road you’re travelling on.

“It is the change in elevation, relative to the GPS satellites circling above, that results in the error. Horizontal bends do not affect it.

“In theory, a clever GPS device could account for the road steepness and adjust the displayed speed so it is more accurate. However, this is a relatively rare situation, and there is no strong justification for navigation devices to make this adjustment. Drivers should just bear this factor in mind when driving on steep roads.”

Can you contest a speeding fine with GPS proof?

Some modern dash cams use GPS to provide a speed below the recorded video. This can prove that you weren’t actually breaking the speed limit at the time of the fine.

Drive reached out to Victoria Police to find out if it was a viable way to contest a fine. While the Victorian Police spokesperson did not directly answer a yes or no, they did make mention that the radar guns used are calibrated within legislative requirements.

“Victoria Police speed detection devices undergo certification and maintenance in accordance with the required specifications to ensure they are certified to legislative requirements,” said the Victorian Police spokesperson.

“Victoria Police members utilising the devices are trained in the use of speed detection devices and are instructed on the impact different environmental conditions can have on their effective operational range.”

The chances of you contesting a speeding fine from a radar gun or dash-mounted radar equipment on a police car are low. Where the GPS speed on your dash cam may save you is if you get an “estimated speed” fine.

Although conclusions based on a person’s opinion are inadmissible in court, police officers are considered ‘experts’ because of their training, which allows them to fine people based on ‘estimated speed’.

If you feel as if you have been fined unfairly, a dash cam could be used as evidence to prove otherwise. Even without the GPS speed noted at the bottom of the video, the dash cam footage can be used as evidence in court, as speed can be calculated on speed travelled in relation to the surroundings in the video.

The post What’s more accurate – your car’s speedometer or GPS? appeared first on Drive.