Inferno breaks out after truck collision in western Victoria
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
6 hours ago
- News.com.au
Bizarre ‘Nintendo' solution to huge road problem
Chinese carmaker XPeng has unveiled a quirky new feature that could address one of Australia's biggest driving problems - road rage. And the EV maker's solution might be one of the cleverest ways to deal with bad drivers. The feature, called 'Road Rage Reliever', lets frustrated drivers 'throw' virtual emojis at the offender's car by using the vehicle's AR head-up display found in the new XPeng models. And it will look familiar to anyone who has enjoyed a game of Mario Kart, the Nintendo game that allows you to toss items at other road users while you race. Video circulating on social media shows the feature being introduced during the unveiling of the P7 which offers a massive 87-inch AR-HUD. During a live demonstration, XPeng showed how drivers can express their frustration by throwing virtual emojis onto the car in front by pressing a button on the steering wheel. XPeng claims the feature offers a safer way to release frustration without engaging in aggressive driving. However, the idea has received mixed opinions. Users online praised the feature as being the perfect solution for people with road rage, while others worry it could lead to further incidents caused by driver distraction. 'So you tap the screen while driving....I wonder what happens when driving distracted,' one user on Instagram said. 'Ummm does this distract the drivers?,' another said. 'This will not distract the driver in the slightest....,' another user said sarcastically. 'Imagine throwing a bunch, then they crash, and then you crash. Drivers shouldn't be allowed more distractions,' another commented. While there is visible criticism, other users saw the humorous side of things. 'Now add proximity chat at the same time with a timer. Turn the streets into a COD lobby,' One user said. 'Being visible only to you makes it ineffective, but if it was to both it'd end up being a game,' another said. According to XPeng, the feature is optional, and drivers must decide when it's safe to use. The XPeng P7 is being considered for the Australian market, but there is no confirmation yet on whether Australians will have the opportunity to see this vehicle on local roads. Additionally, it remains uncertain if the innovative Road Rage Reliever feature will be included if the car does become available. However, if introduced, it could be a surprisingly fitting addition considering the Australia's driving habits. In September 2024, a survey conducted by the insurer NRMA involving 1,464 drivers from two states highlighted a concerning trend in Australia's driving behaviour. The survey results revealed that 71 per cent of respondents had witnessed tailgating, 67 per cent had observed drivers excessively honking their horns, 60 per cent had noticed the use of hand gestures, and 58 per cent had seen motorists deliberately cutting in front of others.
The Australian
14 hours ago
- The Australian
Bizarre ‘Nintendo' solution to huge road problem
Chinese carmaker XPeng has unveiled a quirky new feature that could address one of Australia's biggest driving problems - road rage. And the EV maker's solution might be one of the cleverest ways to deal with bad drivers. The feature, called 'Road Rage Reliever', lets frustrated drivers 'throw' virtual emojis at the offender's car by using the vehicle's AR head-up display found in the new XPeng models. And it will look familiar to anyone who has enjoyed a game of Mario Kart, the Nintendo game that allows you to toss items at other road users while you race. XPeng will allow drivers to throw virtual emojis at other cars. Picture: Instagram/em3rging XPeng revealed the feature in the all-new P7. Picture: XPeng MORE: China's RAM ute dupe to land in Aus Video circulating on social media shows the feature being introduced during the unveiling of the P7 which offers a massive 87-inch AR-HUD. During a live demonstration, XPeng showed how drivers can express their frustration by throwing virtual emojis onto the car in front by pressing a button on the steering wheel. XPeng claims the feature offers a safer way to release frustration without engaging in aggressive driving. XPeng's Road Rage Reliever feature. Picture: X/@42how_ MORE: China unveils plan to smash Tesla in Aus However, the idea has received mixed opinions. Users online praised the feature as being the perfect solution for people with road rage, while others worry it could lead to further incidents caused by driver distraction. 'So you tap the screen while driving....I wonder what happens when driving distracted,' one user on Instagram said. 'Ummm does this distract the drivers?,' another said. 'This will not distract the driver in the slightest....,' another user said sarcastically. 'Imagine throwing a bunch, then they crash, and then you crash. Drivers shouldn't be allowed more distractions,' another commented. While there is visible criticism, other users saw the humorous side of things. 