Overdrive

Welcome to Overdrive, a program that digs up all sorts of information about the world of motoring and transport.

This week we are in Adelaide at the Australia Institute of Traffic Planning and Management National conference

I’m David Brown

In this program we have:

News stories

1. Few Aussies will own cars in 2050, predicts new study (1:18)

2. Honda’s new tactic for attracting first-time car buyers: esports (2:39)

3. Hyundai Motorsport set to go electric (3:35)

4. IIHS study shows knee airbags may not reduce injury in crashes (4:14)

5. NHTSA told Tesla to stop claiming its Model 3 was the safest car ever tested (5:03)

6. And Now, a Bicycle Built for None (5:44)

7. Motoring Minute – Toyota HiAce Crew Van (6:19)

8. Rob Fraser gives us a reason to drive to Western Australia (7:25)

9. Motoring Minute – Haval H9 (12:48)

10. And then he gives us a road test of a vehicle to do it in – VW Crafter Van (13:45)

11. Motoring Minute – Subaru Impreza (20:15)

12. And Brian Smith joins us again for some quirky news – Who gets the priority cars or pedestrians (20:15)

You can find more information at Driven Media or previous programs are available as podcasts on iTunes or Spotify. OR our Facebook site OverdriveCity

So, let’s start with the news

Originally broadcast 10 August 2019

1. Few Aussies will own cars in 2050, predicts new study

2. Honda’s new tactic for attracting first-time car buyers: esports

3. Hyundai Motorsport set to go electric

4. IIHS study shows knee airbags may not reduce injury in crashes

5. NHTSA told Tesla to stop claiming its Model 3 was the safest car ever tested

6. And Now, a Bicycle Built for None

And this has been overdrive.

The Overdrive team and supports including

David Campbell, Brian Smith Rob Fraser, and Paul Just.

for doing the hard yards in supporting this program.

Overdrive can be heard across Australia on the Community Radio network.

You can find more information at Driven Media and previous programs are available as podcasts on iTunes or Spotify and FaceBook page OverdriveCity

Hello and welcome to Overdrive, a program that relishes all sorts of information and experiences from the world of motoring and transport.

This week we are in Adelaide at the Australia Institute of Traffic Planning and Management National conference

I’m David Brown

In this program we have:

News stories

1. Hilux class action (1:33)

2. The UK auto industry is facing a slow death (2:27)

3. Tritium supplies EV chargers to Drive Energi (3:38)

4. Ford Mustang High Performance 2.3L (4:21)

5. In Madrid, a Car Ban Proves Stronger Than Partisan Politics (5:05)

6. YouTube and Netflix Will Soon Be Coming To Teslas Screens says Elon Musk (5:48)

7. We have an interview with the CEO of Jet Charge a company that produces products and systems to charge electric vehicles. What he says will blow you mind. (7:38)

8. We talk to the organiser of the Shannon’s Classic which has a huge number of great cars on display (15:35)

9. We have five motoring minutes

• Ride-sharing is not working (6:25)

• Volkswagen Crafter (14:35)

• If I had all the money in the world I would get a Kia Carnival people mover (20:51)

10. And Brian Smith joins us again for some quirky news (21:50)

You can find more information at Driven Media or previous programs are available as podcasts on iTunes or Spotify. OR our Facebook site OverdriveCity

So, let’s start with the news

Originally broadcast 10 August 2019

Hello and welcome to Overdrive, a program about trains, planes and automobiles

I’m David Brown

In this program we have:

1. Vfacts: Australian vehicle sales figures - The total market is down 8.4% (1:28)

2. Iacocca, the last of the supreme auto bosses, defined his generation (2:23)

3. Hyundai Motor Group Unveils World First CVVD Engine Technology (3:43)

4. Bubbles, bleeps and Linkin Park: electric cars now have to make strange noises by law (4:54)

5. Ford tackles last-mile delivery challenge with pedestrian couriers, algorithms (6:02)

6. We discuss the passing of Norma Dewis who worked for Jaguar for many years and was said to be Britain’s greatest test driver (9:12)

7. We have a chat to a bloke who owns a 1962 Holden utility while we were sitting in a 2019 Mitsubishi Triton. We could use his car because he wouldn’t take it out in the rain. (19:33)

8. There are five motoring minutes

• Ford Ranger (7:10)

• Honda CRV (8:00)

• Subaru Eyesight technology (18:32)

• Local pollution (17:39)

• Genesis (26:12)

You can find more information at Driven Media or previous programs are available as podcasts on iTunes or Spotify. OR our Facebook site OverdriveCity

