Insight: tyres Insight: terrorism Fleet spotlight: Flogas Britain Budget or long- How to reduce the risk Safety focus pays life tyres? We of one of your vehicles dividends for fleet help you decide being used in an attack boss Stephen Moir Official Media Partner CommercialHELPING FLEETS RUN EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE VAN & TRUCK OPERATIONS FleetApril 2018 £5 where sold THE HIDDEN KILLERS Why non-exhaust particulates are the new threat manufacturers and Government must tackle Renault Master ZE Volkswagen Caddy Volvo FM 450 Business support... Head online for news, Guarantee your next issue... Email subscriptions@ Follow us... Debate the hot topics on our commercialfleet.org running cost data, best practice, fleet profiles email.commercialfleet.co.uk to register today Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook sites adRocket 6-53"'• (# · O FP_COMFLEET_Commercialid3428559.pdf 27.03.2018 18:10 Inside this issue Welcome Manufacturers are packing more autonomous systems into their latest vans and trucks, including Insight: Particulate lane keeping, emissions 24 emergency braking and adaptive cruise control. It improves safety, but as vehicles become increasingly capable of controlling key driving elements, it is only a matter of time until full 21 autonomy becomes the final ‘small’ Manufacturer step. Will systems introduced in Spotlight: piecemeal fashion work well Michelin enough together for that ultimate step, or will completely new technology be required? Current driver safety aids are easy to fool. We’ve had countless experiences of vehicles applying the brakes when bags fly in front of the sensors. These systems have some Fleet Spotlight: way to go. 16 And, as shown by the recent Uber Flogas fatality, so too have some of the dedicated autonomous software systems under development. But that’s not to say that progress isn’t being made. Or that, at some point, fully autonomous vehicles will be widely available for fleets to buy, lease or use. Certainly the truck platooning trials show a lot of promise and if this ultimately means no repeat of the horrific M1 crash last year, then 4 I Fleets urged to prepare 14I Rules & regulations/Q&A 28 I Insight: Tyres we’re all for it. now for low emission future The FTA explains the Vehicle Defect Which is best – cheap upfront or However, with initiatives such as Trial aims to deliver new technological Rectification Scheme (VDRS) paying more for longer tyre life? We Google-owned Waymo in the USA, innovations to van and truck operators examine the pros and cons there are unanswered questions 16 I Fleet spotlight: Flogas about regulation keeping pace with 6 I Low fleet utilisation key “We can’t compromise when it comes 36 I Insight: Terrorism technology. It seems the software to rental company collapse to safety,” is the mantra of Flogas Terrorists are using CVs as killing developers have too much freedom Administrators hope TOM Group’s Britain fleet manager Stephen Moir machines in recent attacks on the UK to make risk-based judgements on fleet contracts can be transferred and Europe. What precautions can the right time to trial their systems. 21 I Spotlight: Michelin operators and drivers take? This is an instance where greater 9 I Fuso charges ahead Tyre giant would like a level playing government intervention is advisable. with its eCanter trial field alongside cheap imports but is 41 I Insight: Remarketing Three UK-based fleets among the doing just fine without it Given new light commercial vehicle first to trial new fully-electric truck values are on the up, we ask if now 24 I Insight: Particulate is a good time to switch to Euro 6 10 I Stop AdBlue deception emissions or risk losing O-licence Beating microscopic particulates 44-49 I Renault Master ZE; Stephen Briers, Operators using emulators to cheat killer menace is not just about getting Volkswagen Caddy, editor-in-chief, emissions system face crackdown to grips with exhaust emissions Volvo FM Commercial Fleet Complaints: Bauer Consumer Media Limited is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (www.ipso.co.uk) and endeavours to respond to and resolve your concerns quickly. 