Motoring experts have stressed the need to be vigilant when using cruise control after police in Dubai were called out to rescue a driver facing a system failure while travelling on a major road.
Police helped bring the woman's vehicle to a stop on Emirates Road in the early hours of Monday after the cruise control failed to disengage. Such driver-assist technology comes as standard for most modern cars.
Shaheryar Azmat, 45, workshop manager at Excellence Premier Auto Repair in Al Qusais, which manages a fleet of more than 600 vehicles, said maintenance was crucial to avert problems.
“There are a few simple checks a driver can do on a daily basis to ensure their safety on the road when using this system,” said Mr Azmat. “As soon as the driver is going to switch on the vehicle and start the engine, it is important to note any warning signs that appear on the dashboard.
“This can be an engine check light, automatic brake system light, direction indicator or an alert for electronic stability control. If any of these lights are on, it could affect how the cruise control performs. Drivers should check their vehicle first at the workshop, and it's not advisable to drive a car in such condition or activate the cruise control.”
How the technology works
Standard cruise control maintains a set speed without the intervention of the driver while adaptive cruise control monitors the distance and speed of the vehicle in front, through a series of radar and lidar sensors, and parking cameras.
To engage the technology, the driver must set a maximum speed and following distance, and the system will slow down your car if the vehicle in front decelerates. It will also then accelerate back to the set speed when the path ahead is clear.
Typically, cruise control will only activate at speeds above 40-50kph, and not if the car is driving in first or second gear. When cruise control occasionally fails, poor maintenance is usually the problem, Mr Azmat said.
“Modern vehicles equipped with adaptive cruise control work with ultrasonic sensors and radar cruise sensors,” he said. “It is important to ensure cars equipped with these are washed and clean, so these sensors are clear to give accurate values.
“If the sensors are blocked by dirt or dust, it may disengage the cruise control. In a situation when the driver is unable to disengage the cruise control, emergency steps should be taken.”
Research published in January by the Netherlands Institute for Road Safety Research evaluated crash data related to Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. While adaptive cruise control was not the cause of accidents, it was associated with higher crash rates, it found.
The study, published in Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, an academic journal that covers commercial and private vehicle use, showed adaptive cruise control was linked to an 8 per cent increase in accidents, while there was a 12 per cent surge in incidents involving cars with regular cruise control.
Researchers looked at 23 studies assessing real-world crash data and concluded lane assist, driver monitoring systems and automatic emergency braking were most effective in avoiding collisions.
While in many cases the technology itself may not be fault, the use of cruise control features has prompted concerns that drivers may become over-reliant on the system and lose focus.
Stay in control for night driving
Khalid Javed, senior manager of operations at the Excellence Driving Centre in Dubai, said cruise control could be helpful, if used correctly, and learner drivers should know when it should be engaged.
“Cruise control is a very helpful device, but we have to make sure that we are using it in the right way,” he said. “Good advice for drivers is that they should never use cruise control at night, as they can easily fall asleep, particularly after a long drive, and they might be already tired.
“If the driver falls asleep, the car will continue moving at a similar speed. That risks any collision with an object on the road or off the road at the same speed. Malfunction is a risk, but it is rare.
“Motorists have to be careful when applying cruise control and not overly rely on it. They should do regular testing and check the mechanical and electrical components of the vehicle at least once a year.”
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Healthy tips to remember
Here, Dr Mohamed El Abiary, paediatric consultant at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai, shares some advice for parents whose children are fasting during the holy month of Ramadan:
Gradual fasting and golden points - For children under the age of 10, follow a step-by-step approach to fasting and don't push them beyond their limits. Start with a few hours fasting a day and increase it to a half fast and full fast when the child is ready. Every individual's ability varies as per the age and personal readiness. You could introduce a points system that awards the child and offers them encouragement when they make progress with the amount of hours they fast
Why fast? - Explain to your child why they are fasting. By shedding light on the importance of abstaining from food and drink, children may feel more encouraged to give it there all during the observance period. It is also a good opportunity to teach children about controlling urges, doing good for others and instilling healthy food habits
Sleep and suhoor - A child needs adequate sleep every night - at least eight hours. Make sure to set a routine early bedtime so he/she has sufficient time to wake up for suhoor, which is an essential meal at the beginning of the day
Good diet - Nutritious food is crucial to ensuring a healthy Ramadan for children. They must refrain from eating too much junk food as well as canned goods and snacks and drinks high in sugar. Foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and proteins, like fruits, fresh meats and vegetables, make for a good balanced diet
THE SPECS – Honda CR-V Touring AWD
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Transmission: Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
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Top speed: 202kmh
Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km
Price: From Dh122,900
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
Tips for entertaining with ease
· Set the table the night before. It’s a small job but it will make you feel more organised once done.
· As the host, your mood sets the tone. If people arrive to find you red-faced and harried, they’re not going to relax until you do. Take a deep breath and try to exude calm energy.
· Guests tend to turn up thirsty. Fill a big jug with iced water and lemon or lime slices and encourage people to help themselves.
· Have some background music on to help create a bit of ambience and fill any initial lulls in conversations.
· The meal certainly doesn’t need to be ready the moment your guests step through the door, but if there’s a nibble or two that can be passed around it will ward off hunger pangs and buy you a bit more time in the kitchen.
· You absolutely don’t have to make every element of the brunch from scratch. Take inspiration from our ideas for ready-made extras and by all means pick up a store-bought dessert.
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How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
