Tag: self driving van

Should We Be Cautious Of Driverless Vans?

Posted on by News Desk

You may have heard the recent rumors of the latest government plans surrounding self-driving cars.

If you haven’t, allow us to help:

The UK is set to legalise driverless cars later this year, however, there are some people out there who fear this could bring a whole range of additional headaches.

Whilst some people feel this is a move designed to keep drivers safer out there, others feel it could be distracting.

The government believes road safety could be improved by a reduction in human error, which causes over 85% of road accidents.

However, necessary training will need to be deployed for anyone considering using self-driving vehicles, which could bring about a busier workload to some industries.

At the moment, there are only plans for driverless cars to allow assistance for speeds that go up to 37 miles per hour, and on motorways.

However, just like with cruise control options on some motors, handing over control to your vehicle doesn’t mean you will be free to do something else.

The same laws apply, so you can’t use your mobile phone (unless hands-free), or start eating that KFC you just picked up from Peterborough services.

Full attention will still need to be kept on the road.

Should the requirement be there, drivers will need to be able to take control of their vans immediately. 

At the moment, we are waiting for changes to the Highway Code and other laws to come into place before any of this can happen.

Others say vigorous testing needs to happen before allowing these plans to come to fruition, too.

Some argue that self-driving vehicles aren’t always the safest options, as a recent Tesla crash has shown. 

So, should we allow technology to fully take control of our wheels?

How do you think it might affect your industry?

If you drive a van for your job, you might welcome this information.

On the other hand, do you feel autonomous vans might be a step too far?

Let us know your thoughts!

For us, vans with drivers, or without, we’re concerned with giving you the best deals.

So, you can bet that we’ve got you covered with the cheapest van insurance deals around.

Pizza + Self Driving Van + Robots = The Future

Posted on by News Desk

If you enjoy ordering a meat feast or Hawaiian pizza on a Saturday night then get ready for a shock…because when that doorbell rings…

You are going to be confronted with a robot standing in front of you. Fortunately he wont be saying “Sarah Connor?” – Instead, he will will be standing there with a Pizza in his hand.

“Thankyou,” you say as you collect the pizza.

“Thank-you-for-ordering-from-Dominos,” the robot will reply, before doing a 180 and heading away.

You may even stand at the door for a few seconds more before closing it…watching the robot get inside the self driving van before it drives away, off to deliver pizza to more hungry customers.

This my friends is the future of Pizza all around the world, and Dominos may very well be the first to make this a reality.

As we speak, there is 16,100 Domino Stores around the world and they sell a whopping 3 million pizzas every single day.

Up until now, it is us, the humans, who have been slaving away and making those pizzas and then delivering them to customers on mopeds and in cars.

That is until right now, where at this very minute, we can confirm that Dominos Pizza are getting ready to test out a new “mini van” which will be self driving and have a robot inside.

This new self driving Pizza delivery van is known as the “R1” and experts are saying this could very well be the future.

In fact, it may not be long until Pizza Hut and Papa Johns follow suit, and then who knows? Maybe even McDonalds, Burger King and KFC will join the self driving van party.

Should we be wearing party hats though? In my opinion, as long as these self driving vans and robots are on time and with a piping hot pizza in their hand…then bring out the party balloons and party poppers, is what I say.

Reports suggest these self driving pizza vans will drive at a steady 25 miles an hour on a good day, and will carefully navigate around other motorists, pedestrians and cyclists.

Of course, once they on the roads in the UK they will need van insurance, and I’m sure pizza chains such as Dominos and Pizza Hut will demand Cheap Van Insurance.

And what better place to get very cheap van insurance than right here at CVI. There is no other place. We are the only place.

Waymo Self Driving Vans – Why So Much Hate?

Posted on by News Desk

We haven’t seen too much of self driving vans here in the UK…but across the pond in the USA…they are starting to attract attention.

Take Arizona for example, where a Waymo self driving van attracted the wrong kind of attention.

A shirtless man jumped in front of the Waymo self driving van and pulled out a gun. A 22 caliber Harrington and Richardson Sportsman revolver to be exact.

He pointed the gun directly at the self driving van, but no bullets were fired that day.

Police are saying this was an act of intimidation towards the Waymo. A way of saying…”get out of my neighbourhood, you are not welcome here.”

The man was later arrested (still with no shirt on) and taken to County Jail where he was charged and awaits sentence.

Arizona Police have warned this is not an isolated incident and is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to “Waymo HATE” in the scorching heat of the Arizona Desert.