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Our email address for editorial complaints covered by the Editorial Complaints Policy is [email protected]. commercialfleet.org April 2018 3 News insight: ULEVs Companies urged to prepare now for a low emission future or risk losing business Trial of new vehicle technologies aims to deliver innovations to van and truck operators By John Maslen projects on track to have started by the end of the summer. an and truck operators could lose out to more “For Innovate UK, starting is not the sole focus, we are forward-thinking competitors if they don’t 20 most interested in the results after vehicles have been start investigating the potential for ultra-low companies involved in operated for a full year. emission vehicles (ULEVs) on their fleets, the Low Emission Freight “Analysis will look at how they are used, how many miles Government officials have warned. and Logistics Trial they cover and establish a baseline against equivalent The call to action comes as an increasing diesel vehicles. With that you get a change in emissions, number of diesel alternatives are being devel- where we are targeting a reduction.” oped,V offering reduced emissions in response to environ- Freight accounts for about 30% of the UK’s CO2 transport mental challenges and the roll out of clean air zones (CAZs) emissions, so there is pressure to develop supply and in the UK, which could see some fleet vehicles banned from 30% demand around low emission options for the industry. town and city centres if they don’t update their vehicles to To establish a level playing field for assessment, vehicles cut carbon pollution. of the UK’s CO2 transport will be put through standardised tests at Millbrook Proving The Government, through Innovate UK, is trying to kick- emissions involve freight Ground that closely reflect freight and logistics operating start the journey to a green future among van and truck cycles, covering usage ranging from urban and rural areas fleets with a £20 million initiative to develop new technology to trunk roads. and vehicles through its Low Emission Freight and Logis- The real-world view of operators is also being assessed, tics Trial, launched in January 2017. Chesterton said. Venn Chesterton, ultra-low emission vehicle innovation Operators and managers will be interviewed at depots to lead at Innovate UK, cautioned that it was important for understand issues such as driver attitudes, downtime, fleets to carry out assessments and trials now, to avoid operational restrictions and fuel savings. falling behind in the clean air race. Chesterton added: “We are trying to understand their He said: “There could be a point where clean air zones views in the real world, so some interviews might be are introduced, or customers demand goods are delivered carried out at refuelling stations. by electric vehicle and that could happen very quickly. “Success will be getting results from the technology. The “In these circumstances, if your competitors have experi- Government has a technology-neutral approach, but it can ence with ultra-low emission vehicles, such as electric signal to market what has done well. vehicles, or operate them, then that puts them ahead. “We can provide the market with a definition of what a “Some forward-thinking companies are already picking low-emission truck looks like, so that we can provide this up and running with it. If you don’t do this then, in a few clarity to the market. years’ time, a company could find itself at a competitive “We will also be able to provide the scale of the benefit. disadvantage.” For example, a gas truck might be 10% more efficient, Under the trial, 20 companies are developing initiatives while an electric truck could be 50% more efficient and this for innovative ways to deploy low- and zero-emission unified approach would help inform future incentives.” vehicle technology. Chesterton already has extensive experience in the Several trials are already taking place and all of them will commercial vehicle sector, having previously helped be live by this September, although Chesterton said that oversee the LoCity programme with Transport for London the real focus will be on the data when all trials are (TfL) to prepare the freight industry to adapt to a low emis- completed in a year’s time. sion future. He said: “Everything is going along as planned, with all He remains on its steering committee. The Low Emission Freight and Logistics Trial programme complements initiatives such as LoCity, along with a broad range of other initiatives designed to promote efficiency in “The Government has the logistics sector. These include the Freight Operator Recognition Scheme a technology-neutral (FORS), a voluntary accreditation scheme with 4,800 members that promotes best practice for commercial approach, but it can vehicle operators, and the ECO Stars fleet recognition scheme, a free initiative that aims to help fleet operators improve efficiency, reduce fuel consumption and emissions signal to market what and make cost savings. Chesterton said: “The Low Emission Freight and Logis- has done well” tics Trial is taking a dual approach, with real-world trials and analysis, so that in a year’s time we will have a really Venn Chesterton, Innovate UK good understanding of the vehicles and their real-world performance. “Some of these technologies are at a late stage of devel- opment.” 4 April 2018 commercialfleet.org Innovate UK is urging freight companies to embrace low emissions technology or risk being left behind In total, around 300 vehicles will be involved in the trial.