Stop start systems will be a feature on over 50% of new cars by 2012 according to vehicle electronics experts Bosch. These “micro-hybrid” systems currently feature on only around 5% of new vehicles sold, but are likely to take off in the next three years, as car makers look to make fuel and emission savings.

Start-stop systems stop the engine when a vehicle comes to a halt and start it again when the clutch is depressed and the vehicle is put into gear. This does of course place an extra strain on the vehicle battery, which could be constantly restarting the engine of a car in a traffic jam. The Bosch stop start system overcomes this problem with software that constantly monitors battery charge and will only stop the engine if the battery is retaining sufficient power.