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Wales Online
16 hours ago
- Wales Online
Days after being banned and clearly under influence of alcohol, he caused head-on crash
Days after being banned and clearly under influence of alcohol, he caused head-on crash Lee Lock tried to blame the car's spare tyre and the bad weather Lee Lock (Image: Dyfed-Powys Police ) A speeding driver who lost control on a roundabout and slammed head-on into a van, a court has heard. Earlier the same morning Lee Lock's car had been seen swerving back and forth across the road, clipping a kerb, and remaining stationary at green traffic lights, while the defendant himself had been seen "staggering" across a garage forecourt. Swansea Crown Court heard Lock would later blame the weather and the space-save tyre on his car for "aquaplaning" on the roundabout. The court also heard that a matter of days before the crash the defendant had been banned from driving having clocked up 12 penalty points on his licence, and a judge said it was clear the 37-year-old had a disregard for the safety of other road users. Alexandra Wilson, prosecuting, told the court that on the morning of January 20 this year a motorist near the site of Oakwood Park theme park in Pembrokeshire was following a VW Golf which was seen to be swerving back and forth across the road, crossing the white lines in the middle of the road, and clipping the nearside kerb. The VW was seen to remain stationary at traffic lights after they had turned green, only moving off when other road users beeped their horns. The court heard that the motorist continued to follow the Golf and watched it pull into a garage where the driver - Lock - was seen to get out and "stagger" across the forecourt. The defendant's driving was reported to the police. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter Article continues below The court heard that a short time later Lock was involved in a head-on crash at the Sentry Cross roundabout. The prosecutor said witnesses saw the Golf approach the junction from the direction of Neyland "at speed", and the driver was seen to "whip" the car around the roundabout. The court heard back end of the VW slid out and Lock over-steered to try to correct it causing him to exit the roundabout on the wrong side of the road and to slam head-on into an oncoming van. The prosecutor said when emergency services arrived at the scene they found both vehicles badly damaged, the Golf's airbags deployed, and Lock "moaning and mumbling" and slurring his words. Watch a pedestrian narrowly avoiding being hit as a dangerous driver crashes into cars and flips his own vehicle over The court heard the driver of the van was trapped in his vehicle and after being freed was taken to hospital where he underwent CT and MRI scans. He later described how the pain caused by the crash had been "unbelievable" and said he had been "terrified" while stuck in his crashed van and that all he could think about what his family. In his police interview the defendant denied he had been "swerving" across the road at any point and he said there had been a space-saver wheel on the car and he had aquaplaned at the roundabout as a result of the "diabolical" weather. The court heard that at the time of the driving Lock was being investigated for a weapon offence after police had found a knife in a medication bag under the driver's seat of his camper van in Cross Hands in Carmarthenshire in June 2024. The defendant told police the knife was homemade. Lee Lock, of Coombs Road, Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, had previously pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, and driving without insurance when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has nine previous convictions for 14 offences, the last being for engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour from 2017. At the time of the crash he was disqualified from driving having been banned as a "totter" with 12 points on his licence in January 2025. Caitlin Brazel, for Lock, said the pre-sentence report before the court detailed the defendant's adverse childhood experiences and traumas which had impacted on his development and thinking processes, and she said her client had spent the last 18 years on medication for anxiety and depression. The barrister said that during their conference her client appeared to be deeply remorseful for his actions and she said he realised he could have been facing far more serious charges as a result of what happened on the roads. Judge Paul Thomas KC told the defendant that at a time when he had only recently been disqualified he had driven dangerously "when clearly effected by alcohol" and had caused a head-on crash. He said it was "simply good luck" that the driver of the van which Lee crashed into did not suffer serious injuries, and he said it was clear the defendant had no regard for the safety of other road users. Article continues below With one-quarter discounts for his guilty pleas Lock was sentenced to 16 months in prison for the motoring matters and two months for the knife offence to run consecutively making a total sentence of 18 months. The defendant will serve up to half the sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. Lock was banned from driving for three years and must pass an extended test before he can get a licence.
