• F1 Australian GP to relocate?
• Williams conducts first F1 bio-fuel run
• Management changes at Honda Performance Development
• UK racecar constructor passes away
• FIA Institute establishes youth helmet standard
• Silverstone to host World Aerobatic Championship

• www.cleangreencars.co.uk publishes CO2 performance figures for Jan-September

• Honda F1 campaign wins green award
• McLaren fuel appeal date set
• New chief designer at BMW Sauber
• Increased loss at Australian Grand Prix
• FPR appoints new commercial manager
• ISC to sell New York site
• Centenary TT worth £48 million to IoM
• DfT announces low carbon transport policy framework
• Motorsport Industry Association to host R&D tax credits seminar

• German government report counts cost of meeting EU C02 limits
• Ex-SAP executive raises $200m for battery-electric car recharging infrastructure project
• German tests find retrofit particulate filters wanting
• Algae’s stock rises in alternative fuel investment

• 5th Global Automotive Industry Meeting tackles regulatory issues in Tokyo
• Benn sets out strengthened climate change bill

Australian media reports suggest that the Formula One Australian Grand Prix could move from its current venue in Albert Park, Victoria to a street circuit in Surfers Paradise, Queensland after 2010.

The contract to stage the race in Melbourne expires in 2010 and its future in the city was placed in doubt by the recent publication of figures for the 2007 race which show that it made a AUS$34.5 million loss.

Surfers Paradise has staged a round of the US based Champ Car World Series since the early 1990s but the viability of this series is now in question.

Queensland Events Corporation chairman Des Power has been quoted as saying that Formula One representatives had approached the Queensland Government 'some time ago' with regard to a F1 race in Surfers Paradise.

Power said, “It was a clandestine approach but the price tag was enormous. If we were again approached by F1, obviously in collaboration with (Champ Car race) chairman Terry Mackenroth, any proposition would have to be given appropriate consideration."

The Grove, UK based WilliamsF1 organisation has become the first Formula One team to run a car on fuel containing a bioethanol element, as required by the 2008 FIA Formula One technical regulations.

From January 1 all Formula One cars will be obliged to run with a 5.75% blend of oxygenates derived from biological sources. The new rules are consistent with one of the latest EU directives which will require all road cars to use the same bio-content blend of fuel by 2010

The fuel used by the WilliamsF1 team was developed by its technical partner Petrobras, a Brazilian based oil company, which has devised a new process for the manufacture of second-generation bioethanol from already-utilised agribusiness sources such as crop waste.

Shortly before last month’s Brazilian Grand Prix a Williams Toyota FW29 using the new fuel for the first time took part in the annual motorsport festival on the streets of Rio de Janeiro.

The American Honda Motor Company has confirmed that with effect from January 1 Robert Clarke will step down as president of motorsport division Honda Performance Development (HPD), in Santa Clarita, California and move to a new executive advisory role at HPD that he will hold until his retirement from Honda at the end of June 2008.

Clarke, who has headed HPD since it’s founding in 1993, will be replaced as president by Erik Berkman, who is currently executive engineer, Honda R&D Americas based in Raymond, Ohio.

During Clarke’s 15-year term at HPD Honda won four Manufacturers’ Championships and 65 races prior to moving into the Indy Racing League in 2003 where it won two Manufacturers’ Championships and 28 total race victories. before becoming the single engine supplier to the IndyCar series in 2006.

Bert Ray, the founder of the Croydon, UK based Ray Formula Cars, one of the longest established racecar constructors in the UK motorsport industry, passed away last Friday after a long illness.

Ray started his motorsport career with gearbox company Jack Kinght Developments before working with the Brabham Racing Organisation’s Formula One team in the mid 1960s. He left to set up his own company which produced its first Formula Ford chassis in 1971. In its thirty six years as a racing car constructor the company scored numerous race and championship wins, it’s most recent success being overall victory at last month’s Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch.

The FIA Institute has concluded a groundbreaking project to develop a crash helmet specifically for use by young drivers.

