Geely, oil group could take stakes in Renault engine company, say sources

                PARIS: China's Geely Automobile Holdings and an oil group are in talks about taking stakes in the fossil-fuel engine unit Renault plans to separate from its electric vehicle (EV) business, two sources close to the French carmaker said.

But Renault's alliance partner, Japanese carmaker Nissan, does not plan to take a stake in the combustion engine unit, said the sources.

Renault and Geely declined to comment. Nissan did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The French carmaker is due to unveil this autumn plans for creating an EV-dedicated unit based in France and another one based abroad that will bring together all of its petrol and hybrid engine and transmissions production sites in Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Romania and Latin America.

Renault intends to remain the majority shareholder in its "Ampère" electrical division, which will employ around 10,000 people and could list on the stock market in the second half of 2023.

But it will only retain a minority stake in its "Horse" combustion engine business, which will have a similar sized workforce, but would remain a reference shareholder with significant clout in the unit.

The two sources said Renault would hold a 40% stake in the fossil-fuel engine unit, while Geely would also hold 40% and an oil company the remaining 20%.

But the plan is not finalised "and other tracks exist for partner manufacturers", one of the sources said.

That would not include Nissan, despite a proposal from Renault that it participate in the deal, the two sources added, a further indication that the strategy of the alliance partners continues to diverge.

The alliance's long-term future has been uncertain since the fall of former boss Carlos Ghosn in 2018. Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi said more than 80% of their models will be based on common architectures in 2026, but questions remain about plans for the 2030s.

Sharing costs

A deal with Geely would add to the Chinese carmaker's burgeoning business. Geely owns Sweden's Volvo Cars, British sports car maker Lotus and holds a stake in Mercedes .

By sharing costs for diesel and gasoline engines that are set to decline as EV sales rise, Renault hopes to free up funds to reinvest in electric models, a technology it pioneered with Nissan and Mitsubishi, but where it has fallen behind the likes of Tesla.

The participation of an oil company would also help the development of green hydrogen and the infrastructure required to make hydrogen fuel cell cars viable alongside battery EVs, one of the sources added.

Hydrogen is categories "green" when it is made with renewable power and is seen as key to help decarbonise industry.

As part of a drastic restructuring to boost its finances, Renault has recently cemented new partnerships alongside its historical alliances with Nissan, Mitsubishi and Mercedes.

In May, the French carmaker sold 34% of its South Korean subsidiary to Geely. Renault will also develop hybrid vehicles produced at its plant in Busan with Geely.


Outgoing FIA president Todt on Schumacher: 'I miss Michael'

A handout released by FIA on Oct 23, 2009 showing Schumacher embracing Todt after his election as the new FIA's president in Paris.
PARIS: Outgoing FIA president Jean Todt has paid tribute to German Formula One icon Michael Schumacher at the gala of the ruling motor sport body.

"I miss Michael here among us," Todt said on Thursday night. "Because he is part of my life and will always be. We have built up so many things together because we suffered together. That made us stronger."

Todt was team principal at Ferrari and Schumacher the star driver of the Scuderia where they built up a strong team and Schumacher took five world titles in a row 2000-2004.

READ MORE:  Ben Sulayem makes history in succeeding Todt as FIA chief

Todt was elected FIA president in 2009, and, looking at the fact that the candidates bidding to succeed him can bring six people each in support, recalled what he did 12 years ago.

"I remember that I had three people with me. My wife, Michael and my son. It is something I will never forget," Todt said.

Todt is among few people who have access to Schumacher and his family after the seven-time world champion's skiing accident in December 2013.

Schumacher suffered severe head injuries and has been kept out of the public eye by his family ever since. His health condition is unknown.


Ducati introduces front and rear radars on Multistrada V4

                BOLOGNA: Production of the Multistrada V4 has begun at the Ducati factory in Borgo Panigale: the first motorcycle to use front and rear radar technology. The Multistrada V4 marks a turning point for the Bologna-based motorcycle maker and will be presented on Nov 4.

For the fourth generation of the Multistrada, Ducati has developed a new, light and compact V4 engine, designed to meet the needs required for "adventouring".

The complete redesign made it possible to reach record-breaking maintenance intervals for the world of two wheels. All the details of this new engine will be revealed on Oct 15.

Ducati brings radars on production bikes, confirming what was anticipated in 2018. The adoption of these systems promises to be a true revolution for the world of two wheels, marking a new level of excellence in terms of comfort and riding assistance, especially on long motorway journeys.

Radars are advanced aid systems capable of supporting and making riding more comfortable thanks to the ability to reconstruct the reality surrounding the motorcycle. Ducati's interest in this type of systems dates back to 2016, when the company worked with the Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering of the Politecnico di Milano to experiment with this type of systems.

This first experience has confirmed the applicability of this kind of technology to vehicles on two wheels, and has pushed Ducati to the creation of a complete package of riding assistance using two radars that, within four years, has been developed and produced in close cooperation with Bosch, and sees its first application on the new Multistrada V4.

Each radar has compact dimensions (70 x 60 x 28 mm, similar to a modern action camera) and integrates into the bike, weighing only 190 grams.

The radar positioned in the front of the vehicle controls the operation of the ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control), which by means of controlled braking and acceleration automatically adjusts the distance (selectable on four levels) from other vehicles when riding at a speed between 30kph and 160kph.

This car-derived system has been evolved and developed according to the dynamics and ergonomics of a two-wheeled vehicle. In particular, the authority of the system in terms of deceleration and acceleration has been limited in order to ensure the rider can maintain constant control of the vehicle in any situation. The system allows for more comfortable riding, especially on long highway journeys.

The rear radar, on the other hand, is able to detect and report vehicles positioned in the so-called blind spot, i.e. the area not visible either directly by the rider or through the rear-view mirror. The BSD (Blind Spot Detection) system also signals the approaching from behind of vehicles at high speed.

 The compact and lightweight radar device.


Ex-scientist takes delivery of new Hyundai NEXO fuel-cell SUV

                LOS ANGELES: Hyundai has delivered its first NEXO fuel cell sport utility vehicle (SUV) to a former scientist eager to add a zero-emissions vehicle to his environmentally-friendly lifestyle.

It was Tod Hochrad, living in Ventura, California who took delivery of the new NEXO with 610km of range.

The new SUV at USD$58,300 (RM245,000) is the South Korean carmaker's new flagship for its growing eco-vehicle portfolio and the only mass-produced fuel cell SUV for the US market.

The NEXO only emits water and offers a host of advanced driver assist systems that include Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Following Assist, Driver Attention Warning, High Beam Assist and Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA).

The RSPA allows the SUV to either autonomously park or retrieve itself from either a parallel or perpendicular parking space with or without a driver in the vehicle.

The system displays the SUV's camera images of the side views onto the centre cluster when changing lanes with the turn signal.

Refuelling of the NEXO can completed in about five minutes, allowing a consumer lifestyle very similar to a comparable gasoline-powered SUV in terms of range and refueling speed.

Ecological materials was used in the NEXO's construction including soybean-oil based polyurethane paint and bamboo-thread-based bio fabric as well as bio-plastic and bio-carpet extracted from sugar cane.

Bio-based materials were applied to 47 different parts to held reduce carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) by 12kg during the SUV's manufacturing process.

Alternatively, the SUV can be leased for 36 months starting at USD$399 (RM1,700) for the Blue variant or USD449 (RM1,900) for the Limited variant.

The first year of maintenance is free of charge and customers are eligible for a tax credit (subject to individual tax circumstances) from the state of California for up to USD$5,000 (RM21,000).

Those who Purchase the NEXO will receive a hydrogen fueling card with a combined maximum value of $13,000 (RM55,000) to be used during the first three years.


Real-life 'carpool karaoke' launches for rock festival in Finland

                HELSINKI: Festival-goers in Finland will be able to pay for their taxi fare by tapping into their inner James Corden and singing for their ride.

In a riff off late night talk show host James Corden's popular segment "Carpool Karaoke," in which Corden chauffeurs stars around town, singing along "to the radio," the Fortum Singalong Shuttle invites festival-goers to hitch a free ride in exchange for no-holds barred 'caraoke.'

Cars are equipped with a sound level meter and passengers can choose the songs they want to sing via a tablet that will also provide the lyrics.

And because the cars are electric, passengers won't be competing with noisy engines and background emissions.

The carpool karaoke service will be available throughout the 49th Ruisrock Festival in Turku, Finland — the oldest rock festival in Finland, which attracts 100,000 visitors every year.

This year's festival is headlined by acts like Pharrell Williams and The Chainsmokers, and runs July 6 to 8.

More information can be found at https://www.fortum.com/singalongshuttle.


Tesla's Elon Musk sees futuristic designs as way to ride out dark days for EVs

                HONG KONG: Electric car manufacturers will have to design futuristic vehicles to entice buyers in order to ride out the challenge of plunging oil prices, Tesla co-founder Elon Musk said.

The luxury all-electric US car maker, founded in 2003, rose to prominence as oil prices soared and made alternative energy vehicles more tempting.

Now the fledgling industry is under pressure, said Musk. Tesla itself saw shares dive earlier this month after it reported deliveries at the bottom end of its forecast for the 2015 fourth quarter.

“It definitely makes the transition to sustainable energy more difficult,“ Musk, 44, said when asked at a business conference in Hong Kong about the impact of free-falling oil prices.

“No doubt that is going to dampen interest in electric vehicles in general,” Musk told the “StartmeupHK” event.

Tesla is looking to recruit 1,600 software engineers to help develop “Autopilot”, its autonomous car IT system and aims to have a fully self-driving car by 2018.

The system has capabilities like the “Summon” function so drivers can call the car from the garage to their side at will, like a pet.

The company is taking orders for its new Model X, released this year, which boasts some self-driving facilities and Back To the Future-style “falcon-wing“ doors.

“What we’re aspiring to do is to make the cars so compelling that even with lower gas prices, it’s still the car you want to buy,” said Musk.

He predicted all cars would be autonomous within the next 15 years – with steering wheels eventually just a distant memory as autopilot takes over.

