12 effects motoring has in store for 2015
We have already taken a look at some of the most important cars launching in 2015 on Green Apple Leasing‘s Motoring blog, so it’s only right that we now look even more forward into to the approaching 12 months, and see what’s in store for motorists and car enthusiasts in 2015. Here are 12 things for you keep an look out for.
Say farewell to your paper license
From the 8th June 2015, the paper part of the UK Driving License will no longer be issued by the DVLA, and will no longer be essential. Any points you gain on your license will be updated on the DVLA’s digital driver record, and you will be able to check this online, by telephone or by post.
This could help out bringing insurance premiums down
It’s hoped that moving driving records online could bring down insurance premiums by up to £15 per year, due to the fact that insurers themselves can check the online system to see if clients have any speeding fines, or points on their license. This means that covering costs must be cut, and this could be an advantage to motorists.
Driverless car trials start
As announced in the Governments autumn funds at the start of December, driverless car trials will get in progress in four cities in the United Kingdom from January 2015 onwards. These cities are Greenwich (South East London), Bristol and Coventry and Milton Keynes who will be working together as a sole project. The trials are backed by £10 million pounds value of funding, and the Government hopes that after the trials, we’ll be able to be more aware of how driverless cars will fit into our lives in the future.
The UK’s (planned) £15 billion “road revolution”
A large-scale “roads revolution” has been planned by the Government for the new year and beyond, which includes schemes such as getting better M25 junctions and a tunnel directly underneath Stonehenge. The road improvements have been seen as a deal-sweetener by many due to the future general election in May 2015 and we will have to wait and see how the plans turn out.
Volvo raising the car safety standard
The Volvo XC90 is on sale from spring 2015, and it doesn’t just seem the part. The new Volvo is expected to set a series of “world-firsts” in terms of automotive safety, with the motoring world looking on, many are predicting the finest Euro NCAP safety rating ever recorded.
Laser Lights
You may have been dazzled by these if you’re fortunate enough to have seen BMW’s revolutionary hybrid, the i8, out on the road. If you haven’t, then there’s a better chance you’ll spot these on new cars from 2015 onwards. They’re said to be 1,000 times more powerful than their LED counterpart, presently the headlight with the most wow-factor that’s available. Look out for the low energy laser headlight technology as it begins to sneak in this year.
Wi-Fi in cars becoming more common
The number of cars being formed with in-car wi-fi is set to raise, and quite fast. General Motors have announced that 2015 models will arrive with a built in hotspot capable of connecting to the high speed 4G LTE network.
Fuel duty frozen until May 2015
Also revealed in Chancellor George Osborne’s autumn announcement was that ‘fuel duty’ will be frozen until at least the end of his parliament (May 2015). Duty on unleaded and diesel will remain at 57.95p per litre, how it has been ever since 2011, and with prices at the pump continuing to drop, this can only be a good thing for motorists in the UK.
The first right-hand drive Ford Mustang
Around 130 Mustangs are set to be headed for the UK in 2015 after the Ford’s marquee car went on pre-sale in May 2014, and they will be on the market in right hand drive. Unfortunately the highly anticipated Mustang Shelby GT500 will not be made in right-hand drive, but we cannot wait for the lower-performance Mustang variant to reach UK soil this year.
The lowering of Scotland’s drink drive limit
In Scotland, the quantity of alcohol you can drink lawfully before driving has been lowered, meaning more motorists are at risk of being prosecuted for drink driving. The change reduces the legal alcohol limit from 80mg to 50mg in every 100ml of blood. It’s said that currently Northern Ireland are considering making the same change themselves, while England and Wales have stated they have no plans to modify the level, currently the joint-highest in Europe.
A smoking ban on cars with children in
A law forbidding drivers from smoking within their vehicle when they have children with them is set to be passed, with the restriction on lighting-up set to come into force from October 1st 2015. The move will criminalise any parent, carer or other adult smoking in their car, while carrying any passengers below the age of 18.
Learning to drive – it’ll get cheaper! vaguely…
Learning to drive is set to get cheaper this year, from October 2015 the cost of the UK Driving Theory test is to drop, from £25 to £23. It’s not a lot – but every bit helps!