So, let’s start with the news

Originally broadcast 6 July 2019

Hello and welcome to Overdrive, a program about cars and culture

I’m David Brown

In this program we have:

News stories

1. London EV demand ‘rising’ since ULEZ intro, says Carwow (1:27)

2. Genesis Opens Doors On First Australian Flagship Studio in Sydney (2:39)

3. Names of automated-driving systems mislead motorists Prof Currie (3:37)

4. Competition will explore new ways to move people around Detroit (4:42)

5. Is there a better way to regulate peer-to-peer car sharing? (5:44)

6. Korean automakers rank highest in latest JD Power quality survey (6:48)

7. We have the third instalment in Rob Fraser’s preparing for traveling to the snow (10:09)

8. And a great interview with Professor Graham Currie about Lie, Damned lies and Autonomous vehicles (17:21)

9. There are five motoring minutes

• Honda HRV (8:06)

• The Toyota Fortuner Crusader (8:58)

• The Infinti QX 80 (15:04)

• Genesis and reliability (26:12)

• People being mislead by car feature names (16:32)

You can find more information at Driven Media or previous programs are available as podcasts on iTunes or Spotify. OR our Facebook site OverdriveCity

So, let’s start with the news

Originally broadcast 29 June 2019

Hello and welcome to Overdrive, a program where we put the world of motoring and transport under the microscope.

I’m David Brown

In this program we have news stories with David Campbell

1. UK to trial new ‘noise camera’ system to combat excessively loud vehicles

2. Hybrids are 14 times better than battery electric vehicles at reducing real-world carbon dioxide emissions

3. Google Maps ‘could soon let you know when taxi drivers take you on dodgy routes’ with automated app alerts.

4. China’s father of electric cars says hydrogen is future

5. Fiat Chrysler sued over alleged Jeep Wrangler 'death wobble'

6. Rob Fraser gives us the second installment on preparing your car to go to the snow

7. We talk to the Managing Director of Ssangyong Australia about how they are making a comeback in Australia.

8. Brian Smith and I talk about some quirky news

9. We have two motoring minutes

• Lexus NX300H

• Nissan Patrol

You can find more information at Driven Media or previous programs are available as podcasts on iTunes or Spotify. OR our Facebook site OverdriveCity

So, let’s start with the news

Originally broadcast 22 June 2019

I went to my local monthly car show, Machines and Macchiatos at Harbord which supports the Care Bears and Cure Brain Cancer charities which usually has a couple of lovely old Jaguars on display.

To show the old and the new together, I borrowed the latest F-Type Jaguar. We parked it next to a beautiful yellow E type owned by a bloke called Murray.

Some of the conversation about his car included the following:

DB: You're six foot five inches tall. Can you get into your car easily?

MMcA: It is the convertible. The top down makes it really easy. I still am a bit large with it. If you look at the car it's actually missing the sun visors. That was just impeding my vision while I was driving it so I took those off but when the roof's up I basically had the seat further back. It's like any short and low car to get into for someone of my size but it's I can do that. It's quite enough room for me to drive it.

The interesting thing with my car is that it's a 72 [model] that's when it was delivered to Australia … February 1972. It's a little bit longer I think it's something like eight or nine inches longer for someone of my size you need that in the cabin. The series one the series two, I can't give in that is too tight for me.

DB: You can see that very much with the doors. Can't you.

MMcA: Yeah. That's why you notice the difference in size. The doors on those earlier models are much shorter

DB: You can see that very much with the doors. Can't you?

MMcA: Yeah. That's where you notice the difference in size. The doors on those earlier models are much shorter. You can see that, if you parked my next door as well. There's also some other things you'll notice when you see the series three and that's the flared guards they're actually popped the guards a little bit more as well. [00:02:42][14.3]

DB: The early the E-Type Jaguars, and I believe Sir William Lyons even regretted this, was that the tyres didn't fill the wheel wells and they tended to look a little bit gawky in that regard. I think in the later ones, it looks a more complete package.

MMcA: I think that's right. Well of course the technology in the tyres has changed so much in time and even in 72 I think the tyres are very different to what you get in the 60s.

So it does very much fill the guards. If you look at mine it also doesn't have the wires on it. I have the wires at home and I drive with the Prolites just because it's so much simpler if you're driving more often than I do. If you're driving around the streets you don't get the problems you get with wire wheels.

DB: Bumping and things?

MMcA: I found that if you hit a pothole or something they go out of balance and you'd have them worked on again.

DB: Have you had other Jaguars?

