THE AA's entire fleet of patrol and recovery vehicles is now equipped with route guidance systems, to speed up call-to-arrive times.

All 1,300 AA-liveried vehicles in the South - and 3,800 throughout the UK - now carry Blaupunkt's DX-N Professional Satellite Navigation System, which offers pin-point accurate mapping, combined with an automated voice, enabling AA patrols to be guided to members with ease.

Kerry Richardson, AA director of roadside services, said: "Finding members quickly and efficiently is crucial to roadside assistance. The installation of this new equipment will enable us to maintain our industry-leading call-to-arrive times. Last year's average was 34.8 minutes."

Learner drivers can now book and pay for lessons with the AA Driving School by logging on to the AA's website www.theaa.com

Pupils can also get £2 per hour off lessons, free AA Membership with basic roadside assistance, and £100 worth of vouchers, when they book a block of 12 hours' tuition online. Prices range from £17 to £21, depending on the area.

AA Driving School lessons can also be booked by phone on 0800 60 70 80.

Other AA news includes the announcement of a new, £22 million brand repositioning, JustAsk.

"With a record 12 million roadside rescue members, the AA has one of Britain's best-known brands," says AA managing director Roger Wood. "Just Ask aims to give a single view of the AA, to tell people more about what we have on offer, to encourage our customers to talk to us.”

As part of the Just Ask brand positioning, the AA's website has undergone a complete change, too: find out more by logging on to www.theaa.com