The Australian car market is very competitive. Apart from the driver’s licenses, CTP insurance and registration, selecting a vehicle to suit your requirements is easier said than done.
However, this process is about to get a lot simpler with the announcement of this year’s finalists for Australia’s Best Cars Awards. Across 15 categories, 45 finalists have been whittled down from a mammoth 220 contenders.
Australians are known for our laid back demeanour and appetite for adventure. With a country as vast and varied – from spectacular desert settings to sub-tropical rainforests, there is plenty to see and do in just a day.
However, according to a recent Roy Morgan survey, most of us don’t even have a day to spend enjoying the great outdoors and undertake a good old-fashioned Aussie road trip anymore.
With job commitments increasing and children immersed in laptops and tablets, it is becoming rarer to see a family pack the car and head out for a day of adventure.
Based on the results of close to 17,000 respondents, just 36.9 per cent of Australians aged 14+ had taken a day trip by car in the year to June 2014. This was down from 41.1 per cent in June 2010.
The thought of a computer operating your car while you sit back sounds like something you would read about in a science fiction novel. However, driverless cars are already being experimented with in Japan and could very well replace human drivers within the next decade or two. The notion of driverless cars sounds appealing; a computer, after all, is not prone to human negligence or making potentially fatal errors in judgment, such as getting behind the wheel intoxicated or texting while on the road.
For the most part, driverless vehicles represent a step in the right direction, both in terms of technology and reducing road accidents, which ultimately translates to saving lives. This also renders car insurance obsolete, which has some in the industry worrying.
For a number of months, the Australian car market has been struggling under the weight of poor consumer confidence. However, a recent announcement from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) suggests the market is beginning to move in the right direction.
Local consumers bought close to 95,000 new passenger cars, SUVs and commercial vehicles in September. This represents an increase of 2.5 per cent over the same period in 2013.
It is interesting to note that this is the first positive result this year and signals the start of the warmer months where consumer are usually more willing to purchase a new vehicle.
If every road was a dream, then we probably would have many less road rage incidents, accidents and congestion to deal with on an everyday basis. However, in reality, this isn’t the case and there are many disliked roads that really get us down.
The NSW government has announced the removal of more speed cameras.
There are a number of considerations when you decide to trade in your old vehicle. However, possibly the biggest one is whether to invest in a second hand vehicle or a brand new one.
If you don’t have enough capital to afford a new car, then choosing a used car is your option.
To assist in this process, the NSW government has announced the release of the latest used car safety guide. The aim of the guide is to provide buyers with sufficient advice to make good decisions about an older vehicle. There are some misconceptions about second hand cars, but careful investigation should point you in the right direction.
The NSW government is implementing a new 40kmh limit speed zone in the Sydney CBD, to take effect from 27 September 2014. This will see the current speed limit drop by 10kmh in a zone bound by Castlereagh Street to the east, Kent Street to the west and Hay Street to the south. To the north, the new zone will connect to the existing 40 kmh zone in The Rocks.
Truck safety is one of the most important aspects of the transport industry. With NSW roads carrying more than 60 per cent of the nation’s freight, road users can be affected if operators take risks.
To address this issue, authorities conduct regular campaigns targeting both unsafe and illegal behaviour.
The Australian car market has hit choppy waters after the release of last month’s numbers.
According to statistics released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), new car sales decreased 5.5 per cent in August 2014, compared to the same period last year. Just 88,157 new cars were sold – down from 93,336 in 2013.
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