Volkswagen

It’s that time of year again. The new registration plates are about to be issued next month, and van drivers up and down the country dream wistfully of a brand new, shiny van with all the optional extras a driver could dream of.

And of course, now is the time that the van manufacturers launch their newest models to ensure those who are in the money are ready to show it off from next month with the latest in technology.

This past week, both Mercedes and Volkswagen have showcased their new offerings, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500XD, and the Volkswagen Caddy V5.

The Mercedes is a veritable force to be reckoned with. With almost unlimited variations and added extras, this is a van driver’s dream. A three-litre turbo diesel V6 engine gives as much grunt as the beefiest Scottish van driver could need for getting up those steep hills and glens. A seven-speed automatic gearbox, four-wheel drive and 325 pounds of torque gives it almost off-road abilities. There’s a 10.5” touchscreen, navigation, in-built cruise control in the premium plus package, while the premium package adds lane assist, a rear camera and active brake assist. There are also options for heated mirrors, an electric step at the back, and illuminated front steps.

Reported to have incredible visibility and more space in the back than a DPD depot, this doesn’t come cheap, but will undoubtedly be the choice of those for whom money is no object and as an investment for a van that’s read to last the distance.

At the other end of the market, for just£21,000 there’s a new VW Caddy in town. The fifth generation of Caddy, this has all the convenience of a hatchback in van form. There are three versions – the Caddy, Life and Style, with more kit as standard on all models. All the Caddys can carry up to two pallets of goofs in the back, but a revamped dashboard with 10” touchscreen makes being behind the wheel a much more comfortable and enjoyable experience.

Two petrol and one diesel options are available, and there’s even one that can carry additional passengers too.

If you are in the market for a new van, don’t forget to fill out our free quote form, to know the best possible van insurance prices out there – with the money you save, you may just be able to stretch to one or two added extras on your van spec!

I’ve spoken before about self driving technology in vans, well, with a recent announcement it looks like Volkswagen are leading the way.

From right now, all Volkswagen vans, which includes Caddy, Crafter and Transporter vans, will be fitted with autonomous emergency braking systems, which are known in the industry as AEB.

If you ask me, this is a very significant move in the self driving revolution by Volkswagen, and I should think that most of the other major van manufacturers will now be following suit, or risk getting left behind.

One expert has even commented that this news is the most important since the announcement of the seat belt. It could very well be.

That same expert has predicted that AEB could save 100 lives and prevent over 100,000 accidents over the next decade. Let’s wait to see what happens.

What I do know is that if true and autonomous emergency braking in vans is the real deal, then eventually we should start to see van insurance prices getting cheaper.

At the end of the day, if there are less accidents then van insurance companies don’t have to pay out as much…which then leads to them passing on the savings to you, the customer. That is the theory anyway.

Of course, there are other factors that decide how much you pay for van insurance, such as van thefts and government interference.

Regular readers of this blog will be only too aware about how many vans are being broken into and stolen around the UK just recently. It has a lot to do with these “magic keys” that are being sold on the internet.

Hopefully once the self driving technology becomes really advanced they can work out a way to stop van thieves once and for all, but for now it looks like van crime is here to stay.

Back to Volkswagen and a spokesperson for the company said, “We’re really proud to be the first to fit AEB as standard to all our vans. This means safer vehicles on our roads.”

Volkswagen seem to be right at the forefront of technology as they also recently announced a partnership with a company called Nvidia, in a bid to make their self driving vans more intelligent.

A dedicated Artificial Intelligence team have been set-up at Volkswagen HQ, and I’m sure they are all hard at work to bring us the next piece of technology that is going to make driving easier and safer.

It might be a while though until vans become completely self driving and delivery drivers are replaced by robots, so for now, the vast majority of van drivers around the UK can get on with business as normal.

Tag: Volkswagen

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All New Volkswagen Vans to Include Autonomous Braking

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