Apparently it is a common sight to see rocks being thrown at self driving Waymo vans, and one van even had its tire slashed while stopping at a red light.

Other enraged Arizona residents have gone on yelling tirades against the Waymo vans, while another vigilante in a jeep forced the same Waymo self driving van off the road 6 times.

Why so much hate? I think many humans are starting to feel marginalised in this new world of automated technology and robots. Maybe they even feel threatened, almost as if the robots are taking over?

In my opinion this is just their way of saying…”we are still here. We still run this town.”

Only it is a losing battle, because self driving vans are very much here to stay both in America and around the world.

Here at CVI we applaud the efforts of Waymo and their self driving vans and we condemn vigilante acts in Arizona or anywhere else in America.

Hopefully the same thing doesn’t start to happen here on UK shores when Waymo, Ford, Apple, and Tesla start ruling the roads with their self driving vans.

We hope all of you van owners embrace the change and roll out the red carpet for this new technology.

Unfortunately I reckon there may be some problems. Perhaps some disgruntled (former) delivery drivers who are out of a job or a white van man just looking for any opportunity to let off some steam and some rage.

Fortunately you will be able to read about all of the exploits here at the CVI Blog. While at the same time comparing van insurance from around 40 companies and brokers.

Enter The “i-Van”

Posted on by News Desk

The future of van driving is all about self driving vans. You can have a nap or eat a sandwich or read a newspaper…or all 3.

Your van will do all of the hard work, and make sure you get to your destination on time and in one piece.

Yes, the self driving van revolution is almost among us. It won’t be long now.

Not only that, but these self driving vans are expected to be powered by electricity. All you do is charge them up through the night (kind of like your mobile phone) and then you are good to go in the morning.

Because self driving electric vans are similar to mobile phones, it has come as no surprise that Apple are now in the hunt for bringing a self driving van to the marketplace.

You’ve heard of the i-Phone…well, get ready for the i-Van!

Right now, as we speak, Apple are hard at work with a project called “Project Titan,” and insider sources claim this is going to be an electric powered van.

Don’t get too excited just yet though. The i-Van AKA Project Titan is still only a prototype, which means it could be a few years until we see it on the roads.

So what details do we have about the i-Van? The insider sources claim to have seen the prototype, which was pained in black and silver and looked very cutting edge.

Some of these self driving van prototypes look a bit dodgy, if you ask us, but Apple are always on the forefront of stylish design, so you can expect the i-Van to look like the cats pyjamas.

At this time, our insiders report that Apple engineers are working on the interior of the van…no doubt working out where your i-Phone, i-Pad and i-Pod will go.

I’m sure there will be some kind of central hub within the van to place all of your Apple related products. Maybe even a special place for the i-Phone, which you can turn on and then say the words…

“Take me to Cheap Van Insurance.”

That’s right. Despite owning an i-Van, you will still desire getting cheap van insurance year in and year out.

And what better place to achieve this then right here at The Nations Favourite…CVI.

You can use the voice recognition software on your i-Phone to compare van insurance prices from 40 companies and brokers.

“Compare Now!” you will command, and immediately our slick comparison engine gets to work and produces the lowest van insurance prices in the UK. Right there in front of your face in seconds.

The i-Van is the future of van driving while CVI is the future of cheap van insurance.

Unleash The…Robo Delivery Dogs

Posted on by News Desk

We recently predicted that your delivery driver job was safe. “Don’t worry about the robots,” we said….but were we wrong?

It wouldn’t be the first time that CVI has been wrong. In fact, we are wrong quite a lot, which has led to some critics to say – “Don’t listen to CVI.”

We don’t care about our critics though. Just like when those critics “criticised” us for offering van drivers the cheapest van insurance in the country.

“It can’t be done,” said the critics

But we trail blazed our way forward, and now, thousands of van drivers enjoy cheap van insurance right here at our famous 3 minute form.

Anyway…back to the story and this is all about robot dogs who are being manufactured right now, as we speak. However, these robot dogs won’t be pets and they won’t be part of the family.

Instead they will be…Robo Delivery Dogs!

Yes you read that right. These robotic dogs are being designed and trained to deliver packages right to your doorstep, and if successful, then you can say goodbye to your delivery driver job.

The Robo Dogs will travel in packs and ride around in self driving vans. Then when a destination is reached, they jump out and deliver the package.

Think this is all pie in the sky? Then think again, because a recent demo in Las Vegas showed us a prototype Robo Dog climbing up stairs, ringing a doorbell, and delivering a parcel.

