Canvey Carriage Company discuss Apple CarPlay

Canvey Carriage Company were pleased to hear that Apple has confirmed that their upcoming iOS CarPlay dashboard won’t be limited solely to new cars. Japanese electronics company, Pioneer, who produce dashboard media receivers, have confirmed that they will begin supporting CarPlay this summer.

These receivers will be able to pick up CarPlay in the form of a firmware update to Pioneer’s existing line of NEX units. The receivers range in price from $700 (around £420) to $1,400 (around £840). The upcoming CarPlay support update was announced by Pioneer via press release, with Apple later confirming the news.

This new technology will allow drivers to control iPhone features such as media playback and navigation through Siri. Siri operates through voice commands. They will also be able to use a touchscreen function on their vehicle dashboard. Users must physically tether their iPhone 5, iPhone 5S or iPhone 5C to the units to activate the system. They must remain tethered throughout use. The technology will be able to predict potential journeys based on previous travel and will incorporate apps like Spotify to give users a broader range of services.

Before this announcement was made, rumours were flying around that Mercedes-Benz were looking into aftermarket solutions for CarPlay support. It has now been confirmed that CarPlay will be included in the production of all 2014 Mercedes-Benz C-Class cars, as well as the Ferrari FF and the Volvo XC90 SUV. Honda, Hyundai and Jaguar Land Rover are expected to follow suit soon too.

This is all great new for car stereo fitters. The new CarPlay system will have an incredible presence in the car stereo industry and will help to inject some life into what has, in recent years, been a flailing business. This would mark the return of an industry that Apple inadvertently stole with the dawn of the iPod.

Indian Car Sales on the Up

Canvey Carriage Company were today reading about a modest pickup in the number of car sales in India so far this year. After two years of decline, analysts have said they can see a very slight recovery coming in the aftermath of the country’s general election.

In the last financial year, car sales dropped by 5%. This fall came during a period that many are calling the worst period in India’s fledgling auto sector. It comes after a 7% fall in the previous year. However, car sales are expected to increase now that India’s annual economic growth is headed back to 7-8%.

Experts are saying that 2014 won’t be nearly as bad as 2013, but that’s largely because 2013 was a terrible year all round. However, much of the predicted recover depends on the outcome of the election. It is felt that a stable government can do wonders for the economy.

If you’re interested in a quality used car, contact Canvey Carriage Company for details of our full range. You can visit our website or call us on 01268 690015.

Canvey Carriage Company on Noiseless Motors

Canvey Carriage Company were pleased to read about new legislation this week that will make it mandatory for electric cars to make artificial engine noises. This is to aid blind and partially sighted people, to ensure they hear the cars coming, and was voted on in the European Parliament. They also decided that conventional petrol and diesel engines should make 25% less noise than they do currently.

Mandatory “acoustic vehicle alerting systems” (AVAS) will be install in all new electric and hybrid cars to protect vulnerable pedestrians and road users. Groups including Guide Dogs for the Blind have been lobbying for this system for a number of years, since electric and hybrid cars were introduced. All-electric cars, such as the Toyota Prius, currently emit very little sound when they’re in electric-only mode.

Liberal Democrat MEPs have successfully campaigned for the introduction of the AVAS to be a mandatory requirement; previous campaigns suggested a voluntary installation policy. Car manufacturers in the EU will now have five years to implement this change and comply with the ruling. The hope is that road accidents will be reduced, lowering injury and death rates.

It is generally agreed that quiet electric cars will become a common sight on our roads within the next few year, so it’s important to protect the interests of blind pedestrians, children and the elderly, who may be more vulnerable at the roadside. The AVAS will sound very similar to cars with regular combustible engines, which will allow all pedestrians to hear it and judge how safe it is to cross the road.

Conventional passenger cars will also be subject to change in the coming years since the European Parliament ruled to lower conventional passenger car noise by four decibels for cars, vans, buses and coaches, and three decibels for trucks. It is hoped that this will reduce noise nuisances caused by vehicles by around 25%.

