FLEETDRIVE
Volvo’ s signature turn signal ticks are actually twigs snapping in half
Taking a unique spin on things, Swedish automaker Volvo went the natural route when choosing a sound for their blinkers. According to Volvo sound designer Frederick Hagman, the unassuming snippet is actually a spruce( or fir) tree twig snapping in half. The sound was recorded in a forest around 96 km away from Volvo’ s headquarters. It took a whopping 300 recordings of breaking sticks to find the perfect sound! The final recording has a precise rate of 150 beats per minute, a calming rhythm for Volvo drivers to hear.
The Vatican issued a set of“ Ten Commandments for Drivers”
As the seat of Catholicism, the Vatican previously issued ten commandments for drivers in a document called“ Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road.” According to the document,“ Cars tend to bring out the‘ primitive’ side of human beings, thereby producing rather unpleasant results.” This refers to the tendency to give into road rage or drive recklessly. For the officials of the Vatican, driving is not just a means of getting to one place to another but“ a way of relating with and getting closer to other people.” Check out the document here!
The world’ s worst traffic jam spanned 12 days of standstill!
In 2010, motorists in China experienced the worst recorded traffic jam of all time. The congestion lasted a total of 12 days over 100 km on the China National Highway 110. The bulk of the traffic jam happened between Hebei and Inner Mongolia and even birthed a“ makeshift economy.” Vendors took the opportunity to sell overpriced food and water to trapped drivers and passengers who were forced to endure the wait. The worst part is a vehicle could only move as much as 1km per day. The cause of this traffic nightmare is the volume of vehicles on the road, especially heavyduty vehicles carrying construction materials.
Henry Ford came up with the slang term“ tuneup”
Due to the Ford Model T’ s different ignition systems( from four coils to just one), early cars needed regular maintenance to keep them up-and-running. Henry Ford coined the term“ tune-up” when he’ d recognize that the coils in the ignition system weren’ t buzzing. Over time, the term has evolved from adjusting ignition system coils to general vehicle maintenance procedures.
ISSUE 54 AUGUST 2025 / WWW. AFMA. ORG. AU 55