In just two years, the FIA Institute and its partner the Snell Memorial Foundation have created a new Youth Helmet Standard, designed for the physique of two age groups: seven- to 11-year olds and 12- to 16-year olds.

Few people in the industry theorised that a young driver’s helmet should not be just a smaller version of an adult one but that was a key discovery made by the FIA Institute and its partners. This project is the first of its kind to develop safety equipment specifically for young drivers.

Professor Sid Watkins, FIA Institute President said, “The Youth Helmet project demonstrates the FIA Institute’s commitment to rapid progress. Not only has it broken new ground but it has done so in record time. This is testament to the important research work carried out by FIA Institute project manager Andy Mellor as well as by motor sport medicine experts Dr Terry Trammell and Dr Steve Olvey, both Fellows of the FIA Institute.”

Initially, the Karting Research Group worked in conjunction with the Open Cockpit Research Group and Fellows of the FIA Institute to progress the project. A huge amount of data about children’s head mass, head geometry and the changes that occur with growth was then collated and analysed.

Three dimensional models, representing the average size, shape and mass of a youth’s head, were created and then sent to technical partner and helmet manufacturer Osbe, who styled them into full working prototypes. The shells and liners, to FIA Institute specification, were tested by Italian-based Newton-Milan and the best solution helmet specifications were agreed, together with the principles for joint FIA-Snell certification.

In conjunction with Newton-Milan, the FIA and Snell have also created a single international agreement on how the helmets should be tested.

Dr. Hal Fenner, president of the Snell Memorial Foundation, said: "The partnership between Snell and the FIA brings together two organisations committed to promoting safety. The new Snell-FIA CMH2007 will deliver safer, lighter helmets for young drivers."

In working with the Snell Memorial Foundation, the FIA has transferred the technology from the FIA 8860 specification helmet used by Formula One drivers, to develop a safer, lighter and more affordable helmet for grass root competitors. The FIA is now working with the world’s leading helmet manufacturers to accelerate the global introduction of the new jointly certified FIA-Snell youth helmet.

The FAI World Aerobatic Championship will be held at the Silverstone race circuit near Northampton in 2009, the first time that this premier competition in the world of air sports will have been held in the UK since 1986.

The World Championship, which is held every two years, will take place at Silverstone in August 2009 after it was confirmed that air sports rights management company Flying Aces in partnership with the British Aerobatic Association had been awarded the rights to the event by the FAI, the world’s official air sports federation in a ballot last Sunday, beating rival bids from the United States and Germany.

Richard Phillips, managing director of Silverstone Circuits Limited said, “Silverstone began its life as an airfield and we are proud to be building upon the venue’s heritage by developing another dimension to our portfolio of top international motorsport competition. The World Aerobatic Championships is another example of an elite event that demonstrates Silverstone’s leadership in the world of sport and entertainment.”

Jeff Zaltman, head of the organising committee and managing director of Flying Aces said, “We are thrilled with the FAI’s decision. This is another great example of the recent emergence of air sports as a new untapped property in the sporting world. The air sports segment is undergoing a revolution that will change the face of sport; and Silverstone’s recognition of this potential – and the FAI’s adoption of new venues – is evidence that air sports such as aerobatics are entering the mainstream. Fans at Silverstone are going to be treated to something very special.”

Alan Cassidy, chairman of the British Aerobatics Association said, “Aerobatics is one of the most challenging forms of sport requiring both physical and mental determination in the most demanding conditions possible. Aerobatic pilots endure G-forces that would knock a normal person unconscious. We are excited about the opportunity to showcase our sport at a premier venue and to bring the World Championships home to Britain.”

www.cleangreencars.co.uk has published tables of sales-weighted CO2 performance for all manufacturers, models and segments in the UK up to the end of September 2007 at http://www.cleangreencars.co.uk/jsp/cgcmain.jsp?lnk=370.