“If you go long, long term my guess is there isn’t (going to be) a steering wheel in most cars, it would be something that you’re going to have to special order.”

Musk said new Tesla cars would have more affordable price tags – the Model Three sedan planned for 2017 will cost an estimated US$35,000 (RM150,239), half the cost of other Teslas.

Financiers are watching as the company aims to increase production tenfold to 500,000 cars a year by 2020, supported by Tesla’s own battery plant under construction in Nevada which is crucial to cutting car prices.

Such promises have kept investors firmly behind the California company, even though it has continued to lose money while the big carmakers in Detroit rack up profits in the booming US auto market.


New Jaguar XJ revealed

LONDON: Jaguar has revealed the latest XJ, its all-aluminium luxury saloon, featuring a larger, more upright grille and sculpted chrome blades in the outboard air intakes.

A new R-Sport and top-of-the-range Autobiography models will join the line-up alongside XJ Luxury, Premium Luxury, Portfolio and XJR.

The full LED headlights in the XJ highlight the "quad lamp" design feature that Jaguar sporting sedans have made their own. They are further enhanced with active front steer and static bend lamp functions, and auto high beam assist.

Twin 'J-Blade' daytime running lights are a unique feature to XJ; the white light instantly changes to orange when the direction indicator is operated.

The LED rear lights feature a new J-signature tail and position light graphic, in a move to make the XJ look even more distinctive. The rear bumper now features a gloss black valance and a slender chrome insert. New LED taillights and oval exhaust finishers complete the look.

 XJR.

The XJ's interior design has been taken to the next level. So luxurious has it become that the outgoing Portfolio trim is now used for the Premium Luxury model. The new Portfolio gains quilted soft-grain leather seats with diamond stitching and embossed headrests, and figured ebony veneer.

The Autobiography model, new to XJ in the 2016 model year and available only with the long-wheelbase body, can be identified on the outside by chrome front bumper air intakes and 20" Maroa wheels.

Inside, there's a unique Autobiography Intaglio, quilted semi-aniline leather seats with contrasting stitching, a leather headliner, rich oak inlay veneer, and illuminated stainless steel treadplates, air vents and boot finisher.  Rear seat occupancy is provided by individual seats with seat back movement and massage function, and a rear seat entertainment system with two folding 10.2" HD screens.

 XJ Portfolio.

Following other Jaguar models, the XJ gains an R-Sport model with new side sills, three-piece front splitter, side power vents and a rear spoiler. A gloss black finish enhances the grille mesh, rear valance and the window finishers. Wheels are 20" Mataivia. The interior gains sports seats, R-Sport steering wheel and treadplates, Jet headliner and piano black trim or carbon fibre.

The powertrain range will consist of: 300PS 3.0-litre V6 diesel automatic; 340PS 3.0-litre V6 petrol automatic; 510 and 550PS 5.0-litre V8 petrol automatic.

Alongside the F-TYPE sports car and all-new XF saloon, the XJ is made at Jaguar Land Rover's Castle Bromwich plant near Birmingham.

 XJ Portfolio.


SsangYong previews next-generation SUV design

                SEOUL: SsangYong Motor Company has released the design of its next-generation SUV.

Under the code name X200, the new car carries the brand’s newly created design vision and philosophy, presenting the value and fture direction of its new products.

“The design of the new X200 is based on SsangYong’s new design philosophy ‘Powered by Toughness’, and follows on from our recently announced J100 mid-sized electric car," said a company spokesman.

"With this new design, the company is showcasing its new product identity to communicate a powerful and modern SUV while drawing on the inherited values of its authentic heritage”.

SsangYong’s future models, such as the recently announced J100 mid-size electric model and new X200, will have designs inspired by the original Korando and Musso.


First 13 buyers take delivery of Hyundai Kona Electric

                PETALING JAYA: The first 13 owners of the Hyundai Kona Electric sports utility vehicle took delivery of their cars from Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) recently.

Variants delivered to the buyers at the Hyundai showroom in Ara Damansara were the e-Lite, e-Plus and e-Max.

Providing further convenience for the first batch of Kona Electric owners, each customer also received a one-year complimentary ChargEV card.

This provides access to over 300 ChargEV stations across the nation for easily charge up.

Combined with a large charging network and the Kona Electric’s impressive battery capacity, drivers can put away any range anxiety issues.

The e-Lite and e-Plus have a single-charge driving range of 305km while the e-Max goes up to 484km.

The Kona Electric also comes with stylish looks as well as a state-of-the-art SmartSense system along with advanced connectivity and safety features.

In addition, HDSM said its pool of EV technicians have been well trained by Hyundai to service and maintain the new breed of vehicles.

Their skills are further supplemented through additional training provided by TOC Automotive College.

READ MORE: Hyundai unveils first Indonesia-made Ioniq 5 EV

Sime Darby Motors Malaysia Retail and Distribution managing director Jeffrey Gan said the growing EV segment continued to hold vast potential in Malaysia as the automotive industry is undergoing decarbonisation.

“We remain focused on supporting EV adoption, further contributing to the government's Low Carbon Mobility Blueprint.

“On this note, we are pleased to see a very positive response from customers towards the Hyundai Kona Electric, clearly indicating the growing appetite for EV vehicles among Malaysians,” he said.

HSDM managing director Low Yuan Lung said the company's EV offerings of both the Kona Electric and Ioniq 5 EV had recorded very favourable feedback.

“This indeed reflects the increasing market acceptance by customers and recognition of the vast benefits of EV. We are pleased to hand over the first batch of Kona Electric vehicles to customers, and given the strong take-up rate with bookings coming in fast, we encourage customers to place their orders soon!” he said.

The Kona Electric is currently available for viewing and test drive at Hyundai Ara Damansara showroom at Sime Darby Motors City, Hyundai Old Klang Road showroom and Hyundai Citystore Penang.

Visit https://www.hyundai.com.my/showroom/kona-electric/ for more information.


What to consider before installing a home charging station

                BERLIN: While it is possible to charge an electric vehicle at home using an ordinary electrical socket, it takes a long time and risks overloading outlets. The better solution? A home charging station.

Charging columns and wall charging stations of 11 to 22 kilowatts are the most suitable for private residences, and in some places are legally required to fall in this range, said a German consumer advice centre.

The higher the charging station's kilowatts, the faster it charges the e-car - theoretically, at least.

As the consumer advice centre notes, the car itself also has a major influence on charging speed, depending on how much power that particular e-car model can absorb and how full the battery is.

In addition, home charging stations can’t be installed just anywhere.

In some cases, the local power grid can't withstand an e-car connection, making it important for homeowners to involve their local grid operator if they are planning to install a charging station.

Depending on its features, a charging station can cost anywhere from US$955 to US$2,990 (between RM3,906 and RM12,225), not including the costs required for cabling, installation and possibly a separate electricity meter.


New Toyota Sienta, Alphard and Vellfire open for bookings

                SHAH ALAM: Three Toyota MPVs are now available to order. UMW Toyota Motor announced on Wednesday that it is accepting bookings for the new Sienta, Alphard and Vellfire.

These new MPV models sold by UMW Toyota Motor come with a 5-year warranty and unlimited mileage. UMW Toyota Motor said owners who buy through the official distributor are assured of peace of mind and full aftersales support.

The Sienta is  a compact MPV and will be sold in two variants. UMW Toyota Motor said it is positioned competitively, is value for money and is equipped with many features that would appeal to the young and trendy.

The bigger and luxurious MPV, the Alphard is available in two variants (Alphard 3.5 Executive Lounge and Alphard 3.5) and Vellfire will only come in a 2.5 form.

For more information, log on towww.toyota.com.my, call 1-800-8-TOYOTA (869682) or visit the nearest Toyota outlet.


Isuzu keen to fulfil some 300 D-Max orders

                PETALING JAYA: Isuzu Malaysia announced that it will prioritise the fulfilment of vehicle deliveries that were placed during the Movement Control Order (MCO) which first began on March 18.

The company says that it will begin deliveries during the relaxed Conditional Movement Order that's due to run until June 9.

To date, some 300 units of various D-Max pickup truck models were received prior to the implementation of the MCO to which the company says that it has concentrated its efforts at its Pekan assembly plant in Pahang and have them dispatched out soonest throughout the nation.

In addition, the company also made clear that prior to delivery, the vehicles will have been properly disinfected in order to ensure that both staff and customers are well-protect in accordance with the government’s call to effectively curb the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) virus in the country.

Customers collecting their new vehicles will be informed of the delivery dates by their sales advisor and be provided with an appointed time of the hand-over in order to avoid crowding or prolonged exposure in the outlet.

Isuzu vehicle owners whose vehicle warranties were to have expired during the MCO period will automatically enjoy a further 30-day extension from May 13 while those whose vehicles were also overdue for scheduled maintenance during this period will not have their warranty affected by the delay.

Customers intending to bring their vehicles in for service are advised to make prior appointments with their respective Isuzu Authorised Service Centres as each outlet is operating according to CMCO regulations in their respective states and are encouraging systematic social distancing by limiting the daily intake based on the capacity of the individual service facility and maintaining the minimum 1m distance.

To arrange for a viewing or test drive of Isuzu vehicles, prospective customers may make an appointment via Isuzu Malaysia’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ISUZU.DMax.Malaysia/.

“While our customers do understand the circumstances for the delay, we empathise that during these trying times, our customers require Isuzu vehicles even more as these robust and versatile trucks play a key role in keeping them moving dependably and efficiently,” said Isuzu Malaysia chief operating officer Masayuki Suzuki.

 Suzuki with the D-Max 1.9 Ddi Blue Power pickup truck

Suzuki added that its Isuzu Delivery System has been revised to incorporate the recommendations of the Malaysian Government with regards to the current pandemic in order to create a safe and conducive environment for all.

Key protocols implemented by the company for its workforce include a temperature record of every staff member prior to the start of each working day.

There will also be the compulsory use of surgical masks, the practice of disinfecting all touch-points in the outlets three times daily while demonstration vehicles and customer vehicles are disinfected after each human contact.

