Honda has developed a system that can detect whether a driver is likely to cause a traffic jam, then take measures to prevent it happening. Hallelujah! It’s actually remarkably simple, and based on the notion that adopting an ‘on/off’ driving style on a motorway – in which a driver accelerates and decelerates rather than maintaining a smooth, constant speed – can trigger congestion.
We’ve all been stuck in motorway tailbacks that are apparently caused by nothing. Research suggests that these jams are often caused by that special group of tailgating, brake-tapping, outside lane-hogging drivers who ruin motorways for everyone.What Honda’s system does is detect this particular driving style and does something about it. Sadly, that ‘something’ doss not involve a hand appearing from the steering wheel boss and slapping the offender in the face.
According to a report in Autocar, management and unions are coming up with ideas to make Ellesmere Port more competitive. Unions are said to be prepared to offer more flexible working practices and complex shift patterns to make the plant lower-cost. However, it is hard to believe there is a lot of slack in the system now. Ellesmere Port is already probably the most productive plant General Motors has in Western Europe, so its scope to pull further ahead of other Vauxhall/Opel factories may be limited.
