Safety

The cut-price Chery Tiggo 4 Pro small SUV has been hit with an urgent recall.The recall notice posted by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, said close to 2000 of the fast-selling SUVs were affected by an issue regarding its autonomous emergency braking tech.According to the notice a software issue is to blame.“Due to a software issue, the vehicle may not have the Autonomous Emergency Brake (AEB) sound alarm activated.”If the AEB sound doesn’t go off it could increase the risk of an accident causing injury or death to the vehicle occupants or other road users, according to the recall notice.Owners of affected vehicles are urged to contact their nearest Chery dealership to have the AEB software updated at no cost.The Tiggo 4 Pro was one of the top selling small SUVs in the country at the start of this year. More than a 1000 found a new home in January, outselling familiar favourites such as the Kia Seltos, Honda HR-V and Subaru Cross Trek.A big part of this sales bonanza is due to the Tiggo 4 Pro’s low, low starting price of $23,990 drive-away. This makes it one of the cheapest new cars on sale in Australia.The Tiggo 4 Pros without proper working AEB fall foul of Australian Design Rule 98/01.A similar design rule 98/00, which was recently updated has caused the end of sale of several vehicles in Australia.This rule change meant new vehicles had to have advanced auto emergency braking, this caused the end of the current Mitsubishi ASX, Pajero Sport and Eclipse Cross as well as several Suzuki models.

The Federal Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communication and the Arts has issued a safety recall notice impacting 5731 Suzukis sold new in Australia between 2022 and 2023.

Q: How far can you drive in a bicycle lane? A: You may drive in a bicycle lane for a maximum of 50 metres but you are permitted to do so for only a limited number of reasons, including to avoid obstacles, to turn left, or to enter or leave the road.

My 2015 Isuzu M-UX keeps coming up with a ‘release park brake’ fault. The park brake is down and I have had the wiring harness replaced, but the fault continues to return. Any ideas?

The auto disabling of the blind spot monitoring system in my 2023 Isuzu MU-X works when I connect my genuine Isuzu 12-pin plug and wiring loom. The disable function works for a short time but then fails (after around 30 minutes, the BSM turns back on). Isuzu says that it is not a common problem and seems not to know how to fix it. Are you aware of what the mechanism is that switches it on/off and if there are any issues with it?

What is the highest speed limit in the world?Technically speaking the fastest speed limit in the world is no speed limit. While Germany has been introducing speed limits across many of its highways, which are known as the autobahn, Germany still has thousands of kilometres of roads where you can drive as fast as you like.In terms of the highest posted speed limit, that title belongs to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, which has sections of motorway where you can drive to 160km/h (100mph).What is the purpose of speed limits?Governments around the world implement speed limits in order to keep the roads as safe as possible for all road users. And by all ‘road users’ we mean not only motorists but also cyclists and pedestrians, which is why there are different speed limits in urban areas compared to highways, and in recent years specific speed limits near schools in many countries.Do all countries have speed limits?Yes and no. Every country in the world has some form of speed limit, with one minor exception - the Isle of Man. The Isle of Man speed limit is officially non-existent. However, this small self-governing island posts guidance limits in built-up areas, to ensure public safety. Out on the island’s open highways, however, a road with no speed limit stretches out before you and drivers are free to go as quickly as is safe - with police still enforcing dangerous driving laws.How have speed limits evolved over time?According to a report from History.com speed limits actually pre-date the automobile, with the colony of New Amsterdam (now known as New York) issuing a decree in 1652 that “o wagons, carts or sleighs shall be run, rode or driven at a gallop” of the rider will be fined.The police were just as serious about enforcing the law back then too, with then-President Ulysses S. Grant arrested for driving his horse-drawn carriage too fast in Washington in 1872.As for speed limits specific to cars, the United Kingdom led the way in this regard, introducing a speed limit of 10mph (16km/h) on open roads and 2.0mph (3.0km/h) in towns in 1861.In Australia the speed limits were gradually introduced around the country in the first half of the 20th century. Notably, when Australia switched from imperial to metric speed limits were changed in 1974 and were rounded to the nearest 10km/h increment. So, 60mph became 100km/h and the freeway limit of 70mph became 110km/h - the limits we still have today.Check out our story on the highest speed limit in Australia.Why do maximum speed limits differ in different countries?There are a variety of reasons, from political, social to the purely practical. For example, a poorly constructed highway with no speed limit is obviously more dangerous than a carefully built and maintained one. While the German autobahns are not radically different from our highways in Australia, they typically have some form of fence or border on the median to reduce the risk of head-on crashes.Geography plays a major role in determining speed limits. For example, the Isle of Man doesn’t have an extensive motorway network, rather open roads across its largely agricultural land, whereas Abu Dhabi has a much bigger and very modern motorway network, so it is able to have a higher posted limit as the roads are straighter and smoother and therefore more conducive to faster driving.How can you find out the speed limit where you are driving?Most countries have roadside signs that display the limit, although they can differ significantly from one country to another. So if you are planning on traveling it’s worthwhile searching for images of what signs you should be looking out for.In Australia we use white signs featuring black numbers in a red circle, which were actually inspired by the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals held in 1968.What happens if there is no speed limit sign?If there is no sign then you should drive to what’s known as the ‘default limit’ in that country. Typically there is an urban limit and open road limit, so it pays to know what those are in whatever country you are driving.Typically the key differentiator between what is considered an ‘urban’ road is the presence of street lights and buildings, whether residential or commercial.In Australia those default limits are 50km/h in urban settings and 100km/h on open roads.What are the highest speed limits on roads around the world?1. Germany: UnrestrictedAs mentioned above, despite some political pressure (surprisingly on environmental grounds as much as safety) Germany’s autobahns remain famously speed limit free for large stretches. This is possibly due to more thorough driver training and testing in Germany than most other nations and a strict adherence to the correct lane; driving too slow in the fast lane will get you flashed repeatedly until you move out of the way.2. United Arab Emirates: 160km/hWith a relatively modern and well-maintained motorway network there are sections of road in the capital, Abu Dhabi, with a posted speed limit of 160km/h. Perhaps more interestingly, on the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Road there is actually a minimum speed limit, with drivers required to drive at least 120km/h or face a fine.3. Poland, Bulgaria and Saudi Arabia: 140km/hThese three very different countries all have an upper highway speed limit of 140km/h.In Poland, the standard, two-lane highway speed limit is 120km/h, but it is raised on its toll motorways.Bulgaria has a similar system, with the majority of its highways limited to 120km/h, but drivers are allowed to go quicker on newer sections of motorway.While in Saudi Arabia the previous speed limit of 120km/h on its major routes was raised to the new higher speed in 2018, although trucks remain limited to 80km/h.4. USA (Texas): 137km/hThe United States of America is a little disjointed when it comes to speed limits as each state sets their own, rather than there being a national standard. The most common speed limits are 70mph (113km/h) or 75mph (121km/h) but they can also get to 80mph (129km/h) in several states.However, the highest speed limit in the USA belongs to Texas State Highway 130, a toll road outside of Austin that has a posted speed limit of 85mph (137km/h).5. Italy, France, Australia and more: 130km/hThere is a misconception that when it comes to the Stuart Highway no speed limit applies, but the truth is the Northern Territory trialled that and designed to limit it to 130km/h for lengthy stretches. This was done to make travel faster across what is a sparsely populated desert landscape.However, 130km/h is a common speed limit on highways and motorways around much of Europe, including Italy, France (except when raining), Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands, Russia and Ukraine.