All visitors to Isuzu outlets are also required to have their temperatures taken using an infra-red thermometer while hand sanitizing liquid and, if required, a face mask will be made available at all facilities.


Haval M4 Elite variant introduced

                SHAH ALAM: The Haval M4 compact sport utility vehicle (SUV) is now offered with a Elite variant, which is priced at RM74,950 on-the-road.

Extra features on the M4 Elite include projector headlamps, daytime running lights, a honeycomb front grille, around view mirror, digital video recorder and tinted window film.

The M4 Elite is sold with a seven-year unlimited mileage manufacturer's warranty, and for a limited period, buyers also get insurance rebates or service vouchers for up to 25,000km.

The Haval M4 is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with variable valve timing, that outputs 105hp at 6,000rpm.

Assembled in Gurun, Kedah, the Haval M4 is offered with either a manual gearbox or AMT (automated manual transmission), and variants are priced from RM54,747 onwards.

Go Auto is the exclusive distributor and producer for Great Wall Motors and Haval vehicles for Asean.

"Haval is the top-selling SUV brand in China for 11 years," said Go Auto CEO Ahmad Azam Datuk Sulaiman.

This year, Haval Malaysia is aiming for domestic sales of 6,000 units and exports of 4,800 units.

"About 83% of domestic sales will be the M4 compact SUV. The balance will be the H2 C-segment SUV, which we plan to launch in the second quarter," said Ahmad Azam.

He pointed out that last year, there were registrations of 1,534 M4 units.

"Sales growth has been very strong since we started sales in 2014," said Ahmad Azam.

Regarding exports, he said Go Auto started exports of M4 units to Cambodia last year.

"We are in talks in Thailand. Indonesia is also in the plans," he said.

Presently, there are 33 sales and service centres for Haval cars in the country.

"About 60% are 3S (sales, service and spare parts) and the rest are 2S," said Ahmad Azam.


MINI 5-Door convenience

                The MINI may be a car for the young and young-at-heart but the social or practical aspects of motoring are not overlooked in its model line-up development.

This was clearly seen in the second model to be introduced in the new MINI range — a five-door model.

This is a completely new model addition to the MINI family and is not to be mistaken for the wagon-like Clubman or the Countryman.

The MINI 5-Door is actually developed as a bigger version of the three-door model without looking that much larger dimensionally to capture the interest of those who would want such convenience, in particular the family types.

Yes, the 5-Door has a longer wheelbase of 2,657mm (+72mm) and adds another 161mm in body length at 3,982mm but the designers have kept the roof similar in length to the three-door by adopting a sloped C-pillar.

This has allowed the provision of rear seats to accommodate three people with an improved legroom of 72mm, 15mm better headroom and 61mm increase in interior width or better elbow room.

Externally, the increase in body width and height is the same at 11mm, keeping to the minimal expansion objective of keeping the five-door as compact looking as possible.

The rear seatrest is split 60:40 as the compact nature of the MINI does not accommodate the 40:20:40 design currently featured in the BMW range.

Moreover, as the 5-Door had impressed on us, the image and character have to be consistent with the MINI profile as these are the traits that endear them to the people who subscribe to the brand.

Similarly, the same is said of the dynamic way the MINI should perform even though its powertrain and the platform may be shared with some BMW models.

The engineers had to ensure that the MINI delivers the driving personae that loyal buyers are accustomed to and not a car that reminds them of something else, even if it is a BMW.

This is the reason why the 5-Door and the new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer are completely different vehicles even though they share a similar platform and engineering.

That was our conclusion after having driven the 5-Door in Britain, exploring the winding back roads in the Oxford area, crisscrossing mostly farmlands: the MINI range is built at a plant in Oxford and the three-millionth car rolled off the assembly plant recently.

Likewise, MINI chose Henley as the focal point of the drive experience for a symbolic reason: it was about 70km away that Sir Alex Issigonis first introduced the Mini in 1959.

Two variants of the 5-Door (there are six in all) were provided for the international media drive experience and both were Cooper S versions; one had the petrol 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine and the other was the Cooper SD with the 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel.

These power units, with MINI TwinPower turbo technology, Double Vanos and Valvetronic variable valve control, may look similar to their BMW counterparts but they come with different tuning to suit the MINI motoring performance.

This is obvious in the power output with the MINI petrol 2.0-litre four-cylinder delivering 192bhp and 280Nm of torque (we chose this variant instead of the diesel as the latter would not be made available here).

Though the output may be less compared to the same displacement unit powering the 2 Series Active Tourer, the power-to-weight ratio is in the favour of the Cooper S to measure up nicely to its sportier outlook.

As the Cooper S variant provided was an automatic (to make it easier to drive for those from left hand drive countries), it came with the six-speed Steptronic with Sport mode and steering wheel paddle shifters.

In acceleration, the Cooper S didn’t disappoint as it picked up the pace quickly and when Sport mode was chosen, we had the pleasure of hearing the exhaust pressure kick-back on accelerator pedal lift-offs.

The burbling exhaust sound is not loud as the tail-end exhaust unit is not too big, but the mild pop-pop audible note should still go down well for those who like this sporty element in their driving experience.

MINI prides its cars on its go-kart feeling and the Cooper S gave us an excellent example of that experience: we could relate it to the same thrilling drive we enjoyed not too long ago in the BMW M3 and M4 cars.

The Cooper S simply hugged the roads without betraying any intention to break away or cut loose as we tore through corners with fair abandonment, given the unfamiliar narrow country roads and the inconsistent tarmac surfaces.

For a car of its low ride height, there was even less tendency for the body to lean any more than necessary, keeping its poise and stride well in check to shore up our confidence.

The tyres fitted were 205/40 R18 Dunlop Sport Maxx and they too complemented the front MacPherson struts and rear five-link suspension in this dynamic role.

Needless to say, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) is part and parcel, and we could feel it controlling the front wheels via the brakes to counter any torque steer or wheel spins on loose or damp surfaces during initial hard acceleration.

Ride was on the firm side, being a little jolting over dips and bumps, but was generally comfortable for all on board.

MINI has changed the way the instruments are located on the dashboard, with the large central round module now serving as a multi-info display.

The speedometer (calibrated in mph for the British market) takes dominance in the section in front of the driver, with the tachometer in the half-moon overlap design.

Of course, we preferred to use the Head-up Display that is adjustable for height as we liked to keep our eyes on the unfamiliar roads.

The start/stop feature comes in the form of a toggle switch at the bottom of the central dashboard area, a nice change from the push button facility commonly used.

The seats, front and rear, are generally a little short on thigh support, which is not unexpected for a compact car, but support was good as none of us felt the strain after more than two hours on the road for the two drive sessions.

Wind noise intrusion was nicely filtered during the highway drives but road roar was clearly heard, albeit at a controlled level.

This, apparently, appeared to be the audible experience that comes as part of the MINI character for want of a more involved drive.

The luggage area is adequate with almost 280 litres of space (it accommodated our media team’s three bags with room to spare) and extended storage goes beyond threefold with the rear seatrests folded away.

Adding two more doors has certainly not taken the driving fun out of this new model but has instead added to its charm and social convenience.

Naturally, it is already generating a lot of interest and MINI expects the 5-Door to be warmly accepted in markets the world over.

MINI 5-Door

Engine: 1,998cc, TwinPower turbocharger technology, direct injection, water-cooled inline-4
cylinder engine

Maximum Power: 192bhp from 4,700rpm to 6,000rpm
Maximum Torque: 280Nm at 1,250 to 4,550rpm (300Nm with Overboost)

Transmission: Six-speed Step-tronic with Mid, Sport or Green modes

Acceleration (0-100kph): 6.8 seconds

Top Speed: 230kph

Weight: 1,240kg (DIN)

Fuel consumption (Combined): 5.4l/100km

Features: New Display and Operating Concept with LED ring for centre module; wide range of driver assistance systems including Head-Up Display, Parking Assistant, camera-based active cruise control; MINI Connected in-car infotainment program; full LED lighting; Harman Kardon hi-fi speaker system; Auto Stop/ Start system; keyless entry & drive


Mazda to replace CX-9 with CX-90 in US

The CX-90.
LOS ANGELES: Mazda has announced it will stop selling the CX-9 in the United States after the 2023 model year.

It will be replaced by the CX-90.

As the new flagship model, the three-row CX-90 is built on Mazda's all-new large platform as opposed to the Ford underpinnings in the original 2006 CX-9 and later the Skyactiv platform seen in the second generation.

The all-new CX-90 is wider, longer, and has more aggressive proportions that suit its high-performance appearance and refined stature.

It is available with all-new electrified powertrains, including an inline 6 turbo and a plug-in hybrid, that offer drivers enhanced performance and efficiency.

The all-new large platform features a front-engine, rear-wheel-bias longitudinal layout to offer improved driving performance.

 The outgoing CX-9.

The CX-90 is equipped with Kinematic Posture Control, which first debuted on the MX-5 Miata, a software feature that suppresses body lift on tight corners to enhance the grip and allows all occupants to maintain a natural posture.

As with all Mazda vehicles, the CX-90 seeks to maintain the same level of safety standards as Mazda's other products with many standard i-Activsense safety features, such as Smart Brake Support, Blind Spot Monitoring, Mazda Radar Cruise Control, and other new features that will help enhance the confident experience for all occupants.

The vehicle also features larger displays, accompanied by physical buttons that complement the interior styling.

New Mazda technologies, such as the See-Through View monitor, assist the driver in a variety of parking situations through the 12.3-inch centre display.


Skoda reveals design sketch for next Superb

                PRAGUE: Skoda revealed a design sketch today displaying the first details of its modernised flagship, the Superb.

The world premiere of the reworked Superb family will take place in the Slovakian capital Bratislava in May as part of the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. Skoda has been the main sponsor of the World Championship since 1993. This would be the first time Skoda is using the hockey event for a car presentation.

The design sketch of the new Superb depicts clean-cut front headlights, fog lights with a distinctive trim as well as the Skoda-typical radiator grille. The Skoda lettering at the rear instead of the brand logo makes its debut in a Superb.