Average CO2 output fell just 0.8% from 166.1g/km to 164.8 g/km in the first nine months of 2007 compared to the first nine months of 2006. The only segments to fall noticeably were executive saloons (down 4.2%) and MPVs (down 3.3%), thanks to the increasing use of diesel engines.

The only manufacturer to significantly improve its performance was MINI, which cut its average CO2 by 17.1% to 150.8 g/km, due to BMW replacing some of the least efficient engines in the MINI’s class with some of the best (and in the case of the diesel, absolutely the best). By 2008, says the site, MINI may have the lowest average CO2 output of any mainstream manufacturer brand.

The Brackley, UK based Honda Racing Formula One team’s ‘My Earth Dream’ sponsorhip campaign has won the Grand Prix at the second Green Awards, which reward business for communicating sustainability in a creative and original way.

The Honda campaign featured an image of the earth, composed of pixel-sized names of individual supporters who pledged to make a donation to an environmental charity, on the team's cars rather than the usual sponsor logos.

Eric Falt, the director of communications at the United Nations Environment Programme and chairman of the judging panel described the Honda campaign as, "the most creative all round, with a multiplicity of messages. It was an imaginative response which really got people thinking, and had many reappraise their relationship with Formula 1."

The FIA has confirmed that its International Court of Appeal will hear McLaren's appeal, against the decision of the Brazilian Grand Prix stewards not to penalise cars from rival teams for irregularities in their fuel, on November 15.

The Woking, UK based McLaren-Mercedes team lodged its appeal after the Brazilian race when it was revealed the fuel samples taken from BMW Sauber cars and Williams-Toyotas were outside temperature limits and which can affect car performance. If appeal is upheld and the rival cars are excluded from the result, it is possible that McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton could move up to fourth place and thus score enough points to win the drivers championship.

The Hinwil, Switzerland based BMW Sauber Formula One team has appointed Christoph Zimmermann as its new chief designer.

Zimmermann, replaces Jorg Zander, who left BMW Sauber to join the rival Honda Racing organisation in July. Zimmermann joined the PP Sauber team in 1989 as a composites designer when it was competing in the World Sportscar Championship and was retained by the organisation when it moved into Formula One in 1993. Apart from a short period working for the San Clemente, USA based racing car constructor Swift Engineering from 1999-2000 Zimmermann has remained with the Swiss based team.

BMW motorsport director Mario Theissen said, "On principle we fill executive positions internally whenever possible. It also sends an important signal to our workforce. I am delighted that in Christoph Zimmermann we have a highly qualified colleague in our ranks who will take over the task of Chief Designer.

"From his previous work he is familiar with the complex technical relationships as well as the specific operational procedures involved. In keeping with our philosophy, we will also replace him internally."

A report presented to the government of the Australian state of Victoria has shown that AUS$34.5 million of state tax payer’s money was spent in supporting the 2007 Formula One Australian Grand Prix that was held in Melbourne in March.

The annual report by the Australian Grand Prix cites that reduced levels of ticket sales, sponsorship and commercial revenue as reasons for the loss which is said to be up from AUS $21 million in 2006.

The Australian Ford Performance Racing (FPR) organisation which is owned by the Banbury, UK based automotive and motorsport development company Prodrive and competes in the Australian V8 Supercars touring car racing series has appointed David Vervaart as its new commercial manager.

Vervaart joins Campbellfield, Victoria based FPR after a long career in motorsport including a period work for the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport, the governing body of Australian motorsport

The Daytona, US based race circuit owner and operator International Speedway Corporation has agreed the sale of a 676-acre site on Staten Island, New York on which it had planned to built a $600 million 0.75-mile NASCAR standard race track.

A US Securities and Exchange Commission filing shows that ISC subsidiary 380 Development is to sell the land to a Maryland based investment trust for approximately $100 million in cash.

ISC was forced to abandon its plans for the site in 2006 because of widespread opposition from both local residents and councils.

According to figures published last week the 2007 Centenary Isle of Man TT races were worth around £48 million to the economy of the island.