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Future VW Golf R EV Could Use Radical In-Wheel Motors
Volkswagen is said to be working on a hot version of the ID 2 small hatchback, likely to be known as the ID 2 R. While VW doesn't sell a hatchback smaller than the Golf in the United States, the ID 2 R could pave the way for the future all-electric Golf R, and VW seems to have come up with a clever way of integrating electric motors. These plans were revealed by Autocar, with its sources suggesting the ID 2 R will use electric hub motors situated in the rear wheels. As we'll see, this layout has multiple benefits. VW is already expected to debut the electric in 2026, but the new ID 2 R will be a lot more advanced. In addition to the front-mounted electric motor in the GTI, the R model will get independently controlled motors within the rear wheels, dramatically increasing performance and enabling all-wheel drive, which has traditionally been associated with the Golf R. By not going the more conventional dual-motor route, VW will be able to save weight and reduce the impact on trunk space, both important considerations in a compact car. Whereas the ID 2 GTI will make around 286 horsepower, a more likely output in the three-motor ID 2 R will be about 400 hp. This, together with the torque vectoring made possible by the hub motors, should make for a shockingly quick and agile hot hatch. Even more performance could be extracted from the larger Golf R EV with the same setup. While hub motors have many advantages, they can also increase unsprung mass - the weight of the components not supported by the suspension - which can negatively impact handling and grip. On the upside, the ID 2 R's tech has the potential to filter through to other small VWs with all-wheel drive. It would also allow cars with FWD, RWD, and AWD to be more easily built on the same platform, reducing costs and complexity. For now, the Golf R will soldier on as a potent ICE hatchback with its 328-hp turbo engine, snappy dual-clutch transmission, and dependable AWD system. But the potential of an electric successor looks bright - don't expect it to arrive much earlier than 2029 or 2030, though, especially with multiple brands backtracking on their EV plans. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Economic Times
a day ago
- Automotive
- Economic Times
Skoda VW plots Rs 10,000 cr comeback with India 3.0
India bet amid global overhaul Live Events Focus on UVs (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Mumbai: Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Pvt Ltd (SAVWIPL) has received in-principle approval from its German parent to invest an additional ₹1 billion (about ₹10,000 crore) for expanding its operations in the country, said people aware of the development. Under its new India 3.0 road map , the world's second-largest automaker will sharpen focus on the fast-growing premium utility vehicle segment in the country including SUVs and electric fresh investment plan tracks a period of indecision within VW due to lower-than-expected sales from its current lineup of India 2.0 include the Kushaq, Slavia, Taigun, and Virtus. Also, its search for a local manufacturing and technology partner has so far been in finalising the investment was partly due to issues within the VW Group, and also a tax demand on the auto conglomerate by Indian authorities. Last September, VW said it would shut at least three factories in Germany, lay off tens of thousands of staff, and shrink its remaining plants as part of a deeper-than-expected its current plan, which focuses on volume models, India 3.0 will target premium SUVs and MPVs across electric, hybrid, and internal combustion engine (ICE) under India 3.0 will be based on the CMP 21 platform—an affordable EV architecture designed for India. It will underpin a range of electric SUVs in the mid-size category spanning 4.3 to 4.8 meters, potentially allowing SAVWIPL to compete in the EV said the automaker is also weighing plans to launch Audi cars based on the CMP 21 platform . SAVWIPL's increased focus on the UV segment comes amid a rapidly growing share of such vehicles in the Indian passenger vehicle market. UVs comprised 65% of total passenger vehicle sales in India last fiscal year. SAVWIPL's investment, expected over five years starting 2028, follows a similar commitment made in 2018 under the India 2.0 initiative, and highlights the growing importance of India for VW Group. Skoda, which leads the group's operations in India, views the country as its most critical market outside India, the VW Group comprising Skoda, VW, Audi, Porsche and Lamborghini brands is also looking to increase operational synergy.