As the flagship of Skoda’s model range, the Superb, whose history began in 1934 boasts the brand’s latest innovations in terms of design, technology and functionality. The top model reflects Skoda’s aspiration to offer vehicles of the highest quality that provide customers with an exceptional amount of space and numerous features from higher-tier segments.

The original Superb of the 1930s was built at the plant in Mladá Boleslav. From 1947, Skoda produced the Superb as the first model at its Kvasiny plant.

The name Superb derives from the Latin word "superbus" meaning exceptional, excellent, or outstanding. After more than a 50-year break, the modern Skoda Superb took up the mantle of these characteristics in 2001.

The modern Superb is now in its third generation, with Skoda touting it as both suitable for families and private customers as it is for business and fleet clientele.

In April 2017, the third generation of Skoda’s flagship model surpassed the mark of one million cars produced. On Skoda Storyboard you will find an overview of all previous generations of the Superb.


Swiss startup announces EV battery with nearly 1,000km range

                BASEL: Innolith AG has announced the development of a 1,000 Wh/kg rechargeable EV battery that could drive electric cars 1,000km on a single charge.

On Thursday, Innolith AG, a Swiss startup specialising in rechargeable inorganic battery technology, revealed that a non-flammable, lithium-based electric vehicle battery capable of offering cars a 966km range is in development at its German laboratories.

The key difference between the design of the high-density Innolith Energy Battery and that of more traditional batteries is that the Innolith version uses an inorganic electrolyte to power the battery instead of an organic one. This option is non-flammable and helps “enable batteries to reach cell-level energy content values that have never been possible before.”

Tesla models are among the highest performing electric models on the market right now with some of the most impressive ranges; however, the Model S has a maximum range of 539km, the Model 3 has a range of 523km, and the Model X has a range of 475km. Swapping out the Tesla battery for an Innolith Energy Battery could basically double the range of the whole lineup.

The battery will be first brought to the German market through an initial pilot production, after which it will be available to licensing partners with battery and automotive companies. Innolith AG expects the time it will take to bring the battery from idea to commercial product will be from three to five years.


Mazda axing CX-3 and Mazda6 in US for 2022 model year

                LOS ANGELES: Mazda says it will discontinue the sale of the Mazda6 sedan and CX-3 SUV in the United States for the 2022 model year.

They are being axed due to poor demand for them. In the US and globally, SUVs have become popular. In the case of the CX-3, it is being overshadowed by the better-looking, more powerful, and slightly larger CX-30 SUV.

Last year, the CX-30 outsold the CX-3 4 to 1 despite being priced higher.

As for the Mazda6, the similarly priced CX-5 outsold it 9 to 1 last year.

However, it doesn't mean the Mazda6 will be gone forever Stateside.

According to some sources, the Mazda6 is taking a break - at least for one year - and is being redrafted as a more premium car that is aiming to compete with the Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series. That would mean having an inline 6-cylinder engine as well as rear-wheel drive to provide a similar but alternative driving performance as the Germans.

The exit of the CX-3 could pave the way for the CX-30 to be renamed as CX-3 to streamline Mazda's naming nomenclature.

MAZDA USA MODEL LINE-UP


Vietnam’s tough new drunk-driving law is hurting beer sales

                HANOI: Vietnam’s new get-tough-on-drunk-driving law is reining in one of the world’s fastest-growing beer markets.

Beer sales in the country have dropped by at least 25% since strict penalties on inebriated drivers took effect on Jan 1, and the police have issued more than 6,200 fines, according to local media. The Vietnam Beer Alcohol Beverage Association, which represents domestic and international brewers, says its members are complaining about a plunge in sales of the amber drink.

"Just look at any beer places and you will see how empty they are these days,” said Luong Xuan Dung, the group’s general secretary. "Falling beer sales are a reality. We haven’t got an exact number of the decline in alcohol sales yet, but they have definitely dropped a lot.”

Heineken NV, a major foreign beer brand in Vietnam, fell as much as 4.6%, its biggest intraday drop since July 29.

Beer companies, which complain that the punishments are too harsh, have cut prices to shore up demand ahead of the boozy Tet Lunar New Year holiday.

Vietnam’s crackdown, a response to several high-profile accidents last year, has come as a surprise to many in the nation of hearty drinkers with a history of flouting alcohol restrictions (a law banning civil servants from drinking during work hours is widely ignored).

The country’s beer consumption has nearly quadrupled since 2004, attracting global brewers from Heineken to Anheuser-Busch InBev looking for growth.

Under the new law, motorbike drivers can face fines as high as 8 million dong (RM1,407), double the previous maximum, and a possible suspension of a driver’s license for two years, up from five months previously.

Those driving automobiles or trucks under the influence may be hit with a penalty of as much as 40 million dong and a licence suspension. The law also requires alcohol advertising to include health warnings and stores to post signs announcing the ban on alcohol sales to those younger than 18.

Authorities appear to be taking implementation seriously. In the first half of January, the Ministry of Public Security’s traffic department issued fines totalling 21 billion dong (RM3.7mil) in 6,279 cases, Vietnam News reported.

A series of fatal accidents last year involving drunk drivers, including one in which a photo of boy weeping next to his dead mother’s body spread on social media, led to a protest in Hanoi against lenient alcohol laws.

The outcry and lobbying by the Ministry of Health and female politicians such as Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, the nation’s first National Assembly chairwoman, helped pass the law, said Vu Tu Thanh, senior Vietnam representative of the US-Asean Business Council.

Health officials say Vietnam’s soaring alcohol consumption is causing public health problems. An estimated 79,000 deaths a year are tied to alcohol, according to the World Health Organisation.

More than 80% of the nation’s drinkers are men and abuse of alcohol is leading to increasing societal harms, including vehicle accidents, domestic violence and social disorder, said Le Thi Thu, a program manager with the Hanoi-based HealthBridge Foundation of Canada.

Negative effects of alcohol abuse are equal to 1.3% to 3.3% of the nation’s gross domestic product, according to the WHO.

Too tough?

The Vietnam beer association says it supports tougher laws to encourage responsible drinking yet thinks the new fines are too steep, Dung said. Automobile drivers, for instance, could be hit with an 8 million dong (RM1,407) penalty for having only a trace of alcohol, he said.

"We understand this regulation is necessary to make people more responsible when they drink,” Dung added. "But it is still very controversial.”

Vietnam’s growing middle class and youthful population helped drive a 284% surge in beer consumption between 2004 and 2018, according to Euromonitor International.

That’s a reason behind Thai Beverage Pcl’s acquisition of a US$4.8 billion stake in Saigon Beer Alcohol Beverage Corp. about two years ago. Vietnam, the third-biggest swiller of beer in Asia Pacific in total volume, saw per capita household consumption rise 30% between 2013 and 2018 to 43 litres, Euromonitor International said. The US, by contrast, had a 4% drop.

Downing large amounts of alcohol in Vietnam is intertwined with doing business, watching sports and celebrating holidays. "People are used to drinking all the time, wherever and whenever they want,” Thanh said.

Some have taken to social media to strategise on ways to get around the law. One man became an online sensation after a video was posted showing him locked in his car for hours and drinking water after being pulled over by police for suspicion of driving under the influence.

He eventually was fined about 2 million dong for disobeying officers.

Beer restaurants are offering free or discounted motorbike or taxi rides home — or back to the office — to inebriated patrons. The sudden crackdown has led to purchases of "alcohol detox” pills online to avoid fines.

If the law is enforced, and police aren’t persuaded to look the other way, "it will improve Vietnam’s image, not only in the eyes of foreigners but in the eyes of its citizens,” Thanh said.

Nonetheless, the law is as harsh as a cold shower for some drinkers.

Nguyen Van Thi, a 60-year-old retired soldier, and a dozen of his friends sat at a long table filled with plates of pork rolled in banana leaves, fried fish and peanuts during a recent weekday lunch in Hanoi.

Staff hauled cases of Tiger Beer and 3-litre chilled glass containers of bia hoi, or fresh beer, to tables of boisterous customers clinking mugs.

"I was a soldier. I always obey the rules,” Thi said. "But this law is so hard for me and my buddies.”


Road toll rage threatening Norway's conservative coalition

                OSLO: Norway is having its own Yellow Vest moment as a growing backlash against road tolls threatens to overwhelm the political establishment.

What started as local protest against a proliferation in toll stations has become a movement that’s even polling first in a key city ahead of nationwide municipal elections in September. It’s also posing a danger to the cohesion of Prime Minister Erna Solberg’s ruling bloc with growing turmoil within the Progress Party, led by Finance Minister Siv Jensen.

The pro-motorist, anti-tax group is sinking in the polls as its supporters feel betrayed amid rising commuting costs across the sparsely populated country. The uproar has prompted Jensen to call a special gathering for her party this week to calm the uproar. In a worst case scenario, party grassroots could force her to threaten to quit the Conservative-led coalition after almost six years in power.

Divisive climate crisis

The climate crisis is becoming an increasingly important issue for voters but is also deepening divisions in oil-rich Norway and across Europe. Green parties scored major gains in last month’s European Parliament elections, while the far-right is tapping dissatisfaction over the rising costs of protecting the environment. France’s Yellow Vest movement started in opposition to higher gasoline taxes.

"Many of the same kind of people are protesting this in Norway as in France and other countries,” said Sivert Bjornstad, a key Progress Party lawmaker. "It’s the middle class and regular workers who all of a sudden are having to pay many thousands more a year, which is significant part of their disposable income.”

The construction of new roads, bridges and tunnels in Norway is to a large extent financed by road tolls. About 13 billion kroner (RM6.3bil) is estimated to be collected from tolls this year, up about 40% over the past four years.

The growth has been needed to pay for investments in public transport to cut emissions and meet population growth in the biggest cities. The government also boosted spending on infrastructure to stimulate the economy after an oil price crash in 2014, which dealt a massive blow to the nation’s biggest industry. Investments in transportation is seen rising to 73 billion kroner this year, up more than 75% since the government took power in 2013.

