Bentley Motors Teams Up With Cheshire Police (From Crewe Guardian)

Bentley Motors Teams Up With Cheshire Police

12:24pm Monday 16th February 2009

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CREWE'S Bentley Motors has welcomed the Cheshire Police driver training team to the Pym's Lane factory in a new initiative to exchange skills and technical knowledge.

Ulrich Eichhorn, Bentley’s board member for engineering, took part in a special driving session with PC Bob Brittan, the Cheshire force's senior driving instructor.

Mr Eichhorn said: "I have been on many specialised driving courses in the past but being alongside a police instructor was a new experience.

"His insight into local road conditions and driver behaviour was invaluable, heightening my awareness of potential hazards and anticipating the next move of other road users.

"We look forward to continuing our relationship with the Cheshire Police to improve still further Bentley’s own driver training capability.”

PC Brittan added: “It was a great experience to sit with Mr Eichhorn in a Bentley Continental Flying Spur.

"It enabled me to understand better the technological advances which are a feature of all Bentley models.”

The next stage of this collaboration will be a special technology workshop for the driver training team where Bentley’s Driver training department will demonstrate the very latest generation of vehicle safety systems to Cheshire Police.

This will involve technologies such as Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) - systems which are already fitted to Bentleys to enhance safety and fuel economy.

For example, in extreme circumstances ESP enables drivers to carry out manoeuvres without which the driver would otherwise lose control.

By understanding how such systems work, driver skills can be honed to a higher level.

Tim Oakes, Bentley’s senior driving Instructor, said: “This is a great opportunity for Bentley to share its knowledge of safety systems with our local police force, who in turn can then use that knowledge to improve further driver training.”

Cheshire Police now plan to repeat the driver training experience carried out last week.

PC Brittan concluded: “This partnership will benefit the entire community as the enhanced driving and technical skills we jointly develop and share will improve driver training in Cheshire.

"We hope to roll out this specialised knowledge country-wide.”

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