Hyundai has recalled 4781 Kona N SUVs and i30 N sedans built between 2020 and 2023 due to a manufacturing defect affecting the models fuel pumps.

Mazda’s new seven-seat family SUV has scored full marks in safety testing.  The 2025 Mazda CX-80 received five stars from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) against the latest 2024 criteria. 

I’m currently experiencing power steering and cruise control failure in my 2023 Hyundai Kona N-Line. The Hyundai mechanic advised that the cruise control camera is not reading the power steering or vice versa.

Law firm Maurice Blackburn has launched a class action lawsuit against General Motors Australia and New Zealand.It alleges faulty transmissions were fitted to “hundreds of thousands” of Holden Commodore and Colorado models, with owners possibly getting a pay-out. The gearboxes in question are codenamed: GM 6L 45, 6L 50 and 6L 80, along with their derivatives. They were sold in new vehicles between January 1, 2011 and December 24, 2024. Models include the Commodore VE and Commodore VF also in Ute, Caprice and Calais guises. Some versions of the Colorado ute and its derivatives — the Colorado 7 and Trailblazer — also used the automatic transmissions. Maurice Blackburn’s class action “alleges that the transmission systems in the affected Holden vehicles are defective due to a design fault in the Torque Converter and Torque Converter Clutch.” “As a result of the alleged defect, the affected vehicles have a propensity to experience various problems including intermittent transmission shudders, excessive vibrations, harsh gear shifts, leakage of Automatic Transmission fluid, accelerated degradation of the components of the transmission system and greater servicing requirements. “The class action alleges that General Motors failed to comply with the guarantee of acceptable quality under the Australian Consumer Law and engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct. ”The class action is open to those who bought new or used vehicles affected. It is also open to those who have sold their vehicle or who own a vehicle, and those who have not yet experienced any issues. Maurice Blackburn is seeking to recover compensation from General Motors Australian New Zealand for loss and damage on behalf of the consumer. A GM spokesperson told CarsGuide, "GM does not comment on ongoing litigation."GM stands by its commitment to achieving the best outcomes for Holden customers."There is precedent for transmission-related class actions, with one being brought against Ford’s ‘Powershift’ dual-clutch transmission in 2016. The case evolved into an ACCC matter and Ford was ordered to pay a $10 million fine for its handling of the situation.