Wealth fund

The pressure is now on the government to seek a solution and calm the nerves of angry voters. Last month, the Progress Party even proposed taking 100 billion kroner (RM48bil) directly from the nation’s oil income to wipe out the need for toll roads.

The proposal was met with scepticism from leading economists and party leaders since the government has already pushed fiscal spending to its limits.

Another proposal, also from the Progress Party, was to cut back on the benefits on zero-emission cars, which has made Norway one of the world’s top adopters of electric vehicles and one of tesla Inc.’s biggest markets. That would go against the government’s current promises this government term.

"We know that the electric car benefits will be phased out from 2021, so if we instead start doing this next year it would reduce the fees for everyone,” Bjornstad said. But it’s clear that several parties are against this and it would require the renegotiation of parts of the political platform that was agreed on in January, he said.

That means a tense party meeting on Wednesday for Jensen, who must find a solution that is both acceptable for the her party and her coalition partners.

"The point is not how we solve this, only that it gets solved,” Bjornstad said.


Production of new BMW 7 Series kicks off at Dingolfing plant

                MUNICH: The first series-produced vehicles of the new 7 Series have today rolled off the production lines of the BMW plant in Dingolfing.

In fact, today was a double debut, with the new top-of-the-range BMW manufactured not only with highly efficient combustion engines but also as the fully electric  i7.

Milan Nedeljkovic, BMW AG Board Member for Production: “Our new BMW 7 Series is the first luxury sedan in the world to offer customers a choice between three types of drive. Whether fully electric, combustion-powered or, soon, plug-in hybrid, we have the flexible production structures and outstanding integration skills we need to manufacture such a diverse range of drives efficiently.”

BMW has invested over €300 million (RM1.4bil) to ready the Dingolfing vehicle plant for production of the new BMW 7 Series. The plant is located about 100km north-east of here.

The new 7 Series will be available to customers worldwide in the autumn of this year.

The i7, especially, marks the next step in the BMW Group’s electromobility campaign for the luxury segment, which Dingolfing has come to symbolise.

The e-drive components of the i7 – specifically the high-voltage battery and highly integrated electric drive – are also made in Dingolfing.

Like those of the iX, i4 and iX3, they are made nearby, in the BMW Group Competence Centre for e-Drive Production.

The new 7 Series is assembled on the same line as the 5 Series, 8 Series and the fully electric iX.

“We are 100 percent flexible and able to switch between drive variants for the BMW 7 Series,” explained Christoph Schröder, Plant Director.

“This means we can manufacture completely in line with demand for the various drives and use our plant capacity as fully as possible.”


End in sight to Putrajaya parking woes

The multi-storey carpark complex in Persiaran Perdana in Precinct 4 (in the background) is underutilised due to motorists using the vacant plot nearby. — Photos: AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star

PUTRAJAYA: Parking is a perennial problem in some of the government complexes and residences here.

Those living or working there can now breathe a sigh of relief as three multi-storey carpark complexes are under construction in the administrative capital.

The Federal Government has allocated RM60.85mil for the projects. There will be one carpark complex for the Finance Ministry building (RM40mil) and two more for government apartments, namely for Phases 5 and 6 in Precinct 9 (RM15.85mil) and Phase 4B in Precinct 8 (RM5mil).

All the projects are scheduled to be completed by 2024.

Putrajaya Corporation (PjC) Engineering and Maintenance Department deputy president Marzuki Abdullah said parking was a big problem in some areas and many resorted to parking on road kerbs, the side of the road, in landscaped areas or any space that their vehicle could fit into without obstructing traffic.

The biggest project among the three is the Finance Ministry’s six-storey carpark.

Scheduled to be completed by February next year, the complex is being built on adjacent government land previously used as an open-air carpark and had a futsal court.

“Once the project is completed, it will provide an additional 800 parking bays for cars, 80 for motorcycles and 12 reserved for the disabled,” said Marzuki. “The top floor will also have a multipurpose futsal court.”

He said the Finance Ministry carpark complex would be the second multi-storey carpark building for a government office in the city.

“The first is located near the Housing and Local Government Ministry office but is not fully utilised because people tend to park at some nearby temporary open-air parking lots.

“Similarly, there are many open-air carparks on land that has not been developed, which helps to manage the parking problem in the surrounding areas,” he added.

Marzuki said there were numerous requests for more parking spaces in many government apartments in Putrajaya.

As the money was coming from the Federal Government, he said, there were processes involved that took time and could be done only in phases.

“The project for Phases 5 and 6 in Precinct 9 will be completed in September next year.

“It will provide residents with an additional 375 parking bays for cars, 79 for motorcycles, and eight for the disabled.

“The five-storey carpark is being built in the residential compound, which was previously a combination of green area, open-air carpark, playground and basketball court.

“The playground will be relocated to another spot and the top floor of the carpark project will have a futsal court that doubles up as a basketball court,” he said.

The two-storey carpark project in Phase 4B in Precinct 8 is built on an existing open-air carpark site.

When that is completed in January 2024, it will provide an additional 114 bays for cars, 52 for motorcycles and five for disabled parking.


Eight car windscreens smashed, cops investigating

                PETALING JAYA: A police investigation has been opened after eight cars had their windscreens and windows smashed near a driving range.

The police began conducting their investigations after the incident, which occurred in Kota Damansara here, had gone viral on social media.

"Eight cars were damaged and police reports had been made at the Kota Damansara police station on March 20.

"No items were reported missing and the area had no CCTV or security guards patrolling," Deputy Petaling Jaya OCPD Supt Ku Mashariman Ku Mahmood said Wednesday (March 31).

He added that as of now, no suspects have been identified because there were no witnesses.

"However, efforts to trace the suspects are being conducted," he said.


BMW 3 Series to get three new editions

                MUNICH: German carmaker, BMW, will be revealing three new edition models as well as more standard and optional equipment for its sixth generation 3 Series sedan and touring (wagon) models in July.

The three new edition models are the Edition Sport Line Shadow, Edition Luxury Line Purity and the Edition M Sport Shadow, which can be ordered with its existing equipment as well as all available types of engines.

Standard equipment for the sedan and Touring models will include LED headlights and LED fog lamps, while having a range of individual options and choice of body colours, light alloy wheels, upholstery colours and interior trim strips.

The Edition Sport Line Shadow will be equipped with black inserts for the headlight assemblies, rear light cluster, kidney grille, lower air ducts, black chrome exhaust tailpipes and Jet Black 18-inch double spoke wheels.

Inside, the cabin gets a new contrasting seam for the instrument panel, upgraded features for the instrument cluster, new sports steering wheel, fabric-leather combination sports seats and new Dark Aluminium Carbon inserts with accent strips in Pearl Gloss Chrome.

The Edition Luxury Line Purity, aimed at providing exclusivity and premium quality, get satin-finished aluminium inserts for the side windows, air duct inserts, slats, kidney grille surrounds, rear bumper cover, exhaust tailpipes and 17-inch wheels (optional 19-inch wheels also available).

Within its premium confines are leather trim in a new colour variant of Cognac, while the interior wood trim strips are in Fineline Light with Pearl Gloss Chrome accentuating strips.

Furthermore, it will be equipped with a sports steering wheel and additional display features for the instrument cluster.

As for the Edition M Sport Shadow, which is geared towards high-performance, it gets fitted with black LED headlamp units, dark taillight inserts, black BMW kidney grille, chrome black exhaust tailpipes, LED fog lamps and black inserts for the three-part lower air intake.

Other 'M' equipment have also been fitted, such as the sports suspension, aerodynamics package, 18-inch lightweight wheels, leather steering wheel, Anthracite roof lining, door sills and the Driving Experience Control which has SPORT+ mode.

As an option, a set of 19-inch double-spoke M light alloy wheels finished in Orbit Grey is also available.

Inside, the cabin gets fitted with black leather sports seats with blue contrasting seams while the interior is accented by Dark Aluminium Carbon and Pearl Gloss Chrome inserts to go along with the enhanced display functions of the instrument cluster.

But if those aren't enough, the Bavarian carmaker already has plans to include a new Sunset Orange to its current line up of colour choices, while making LED headlights and fog lamps standard equipment.


Over half of teen driver crashes due to distraction

                WASHINGTON: Whether talking to passengers, checking their hairstyle or using a smartphone, driver distraction is a factor in six out of 10 car accidents involving young drivers.

The AAA describes its findings as the result as the most comprehensive research to date on the subject based on analysis of video footage of car crashes involving teen drivers. The organization's Foundation for Safety also claims that based on its results, driver distraction is being severely underestimated as a prevailing factor in accidents on US roads.

Based on an analysis of almost 1,700 videos captured via in-vehicle event recorders - i.e. dash cams - driver distraction was a factor in 58% of all crashes and, more worryingly, of almost nine in 10 road departure accidents.

"Access to crash videos has allowed us to better understand the moments leading up to a vehicle impact in a way that was previously impossible," said Peter Kissinger, President and CEO of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

"The in-depth analysis provides indisputable evidence that teen drivers are distracted in a much greater percentage of crashes than we previously realised."

As for what's causing the distractions, interacting with other occupants in the car was a factor in 15% of crashes and cellphone use in 12% of incidents.

Texting, making a voice call or using other phone functions caused drivers to take their eyes off the road for an average of 4.1 seconds of the final six seconds immediately prior to a crash in the study and researchers found that the activity also impeded reaction times.

Drivers distracted by their phones failed to react before impact in more than 50%of rear-end crashes, meaning that they crashed without attempting to take evasive action or apply the brakes.

"It is troubling that passengers and cell phones were the most common forms of distraction given that these factors can increase crash risks for teen drivers," said Beth Mosher, AAA Chicago spokesman.

"The situation is made worse by the fact that young drivers have spent less time behind the wheel and cannot draw upon their previous experience to manage unsafe conditions."

Smartphones, quite rightly, come in for serious criticism. However, singing and moving to music (8%), looking at something in the vehicle (9%), "grooming" (6%) and reaching for an object (6%) were all factors in a collision.

