Cars are getting greener...

Cars are getting greener, claim industry chiefs. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) says more efficient engines have cut CO2 output by five million tonnes in the past 10 years. Average new car emissions have fallen 12 per cent to 167.2 g/km since 1997. “This is despite the fact there are 16.5 per cent more vehicles on the road,” said the SMMT’s Christopher Macgowan.

Exterior airbags boost SUV safety

Airbags which inflate on the outside of a car have debuted. The two new designs could be fitted to SUVs to boost safety, says Swedish group Autoliv, which came up with them. A bumper bag cushions the impact for other cars, particularly those hit in the side by high-riding off-roaders. Meanwhile, a second bag along the leading edge of the bonnet protects pedestrians.

FIVE million motorists are still navigating their way around the UK using maps from the 20th century. And 364,000 have pre-1990 road atlases. So says route information firm Trafficmaster. It claims new roads – such as the M6 Toll and the M1/A1 link near Leeds – don’t appear on maps of that age. Researchers even found drivers using pre-Fifties altases, which don’t show motorways.