Proton X70 scores with Malaysians

FEATURE

POWERFUL performance, good looks, state-of-the-art technology, plenty of safety features and proven reliability that is priced affordably – these are the reasons that contribute to the success of a passenger vehicle, and the best-selling premium SUV in Malaysia currently ticks all these boxes.

This SUV is none other than the Proton X70.

When it was first launched in December 2018, the X70 was received tremendously well.

So well in fact, that the SUV successfully set a Malaysia market record for most registrations by an SUV in its launch month.

Additionally, it was named Local Car of the Year, as well as Best Large-size SUV/Crossover (2-Row seating) by CarSifu during its Editors’ Choice Awards 2019.

We take a look at the reasons why the X70 deserves this popularity.

A Promise of Excellence

Proton has committed to not only upgrading existing service centres, but also ensuring that they are manned by friendly and knowledgeable staff who are capable of providing you with quality sales and after sales service by following a set of standard operating procedures.

This is done by implementing the Geely Global Customer Product Audit (GCPA).

With the GCPA, Proton and Geely are able to identify and rectify any possible issues related to design, parts quality and manufacturing aspects related to a vehicle even before it reaches the showroom.

Both Geely and Volvo have implemented the GCPA as part of its manufacturing process.

The result of the GCPA is clear in the X70 – an SUV that is of the highest quality and reliability.

This has been proven when nine units of the X70 embarked on an overland trip to China and back during the Malaysia-China Amazing Trip.

The trip was over 13,000km and took 33 days to complete; the owners of the X70s drove their SUVs over city roads, interstate highways, and even through hills, all without a single technical issue.

Upon their return, the owners of the X70s said that only regular maintenance was required at service centres along the route, further proving the reliability of this premium SUV.

Undeniable Popularity

To date, the X70 continues to be one of Proton's product stars.

Over 24,000 units were delivered, making it the cumulative sales leader for the overall SUV segment while also cementing its position as the best-selling premium and executive SUV.

The popularity of the X70 has also been vital in powering Proton to second place in Malaysia's automotive market.

In September, the Company garnered a 20.2% share of Total Industry Volume (TIV), the highest figure it has achieved in 66 months.

Exceedingly Intelligent

But ever wonder why the X70 so popular?

For starters, the core of the X70 – the Global Key User Interface (GKUI) is where it all begins.

Developed with a focus on intelligence and connectivity, the GKUI offers X70 owners to experience what a connected drive feels like.

The GKUI is able to connect to a 4G cellular network to download and display real-time data, such as the current weather and navigational data.

But what makes the GKUI impressive is the fact that it is able to understand voice prompts and perform numerous actions when it hears the now-iconic catchphrase “Hi Proton!”.

With this feature, X70 owners are able to wind their windows up or down, increase or decrease the volume, navigate to various locations, and more. Yes, you can also check the weather.

Exhilarating Performance

The Proton X70 is also not sluggish in the performance department.

This SUV is powered by a turbocharged 1.8L TGDi engine that is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission to deliver smooth acceleration in the city, while still being able to achieve cruising speeds on highways with ease.

Complementing this powerful engine is a suspension system that was tuned by MIRA UK to provide a safe, comfortable and enhanced driving experience with minimal nise, vibration and harshness (NVH).

Elevated Safety

If you’re sitting in, or driving an X70, you can rest assured that you’re in one of the safest vehicles today.
It has a 5-star ASEAN NCAP rating, and further enhancing the level of safety is the Advanced Driver Assistance System
(ADAS).

Thanks to ADAS, the X70 can automatically brake if it detects a possible frontal collision, automatically reduce speed to maintain a safe distance to the car in front when Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is enabled, and even monitor the car’s surroundings via the 360 degrees camera system.

Further adding to the overall safety of the X70 is the integrated Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, which constantly monitors the tyre pressure of the tyres in real-time and provides the driver with the information via the LCD meter combination.

All these features come packaged in a great-looking body that has a refined frontal design with an LCD meter combination, luxurious Nappa leather seats, power seats, and air purifier system, and a panoramic sunroof.

The X70 has changed the Malaysian SUV landscape.

Not only has this SUV uplifted the brand image of Proton, but it has also helped to renew public perception towards Proton.

And the partnership with Geely has only helped improve this as the latest automotive technology is now made available to Malaysian car buyers.


Book a Proton online, stand to win RM75,000 worth of TnG e-Wallet reloads

                PETALING JAYA: In conjunction with the upcoming National Day and Malaysia Day celebrations, Proton is running a "Dear Malaysia 2021" contest where Proton customers can participate and be in the running to win RM75,000 worth of Touch ‘n’ Go e-Wallet reloads.

To be in the running, contestants must first book a Saga, Persona, Iriz or Exora on the Proton website and register before Oct 31.

