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Times
20 minutes ago
- Times
How gadgets can smell signs of trouble in and out of prison
A 'spice wand' and 'smell detectors' that are genetically modified to replicate a human nose are among the 'radical' new technologies being explored to tackle the prisons crisis. Lord Timpson, the prisons minister, said that 'surveillance is not a dirty word' as he held a Dragons' Den style event in London to hear pitches from seven security technology firms. They had progressed to the final round of an initiative to find innovative ways of monitoring criminals in and out of jail. Their ideas will now be considered for use in prisons as part of the government's overhaul of sentencing laws that will allow most prisoners to spend just a third of their sentence behind bars, and the rest under house arrest or in the community.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
‘Smell detectors' and AI cameras to be considered to monitor criminals
Cameras fitted in offenders' homes and 'smell detectors' to catch out drug use in and outside of prison could be introduced as new technology to monitor criminals and curb reoffending. Tech companies pitched devices to prisons and probation minister James Timpson on Tuesday, as ministers seek to overhaul the justice system. A smell detector likened to the human nose, which uses synthetic brain cells and artificial intelligence to detect drugs such as spice or fentanyl, was among the proposals to be used in prisons and probation offices. It could improve staff safety and also help detect if an offender in the community has breached licence conditions. Companies developing artificial intelligence home monitoring were among the seven finalists of 90 submissions selected for the process. AI cameras could be set up in homes of offenders in the community to check their behaviour on licence. It comes as Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said emerging technology has the potential to 'impose a digital prison outside of prison'. The Government has accepted recommendations from the independent sentencing review to tackle overcrowding behind bars, which will see fewer criminals jailed and more serving sentences in the community. Lord Timpson said: 'We inherited a justice system in crisis and in need of reform. Prisons and probation are working in analogue while tech drives forward a new digital age. 'That's why we have invited companies to present bold new ideas to help us deliver tough punishment and enhanced surveillance. 'Embracing new technologies will help us to protect victims, reduce reoffending and cut crime as part of our plan for change.' Other pitched tech ideas included software to help staff consistently input information on offenders and transcription tools to cut administrative tasks. Successful proposals will be considered to be rolled out under pilot schemes. Decisions on the plans are expected over the coming months.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Motoring experts who have driven almost every new model in the last 12 months name the best cars of 2025
Every year a significant number of new cars hit the market - but which ones truly are the best of the bunch? Every year, the cream of the crop is named by various panels, crowning their favourite for outstanding overall performance. The most recent ceremony has seen automotive publication Auto Express deliver its Car of the Year 2025 gong to an electric car from a Czech brand that was formerly the butt of jokes in Britain. Skoda's Elroq crossover - which starts from £31,510 - has taken this year's crown. It marks the fifth year in a row that an EV has been awarded the top prize. But it isn't just the quirky Elroq that's turned judges' heads this year. As Auto Express editor Paul Barker says, the 'standard of new cars coming to the market continues to rise'. So, here are the cars that have impressed reviewers the most and are highly recommended by the experts... The Skoda Elroq is the best car money can buy. Motoring journalists have crowned this electric car as Car of the Year at the Auto Express Awards. But it's not just the Elroq that made Skoda a winner.... Skoda Elroq voted best new car of 2025 Skoda is a bit of a cult classic brand at this point, winning a legion of fans for its ability to offer quality, reliability and affordability. The Elroq can be praised for embodying all that in a mid-sized electric SUV, with a seriously competitive range of 360 miles and a huge amount of practicality – 470 litres of boot space to be exact – into a price package of just £31,510. Paul Barker summed it up when he said: 'As a mid-size SUV, it hits the sweet spot for many UK buyers, offering space, comfort, usability, and value – while also delivering the electric performance and refinement that drivers increasingly expect. 