Quishing - 20 August 2024

London ULEZ Scrappage Scheme to End Next MonthThe London Scrappage Scheme will close next month for residents of all the London Boroughs covered by the ULEZ, but certain groups still have until 2027. You can read more in this story from Autocar.GM Lays off 1,000 Software EngineersJust when all other car manufacturers are trying to focus on getting software correct, GM lays off 1,000 across the US. There’s an overview story from The Autopian here and one from CNBC here.UK Motorists Warned of Quishing RiskBad actors are placing QR codes pretending to lead to the relevant payment sites in car parks and on EV charging stations across the UK. Keep an eye out for labels over correct QR codes or, even better, use the appropriate app or type in the URL where physical payment isn’t possible. There’s more detail in this Guardian story. Leasing Model At Risk of BreakdownLeasing companies across Europe claim they’re considering pulling out of the market due to the unpredictability of used EV values as new vehicle prices rise. 60% of new vehicles across the continent have a lease component to their purchase, so are the lease companies getting their sums wrong, or is it something deeper? This Reuters story has more information.Boston to use AI to calculate Traffic Light TimingsBoston is working with Google to optimise traffic light timings in the centre of the city. Thankfully the outcomes are being sanity checked by a human before implementation. This Boston25 News story tells us more.If you like what we do, on this show, and think it is worth a £1.00, please consider supporting us via Patreon. Here is the link to that CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST NEW NEW CAR NEWS - Vauxhall GrandlandIt still has a silly name, but the new Vauxhall Grandland comes in both hybrid and EV versions. You can read more in this Autocar article.Lamborgini TemerarioLamborgini has shown its Huaracan successor at Monterey Car Week. It’s a PHEV andfaster, more powerful and heavier than its successor, but every bit as interesting. Just don’t get too distracted by the press photos. There’s much more in this Evo story.BMW M5 TouringBMW has unveiled its M5 Touring. It’s a hybrid, has 717bhp and 1,630 litres of seats-down boot space. It will set you back from £112,000. You can find out more in this Autocar article.LUNCHTIME READ: The Vermont Hills Were AliveHagerty tells us of the Vermont motoring menace that was Maria Von Trapp in her Mercedes. It’s a lovely story telling of the real Von Trapp family, their move from Austria to the US and how they came to settle in rural Vermont. Alan also gives beer and food reviews, but you can find the article here.LIST OF THE WEEK: The Most Controversial Cars made By Mercedes-BenzAlan tells of his admiration for the gawky R-Class, but which would you choose from this Autocar list?AND FINALLY: How to Use New York Traffic Cameras as a Photo BoothNew York has hundreds of traffic cameras, and they all have apblic feed. A new website for mobile users lets you you turn them into a fun way to photograph you and your friends. There’s more about why this was done, and the appropriate links to try it yourself, in this Jalopnik article.