The figures released by Isle of Man Department of Tourism and Leisure calculate that the 60,000 visitors to the island spent an estimated £800 per head. Adrian Earnshaw MHK, Minister for Tourism and Leisure said, “I am delighted with what has been achieved in 2007 and look forward to seeing more new teams, high profile riders lining up in 2008.

“The TT is very much on the up and we are working with our partners and the motorcycle industry to successfully launch the event into its second century in

June.”

A new framework to deliver a transport system to support the economy and reduce carbon emissions was unveiled by Ruth Kelly yesterday. 'Towards a Sustainable Transport System' is the Department for Transport's response to both the Eddington Transport Study and the Stern Review of the Economics of Climate Change.

It is the first stage of a consultation process to deliver a transport system that meets the key objectives of supporting the UK's economic competitiveness and helping address climate change. It argues that forcing the pace of technological improvements and removing the obstacles to behavioural change will be key to ensuring transport makes a substantial contribution to the goal of at least a 60% reduction of CO2 by 2050.

It will begin the development of a plan for cutting transport's carbon footprint and aims to ensure that attention is focused where the most benefit can be gained. The document demonstrates how this new approach to planning will be underpinned by long term funding. The recent Comprehensive Spending Review means that the Department for Transport now has a long term funding guideline to 2019 and that spending on transport will be double what it was twenty years previously.

Given the fact that transport spending takes time, investment plans up to 2013/14 are largely set, and funding over the next six years will be focused on the most congested routes.

Beyond 2014 the document shows that over £20 billion of Government funding could still be allocated to specific improvements up to 2019. This funding, when combined with further private sector investment, would give the opportunity to make substantial further improvements to the country's transport network.

'Towards a Sustainable Transport System' sets out a new strategic approach to ensure this funding is put to best use. It outlines how the Department will engage with passengers, users, the transport industry and other stakeholders as it develops and implements that process. The next stage will be the publication of a Green Paper and formal consultation in the spring 2008.

- The Department for Transport has also announced funding grants of more than £132 million towards supporting rail freight. The awards will improve freight infrastructure on four specific rail freight projects across the country and reduce dependency on road transport, removing around 300,000 lorry journeys from our roads every year.

The Motorsport Industry Association is hosting a seminar on R&D tax credits in January 2008. Speakers will include representatives of HM Treasury and two leading accountancy practices specialising in the subject. Case studies will also be presented.

The MIA's Jade Connolly says, "This is the Government's most tangible support for the motorsport industry. Companies that have benefited to date have been pleasantly surprised by the size of the credits achieved. To date, the credits have particularly benefited the SMEs, but the changes in regulations are intended to single out larger enterprises for additional assistance.

The seminar is being timed to impart all the required information ahead of the financial year end. It is aimed at financial managers and directors, accountants and auditors.

Those interested in attending should e-mail

A report produced by the Berlin Transport Research Institute for the German federal environment ministry on the industry impact of the European Commission’s tailpipe CO2 emissions plans seen by Der Spiegel magazine suggests that car manufacturers would need to invest at least €11.7bn a year in new technologies to meet their prospective obligations, a sum which could entail a per-unit cost ranging from around €500 to €1,500 for cutting CO2 emissions from today’s average 160 g/km to 130 g/km by 2012.

The report suggests that failure to meet the 130 g/km limit could incur fines of €23-32 per gramme/vehicle, while a corresponding offset could be achieved for vehicles emitting below the 130 g/km average. It also suggests that funds from fines should be devoted to financing national carbon mitigation programmes, but that the regulation should be so constructed as to encourage manufacturers to invest in meeting CO2 norms rather than paying fines.

The Institute’s report is said to believe that any extra charges to consumers related to the purchase of C02 limit-compliant cars should be balanced over the medium term by fuel cost savings.

Tests on retrofit diesel particulate filters by the Hessen branch of the TÜV technical inspection contractor have disallowed some makes from their buyers’ entitlement to a €330 government subsidy because they don’t trap the minimum 30% of diesel particulate emissions required, reported Automotive News Europe yesterday.