'Now add proximity chat at the same time with a timer. Turn the streets into a COD lobby,' One user said. 'Being visible only to you makes it ineffective, but if it was to both it'd end up being a game,' another said. XPeng revealed the feature in the all-new P7. Picture: XPeng Inside the P7. Picture: XPeng MORE: Famous sports car hints at bold EV future According to XPeng, the feature is optional, and drivers must decide when it's safe to use. The XPeng P7 is being considered for the Australian market, but there is no confirmation yet on whether Australians will have the opportunity to see this vehicle on local roads. Additionally, it remains uncertain if the innovative Road Rage Reliever feature will be included if the car does become available. However, if introduced, it could be a surprisingly fitting addition considering the Australia's driving habits. Did somebody say Mario Kart? In September 2024, a survey conducted by the insurer NRMA involving 1,464 drivers from two states highlighted a concerning trend in Australia's driving behaviour. The survey results revealed that 71 per cent of respondents had witnessed tailgating, 67 per cent had observed drivers excessively honking their horns, 60 per cent had noticed the use of hand gestures, and 58 per cent had seen motorists deliberately cutting in front of others. James Chung Digital Content Creator James is a Digital Content Creator at and is part of the News Corp Australia's digital real estate team. His previous experience includes working for Sky News Australia.
ABC News
14 hours ago
- ABC News
Battery in bin causes 15 tonnes of rubbish to be dumped in Dubbo street
It took just eight seconds and one embedded battery for a routine garbage run to end with 15 tonnes of rubbish dumped on a suburban Western NSW street. Footage released by Dubbo Regional Council shows a garbage truck's load catching fire, moments after a household's red-lidded bin containing a battery-powered device was emptied and compacted. Council's resource recovery and efficiency manager, Jamie Lobb, said the compactor likely crushed the battery, sparking a fire that forced the driver to dump the entire load onto the street. "The garbage truck was quite full at the time, so the ignition occurred quite quickly," he said. "But it was a pretty quick response from the driver who had to decant that load on the road." The single-battery incident triggered an extensive, hours-long response. Two Fire and Rescue NSW trucks were called to extinguish the blaze, while two police cars managed traffic, and council crews used skip bins, a bobcat and street sweepers to clear the scene. Any appliance with a non-removable power cell, from smart watches and old iPods to vapes and e-scooters, contains an embedded battery. These, along with loose household batteries, are classified as hazardous waste and should never be placed in household bins. When crushed, lithium-ion and other batteries can spark or overheat. In a truck full of combustible rubbish, that can lead to fire within seconds. Mr Lobb said while truck hoppers are fitted with cameras, drivers can't spot everything before the compactor engages. "This battery must have unfortunately hit a sweet spot and ignited straight away," Mr Lobb said. "We're fortunate there hasn't been an extreme event where we have lost a vehicle, or there's been a save-driver incident, but now we have a good opportunity to promote correct disposal of batteries." According to an industry-wide survey conducted by the Australian Council of Recycling and the Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association, more than 1,600 battery-related fire and heat events occurred in NSW waste and recycling facilities in 2024. Mr Lobb said that while this was Dubbo's first major truck fire in months, similar incidents were becoming increasingly common across Australia's waste sector. "We had a smaller one previously, but not to this extent," he said. "But we're starting to see fires through the kerbside bins definitely become more prevalent. We're also getting spot fires at landfill and spot fires at our resource transfers station where our yellow bin recyclable material goes. Batteries should always be taken to designated recycling points, which are offered by many councils and some retailers across Australia. In Dubbo, the council offers free recycling for household batteries and small embedded devices at drop-off points in the Dubbo and Wellington council administration buildings and libraries. Larger embedded batteries, from scooters and e-bikes, can be taken to the Whylandra Waste and Recycling Facility under a NSW EPA trial program. Some private businesses, including battery retail stores and Officeworks, also host recycling cabinets. Mr Lobb said the council planned to expand +drop-off points to make safe disposal easier. "It's something we're definitely looking at … to stop the temptation of putting the batteries in the bins," he said.