Pretty impressive, wouldn’t you agree? Yes the future is almost here, but if you ask us you might just want to keep your resignation letter in your pocket for now.

Why? Because although the Robo Delivery Dog technology is certainly moving along nicely…it’s still quite a few years from becoming a reality in every city, town and village of the UK.

In other words, yes, the future is definitely going to be controlled by packs of Robo Dogs while you sign on down the local job centre, but for now, you can breathe a sigh of relief and just get on with your job.

So make the most of it. Enjoy tomorrow morning as you set off in your van and deliver that package to Mr Smith and Mrs Jones.

Take some time on your delivery route to stop and smell the Roses. And even stop to spend 3 minutes on our cheap van insurance form.

You really could save a packet in 3 minutes or less. Give it a try and find out for yourself.

Can’t Stand The Heat…Get Out Of The Van, Man

Posted on by News Desk

Self driving vans are all over the place…California, New York, Tokyo, Slough. Are they having it too easy though? A bit too…temperate.

The company Waymo, who are owned by Google and have been testing self driving vans all around the world, well, they seem to think all of their testing has been on the “easy setting,” and that is why they have decided to move on to pastures new.

Where exactly…perhaps Benidorm or Aya Napa? Places where the sun shines year round and the self driving vans would get a bit more heat.

No they are going even more extreme than that. Forget about the Costa Del Sol…the place where it really gets cooking is in the Nevada Desert.

Some parts of the desert over there in Nevada reach temperatures that would make your average white van man be forced to take off his socks. The shorts and vest would stay on of course, complete with a hat to keep their head out of direct sun.

Perhaps the ice cream vans of Britain could find a new trade in the desert of Nevada? I’m sure there would be a big queue for 99 cones once the midday sun came out and temperatures reached 50 degrees Celsius

While Waymo are testing in Nevada to see how the vehicles react, the one thing I think they should be testing for is how the average white van driver would react.

We all know that warmer weather tends to bring out their more aggressive side…the summer of rage, it was called.

How would they react in the heat of the desert? Putting them in the situation would be the only way to get our answer, but what I do know is that if they could access the Nations Favourite Van Insurance Website then it would go a long way to making them more chilled out.

I would imagine your average white van man, so to speak, would get a bit hot under the collar while navigating around the emptiness of the Nevada desert.

Of course, it would be the self driving Google van doing the driving, but that wouldn’t stop the agitation, if you ask me.

Even if it was a mirage they were seeing over yonder, of a cyclist swerving out and acting like they owned the road.

I’m sure that would soon get their attention, and even after finding out it was just their minds (and the desert) playing tricks on them, I’m sure there would still be a bit of swearing and fist banging.

All out rage? Maybe not. As long as they have access to Wi-Fi then they can always access Cheap Van Insurance to get quotes, even in the Nevada Desert.

Ford Want Self Driving Vans on the Road by 2021

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One topic I’ve talked about on this blog quite a bit is self driving vans, everyone is interested about them. Well, Ford could be first to market.

The self driving van market that is, which is expected to be worth billions of pounds in a very short amount of time.

Builders, roofers, delivery drivers, electricians, and trades people all around the country are waiting with baited breath…wondering just when one of these driverless machines will become available to buy.

The popular and well known motor company Ford are one of the major brands vying for a piece of the market, and from what I’ve been hearing they are right at the forefront of technology.

So much so that a recent statement by Ford mentioned that a self driving van could be on the market by the year 2021. The future is nearly here, it seems.

According to experts, one of the main reasons why Ford are potentially ahead of the competition when it comes to self driving vans is because they already have many years of experience in the commercial market.

Not only that, but they also own a major share in a company called “Argo AI” which many are calling the best self driving sensor hardware out there right now.

This type of Artificial Intelligence will soon be driving the van, while the owners themselves will be able to put their feet up, read the paper and enjoy a ham sandwich without being disturbed.

In my opinion, I think self driving vans is going to be a good thing for van drivers, especially the so called white van man who has been known to lose control and fly into a rage at times.

Being able to put their feet up and relax will no doubt go a long way in reducing that anger that can sometimes erupt. Who cares about a traffic jam or annoying cyclists when you are browsing social media and drinking a cup of tea? Many van drivers won’t, I’m sure.

Interestingly, Ford have been working closely with Domino’s Pizza in this self driving venture, as they look to better understand what companies want out of vehicles that have to make deliveries.

Does this mean that UK delivery drivers should start writing their resignation letters? Absolutely not, because while Ford may very well have a driverless van in 2021 that could take over the role of doing the actual driving, there will still need to be someone there to make the deliveries and take over when there are any glitches. I’m sure there are going to be many of those during the first few years.