Contest Mechanism

> To enter the contest, visit Proton’s official Facebook page or official website https://www.Proton.com for more information

> You will be directed to https://www.Proton.com/en/find-a-car/overview
Select a car model. Fill up your personal details.

> Tick ‘Yes, let’s do it’ to join the Contest. Answer 2 questions and complete the slogan on the booking form.

Question 1:
What is the Proton brand tagline?

Question 2:
Proton has a presence in several overseas market.
True/ False

Slogan:
Proton and Malaysia are close to my heart because….

Once all the information is filled, click Submit.


BMW officially previews next Z4, 8 Series concept makes N. American debut

                SAN FRANCISCO: BMW unveiled the 8 Series and Z4 concept vehicles at Pebble Beach Concours on Thursday.

The Z4 marked its world premiere while the 8 Series celebrated its North American debut. Both concepts are previews of the series production cars set to be revealed over the course of next year.

The Concept Z4 Roadster adopts classical roadster design cues, such as a long wheelbase, a low-slung, stretched silhouette and a compact rear end, wraps them in a fresh package and a contemporary BMW design language.

A shorter bonnet and crisp overhangs ensure the driver sits closer to the centre of the car than in previous BMW roadsters. This gives the new proportions a focused, sporty and agile feel. The outline of the car follows a distinct wedge shape, which fills the BMW Concept Z4 with dynamism before it even pulls away. The large domes stretching out rearwards from the cabin integrate the function of rollover bars and provide a sporting conclusion to the low-to-the-road silhouette at the rear.

The BMW Concept Z4 Roadster is sporty and progressive BMW design study encapsulating the BMW Group’s vision of a modern roadster. According to Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design, “The concept expresses the new BMW design language from all perspectives and in all details. From the dynamic-looking front to the striking flanks to the clean-cut tail end: a few lines and the subtle interplay between surfaces are enough to generate a sense of power and emotion.”

In place of the customary bars, the inside of the kidney grille features elaborately designed mesh, whose vertical orientation recalls the sporty, functional kidney design of early BMW roadsters such as the BMW 328 Mille Miglia.

In a departure from the BMW norm, the Concept Z4 provides a vertical interpretation of the classical four-eyed headlight look, with two overlapping tubes on each side. The turn signal indicators point diagonally towards the kidneys from above. And the clamshell bonnet with stylised gill vents curves over the wheels, creating a seamless sweep over the front end.

In keeping with the focus on the essentials, all the controls are grouped into “function islands” to ensure the driver focuses on the business of driving. Trim elements inside the cabin are likewise minimalist yet classy. The cabin is applied with polished chrome accents and swish, hexagonal laser-cut motifs in the seats; carbon-fibre door sill finishers and embossed asymmetrical logos in the seats and instrument panel enhance the interior’s sporting profile.

The Z4 concept is also showcased with a new Energetic Orange frozen exterior paint finish that highlights the contrasts of light and shade in the surfacing, accentuating the #-D look of the exterior. The car is matched with 20-inch light-alloy wheels in a sporty bi-colour double-spoke design.

After an 18-year hiatus, the "8 Series" name returns to the BMW portfolio with the Concept 8 Series – a preview of the next 8 Series Coupe, slated for launch in 2018.

The Concept 8 Series displays new design ideas and form-building techniques. “The design of the BMW Concept 8 Series provides a fresh interpretation of iconic BMW styling cues,” said van Hooydonk. “A handful of crisp lines mark out clear surfaces, and the car’s volumes are powerfully sculpted. Together, these elements make a forceful statement and create a model brimming with character. In short, this is a driver’s car.”

“The number 8 and cars like the Z8 Roadster and i8 have represented the pinnacle of sports performance and exclusivity at BMW,”said BMW boss Harald Krüger. “This will be the next model in the expansion of our luxury-car offering and will raise the benchmark for coupes in the segment. In the process, we will strengthen our claim to leadership in the luxury class.”

BMW is also working on the M version of the model in parallel development with the standard 8 Series. Development is also under way of a race-spec car – the M8 GTE – to spearhead the return of BMW Motorsport to Le Mans. It is expected to make its race debut in the Daytona 24 Hours in late January 2018.

READ MORE: The BMW 8 Series details

The BMW Concept Z4


Safe drivers recognised

Cheah receiving the Prudent Driver Award from Acryl Sani during the Op Selamat award ceremony.
PETALING JAYA: An academician from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar) has been awarded the Prudent Driver Award from the police.

Faculty of Arts and Social Science Assoc Prof Dr Cheah Phaik Kin received the award from Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani during an Op Selamat award ceremony held at the Bukit Aman police headquarters.

Assoc Prof Cheah was among three recipients, with the other two being V. Munuganan and Mohd Firdaus Abd Hamid.