Minimising distractions could make a huge difference. Teens are the most likely in the US to have a crash severe enough to merit a police report. In 2013, 16-to-19-year-olds were involved in 963,000 such incidents, resulting in 2,865 deaths and 383,000 injuries.


Sisma Auto takes on Volvo dealership

                KUALA LUMPUR: Sisma Auto, which is known for its two luxury British brands, is adding a third iconic brand to its portfolio, Swedish icon, Volvo.

The company has been appointed as an authorised dealer by Volvo Car Malaysia Sdn Bhd.

“Sisma Auto has an excellent track-record of managing luxury brands and with their inclusion into the Volvo Cars family, we will be able to meet the growing demand for our brand,” said Lennart Stegland, managing director of Volvo Car Malaysia.

Sisma Auto will be transforming its city showroom at Menara Worldwide, Jalan Bukit Bintang, into a Volvo showroom which is due to officially open in October this year.

Car owners who reside or work in the vicinity can enjoy a premium ownership experience as the new Volvo city showroom will offer Sisma Auto’s Concierge Service, which offers exclusive home or office vehicle pick-up and drop-off.

Sisma Auto’s off-site Volvo service centre will offer the complete range of aftersales services.

In conjunction with the opening of the new showroom, customers who purchase any new Volvo model from Sisma Auto would stand a chance to win an all-expense paid trip to Sweden.

Sisma Auto managing director, Syed Khalil Syed Ibrahim said that the company was thrilled to welcome another premium Continental car brand into its fold.

“We are looking forward to working with Volvo, which has an exciting range of new models at very competitive prices that meet the needs of the Malaysian market,” he said.

Syed Khalil said that the company was still very much committed to building the Jaguar Land Rover brand in Malaysia in the long term.

Sisma Auto will continue to operate its Jaguar Land Rover branches in Glenmarie, and Penang to serve its loyal customers.

For further inquiries, please contact +6019-2298596.


Thai Red Bull heir still at large a decade on from fatal Ferrari crash

This file frame grab from video footage taken on Sept 3, 2012 and received from Thai PBS via AFPTV on Sept 3, 2022 shows police inspecting the Ferrari belonging to Red Bull heir Vorayuth 'Boss' Yoovidhya in Bangkok, after a hit-and-run case which resulted in the death of a police officer. — AFP
BANGKOK: A crashed Ferrari, a dead policeman and a fugitive heir to a multibillion-dollar fortune — 10 years on, Thailand is no closer to resolving one of its most notorious hit-and-run cases.

Vorayuth "Boss" Yoovidhya, princeling of the Red Bull energy drink family, is accused of ploughing his sports car into police officer Wichean Glanprasert's motorbike in Bangkok's wealthiest neighbourhood a decade ago on Saturday.

After dodging prosecutors and finally fleeing Thailand on a private jet in 2017, Vorayuth became a symbol of what critics say is the impunity enjoyed by the super-rich in the kingdom.

"The perception of different justice systems for different segments of society cripples people's trust in the Thai state's capacity to carry out its responsibility to protect human rights for all Thai people," said Amnesty International Thailand.

As the grandson of Red Bull co-founder Chaleo Yoovidhya, who died in 2012, Vorayuth is part of a clan with an estimated net worth of US$26.4 billion — making it Thailand's second-richest family, according to Forbes.

"This family is not only powerful in Thailand, but they are very powerful worldwide too," said Thai political analyst Pavin Chachavalpongpun from Kyoto University.

Glamorous lifestyle

Within hours of the crash, investigators followed a trail of brake fluid to the Yoovidhya family's Bangkok compound, where they found a badly dented vehicle with a smashed windscreen.

Police initially accepted a claim that an employee was driving, but Vorayuth became the main suspect and his family later paid the victim's relatives US$100,000 compensation, according to the BBC and New York Times.

For five years, Vorayuth played a game of cat and mouse ducking court summonses — claiming through lawyers he was overseas on business or ill — while photographs documented a globetrotting lifestyle: living it up in London, attending Red Bull racing events, or going off on beach holidays and ski trips.

Charges of speeding, drunk driving and failing to render assistance expired, before a Bangkok court belatedly issued an arrest warrant in 2017.

By then, Vorayuth had already fled.

In 2020, the Thai authorities dropped all charges against Vorayuth, triggering a huge public outcry — including a social media campaign to #BoycottRedBull.

Amid the backlash, TCP Group — Red Bull Thailand's parent company — distanced the firm from the case, saying the issue was a private matter.

As anger mounted, and with youth-led anti-government demonstrations growing in the streets, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha's office ordered a review, which concluded the entire investigation had been "compromised".

Rights campaigners contrasted the foot-dragging in the Vorayuth case with the swift action meted out to anti-government protest leaders, many of whom were hit with multiple royal defamation charges, which carry a prison term of up to 15 years.

Thailand's Attorney General's Office announced fresh charges against Vorayuth and, in September 2020, Interpol issued a Red Notice for his arrest.

An updated version from March last year said Vorayuth had made an attempt to access the Red Notice and was likely around France at the time.

The notice also cited Austria — where Red Bull has its headquarters — as a possible location.

One charge left

Last month, a charge of using cocaine expired, Thailand's Attorney General's office said, leaving only one avenue for prosecutors to pursue against Vorayuth: reckless driving causing death, which carries a maximum 10-year prison term.

The AG's office told AFP that the charge is valid until 2027. Few, however, expect Vorayuth to face the courts.

"Even from the beginning, a lot of people expected how it would end," Pavin said, noting intense public anger around the case.

"Rich people getting away with crime has become so normalised in Thai society. Thai people don't accept that it's OK."


Lexus hosts culinary cinema drive-in experience

                PLANO: To meet the growing desire for socially distanced events, Lexus hosted the first-ever Lexus Culinary Cinema – a three-night gourmet drive-in movie event at L.A. LIVE’s Event Deck in downtown Los Angeles.

The event, which took place this past weekend, elevated the typical drive-in movie experience by engaging Lexus Culinary Masters, Chefs Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, Ludo Lefebvre and Carlo Mirarchi to create gourmet dinners inspired by the feature film being shown each evening.

For three consecutive sold-out nights, more than 100 vehicles pulled into L.A. LIVE’s Event Deck to enjoy a delicious three-course meal and a fan-favorite movie from the comfort of their vehicles.

Each evening featured a different menu curated by a Lexus Culinary Master. Chefs Jon and Vinny opened the event with cuisine paired with 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.'

Chef Ludo followed with dishes designed for the film 'Sideways,' and Chef Carlo closed the series with dinner fare fit for 'Little Miss Sunshine.'

“We understand people’s desire for socially distanced outdoor events. As a human-centric brand, we continue to explore ways to innovate and create elevated experiences for our guests,” said Lisa Materazzo, Lexus vice president of marketing.

“With the help of our talented roster of Culinary Master chefs, Lexus Culinary Cinema brought gourmet dining to the classic drive-in movie theater, and provided an experience only Lexus could deliver.”


Toyota Prius and Lexus GS earn top Japan NCAP rating

                TOYOTA CITY: Toyota has earned the highest safety rating under the 2016 Japan New Car Assessment Program (JNCAP) Preventive Safety Performance Assessment for the Crown and Prius which are fitted with its Toyota Safety Sense P collision avoidance support package, as well as the Lexus GS and RX which are fitted with the Lexus Safety System +.

The four models received ASV++ rating, the highest rating that was newly established in 2016 JNCAP. Automatic braking evaluation to support collision avoidance which target pedestrians during daytime was added to the conventional performance assessments, and the ASV++ rating can be attained by vehicles that obtain high scores.

Toyota and Lexus plan to roll out such safety features to a wider range of models.

Around 37% of traffic fatalities in Japan involve pedestrians. To prevent fatal pedestrian-related traffic accidents, from 2015 onwards, Toyota rolled out the Toyota Safety Sense P and Lexus Safety System + packages respectively to support collision prevention targeting vehicles and pedestrians.

These packages have been fitted onto nine models within Japan, and there are plans to successively increase the number of models fitted with these packages.

Toyota is developing safer vehicles and technologies based on its Integrated Safety Management concept, an approach that gives direction to safety technology and vehicle development. Toyota is also pressing forward with measures that integrate people, vehicles, and the traffic environment so as to contribute to the elimination of traffic fatalities and injuries.


Indonesia plans US$5,000 subsidy for each electric-car purchase

                JAKARTA: Indonesia is finalising subsidies for electric vehicle purchases to boost local adoption and bring in more investments.

The government plans to give subsidies of up to 80 million rupiah (RM22,515) for each purchase of an electric car made onshore, Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang said in a statement late Wednesday.

A hybrid electric car will get an incentive of around 40 million rupiah (RM11,257), an electric motorcycle about 8 million rupiah (RM2,252), while a motorcycle converted into an electric one will get 5 million rupiah (RM1,407).

The subsidy is meant to boost local sales of electric vehicles threefold by 2030, while also bringing in manufacturers to help President Joko Widodo realize his vision of having an end-to-end EV supply chain onshore.

It’s unclear how much local content the vehicles must have to qualify for the subsidies as Indonesia continues to push for a greater proportion of components made onshore.

Hyundai Motor Co. opened an EV plant on the outskirts of the capital Jakarta in March, but will only begin to use locally-made batteries from 2024. Toyota Motor Corp will begin to build hybrid cars this year, while Mitsubishi Motors Corp will produce hybrid and EVs onshore over the next few years.

Pushing Indonesia’s 275 million population to shift from combustion engines to electric cars could also reduce the fuel subsidy burden on the state budget. This year alone, the government had to spend nearly US$44 billion on keeping local gasoline prices low, with each reduction in subsidies prompting widespread protests.


Bling meets muscle: Mercedes S-Class takes on Bentley as a Maybach

                STUTTGART: More length, more luxury, more bling: When Mercedes rolls out the S-Class as a Maybach later this year, the company's flagship will become a competitor to Rolls-Royce and Bentley — in other words: much more expensive.

From the outside, the Maybach stands out with a stately chrome radiator in a pinstripe design and, above all, with 18cm more wheelbase as length increases to 5.47m, according to the manufacturer.