Brands mentioned in the report included Bosal, Tenneco and GAT. The latter has reportedly voluntarily removed five filters from the market, and Tenneco has halted production of four. The German retail motor industry association (ZDK) estimates the German market for retrofit diesel particulate filters will reach 1.5 million units by late 2009, with a total value of about €1.5 billion, but the unavailability of eligible units after the reported test failures is said to have stopped the developing market in its tracks.

Interest in algae as a source of FAME (fatty acid methyl ester, or biodiesel) appears to be increasing as concerns grow about the practical large scale availability of food crop and biomass biofuels feedstocks. Planet Ark has reported that Valcent Products, a Texan company, has formed a joint venture called Vertigro with Global Green Solutions, Inc., funded in part by a Canadian private equity investor, to build a pilot algae bioreactor and research laboratory in El Paso, at a cost of US$3 million.

A small volume of algae-derived vegetable oil convertible to FAME is expected to be produced there by mid-2008. The same report mentioned Livefuels, Inc. and Greenfuel Technologies as other investors in algae-based biofuels technologies. Algae is claimed by Vertigro to be capable of producing far more fuel feedstock per acre than food crops such as soy beans, the U.S.’s current leading biodiesel source: 100,000 gallons per acre annually, compared with about 50 gallons per acre for soybeans.

Single-cell algae can be grown in aquaculture anywhere with sufficient sunlight and nutrient sources, though the distribution systems for mineral oil are still not considered compatible with biofuels, which provides biodiesel suppliers with an infrastructure problem.

A report by an energy study panel of the Inter Academy Council (IAC), which brings together national science academies from around the world including the UK’s Royal Society, endorses biofuels as holding “great promise for simultaneously addressing climate change and energy security concerns”.

To get the most out of biofuels, the scientists say the focus should be on fuels from lignocellulosic feedstocks (including agricultural residues and waste), which have the potential to generate five to 10 times more fuel than processes using feedstocks such as sugar cane and corn. This should be a research priority, along with methods for the direct microbial production of butanol or other forms of biofuels that may be superior to ethanol. (www.interacademycouncil.net/?id=12161)

A commercial future for algae culture may be brought forward by the growing controversy over food crop biofuels; Last week Jean Ziegler, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, called for a five-year moratorium on biofuels, saying it was a "crime against humanity" to convert food crops to fuel at a time when there are more than 850 million hungry people in the world, while an online survey of 807 Americans released yesterday by meat processor Hormel Foods and carried by Planet Ark showed 47% of them opposed U.S. ethanol production subsidies because they increased food prices.

Shai Agassi, a former SAP executive, has announced the formation of Project Better Place, a company which will “deploy the regional and global infrastructure to support electric vehicles on a country by country basis”. Project Better Place aims to establish a widespread grid of electric charging spots at current parking locations as well as battery exchange stations through software systems integration. These capabilities, says Agassi, will provide consumers with the energy to keep their cars charged and driving without the need to wait for electricity at any point.

Shai Agassi, a former SAP executive, has announced the formation of Project Better Place, a company which will “deploy the regional and global infrastructure to support electric vehicles on a country by country basis”. Project Better Place aims to establish a widespread grid of electric charging spots at current parking locations as well as battery exchange stations through software systems integration.

These capabilities, says Agassi, will provide consumers with the energy to keep their cars charged and driving without the need to wait for electricity at any point. The new grid presents a practical solution to address barriers to electric vehicle adoption.

“Our global economy urgently needs an environmentally clean and sustainable approach to energy and transportation. We need to rethink how to bring together consumers, existing technology, and the entire car eco-system to establish the next generation infrastructure that provides energy for commuters and is not dependent on liquid fuels,” said Mr. Agassi. “We have crossed a historic threshold where electricity and batteries provide a cheaper alternative for consumers. Existing technology, coupled with the right business model and a scaleable infrastructure can provide an immediate solution and significantly decrease carbon emissions.”

