All too many of us are these days glued to our handheld devices and mobile phones in particular. Well, there will soon be another reason to keep yours close-by. That’s because an elite group of technological giants have joined forces to create digital keys, the kind designed to make the unlocking of cars that bit easier.

History was made at the end of June when the Porsche 919 Evo smashed a 35 year old track record to smithereens. In scenes scarcely believable, the sports-prototype made mincemeat of Nürburgring’s Nordschleife circuit, completing a full lap in a remarkable 5:19.55s.

Shocked? The feat is more surprising when considering the sheer make-up of the car, which doesn't include the monstrously sized engine you would expect.

When travelling on Britain’s motorways one of the most prominent features of the journey are the crash barriers lining the way. These steel constructions are designed to prevent vehicles leaving the road in the event of an incident, while dissipating some of the impact energy.

Vehicles leaving roadways, particularly at high speeds, are extremely dangerous and represent a threat to life for not only those travelling in the vehicle, but to anyone in the vicinity too.

A while ago we wrote about What Happens at 300mph, which explored the problems and limitations facing hyper car manufacturers in their quest to best a truly astounding speed. Breaking through this barrier in a road legal car is a monumental feat of engineering, and worthy of recognition if and when someone succeeds in achieving it.

Motorists the world over are looking for ways to save money. Even those cruising around in Lamborghini’s appreciate a good deal and the rise in aftermarket car accessories mean plenty abound. Knowing what to lookout for however is not so easy.

Indeed so many gadgets exist in 2018 that combing through them can prove painstaking. Sorting the must haves from the nice to haves however pays dividends longer-term.

The European Union are on a mission to stop all road deaths. Yes, you read that correctly.

What on the surface seems like wild optimism has is in fact been strategized and last month a plan titled Vision Zero was unveiled to the world. Its remit is simple in theory if not reality, to achieve ‘close to zero fatalities and serious injuries’ on highways across the continent. As if to complicate matters the powers that be have given themselves a mere 30 years to realise the ambition.

End of year reports go some way to revealing just how well (or poorly) a car manufacturer has performed. Sometimes however raw sales do not tell the whole story. Far from it.

Indeed greater insight is often found in assessing what sold where. Geography has long played a significant role in the motoring industry, with certain countries boasting certain favourites. And clear preference can shape strategy.

The Welsh government have announced plans to introduce 50mph speed limits on five stretches of motorway from June. New speed cameras will be installed in a bid to tackle harmful Nitrogen Dioxide emissions that pollution critics believe have been swept under the carpet in recent times. The announcement has received mixed reviews to put it kindly and ignited fierce debate nationwide.