Overdrive

News including luxury car makers vying for the most powerful cars, bad directions from satnavs, WA trials stop and text spots, and better bicycle bells. Our feature interview with Jonathan Daily on the best urban design for transport. We road test the Honda Jazz, a popular car in the light car class. And quirky news including why people spend so much money for the right license plate, a vending machine for cars and a number 1 system for your car. Originally aired on 3 June 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit www.drivenmedia.com.au

170527 - Quirky News by David Brown

Hello and welcome to Overdrive, a program that dabbles in the mystical world of cars and transport. I’m David Brown And in this program, we take a look at the latest news stories including: 1. Electric vehicle schemes 2. Autonomous vehicle’s impact on line marking 3. London mayor Sadiq Khan wants to introduce an Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in April 2019. 4. Cycling - The Great Leveler 5. V2V capabilities to feature in over 50% of cars sold by 2022, as autonomous vehicles set to take off Dr Alexa Delbosc from Monash University talks about one of the most critical issues we have in transport planning. The biases we bring to our discussions about the best transport solutions. And we talk to Nissan Australia’s CEO Richard Amery about his view of what having autonomous cars will really mean. And in our panel discussion with Errol Smith we take jovial look at stories including: 1. Roger Moore Dead – Remembering his on-screen cars 2. Bear locks itself in car, sounds horn to wake up homeowners 3. Adelaide 'Wetern' suburbs spelling error spotted on new road sign 4. LAX rich persons lounge lets you watch misery of other customers Have a question or comment? Send it to [email protected] You can listen to longer segments of the each of the features by going to our web site at drivenmedia.com.au or podcast the whole program on iTunes or your favourite podcast service. Originally aired on 27 May 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit www.drivenmedia.com.au

I have just been to a conference on Shaping Canberra’s Transport Future, Autonomous vehicles were a major issue. Now planners have a series of theories and ideas about how AVs will impact the way we travel. But what do the car companies think? Automobile companies have a clear image of pleasing the customer with the new technology which is quite understandable but they also have some ideas about just how autonomous will operate Richard Emery is the CEO of Nissan Australia and he is very optimistic about what AV vehicles can do Originally aired on 27 May 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit www.drivenmedia.com.au

170527 - Alexa Delbosc - Ego by David Brown

An international consortium including the Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies at the University of Sydney is to continue its ground breaking efforts to improve bus rapid transit systems with renewed backing from the Volvo Research and Education Foundation. Prof Corinne Mulley from the Institute describes their approach. We been looking at all sorts of things as a consortium about how bus rapid transit could be better placed in cities and provide better mobility for citizens because that's what it's all about what we been doing in Sydney specifically is trying to identify why there appears to be a rail by is not only from politicians but from citizens. We're done a stated choice experiment in which we've given people to begin with pictures where the was a new tram and old tram, new LRT an old LRT, a new bus and an old bus and ask people which one they preferred and I was staggered that over 50% just on the looks chose the modern LRT. More recently we've been looking at another stated choice experiment to try and dig down and find out what sort of characteristics are putting people in favour of rail based technology rather than road based technology and there were some interesting features that come out of this. The two that stand out for me is that actually from buses what citizens appreciate is the greater network that you get for the same amount of dollars spent. So we gave people of fixed budget. You could have this amount of network from another without saying that it was LRT or BRT. SO people chose that feature as being important to them. And the second thing which stood out for me in terms of the research is the role of experience. So in cities like Brisbane where people are familiar with rapid transit it gets very much higher rating in terms of people being prepared to vote for a system that would include BRT. Institute of Transport and Logistics press release http://sydney.edu.au/business/itls/news_and_events/news/2017/vref_backs_vital_transport_research_with_multimillion_dollar_grant