It’s the robots that delivery drivers should fear if you ask me. Once robots start getting in the drivers seat then the traditional human delivery driver could find themselves out of a job. We are all friends now though, for now.

The good news is that in 2021 van drivers will be able to visit the nations favourite van insurance comparison website to get the best quotes. Just fill in the simple form and instantly compare around 40 van insurance companies.

Postie Out, Robots In…

Posted on by News Desk

The days of seeing a Royal Mail van pull up outside your house and a postie in shorts jump out the back may be coming to an end.

That is if the US Postal Service have anything to do with it anyway, as it’s just been announced they have very specific plans for the future of delivering mail and packages. “Postie out, robots in,” is the memo.

In other words, they want to get rid of the humble postie, who over the years has remained dedicated to delivering your mail in all weather conditions…rain, wind, snow, or sunshine, all while wearing a pair of shorts.

Instead, the US Postal Service want robots turning up at the doors of households. Sure, they will be efficient, but will they have any personality? My opinion is no, they will be too…robotic.

A robotic personality maybe, but it certainly appears that robots are the future of delivery. Remember how I reported recently about supermarkets in the UK wanting self driving vans with robots controlling them? Or how about the 4 hour delivery van that only requires a robot? The writing is on the wall it seems.

Or maybe not…we are talking about the “US Postal Service” here, perhaps they wont follow suit in the UK? Unfortunately I believe they will, just like everything else. McDonalds, Burger King, KFC, American Football…the UK ends up getting everything from America and this includes robot posties in vans.

Right now there are 228,000 US Postal vans on the roads of America, and if everything goes to plan the vast majority of these vans will be self driving and featuring robots by the year 2025.

I would expect the UK to jump on board with the same kind of plan as soon as the technology is proven, and once this happens we may never see another postie in shorts turning up at doorsteps again.

Instead it will be the robot with a delivery. Focused? Yes. Time for a chat? No. Robotic by name and robotic by nature.

Will all van drivers be robots in this futuristic Britain? Not at all, because while there are some jobs that can be done by a robot there are others that will always need a human on board.

Take your average roofer as an example. Like posties they also wear shorts in all weather conditions, but unlike posties I don’t think they are going to be replaced by robots anytime soon.

I just can’t imagine letting a robot loose on your roof to change the roof tiles or point up the ridge tiles, that would be a disaster waiting to happen.

Better to keep roofers very much human then, just like the majority of tradespeople such as builders, electricians, plumbers and carpenters.

Skilled workers who get the job done, wear shorts, visit a comparison site for van insurance and sometimes get involved in bouts of rage. The “white van man” so to speak.

The 4 Hour Delivery Van That Drives Itself

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In the time it takes an average delivery driver to do half a shift, a complete self driving van could be built by one person according to the manufacturer.

This is certainly bad news for delivery drivers around the country, who may have took comfort from my prediction that self driving vans will be here, but not for years.

It seems like I might be wrong because this particular self driving electric delivery van that was unveiled at a top secret conference in London, well, it is scheduled to be on UK roads next year.

The claim is that the van can be assembled in only 4 hours by one person at a factory, which means we could see an army of these self driving vehicles ruling the roads and delivering packages.

People in the government want to see self driving vans out and about by 2020 of course, but if everything goes to plan then it could be sooner. Van drivers watch out is my memo to anyone reading this.

Maybe a change of career is in order for delivery drivers, or should you just stick with what you know? It really is your choice, but if you ask me, the local job centre might be a good starting point.

Not everyone is going to embrace self driving vans though, and even if they do, they won’t be out of a job.

Take your average builder, roofer, electrician, plumber or carpenter as an example. Sure, they might enjoy buying a driverless van and then putting their feet up on the way to a job, but once they arrive the van can’t do the work now, can it? They will still need to put in the hours.

It’s delivery drivers I fear for, especially once they work out a way for the van to actually deliver the packages…maybe with some kind of robot? Who knows exactly what is going to happen, but what I do know is that during all of this van insurance will still be very much required.

No matter if you own a company that has a fleet of delivery vans or you are a builder working for yourself…you must have van insurance by law, so make sure you start comparing quotes to get the best deals.

Many van drivers start right here, at the Nations favourite van insurance comparison website, where all you need is 3 minutes and the click of a button.

So forget about self driving vans and all of that right now, and instead, just focus on getting very cheap van insurance to save yourself a packet.

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