'It's a car that feels ready for the mainstream, and importantly, it doesn't demand big compromises to go electric. Skoda's clever packaging, mature driving dynamics and understated quality all shine through in the Elroq.' It is the fifth consecutive year that an EV has taken the top honour, with the Citroen e-C3 winning in 2024, the Hyundai Kona EV in 2023, the Nissan Ariya in 2022 and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 a year earlier. Responding to the Elroq's victory, Skoda CEO Klaus Zellmer said: 'Winning Car of the Year means a lot to all of us at Škoda. I'm grateful for this recognition of the hard work, creativity, and care that goes into building a car we're truly proud of. 'We set out to create a car that people would love to drive on their daily explorations. 'To see it connect with drivers and experts alike is incredibly rewarding.' Skoda picked up five awards at: Car of the Year, Family Car of the year, Mid-size SUV of the Year, Estate Car of the Year and Large SUV of the Year Skoda's other winners Skoda is on a roll, sweeping the board in all the categories that deliver maximum practicality to drivers. As well as the Elroq being Car of the Year and Mid-Size SUV of the Year, the Octavia took home Family Car of the Year while the Superb won Estate of the Year, and the Kodiaq claimed Large SUV of the Year. The Octavia is a key example of Skoda's reputation for offering sensible, good-value and massively spacious cars. Available as a Hatch or Estate, it's a versatile family car. Not only is there a big range of petrol and diesel engines, but the interior is surprisingly plush and the Estate has a 640-litre boot. And it only costs £28,250. The Superb won Estate Car of the Year, and considering the new version has even better fuel consumption than before as well as an improved ride for a price that massively undercuts rivals, that's not all that surprising. The Superb starts from £37,225 and comes with a PHEV option that gives you 62 miles of EV-only range. And finally, the Kodiaq was crowned Large SUV of the Year, rounding out Skoda's winning night, with its seven-seater option making a go to for large families. And then the Kodiaq made it to first place in the Large SUV category - a competitive class with many more luxurious seven-seaters losing to this sub-£40k car Again, it won't break the bank costing £39,000 with loads of standard kit and tech thrown in, and a surprisingly plush interior. Barker praised all Skoda winners but still elevated the Elroq as a step above its siblings saying: 'In a year where Skoda has taken home four major category wins, including with long-standing favourites like the Kodiaq and Superb, the Elroq is a worthy flagship. 'It shows how far the brand – and electric cars more broadly – have come.' Other recommendations - from the luxurious to the affordable BMW stormed home with five wins, making the German marque the other most awarded brand of the year. Editor Paul Barker awarded the Elroq Car of the Year saying: 'As a mid-size SUV, it hits the sweet spot for many UK buyers, offering space, comfort, usability, and value – while also delivering the electric performance and refinement that drivers increasingly expect' The iX – the car with very divisive looks but an almost unparalleled combination of EV luxury and practicality – won Large Premium SUV of the Year and Premium Electric Car, while the X3 was awarded Mid-size Premium SUV. With the iX's range of up to 426 miles and maximum luggage capacity of 1,750 litres you'd think it would be a slow sensible car. But no, it can do 0 to 62 in 4.6 seconds. However, it isn't cheap, starting from over £75k and going up sharply to over £114k. The fun 2 Series took Coupe of the Year – a car that's always a hit with keen drivers who like old-school handling and rear-wheel drive. The 530e seek past the post in the Premium Hybrid category, rounding out that grand total of five awards. Today there are four in five models available as battery electric, plug-in hybrid or hybrid, and almost two in five completely zero emission. So, it's not surprising that EVs are being recognised as some of the very best options on the market, shown by the number of categories won by zero emissions models. The Kia EV3, the South Korean brand's small electric B-segment SUV, was awarded Small Company Car of the year, while the Tesla Model 3 took home Mid-size Company Car of the Year. Kia's little Picanto won