At the same time, the Maybach also marks the return of the V12 engine in the top model. The S 680, which increases the price around a third, has a displacement of six litres and an output of 612hp.

This allows the saloon to reaches 100kph from a standstill in 4.5 seconds. Mercedes gives a top speed of 250kph and a thirsty fuel consumption rate of 13.3 litres (305 g/km CO2).

Alternatively, you can get a four-litre V8 with the S 580, which has 503 hp, a sprint time of 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 250kph. Fuel consumption is listed as 10.2 litres (233 g/km).

In addition to the performance, the luxury of the large saloon is to be defined above all by a new equipment package that comes with an extra charge.

Included in this is reclining chairs with massage functions, leg rests and folding tables in the rear, electric seat belt reminders for the rear seat passengers and, for the first time, electrically operated rear doors.

In addition, the cabin is set to be even more quiet thanks to particularly dense insulation, as well as additional noise suppression, Mercedes says.

When it arrives in the coming weeks, it's set to cost a minimum of €164,565 (RM822,000) in its home market in Germany — about €35,000 (RM175,000) more than the long-wheelbase version of the S-Class.


China tech giant Baidu to develop driverless car media

                BEIJING: Chinese search engine giant Baidu plans to develop a driverless car, according to domestic media reports, following in the footsteps of fellow technology firm Google.

Several Chinese technology firms, including e-commerce company Alibaba and WeChat messaging app provider Tencent, have announced plans for cars, shaking up the traditional industry in the world's largest auto market.

Baidu will work with a yet unknown auto manufacturer to introduce a driverless car by the end of this year, Wang Jin, a vice president of the company, was quoted by the Beijing-based Economic Observer as telling a conference on Sunday.

Baidu has previously worked on "semi-autonomous" cars with German automaker BMW.

Google of the United States is also developing a driverless car and has said it plans to test it on public roads this year around its headquarters in California.

Alibaba is planning an "Internet car" that would use technology to provide a better driving experience including e-commerce, digital entertainment, map and communications services.

Tencent also has plans for an Internet-connected car, while Chinese video streaming platform Letv plans an electric vehicle.

But analysts say details of the automotive visions of Chinese technology firms remain vague, and commercial production is unlikely.

Baidu's announcement follows a series of scandals.

The company was banned from competing in an international artificial intelligence competition next year after it was discovered that a team of researchers cheated this year.

And last month it said it had launched anti-corruption investigations into an unspecified number of its own employees after reports three department heads were being probed.


Tesla on Autopilot crashes into stopped truck in Pennsylvania, say police

                SAN FRANCISCO: A Tesla vehicle that was operating on its Autopilot software crashed into a stationary truck on a highway in Pennsylvania on Friday night, police said, adding to scrutiny of the automaker's driver assistance system.

The Tesla was travelling in the middle lane when it struck the rear end of a Freightliner semi-truck that was parked in the same lane and providing traffic control for a right lane closure, the Pennsylvania State Police said on Monday.

The police said the car lost control due to being on Autopilot, adding that the 18-year-old male driver was charged with "careless driving."

No injuries were reported, according to police.

Tesla, which does not have a public relations department, did not respond to a request for comment.

US regulators have been investigating a series of accidents where Tesla vehicles on Autopilot collided with parked emergency vehicles.

In February, a Tesla Model S crashed into a stationary fire truck in Walnut Creek, California, killing the car's driver and triggering an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Tesla says Autopilot enables a car to steer, accelerate and brake automatically within its lane, but those features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous.


Carsome welcomes new CFO

PETALING JAYA: Carsome, Southeast Asia's leading used-car trading platform, has officially announced the the appointment of Juliet Zhu as Chief Financial Officer.She brings extensive experience in growth strategy and capital planning, having worked in the investment industry across China, India and most of all, Southeast Asia.This includes most recently with Fosun RZ Capital, a Global Venture Capital (VC) under Hong Kong-listed multi-billion-dollar conglomerate Fosun Group, as well as other Southeast Asia-focused venture capital firms such as Jubilee Capital Management and Cento Ventures.Following Carsome's successful Series C funding in December 2019, the addition of Zhu will strengthen Carsome's regional leadership in the industry by expanding its ecosystem of products and offerings, including financing, warranty, and insurance.Carsome aims to be operationally profitable in Indonesia and Thailand by the end of 2020 and have achieved it in Malaysia since 2019."I have seen the growth of Carsome over the past few years, and I'm more and more convinced of the business model and the team. It's not a business for opportunists as it requires focus, perseverance, and lots of grunt work to build, and Carsome's team has proven their grit. I look forward to playing my part during this pivotal time in the industry and the company's history and will use everything I have to execute the vision we all believe in," said Zhu.


Application for 2016 Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup opens

                KUALA LUMPUR: Dorna Sports SL, the commercial rights holder for the motorcycling sport of MotoGP, has announced that application for its 2016 Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup (SAATC) has opened.

The application period is open till Aug 15 and invites those from Asia, Australia and New Zealand to apply for selection, aged between 12 and 20 (specifically born between Jan 1, 1995 and Feb 1, 2003).

The 2016 pre-selection event will be held at the Sepang International Circuit from Oct 20 to 21, before this year’s Shell Malaysia Malaysian MotoGP, and successful applicants will have the opportunity to get involved in one of the most exciting motorcycle race series in the world.

Currently, five Malaysians are competing in this year’s SAATC, who are 17-year old Adam Norrodin, 16-year old Azroy Anuar, 19-year old Fakhrusy Syakirin Rostam, 16-year old Helmi Azman and 19-year old Shafiq Rasol.

The SAATC was launched in 2014 and is designed to help bring through and develop the best young riding talents in the region by acting as a feeder series to the world of motorcycle racing.

It aims to give riders from Asia, Australia and New Zealand a formal path into the world of competitive road racing by helping to further their careers and skills.

“We are delighted to be launching the third edition of the Cup, a project designed to identify and develop the best young Asian talent, and make the sport more accessible to future riders,” said Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta.

For more information log on to www.asiatalentcup.com.


California allows startup Nuro to test driverless delivery vehicles

                SAN FRANCISCO: California’s Department of Motor Vehicles on Tuesday authorised autonomous technology startup Nuro to test two driverless delivery vehicles in nine cities, a decision that comes as coronavirus concerns lock down many in the state.

US companies that deliver groceries, household goods and take out food are scrambling to find drivers as well as ways to deliver with zero or minimal contact amid the virus outbreak.

Nuro, the second firm after Alphabet Inc’s Waymo to receive the state’s permit, has been allowed to test its low-speed R2 vehicle, about half the width of a regular car, without drivers. It has been testing autonomous vehicles on California’s roads with safety drivers since 2017.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has expedited the public need for contactless delivery services. Our R2 fleet is custom-designed to change the very nature of driving, and the movement of goods, by allowing people to remain safely at home while their groceries, medicines, and packages, are brought to them,” Nuro chief legal and policy officer David Estrada said.

The permit also means Nuro can begin conducting deliveries with its local retail partners, Estrada added.

Walmart Inc and Domino’s Pizza last year launched pilot delivery projects with Nuro in Houston.

The permit allows Nuro to test its vehicles in parts of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, including parts of Atherton, East Palo Alto, Los Altos and six other cities.

Nuro, a privately held robotics company based in Mountain View, California, was permitted by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in February to deploy up to 5,000 low-speed electric delivery vehicles in Houston without human controls such as mirrors and steering wheels.


Car-to-bike connectivity could help save lives

                PARIS: Connectivity between cars and motorcycles could significantly reduce the number of accidents involving two-wheelers. If all these vehicles could exchange information in real time, such as their precise location and speed of travel, it could alert drivers or even trigger certain functions such as automatic braking.

A study report by the MAIF Foundation in collaboration with UTAC CERAM Millbrook, a specialist in automotive development and certification testing, highlights the potential of inter-vehicle connectivity in the prevention of accidents, in particular collisions between cars and motorcycles.

For the study, several common accident scenarios were reproduced to test the effectiveness of V2X connectivity, where vehicles communicate with each other and exchange information in real time. In all cases, an audible alert is sent to both vehicles when there is a real risk of collision. If the driver of the car does not react, the automatic braking system is triggered. These calculations are based on the position, movement and speed of each of the vehicles studied.

The results showed that this could prevent many accidents, especially in highly frequent situations, such as when a car enters a turn and a motorcycle arrives in front or is behind the car in its blind spot, when the motorcycle is coming from the left or at an intersection when the bike is coming from the right.

These four scenarios alone account for 35% of motorcyclists injured in an accident with a car and 27% of those killed. In all the test scenarios, the car speed does not exceed 40kph and the motorcycle speed does not exceed 80kph.

At higher speeds, the warning may be sent too late and may not be able to prevent accidents occurring.

The V2X communication system is technologically ready, but it would need to be in widespread use in order to be truly effective. Moreover, the GPS must be particularly accurate for the system to work perfectly.


Bieber says sorry after he knocks Instagram star's custom BMW

                LOS ANGELES: If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all. Good advice there but it just went over Justin Bieber's head.

The singer had to apologise to 15-year-old Instagram vlogger Jojo Siwa after condemning the looks of her custom BMW 4 Series Convertible.

The open-top car was draped in pastel images of her and the words “Nickelodeon’s JoJo Siwa D.R.E.A.M. The Tour”. It was customised by West Coast Customer.

This is what Bieber said when confronted with the image of the car: “Burn it, Burn it.”

JoJo’s mum jumped to her defence, and told off Bieber: "@justingbierber burn your own things," along with a laughing crying emoji.

Bieber issued an apology on Sunday and tweeted: "@itsjojosiwa I have nothing against you it was the car and the colors I didn’t like I really hope you didn’t think it was malicious or mean-spirited."

The young vlogger with 7.6 million followers responded by posing with a cardboard cutout of Bieber in her car.

The caption read "burn it", a tongue-in-cheek retort to Bieber's comment.

Siwa's full name is Joelle Joanie "JoJo" Siwa.