Canvey Carriage Company on what the budget means for motorists

Following yesterday’s budget, Canvey Carriage Company decided to bring you a quick run though of what it means for motorists. There were a handful of small measure that will hopefully help Britain’s road users everywhere.

There will be a freeze on fuel duty until spring next year, meaning the rise that was planned for this September has now been abandoned. George Osborne outlined how this freeze would make petrol 20 pence per litre cheaper on average.

There were however, details of an increase in vehicle excise duty, in line with inflation. This means that from the 1st of April, any cars that fall into band D or higher will rise by £5 or more. Vehicle owners will be able to pay for their vehicle excise on a monthly, biannual or annual basis from October 2014. Remaining tax on a car being sold on will no longer be transferrable. 

Osborne also gave details on a £200 million fund for local authorities to repair potholes, which was welcomed by the Institute of Advanced Motorists. UK roads have been hit hard by bad weather over the last few years so every little helps in terms of repairs. The RAC on the other hand have stated that to simply patch up potholes perhaps isn’t enough. They suggested that whole stretches of road need to be resurfaced regularly. They said that patching up potholes is a false economy that leads to more damage to the cars of taxpayers on a year by year basis.

Exemption from car tax for classic cars will move to a 40-year rolling period as of April this year. Models such as the Austin Allegro and the Reliant Robin will qualify for tax exemption, potentially increasing their resale value.

These are largely positive steps for motorists across the country and we should begin to see their benefits in the coming months.

If you’re looking for a new used car, why not check out the Canvey Carriage Company website, where you’ll find our exquisite range of quality used cars. You can also follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook for more stories like this. 

Canvey Carriage Company on Eco-Friendly Cars

At Canvey Carriage Company we understand that fuel economy is an important topic. Potential buyers want to make sure they’re buying a car that will go easy on the bank balance throughout their relationship with it. Car firms are responding to this by producing ever-more fuel efficient cars. It is now common to see new cars returning more than 80 miles per gallon. Low CO2 emissions are also important, and if you purchase an eco-friendly car, you pay lower tax on it. The team at CanveyCarriage Company have compiled a guide to some of the most efficient and cheapest new cars money can buy.

Vauxhall Ampera/Chevrolet Volt - 27g/km

The Chevrolet and the Vauxhall combine an electric-drive and petrol-powered electricity generator for when the circa-40 mile range is exhausted, giving EV motoring without the range restrictions, and a staggering official combined economy figure of 235.4mpg. Pretty impressive!

Toyota Prius Plug-in - 49g/km

This is a regular Toyota Prius with the addition of batteries that can be charged from your mains electricity supply. Because they can store more electricity, they allow an all-electric range of up to 15 miles before the petrol engine kicks in. Thanks to this, the official combined consumption figure shoots up, to 134.5mpg.

Toyota Yaris Hybrid – 79g/km, 80.7mpg

The Yaris Hybrid is a combination of a 1.5 litre engine and electric motor drivetrain from the Prius and Auris with the lighter, more compact Yaris body. This lightness makes it even more fuel-efficient than it’s bigger siblings. It averages up to 81mpg and emitting just 79g/km CO2 - Toyota's lowest-ever figure. This car can travel for up to a mile on electric power alone.

Renault Clio 1.5 dCi 90 ECO – 83g/km, 88.3mpg

This car has a 1.5-litre diesel engine that’s capable of 88.3mpg and emits just 83g/km CO2. This is a stylish option for budget-conscious buyers. And when it comes to green credentials, it trumps the VW Polo BlueMotion and Ford Fiesta ECOnetic.

Hyundai i20 1.1 CRDi Blue – 84g/km, 88.3mpg

Hyundai have given their i20 supermini a facelift recently and these revisions include the new super-efficient diesel model, using the firm's excellent 1.1-litre three-cylinder engine. This car emits just 84g/km and averages an impressive 88.3mpg. Hyundai offer a great deal here with the greenest regular-engine road car, for one of the best-value prices on the road.