MMcA: No I haven't actually. I've had lots of different cars but never a Jaguar. I never thought I'd get one of these. I think I was very fortunate to find it.

DB: What was the passion? Why?

MMcA: I wanted a nice car. A classic car of some sort. I actually was looking for an American car, Corvette in particular, but I don't fit in the Corvette. And I never thought I'd be able to find or afford one of those.

I think the stars aligned for me and it just came up. It was a good car. The lady that was selling, she had actually knocked back a couple of people that came to look at it because she didn't like the people and she wouldn't let them buy her husband's car because her husband had passed away.

And we clicked. We got on very, very well and she allowed me to buy it.

DB: Was this a car of your youth? Did you lust after this car when you were young?

MMcA: Oh I don't think anyone of my age didn't last after an e-type.

DB: Murray Lovely to talk to you.

MMcA: Thank you fantastic time.

We sat in the F Type and had a chat. You may hear some cars go past in the background. I began by asking Murray what model his car was.

Welcome to Overdrive, a program where we put the world of motoring and transport under the microscope.

I’m David Brown

In this program we have news stories with David Campbell

1. Uber Air Launches in Australia (1:46)

2. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles puts brakes on proposed merger with Renault, blames French government (3:15)

3. German firm tests external airbag for side-impact crashes (3:48)

4. Volvo says it will tow broken-down cars for life (4:49)

5. It May Soon Be Illegal to Text While Crossing the Street in New York City (5:40)

6. Haval Strengthens Sino-Russian Economic Cooperation with Completion of Tula Factory (6:27)

7. Motoring Minute

• Kia Picanto (7:10)

8. Preparing for a trip to the snow – Part 1 (8:21)

9. Texas Firm will build a Ferrari for you with a manual transmission (13:34)

10. Lancia Stratos (15:31)

11. Fined for crossing the road using your phone (17:33)

12. New camping thing (20:45)

13. Ian Callum (23:34)

14. PHEV (24:49)

15. Dean Oliver and Brian Smith take up the issue of designing transport infrastructure – should it be just functional or have an element of visual appeal (30:40)

16. Motoring Minute

• The BMW Z4 (42:58)

You can find more information at Driven Media or previous programs are available as podcasts on iTunes or Spotify. OR our Facebook site OverdriveCity

So, let’s start with the news

Originally broadcast 15 June 2019

In this program we have news stories with David Campbell

1. Safety prioritised with 5 stars for Toyota HiAce and Nissan Leaf EV, yet the opposite for Jeep Wrangler at 1 star (1:37)

2. Jaguar and Chargefox agreement sparks Australia’s EV interest (2:15)

3. Tesla reveals Model 3 Australian prices (3:07)

4. Pricing for Swedish mid-sized S60 sedan and V60 wagon well below Germans (4:48)

5. UTSA engineers develop inexpensive smart stop sign to improve rural road safety (5:58)

6. TU Graz developing ‘predictive’ pedestrian crossing signals for Vienna (7:10)

7. And Alan Zurvas has just witnessed a crash test. We find out what it was like and what is happening in the future (8:35)

8. Rob, Alan and David discuss some news snippets (16:28)

9. In Sydney they have a land mark called the Meccano set it’s an ancient structure to hold signs at traffic lights at a major intersection. They had to replace it and they chose to replicate the old, brutalist design from 1952. We find out why (20:06)

10. Two motoring minutes

• Jeep’s problems with brash tests (15:25)

• VW Toureg (25:15)

11. Remembering Dorothy Rowe and a new program to use car clubs to help those with depression (26:38)

12. More discussion of motoring news (29:13)

13. Rob Roads tests the BMW Z4 (33:26)

14. Alan has been driving the Range Rover PHEV (38:55)

15. And some quirky news with Brian Smith (42:14)

The Thredbo conference is an international forum on passenger transport competition and ownership issues. It is held every two years. Professor David Hensher co-founded the conference with the first held in 1989, in Thredbo.

But since then it has been held in locations around the world. It has some very rigorous papers, reporting on recent research and experience but ultimately it pushes towards real, practical solutions.

The next conference will be held in Singapore in August this year 2019.

The chairperson of one of the workshops titled "Beyond the fare box: sustainable funding of public transport by better understanding service values" is Professor Roger Vickerman. He's the emeritus professor of European economics at the University of Kent. I interviewed him recently from his Home in the UK.

DB: Privatising services, does that cover most of your desired outcomes?.

RV: I think we've seen very clearly over the years in many different countries that simply handing over the provision of important public services, which is what local public transport is, simply to private provider with the profit motive doesn't actually work. And it doesn't work particularly for those who are more disadvantaged in society, who are the ones who typically need to rely on public services.