They each received a plaque and certificate.

The award was presented to motorists who consistently practise road safety and abide by the law on public roads.

All three winners also participated in a promotional video for the Op Selamat 17 road safety campaign.

“I am honoured to be selected as one of the winners.

“It gives me encouragement to continue abiding by road safety rules and regulations.

“I am also impressed by the clean track record of fellow recipients, who have been consistent in safe driving,” said Assoc Prof Cheah.

She also expressed gratitude to the police officers and volunteer reserve officers who worked around the clock, sacrificing their own holidays and time with their loved ones to ensure the safety of all Malaysians.

“It is a relief to know that police efforts have significantly reduced road accidents and deaths.

“These efforts and sacrifices are commendable,” she added.


BMW Group starts production of small-series hydrogen-powered model

                MUNICH: The BMW Group is starting production of its BMW iX5 Hydrogen model.

Manufacture of the small-series hydrogen-powered vehicle is taking place in the pilot plant at its Munich Research and Innovation Centre (FIZ).

The first ever Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) featuring hydrogen fuel cell technology has already completed an intensive programme of testing under demanding conditions during the development phase and will now be used as a technology demonstrator for locally carbon-free mobility in selected regions from spring 2023.

The BMW iX5 Hydrogen is being built in the BMW Group’s pilot plant at its Research and Innovation Centre here. This is the interface between development and production where every new model from one of the company’s brands is made for the first time.

Around 900 people work there in the body shop, assembly, model engineering, concept vehicle construction and additive manufacturing.

They each work on up to six vehicle projects simultaneously and are tasked with ensuring that both the product and the manufacturing process are ready for series production.

In the case of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen, specialists in hydrogen technology, vehicle development and initial assembly of new models have been working closely together to integrate the cutting-edge drive and energy storage technology.

BMW Group Plant Spartanburg in the USA supplies the base vehicles for the hydrogen model, which has been developed on the platform of the X5.

They are fitted with a new floor assembly in the pilot plant’s body shop that makes it possible to accommodate the two hydrogen tanks in the centre tunnel and under the rear seat unit.

The model-specific 12V and 400V electrical systems, high-performance battery, electric motor and fuel cell are all integrated during the assembly stage, alongside standard production parts.

Positioned in the rear axle area together with the high-performance battery, the electric motor is a product of the current, fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology also employed in battery electric and plug-in hybrid models from BMW.

The fuel cell systems located under the bonnet of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen have been manufactured at BMW’s in-house competence centre for hydrogen in Garching to the north of Munich since August this year.

Numerous components are produced exclusively for the hydrogen-powered SAV, including some made at the Additive Manufacturing Campus – the BMW Group’s competence centre for 3D printing – which also forms part of the pilot plant.

The BMW iX5 Hydrogen passes through all the customary stages of production, starting at the body shop then proceeding to the paint shop and assembly before ending with a final inspection of each individual vehicle.

Following this, every vehicle undergoes a comprehensive operational check at the BMW Group’s test centre in Aschheim.

The BMW iX5 Hydrogen combines all the benefits of a locally emission-free drive system with outstanding everyday usability and long-distance capabilities. This makes its hydrogen fuel cell technology an attractive complementary alternative to the battery electric drive system.

This is especially true for customers for whom short refuelling stops and long ranges are a must, as well as for regions still lacking an adequate charging infrastructure.

“Hydrogen is a versatile energy source that has a key role to play as we progress towards climate neutrality,” says Frank Weber, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Development.

“We are certain that hydrogen is set to gain significantly in importance for individual mobility and therefore consider a mixture of battery and fuel cell electric drive systems to be a sensible approach in the long term.

"Fuel cells don’t require any critical raw materials such as cobalt, lithium or nickel either, so by investing in this type of drive system we are also strengthening the geopolitical resilience of the BMW Group. Our BMW iX5 Hydrogen test fleet will allow us to gain new and valuable insights, enabling us to present customers with an attractive product range once the hydrogen economy becomes a widespread reality.”


Toyota revamps Crown range, with new models including SUV to be sold outside Japan

                MAKUHARI (Japan): Toyota Motor Corp unveiled four new models of its Crown range today, including a sport-utility vehicle (SUV) for the first time, seeking to reboot the 67-year-old brand as Japan branches out from its long love affair with sedans.

The 16th generation of the Crown will be sold outside Japan for the first time in earnest, with plans to reach about 40 countries and regions. The first new model will be a crossover that will be available in Japan around this autumn.

"The Crown was a symbol of Japan's affluence and Japanese pride. It was also a car that brought together Japan's world-class technology and human resources," said Toyota president Akio Toyoda during a presentation.

"The new Crown is filled with such Japanese underlying strengths."