She performed for two seasons on Dance Moms along with her mother, Jessalynn Siwa, and is notable for her singles "Boomerang" and "Kid in a Candy Store".

Siwa is known for for wearing big, colourful bows in her hair and used her fame to sell a line of JoJo's Bows to young girls.

Other merchandising ventures she has gone into include children's books, bedroom decor, a lookalike doll and other accessories.


This is the decisive factor in whether to buy a plug-in hybrid

                STUTTGART: There are now electric cars on the market that can travel up to 700km on a single charge, thanks to their giant batteries.

However, for many, this emission-free way to travel is out of reach financially. Is a plug-in hybrid the right compromise?

Some hybrids - half combustion engine, half electric car - are far more affordable, and on shorter journeys, they also drive only on electricity. For longer distances, they may have to resort to fuel.

The variety of hybrid models on the market has exploded in the past few years: From Audi to Ford and Hyundai to Mitsubishi and Volkswagen, more than two dozen brands have a version available.

Depending on each person's driving habits, petrol or diesel consumption can be reduced by 30 to 80 per cent with a plug-in hybrid, says the ADAC, Europe's largest motoring club. Part of that equation depends on the person also regularly charging the hybrid.

Constantin Hack, from Auto Club Europa (ACE), says plug-in hybrids are great for people who regularly drive only short distances as well as longer stretches over 200km - ie, weekend commuters.

Even someone who works in the development department at Mercedes-Benz admits that it makes little sense to get a plug-in hybrid if there's no opportunity to charge the vehicle when you're at home or at work.

However, if those charging capabilities are available, says Tom Hinsken, then it's possible to commute 50km to and from work every day without producing any emissions if your vehicle has an electric range of up to 100km, as with the Mercedes C 300e.

BMW is also working on models that can drive up to 100km on pure electricity. For potential buyers looking whether to buy a plug-in hybrid, daily mileage should play a big role in the decision.

Drivers who frequently see more than 30,000km on the highway are better off with diesel, says Wieland Bruch, a spokesman for BMW.

Diesel is often still the more efficient and lower-emission drive for frequent long-distance drives, says the ADAC.

One downside to plug-in models is that unlike pure electrics, there is often no fast-charging system, so the batteries have to be plugged in for several hours.

According to the ADAC, for short stops, such as during a typical shopping trip, only the batteries of Mercedes, Polestar, Land Rover and Mitsubishi can be fully recharged.

Buyers should not be confused by the WTLP figures cited for consumption, which are often quoted at around two litres per 100km, depending on the electric range.

The WTLP is a global harmonised standard that helps buyers compare different models, but fuel consumption values are usually much higher in everyday life.

Of course, that depends on how the car has used - something that Jens Dralle, who's in charge of testing and technology at a German industry magazine, has also observed.

During tests for the magazine, most plug-in hybrids come close to the synthetic WLTP average consumption figure. The cycle assumes 15,000km a year, 10,000 of which are short trips where the electric motor is used.

"Plug-ins don't consume more fuel per se, it very much depends on the driving distance," says Dralle.

"In addition, a hybrid usually drives more efficiently than a pure combustion engine, even with an empty battery, because there is always some energy left in the battery to at least drive as a normal hybrid," according to Dralle.

Not when accelerating, he says, but when driving at a leisurely pace on the motorway, for example.

The disadvantages of many hybrids is that they not only have a smaller boot, but depending on the model, can also weigh up to 400kg more than a car with just a combustion engine.

The decisive factor, in the end, is whether there is a charging infrastructure either at home or at work that allows the owner of a plug-in hybrid to take advantage of the car's electric component.


ZF introduces car safety breakthrough with bags of potential

                STUTTGART: Leading automotive supplier ZF is developing a new type of in-seat airbag that, when deployed, will stop an occupant from moving into the centre of a vehicle's cabin.

With the number of airbags already integrated within the typical modern car from the dashboard to the roof lining, adding yet another may not seem like the biggest of developments within the automotive world. But it's innovations like this that will help semi-autonomous cars become a reality, especially on roads where the vast majority of vehicles are still being driven by people, not algorithms and sensor arrays.

"The introduction of automated vehicles means occupant protection systems will evolve, not disappear," said Frank Laakmann, engineering director for occupant safety at ZF TRW. And even though most of us imagine being able to move around the car freely and do other things while in transit once these technologies become a reality, safety will still be a real issue and one that companies will have to address with new and novel solutions.

"Giving occupants more freedom requires new airbag concepts and seatbelts with additional functionalities," Laakmann explains.

This new airbag, which is designed to deploy from one side of a passenger seat and hold the occupant in place, rather than moving into the center of the car or striking the other front-seat passenger, is a first step towards this goal. What makes the system innovative is that it cushions the shoulder and head and as a result can keep the occupant in position without using the car's dashboard or center console as a secondary cushion.

The first real-world cars to boast genuine self-driving smarts aren't expected to appear until 2021. However, based on existing crash data, independent safety organization EuroNCAP is already considering how carmakers can further reduce the severity of injuries caused by side impacts.

"Euro NCAP is considering future testing protocols in the 2020 timeframe where far side impact protection will become an increasingly important influencing factor for side crashworthiness ratings," said Dirk Schultz, head of Inflatable Restraint Systems engineering for ZF's Active and Passive Safety Division.


Bentley Residences Miami to include vehicle lift and garages for up to four cars per apartment

                LONDON: Bentley Motors has recently announced that the Bentley Residences in Miami will offer all residents a four-car garage with space for EV charging points.

Access to these will be provided by an innovative "Dezervator" lift, named after the development partner Dezer Development, which can transport car and passengers from road to apartment in one move.

With a new virtual reality tour available, prospective residents can experience the Bentley Residences firsthand, including travelling via the Dezervator up to the in-unit garages.

Prices start from US$4.2 million (RM18.8mil) for an apartment within the Bentley Residences.

The Bentley Residences will feature four "Dezervators"; a unique elevator design, conceived by Bentley’s partners at Dezer Development, with the ability to transport cars to the top floor of the 749 ft building. Each lift features a hydraulic system which pinches a car by its tyres to pull it on top of a robotic shuttle system, which in turn transports a car up or down to the correct storey.

Riding the Dezervator, while seated in your car, is a unique experience – with the lower floors of the elevator shaft enclosed by glass offering a full panoramic view of the communal areas of the building.

Each resident will have a personal three or four-car garage within their apartment, complete with the option for EV charging amenities, offering private, convenient and secure storage for their car collections, right up to the 61st floor.

RFID stickers will be placed in all residents’ own cars, which will be automatically scanned on arrival into the building, triggering a sophisticated lighting system to guide the driver to the correct Dezervator to reach their own floor.

The technology in place recognises this ID and takes them directly to their residence, without the driver having to step out of their vehicle or even press a button.

Bentley Motors and Dezer Development announced their partnership in 2021, detailing plans for the first ever Bentley-branded residences, which will span 61 storeys and offer bay and ocean views from each finished apartment.

In 2022 the Sales Gallery opened close to the site of the future Bentley Residences, in Sunny Isles Beach, Miami, offering prospective buyers a chance to familiarize themselves with the architectural development.

Wireless connectivity will be available throughout the Bentley Residences, facilitated by a hot wire system with coverage within the Dezervators.

READ MORE:
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Volvo's entire product range electrified

                GOTHENBURG: Volvo debuted the hybrid version of the XC40 SUV, the final model in the brand's entire product range to become available with an electrified powertrain.

Volvo announced on Wednesday that the XC40 SUV is now available with the brand's new T5 Twin Engine hybrid system, in a move that officially electrifies the company's entire product range.

Every single model in the Volvo portfolio is optionally available as a plug-in hybrid - a first for the automobile manufacturing industry.

The XC40 is powered by a 180 hp 1.5-litre petrol engine paired with an 82hp electric motor which work together to generate an output of 262hp. The SUV can sprint from 0 to 100kph in 7.3 seconds.

The all-electric driving range provided by the 10.7kWh battery reaches up to 46km.

R-Design, R-Design Pro, Inscription, and Inscription Pro XC40 trims are available with the new hybrid powertrain. Volvo states that an all-electric version of the XC40 will join the range next year.


Byton offers sneak peek of production M-Byte's advanced interior

                NANJING: Chinese EV startup Byton has revealed three photos of the upcoming production M-Byte's interior; the creamy, quilted-leather cabin will feature a trio of touchscreens with the biggest one measuring in at 48-inches.

Despite showing off what the company described as the production M-Byte's cockpit at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, on Thursday, Chinese EV manufacturer Byton published a series of photographs displaying a restyled, cream-coloured cabin that makes the three massive touchscreens the focus of the front row.

The 48-inch touchscreen that has consistently graced the dashes of M-Byte concept models will be carried over into the production version.

While this dash-wide display is the centrepiece of the cockpit, it's accompanied by two additional touchscreens — a 7-inch Driver Tablet placed directly on the centre of the steering wheel and an 8-inch central touchpad that completely replaces the centre console.

Compared to the model shown at CES 2019, which had virtually no physical buttons, this version dons some on the armrests, flanking either side of the steering wheel's touchscreen, and on the dash.

The production M-Byte is expected to launch in China later this year and in North America and Europe in 2020.


Kesas motorcycle lane off-limits this weekend

                SHAH ALAM: The eastbound motorcycle lane heading to Kuala Lumpur on the Shah Alam Expressway (Kesas) will be temporarily closed to the public this Saturday and Sunday for upgrading works.

Kesas Sdn Bhd Public Relations Department, in a statement today, said that the closure is to enable the implementation of road surface repair works to improve the safety and comfort of motorcyclists on the expressway.

"The (motorcycle) lane from KM44.50 to KM45 at the Kinrara Interchange is closed on Saturday while the lane from KM24.30 to KM24.90 at the Kebun Interchange will be closed on Sunday.

"Kesas users are advised to exercise caution and adhere to road signs provided in the area. For any queries, they can contact the Kesas emergency line at 03-5633 7188 or visit www.kesas.com.my or its official Facebook and Twitter accounts,” read the statement.