The Subaru BRZ rear wheel drive sports car and its twin brother the Toyota 86 first came onto our market five years ago. Subaru has recently upgraded their model a bit and lowered the price by about $1,200 dollars on the manual and about $1700 on the automatic They don’t sell many but they are selling more. National Corporate Affairs Manager has I believe a smile on his face and he joins us on the line Originally aired on 20 May 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit www.drivenmedia.com.au

in our panel discussion with Brian Smith and Errol Smith we take an amusinglook at stories including: 1. French nano-cars have a molecular grand prix 2. Road rage cases with guns double in 3 years in US 3. Woman Blames Car Crash On Bigfoot 4. Wellington tyre-slasher sentenced to 22 months in prison Have a question or comment? Send it to [email protected] You can listen to longer segments of the each of the features by going to our web site at drivenmedia.com.au or podcast the whole program on iTunes or your favourite podcast service. Now to begin the program let’s have the news. Originally aired on20 May 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit www.drivenmedia.com.au

Hello and welcome to Overdrive, a program that take an expansive look at the world of cars and transport. I’m David Brown And in this program, we take a look at the latest news stories including: 1. India's Revolutionary Plan to Make All Its Cars Electric 2. Trump road plan would rely largely on private funding 3. University research shows a few self-driving cars can improve traffic flow 4. £14bn of benefits for the UK could be unlocked by better use of data in transport 5. Niorecords world-beating Nurburgring lap We talk to Prof Corinne Mulley about Australian contribution to an international consortium on bus rapid transit that is being supported by the Volvo Research and Education Foundation. And we road test the Subaru BRZ A beautifully balanced sports car with just enough horsepower to use when you are driving. And in our panel discussion with Brian Smith and Errol Smith we take an amusinglook at stories including: 1. French nano-cars have a molecular grand prix 2. Road rage cases with guns double in 3 years in US 3. Woman Blames Car Crash On Bigfoot 4. Wellington tyre-slasher sentenced to 22 months in prison Have a question or comment? Send it to [email protected] You can listen to longer segments of the each of the features by going to our web site at drivenmedia.com.au or podcast the whole program on iTunes or your favourite podcast service. Originally aired on 20 May 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit www.drivenmedia.com.au

The new Suzuki Ignis is officially categorised as a small SUV but that suggests it has come down from the four wheel drive style of car. That’s not it. It is clearly an urban car that can fit into tight spaces and it site high not to get over rough terrain but to have head room and be easy to get into. It is tall and narrow but it is not Gorky. It is inherently box like yet it comes together as a package. Spiritual successor to things like the Mazda Metro of the late 90s early 2000s but in looks it is a little less bar fridge and a lot more funky Andrew Moore, Suzuki Australia General Manager Automobiles joins us on the line now. Originally aired on 13 May 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit www.drivenmedia.com.au

In our panel discussion with Brian Smith and Errol Smith we take a light-hearted look at stories including: 1. Engineer who pointed out traffic signal flaw fined for unlicensed engineering 2. Parody “commuter barbie” doll listens to NPR, hates manspreaders 3. Naked statue of Archimedes could distract drivers 4. People Locked In A 50-Hour Kissing Contest For A Free Car Have a question or comment? Send it to [email protected] You can listen to longer segments of the each of the features by going to our web site at drivenmedia.com.au or podcast the whole program on iTunes or your favourite podcast service. Now to begin the program let’s have the news. Originally aired on13 May 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit www.drivenmedia.com.au

Hello and welcome to Overdrive, a program that covers issues related to cars and transport. I’m David Brown And in this program, we take a look at the latest news stories including: 1. The role of transport in a future Parramatta – Sydney’s second CBD 2. Study says drivers with smart phones use them almost every time they drive 3. Old technology to discourage phone use when driving 4. The end of the filling station? 5. UK report links Brabham with new bid for supercar operation to rival McLaren We talk to prominent transport writer Alan Davies from Crickey.com about how a bike way in Melbourne is filling a missing link but it has a few flaws. And we road test the Suzuki Ignis. It is classified as a small SUV but it has no heritage from any four wheel drive and it doesn’t pretend to be anything but a funky urban car. And in our panel discussion with Brian Smith and Errol Smith we take a spirited look at stories including: 1. Engineer who pointed out traffic signal flaw fined for unlicensed engineering 2. Parody “commuter barbie” doll listens to NPR, hates manspreaders Have a question or comment? Send it to [email protected] You can listen to longer segments of the each of the features by going to our web site at drivenmedia.com.au or podcast the whole program on iTunes or your favourite podcast service. Now to begin the program let’s have the news. Originally aired on 13 May 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit www.drivenmedia.com.au