the City car category, bringing the total wins for Kia to two. The EV3's rival, the Volvo EX30, was crowned Small Premium SUV and was the only trophy for the Swedish manufacturer. Audi's new A6 e-tron was an electric car that beat out intense competition from the fellow German rivals BMW i5 and Volkswagen ID.7. Its long-distance driving capabilities – it can do up to 464 miles on a single charge, undeniable good looks, plush interior and refined ride managed to snag it Large Company Car of the Year. The Volvo EX30 won the Small Premium SUV category - a single win for Volvo but an important category as the market is full of new premium SUVs at the moment The Bentley Flying Spur which can easily cost over £260k is the Luxury Car of the Year. If you've got the money what's not to like? As well as impressive power you can customise every inch of it to your heart's desire Beating all others to the ultimate luxury tag was the Bentley Flying Spur. It topped Range Rover (no easy feat) to be Auto Express' Luxury Car of the Year. Is it the sustainable Nappa leather interiors, the endless customisation options, the Wellness seating specification or the Ultra Performance Hybrid V8 powertrain that's most covetable? We'll let you decide. In pure performance though, the McLaren Artura took home first, winning Performance Car thanks to its V6 twin-turbo hybrid petrol engine, 700PS, and rear spoiler with 50kg of downforce. The Renault 4 is based on the original that sold over eight million units . Now electric it has a driving range of up to 247 miles and quick charging and only costs £26,995 The Honda Civic Type R is a cheaper and more compact option for performance lovers, but potentially no less fun. It's Hot Hatch of the Year – approved by boy racers the world over no doubt. On the cheaper end the MG3 Hybrid + was awarded Affordable Hybrid Car of the Year, the Mazda MX-5 took Convertible of the Year and the newly reincarnated Fiat Grande Panda (available as a hybrid or electric) won Supermini of the year. Ford's big-seller pick-up the Ranger was a shoo-in for winning the pick-up category too – and did. But a special mention goes to Renault who had a massive 2024 and first half of 2025 thanks to the launch of the Renault 4 and Renault 5. Both cars have captivated modern buyers with their retro-centric design, affordability and ability to bring the winning formula from the past into our electric present in such a well-designed and fun way. AUTOEXPRESS NEW CAR OF THE YEAR WINNERS AND RUNNERS-UP IN 2025 CATEGORY WINNER HIGHLY COMMENDED HIGHLY COMMENDED Car of the Year 2025 SKODA ELROQ City Car of the Year Kia Picanto Hyundai i10 Leapmotor T03 Supermini of the Year Fiat Grande Panda Renault 5 Citroen C3 Family Car of the Year Skoda Octavia Citroen C4 Dacia Jogger Estate Car of the Year Skoda Superb Toyota Corolla Touring Sports VW Passat Small Company Car of the Year Kia EV3 Hyundai Kona MG4 Mid-size Company Car of the Year Tesla Model 3 BMW i4 Mercedes C300 e Large Company Car of the Year Audi A6 e-tron BMW i5 Volkswagen ID.7 Small SUV of the Year Renault 4 Alfa Junior Dacia Duster Mid-size SUV of the Year Skoda Elroq Tesla Model Y Dacia Bigster Large SUV of the Year Skoda Kodiaq VW Tayron Hyundai Santa Fe Small Premium SUV of the Year Volvo EX30 BMW X1 Mini Countryman Mid-size Premium SUV of the Year BMW X3 Lexus NX Porsche Macan Electric Large Premium SUV of the Year BMW iX Porsche Cayenne RR Sport Luxury Car of the Year Bentley Flying Spur Range Rover BMW 7 Series Hot Hatch of the Year Honda Civic Type R Audi RS 3 Alpine A290 Coupé of the Year BMW 2 Series Ford Mustang Maserati GranTurismo Convertible of the Year Mazda MX-5 Morgan Supersport Mini Convertible Performance Car of the Year McLaren Artura Porsche 911 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Affordable Electric Car of the Year Renault 5 Renault 4 Fiat Grande Panda Premium Electric Car of the Year BMW iX Lotus Emeya Porsche Taycan Affordable Hybrid Car of the Year MG3 Hybrid+ Toyota Yaris Dacia Duster Premium Hybrid Car of the Year BMW 530e Audi A3 TFSIe Mercedes C300 e Pick-up of the Year Ford Ranger VW Amarok Toyota Hilux Electric Van of the Year Renault Master E-Tech Ford E-Transit Custom Ford E-Transit Courier Small Van of the Year (shared between identical Stellantis products) Citroen Berlingo/Vauxhall Combo Cargo/Peugeot Partner/Fiat Doblo Ford Transit Courier Renault Kangoo Mid-size Van of the Year Ford Transit Custom Volkswagen Transporter Stellantis Medium Large Van of the Year Renault Master Stellantis Large Ford Transit Driver Power most reliable car Mercedes-Benz GLE Driver Power most reliable manufacturer Subaru