Shai Agassi, 39 will serve as CEO of the new entity, while Idan Ofer, Chairman of Israel Corp., will serve as chairman. The company has entered into a term sheet for its first round of funding in the amount of $200 million with investments from Israel Corp., Morgan Stanley, VantagePoint Venture Partners, and a group of individual private investors managed by Michael Granoff, which includes James Wolfensohn, Edgar Bronfman, Sr. and Musea Ventures.

Project Better Place will focus in phase one on establishing a repeatable framework, implementing electric recharge grids through local operating companies in multiple countries. In addition, the company aims to secure partnerships with a supply chain of car makers, technology providers, and global and local financing institutions. The company is currently in discussions with various governments to establish pilot sites, with plans to begin rollout of the new infrastructure in early 2008.

Project Better Places says its business model for the electric cars will be similar to that used by mobile phone operators: In the same way that wireless operators deploy a network of cell towers to provide an area of mobile phone coverage, Project Better Place will establish a network of charging spots and battery exchange stations to provide ubiquitous access to electricity to power electric vehicles. The company will partner with car makers and source batteries so that consumers who subscribe to the network can get subsidised vehicles which are cheaper to buy and operate than today’s fuel-based cars. Consumers will still own their cars and will have multiple car models to choose from.

Project Better Place will deploy and test this framework over the next 24 months in a variety of launch markets, after which it plans to deploy “hundreds of thousands” of vehicles annually, across multiple markets. The company anticipates achieving tipping-point saturation in early markets within 10 years of rollout.

(www.projectbetterplace.com)

Details of a strengthened Bill to help tackle climate change have today been set out by Environment Secretary Hilary Benn. Mr Benn said that the Government would amend its draft Climate Change Bill, following a three-month public consultation and pre-legislative scrutiny by three parliamentary committees.

When originally published in March 2007, the draft Bill set out clear legally binding targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions in the UK by at least 60 per cent by 2050 and 26 to 32 per cent by 2020. This is to be based on a new system of “carbon budgets” set at least fifteen years ahead. It also proposed the creation of a new independent, expert Committee on Climate Change to advise on the best way to achieve these targets.

Mr Benn also confirmed that the Bill will be used to:

- Introduce the Carbon Reduction Commitment - a new cap and trade scheme for large organisations not already covered by other schemes;

- Help ensure that the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation, which is expected to deliver significant carbon savings from the road transport sector by increasing the use of biofuels, delivers environmental benefits; and

- Provide a power so that a number of local authorities who want to can pilot incentives for household waste minimisation and recycling.

- Taken together it is estimated that these three policies could save the equivalent of up to 9.4 to 13.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year by 2020.

The Government now plans to introduce a revised Bill to Parliament at the earliest possible legislative opportunity.

At a meeting held Japan late last week, the chief executives of the world's leading car manufacturers discussed the challenges facing their industry and acknowledged the critical importance of addressing climate change and energy security issues – via an integrated approach, involving not only their companies but also government, the energy industry, and vehicle users.

Other topics addressed at the meeting were global fuel regulations, road safety, and intellectual property. The 5th Global Automotive Industry Meeting brought together auto industry leaders from Europe, the United States and Japan on the occasion of the 40th Tokyo Motor Show. Representatives of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (ALLIANCE) and the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) also participated.

The CEOs unanimously agreed that: "Vehicle manufacturers will continue to contribute to social and industrial development and to help resolve global-scale issues relating to the environment, natural resources, energy, and road safety. Furthermore, vehicle manufacturers will build productive and constructive partnerships with governments, consumers and other stakeholders in order to address these issues.”