Later this year the Victoria Government will open the $18 million 1.7-kilometre “missing link” in the bike network between the Darebin Creek and Yarra trails. There is good but is there room for improvement. Just because it is to do with active transport have we really maximised the benefits for as many users as possible. Alan Davies is a prolific writer on urban transport issues and can be found in Crikey media as “The Urbanist” He joins us on the line now. Is it for bikes or is it a shared path with pedestrians. A fast track for bikes often means a long travel distance. This is designed like an old style freeway Focus on fitness – means speed and effort Not a direct route Cycling fundamentalists Weakest link But the bigger problem is it requires pedestrians and cyclists to use the four-lane bridge over Darebin Creek on Heidelberg Rd. Elevated veloway the government plans to build over Footscray Road from the Maribyrnong River to Moonee Ponds Creek. It will hang underneath the elevated Western Distributor and give cyclists a dedicated facility separate from vehicles and pedestrians Call me cynical, but I suspect a key motivation for this project is to mitigate criticism of the Western Distributor.

Hello and welcome to Overdrive, a program that canvases issues related to cars and transport. And in this program, we take a look at the latest news stories including: 1. Critics fear Trump will tap auto exec for NHTSA 2. Cities facing impacts of e-commerce boom 3. Volvo education research foundation backs vital transport research with multimillion dollar grant 4. Is it road architecture or a fashion show? 5. Contradictory policies highlight lack of cohesive approach to the auto sector: Emery Two new Korea cars launched this week and we test them both. The new Hyundai i30. One of the top selling cars in Australia And the Kia Picanto – It was new on our market a year ago with a rather outdated model but it still did well. Now it is more up-to-date. And in our panel discussion with Brian Smith and Errol Smith we take a light-hearted look at stories including: 1. How did a road authority appeal to the public at the 1969 Easter Show? 2. Train passenger’s reusable mug refused over ‘risk assessment’ 3. This Boeing 727, stuck in the woods, is actually somebody's house 4. Boy, 12, arrested on solo drive from NSW to Perth 'had crash, took fuel' (and drove 1300km, though it's not clear why) Have a question or comment? Send it to [email protected] You can listen to longer segments of the each of the features by going to our web site at drivenmedia.com.au or podcast the whole program on iTunes or your favourite podcast service. Now to begin the program let’s have the news.

In our panel discussion with Brian Smith and Errol Smith we take a light-hearted look at stories including: 1. How did a road authority appeal to the public at the 1969 Easter Show? 2. Train passenger’s reusable mug refused over ‘risk assessment’ 3. This Boeing 727, stuck in the woods, is actually somebody's house 4. Boy, 12, arrested on solo drive from NSW to Perth 'had crash, took fuel' (and drove 1300km, though it's not clear why) Have a question or comment? Send it to [email protected] You can listen to longer segments of the each of the features by going to our web site at drivenmedia.com.au or podcast the whole program on iTunes or your favourite podcast service. Now to begin the program let’s have the news. Originally aired on6 May 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit www.drivenmedia.com.au

We had barely driven the new car 100 metres when it was obvious that this was a refined piece of equipment. It was the new Hyundai i30. It had a smooth ride and ambience that spoke of comfort and maturity. The i30 is the most critical car for Hyundai in Australia representing 37% of their total sales. The other more staggering figure is that Australia is a huge market for this car. We take 30% of all the i30s sold in the world. It is not surprising then that the local branch of the company wants it to do well Scott Grant Hyundai’s COO in Australia takes up the story Hyundai in general and the i30 in particular started life as a sensible low cost car. This is still a big part of the market but not the only part. Originally aired on 6 May 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit www.drivenmedia.com.au