DB: How have other policy decisions worked against the transport disadvantaged?

RV: At the same time as we've seen a removal of that backbone of public services from outer areas: closure of rural post offices; closure of local banks; so that people actually need to get into a town and then find that they don't have access to public transport to enable them to get there and back easily. Even though we might have us as a system that subsidizes public transport, for example for elderly people, through free bus passes not much point having a free bus pass if there isn't a bus to use it.

DB: One strategy for raising funds other than through the fare box is based on land value. If businesses benefit from an improved transport network, then should they contribute to its construction? In Australia we call that value capture. Can this work?

RV: We've seen an example with the development of the Crossrail project within Greater London which is not going terribly well at the at the end game. But we saw there the fact that they were using an additional charge on business rates for those areas that would benefit from this in order to be able to fund the scheme and indeed identify certain locations where there was a demand for a station on the line, which the overall project did not think was viable, to enable the private sector to do the development.

DB: That is a case of getting money to build it in the first place or to operate it. If you go back to the late eighteen hundreds in England and the development of railway lines, there was a boom in railway construction based on land speculation and then many railways went broke because of ongoing operating costs. Are we talking about here ongoing funding or just getting over the first construction hurdle?

RV: Well I think the first bit is actually making that that initial provision. Moving on from there to an ongoing support is of course much more difficult stage to get through with that. And that's where you might or might feel that some form of land value taxation that enables the local public authority to be able to provide that ongoing funding might be a good idea.

But you are indeed right that most of those early speculators in the railways went bankrupt, which is probably true of most private transport investments. Good idea to enthuse the private sector to build things which then can't be taken away. And if they go bankrupt as a result of that, that seems to be hard luck and you can certainly see examples of that in terms of the private building of highways across Europe where private sector developers have essentially gone bankrupt as a result of having developed it and the state has had to step in.

Professor Graham Currie is the director of Monash infrastructure, Chair of public transport and Professor in Transport Engineering at Monash University.

You can get a flavour of his passionate and realistic approach to transport in a paper he wrote recently titled "Lies, Damn Lies, Autonomous Vehicles, Shared Mobility and Urban Transport Futures".

Introduction

Academic or private research is sometimes seen only as the way to discover the next big thing; the next revolution; the next quantum leap in what we can do. And indeed, it can be.

But to get public coverage and funding, be it from your own organisation government or private sources, it is often best achieved by proclaiming as early as possible, how great your breakthrough is and how profitable it will be.

But a discovery is only the first step. To get good policy and implementation we need to have clarity of thought, a realistic perspective of what a new direction might lead to, and an understanding of the barriers and the concept of behaviour change.

Professor Currie has been actively involved in original research and evaluation of transport systems in Australia and around the world.

Selected Comments

• “A lot of new developments are very speculative and although they get a lot of media coverage, I rather think that tinged with too much hype. Now hype is selling things that aren't real and you might think or does that really happen? Well there are many, many failures of new technology that is said to be the solution to all our wars. Like the monorail which haven't really revolutionized cities.

• In regard to Autonomous cars: “The claim is that they're are going to solve traffic congestion, that they're going to be safer, that in fact a lot of US people have said that they're going to take over from public transport which is very old and decaying. Well you can take each one of these apart at the moment because there's no facts behind them”.

• “Excellence in Engineering is integrating human science, human considerations, psychology into engineering and the discipline is improving.

• “We are always seeking technical solutions that are the best but in practice the ones that get implemented are the ones that are politically acceptable and really that whole issue of local, state and federal politics is something that engineers don't really spend any time on. They really should.

• On communication: “Unfortunately, in academia and engineering to an extent, there are plenty of technical disciplines like modelling, operations research, where there's far too many formulas that no one understands. In the end our job, I think, is to explain clearly, to an often-busy person like the CEO for example who often do want to get involved in the details the public and politicians. Those guys are very busy not technical experts. There's a real role for us all to tone down our work and come to the key points, to better communicate what we do, so that we can achieve change.

• And services like Uber and Lyft? “I have a bigger concern over them and it comes again with these words we're using - these new words for new mobility. There's this word called “ride sharing” and Uber is very much part of the ride sharing philosophy and I don't like it because it's a lie. The average occupancy of an Uber in traffic is 0.6 passengers per vehicle. It's actually 1.6 but includes the driver. This implies that 34 percent of the time the vehicles are travelling around getting to places where they can pick people up or that they're looking for business. Now congested cities don't need empty cars of the road up trying to pick people up.