Time of India
a day ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Skoda VW plots ₹10,000 cr comeback with India 3.0
Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Pvt Ltd (SAVWIPL) has received in-principle approval from its German parent to invest an additional ₹1 billion (about ₹10,000 crore) for expanding its operations in the country, said people aware of the development. Under its new India 3.0 road map, the world's second-largest automaker will sharpen focus on the fast-growing premium utility vehicle segment in the country including SUVs and electric vehicles. The fresh investment plan tracks a period of indecision within VW due to lower-than-expected sales from its current lineup of India 2.0 models. India bet amid global overhaul These include the Kushaq, Slavia, Taigun, and Virtus. Also, its search for a local manufacturing and technology partner has so far been inconclusive. Delay in finalising the investment was partly due to issues within the VW Group, and also a tax demand on the auto conglomerate by Indian authorities. Last September, VW said it would shut at least three factories in Germany, lay off tens of thousands of staff, and shrink its remaining plants as part of a deeper-than-expected overhaul. Focus on UVs Unlike its current plan, which focuses on volume models, India 3.0 will target premium SUVs and MPVs across electric, hybrid, and internal combustion engine (ICE) variants. Vehicles under India 3.0 will be based on the CMP 21 platform —an affordable EV architecture designed for India. It will underpin a range of electric SUVs in the mid-size category spanning 4.3 to 4.8 meters, potentially allowing SAVWIPL to compete in the EV segment. People said the automaker is also weighing plans to launch Audi cars based on the CMP 21 platform . SAVWIPL's increased focus on the UV segment comes amid a rapidly growing share of such vehicles in the Indian passenger vehicle market. UVs comprised 65% of total passenger vehicle sales in India last fiscal year. SAVWIPL's investment, expected over five years starting 2028, follows a similar commitment made in 2018 under the India 2.0 initiative, and highlights the growing importance of India for VW Group. Skoda, which leads the group's operations in India, views the country as its most critical market outside Europe. In India, the VW Group comprising Skoda, VW, Audi, Porsche and Lamborghini brands is also looking to increase operational synergy.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Waymo cars will be hitting NYC streets
Waymo, the self-driving car company backed by Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), applied for a special permit to bring its cars to the streets of New York City. Yahoo Finance Senior Autos Reporter Pras Subramanian reports the latest on Waymo and VW's (VWAGY) electric ID. Buzz. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Market Domination Overtime here. Well, Waymo is doing what was once unthinkable, bringing its robo taxi service to the streets of New York City. Yahoo Finance's Pras Subramanian here with more details in the story. I I mean, just personally, I can't wait to get in a Waymo and take it around the city. So is it how quickly is this happening? What's the steps, what are the steps that have to happen? So, you're saying they apply for a permit to begin tests next month. Now, there'll be a safety driver in the driver seat, so you're not going to be alone in the car, but it should ostensibly drive on its own, like it has in LA, San Francisco, Austin right now. Uh, it should be I mean, I'm I was surprised to hear that they're going to be doing this this soon. I think it's kind of shows you how far the technology's come and how confident they are that they can come to New York City where you have cyclists and pedestrians and just people and you know, bikes everywhere. It's just a kind of a wild scene to think about. But yeah, it's coming here next month and it kind of speaks to their global or their continue expansion, uh more places in LA, more places in San Francisco. So, yeah, this is the next big step for them. Do we have any line of sight, by the way, I'm just curious, what regulators would have to see, Pras, to get comfortable getting that human out of the car, going full robot? Yeah, I'm not sure. I believe it's it's that New York does not allow a car to be operated without a driver in the seat. I think it'll kind of maybe show a decent record of safety that'll allow them to change regulations to allow full robo taxi deployment, or as they call unsupervised, uh in in New York. You know, so, as Waymo does this in New York City, Tesla is beginning their robo taxi tests in Austin, but unsupervised, meaning there will be no safety driver in the driver's seat. There'll be a person sitting in the passenger seat and tell operators in case anything needs to be done. So, it's a little bit of a distinction there. A little uh a little odd kind of change, because think about Tesla hasn't proven anything yet from a robo taxi point of view. Where Waymo is being extra careful, uh with that right now. So you'll get in the car in for the Tesla and somebody will be in the passenger seat already. In this small test they're doing, yeah. Interesting. Wasn't there other autonomous tech news today, a Volkswagen backed company? Yeah, earlier today Volkswagen, uh has this startup called Mio, I think they're called. And basically they came up with this uh, you're looking at it, it's an ID version of their ID Buzz minivan, electric minivan, but but fit for robo taxi use using using um uh different software suite plus sensors, uh plus a sort of bespoke mobility platform that allow operators to buy these vans in bulk and and then then deploy them as robo taxis and Uber will be their partner initially for some parts of the US. So, yeah, this is an interesting concept here. Or it's an actual vehicle that VW is using right now in Hamburg, Germany. And they want to bring it around to the US too. I like the the paint job on the outside of this. Pras, thank you. Sign in to access your portfolio