Kia has launched their latest Picanto compact car only a year after they introduced the first model onto the Australian market. The first model was good but not of the most up to date design. It had been on sale in other markets for about four years. At the launch of the new car Damien Meredith the Chief operating officer for Kia Australia explains the business reasons for dipping their toe in the water 12 months ago with an older product. They have redesigned the latest model both inside and out although the power train (not its strongest point) remains the same. They have produced a more distinctive, more masculine style (their words not mine). But to keep the price down there are no mag wheels. Infotainment with connectivity are some of the buzz words of modern cars and the Picanto joins the fray with a 7 inch screen and Apple and Android smartphone integration. This means you can use the cleverness of your phone with voice commands and maps for example, while driving. They have worked hard on reducing noise levels in the cabin with things like sound proofing, a better engine cover and lowering the windscreen wipers when not in use to reduce wind noise. It’s better but a course grained bitumen road is still quite noticeable but consistent for this class of vehicle. It still has the 1.25 litre petrol engine with a scanty 62 Kw and the automatic is still the meagre four speed variety. Sufficient for urban situations perhaps but not grand touring in the country. It is doing well over 3000 revs at 100 km/hr. This time they have provided an entry level manual gearbox – 5 speed. The clutch and gear level movement are very light which makes it easy to drive but for the purists it is a bit like a computer game consul rather than the traditional feeling of working with a mechanical device. They reckon 10-20% of sales will be manuals but I wonder why it will be this high because they have a funny pricing structure. The manual has a recommended retail price of $14,190. Add on road costs and it has to be at least $15,500. Automatics usually cost about $2,000 more but the Picanto automatic is $15,690 drive away no more to pay. Damien Meredith gave a very clear hint that if you do want a manual you should bargain with the dealer. $13,990 drive away might be an offer worth making but that’s not official. As far as the drive train goes they do have torque vectoring which is a first in this class. This technology helps the wheels get grip on the road especially when starting out and it can help handling. It doesn’t have Automatic Emergency Breaking which is not surprising for this category except that it will become a mandatory feature to get a five-star safety rating in 2018. Kia have put in a passionate request for this to head office. Originally aired on 6 May 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit www.drivenmedia.com.au

Station wagons have been through a considerable number of image changes. It took on a pucker style when it was given the name “shooting brake” in an association with aristocrats driving around the estate blasting away at defenceless animals. The closest it ever got to a youth market was the early 50s and 60s when it was the suffers’ mobile home But it has a number of incarnations that give it a dowdy image. For example, the family holiday vehicle – Chevy Chase in the Vacation series which is part of a 7 film National Lampoon’s string of movies. The Griswold family is not something you wish to be associated with. Then there is the parents’ school run vehicle. And the traveling salespersons office on wheels. With such images, it is not surprising they have ebbed and flowed with sales numbers, some falling by the way. The Camry station wagon is gone but not lamented As is the large, slab sided Ford Falcon which went well before the demise of the sedan. It provided huge room but was surpassed by the trendier SUV. Even the Hyundai i30 wagon dropped off the market. Our roving correspondent Matthew Brown who is in his thirties needed a new car but didn’t think he was quite old enough for a station wagon. More recently there has been a bit of a rival with the marketing expression “Sports Wagon” which infers that you are an adventurer rather than a parent caught in raising the children. Now Holden is talking about the next step in the evolution. The new model will not be called a wagon but a tourer. Where does it all fit in. Holden’s Director – Design, is Richard Ferlazzowhom we have spoken to in the past. He joins us on the line now. Originally aired on 29 April 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit www.drivenmedia.com.au

In our panel discussion with Brian Smith and Errol Smith we take a light-hearted look at stories including: 1. A Chinese car called Trumpchiwhich is eyeing the US market but considering changing its name 2. US judge sentences Volkswagen to three years probation following emissions scandal 3. Not so fast, fast train to Canberra 4. Apple's radical approach to self-driving cars (put a game controller in one) Have a question or comment? Send it to [email protected] You can listen to longer segments of the each of the features by going to our web site at drivenmedia.com.au or podcast the whole program on iTunes or your favourite podcast service. Originally aired on29 April 2017. For past programs and individual segments visit www.drivenmedia.com.au