Climate Change: A Global Challenge

Although CO2 and other greenhouse gases are recognized as the leading cause of climate change, total worldwide emissions of these gases continue to increase. The automobile industry must respond to this challenge by implementing mid- and long-term measures to reduce CO2 emissions on a global basis, ensuring the sustainability of road transport. Reducing CO2 emissions will require continued improvements in fuel efficiency in gasoline and diesel vehicles, as well as advances both in hybrid (including plug-in) and next-generation clean-diesel vehicle technologies and in the development of alternative-fuel vehicles such as fuel-cell and hydrogen vehicles.

In order to reduce not only CO2 emissions but also oil dependence, progress must be made in the development of alternative fuels (and batteries) in parallel with innovations in vehicle technologies. To facilitate the use of alternative fuels in the road transport sector, issues, such as their uneven global availability, stable supply, the infrastructure required for their distribution, and the reliability of fuel quality, are critical.

The automobile industry will make every possible effort with respect to developing the next-generation environmentally friendly technologies required and promoting the application of those technologies. However, reducing road-transport CO2 emissions cannot be the responsibility of vehicle manufacturers alone. Responding effectively to climate change will require an integrated approach involving all the stakeholders concerned, including government for the establishment of infrastructure and incentive measures for vehicle purchasers/users, the energy industry for the supply of appropriate fuels, and drivers for appropriate vehicle use.

Moreover, many of the technologies required are still at an early stage of development, making it difficult at this point in time to determine their future scope of application. Further, their full-fledged development represents an enormous and largely uncertain financial investment for individual vehicle manufacturers. Government would therefore have a particularly important role to play in providing R&D incentives to vehicle manufacturers and, in a collaborative effort with research institutes (whether public or private), in promoting the development of basic common technologies.

Global Fuel Regulations

Through a joint initiative of the Global Automotive Industry Meeting and the Global Commercial Vehicle Industry Meeting, a letter was submitted at the 4th Global Commercial Vehicle Industry Meeting in September 2006 to the chairman of WP29,* requesting that body to address the need for global fuel regulations and harmonised emissions regulations. Subsequently, WP29 announced its decision to hold a roundtable meeting of automotive and petroleum industry experts as well as government representatives on November 15, 2007 to discuss fuel quality improvements and the possibility of supplying high-quality fuels worldwide.

*The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s World Forum for Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations

Advancing Road Safety

Auto industry leaders also reviewed some of the enhancements automakers have brought to the global marketplace, including anti-lock braking, stability control, brake assist, and lighting technologies. Despite these innovations, road traffic safety is expected to be a significant public health challenge in the future. The industry agrees that road traffic safety is a shared responsibility, with the general public, government and the industry, all having critical roles in

building sound road injury prevention policies. Among the global industry's common concerns are underutilisation of safety belts and child restraints, driving under the influence of alcohol and pedestrian protection.

Intellectual Property

The automobile industries of Europe, Japan and the United States agreed at the 3rd Global Automotive Industry Meeting in 2005 to launch a trilateral Intellectual Property Working Group to debate the ways of effectively combating counterfeit products on a worldwide scale. The IP Working Group met most recently in Beijing in November 2006 and in Shanghai in April 2007.

The CEOs of car manufacturers have meanwhile urged their governments to treat enforcement with regard to counterfeit automotive products as a priority matter, and the IP Working Group has conducted campaigns to raise public awareness of this issue. In addition, a trilateral network using a common Website (“e-Room”) has been established for the exchange of information among corporate experts on anti-counterfeit measures, brand management and intellectual

property. The chief executives attending today’s meeting agreed that their IP experts would continue to work together on practical improvements at the operational level.

Mutual Recognition of Whole Vehicle Certification

Since the first Global Automotive Industry Meeting in 2002 there has been extensive discussion on the international harmonization of automotive technical regulations, and the automobile industry worldwide has recognised the need to accelerate the formulation of global technical regulations on vehicle safety and environmental performance. Based on this consensus, Japan is now, through joint government-industry efforts, working towards mutual recognition of whole vehicle certification on the basis of WP29 principles.

The next, 6th Global Automotive Industry Meeting is to be in Detroit, Michigan, in January 2009 on the occasion of the North American International Auto Show.