The models will be released over the course of next year and a half, said Hiroki Nakajima, president of Toyota's mid-size vehicle company.

"Customers from around the world will now get a chance to drive this historic Japanese nameplate born out of passion, pride and progress," Toyoda said.

The four new models are a sedan, an SUV, a station wagon, and a crossover, which combines a sedan with an SUV. The crossover will be offered as a hybrid, while the powertrain of the other models has not been decided.

Reuters reported in April that the world's largest automaker by sales was aiming to launch an SUV version of the Crown.

The Crown, which debuted in 1955, was the first passenger car developed and built entirely in Japan, marking a pivotal moment in the country's rise to a global automaking giant.

It was also the first car Toyota exported to the United States, in 1958. Two years later, Toyota was forced to suspend exports as the Crown's engine wasn't capable of speeds needed on American freeways.

Toyota sold more than 200,000 of the sedans in 1990 at the height of Japan's economic boom, but by last year domestic annual sales had dwindled to 21,000.

Crown: Crossover type


Maserati to launch Grecale SUV on March 22

                MILAN: Stellantis' luxury brand Maserati said today it would unveil its new Grecale sport utility vehicle (SUV) on March 22 after its presentation was postponed last year.

The launch, initially scheduled for November, was moved to the spring of this year due to a global chip shortage.

The new model will be built at Stellantis' Cassino plant, central Italy, where the carmaker already produces Alfa Romeo's Stelvio SUV and the Giulia sport sedan.

Last week, Alfa Romeo unveiled its new Tonale compact SUV, whose launch was also originally expected at the end of 2021.


Smart hacks for saving electricity when driving an e-car

                BERLIN: If you drive an electric car, there are ways you can save electricity by paying attention to your driving style.

Drive with foresight and keep your distance from the car in front of you to avoid a lot of starting and stopping.

When you're in the town centre and the traffic is inching along, only accelerate gently so you can save the fuel and the battery, according to a German car association.

When braking, you can also use the car's recuperation mechanism: If you have an e-car and you take your foot off the gas, the engine responds by acting like a generator and feeds the braking energy back into the battery.

If you get good at this, you can get up to 20 per cent more range out of your vehicle in the city alone, say the experts.

Another tip is to drive mainly using just one pedal - as that can be sufficient to accelerate and decelerate.

Often, you can adjust the levels of recovery, to increase or decrease the braking effect.

When the road is clear, the best way to drive is to roll free - meaning the recuperation is switched off and you can sail along with the momentum you have, without having to accelerate.

Meanwhile if you know that you are likely to be mainly covering shorter distances, you can also opt for a smaller, lighter battery before you buy your e-car.

The reason is that the heavier your car is, the greater the amount of electricity it consumes. That also applies to what you pack in the boot - avoid unnecessary, heavy items in the back or the luggage rack.

There are other ways you can save electricity too.

Make sure the air pressure if right in the tyres. You can even raise this to up to 0.2 bar compared to the carmaker's recommendations to reduce your energy consumption.

If you identify features that consume a lot of power and only use them when strictly necessary, that will save energy too.

Consider only using interior, seat and steering wheel heating, or air conditioning, when needed, then switching them off again right afterwards.


PAC finds faults with 'flying car' project, including funding

                KUALA LUMPUR: The "flying car" project received funding of RM20mil from the government despite it being touted as a private project, says Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

In a report tabled today on the air mobility vehicle, the PAC said although the Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Redzuan Mohd Yusof announced that the project was privately funded, the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) approved a sum of RM20mil for investment in Aerodyne Ventures Sdn Bhd.

Aerodyne Ventures, the company developing the project, received the money in November.

"MIGHT, through Venture Tech Sdn Bhd, approved the investment in Aerodyne Ventures.

"It was acknowledged by the Economic Affairs Ministry that the funds were transferred to Aerodyne Ventures on Nov 1, 2019," said PAC in its report.

It added that the minister had openly promoted Aerodyne Ventures since February this year. However, the PAC said the government had not done due diligence on Aerodyne Ventures as to whether it had the financial, intellectual property rights, expertise or capacity to develop the project.

READ MORE:
'Flying car' test flight on Thursday closed to press, says minister
Boeing and Porsche partner to develop flying vehicle

"The PAC finds that the announcement on the 'flying car' development project by the minister was done too early without detailed planning or informing the Cabinet about it.

"The minister promoted the project as if it was a national project. The PAC found that this project is actually a private initiative," said the report.

Redzuan had also said Aerodyne Ventures would be using local technology to develop the project, but the PAC found that the prototype would be built in Japan as it had the ecosystem and facilities to build flying cars.

"The PAC also takes note that there are no laws currently on the monitoring and the usage of flying cars in Malaysia," said the report.

The PAC included its recommendations in the report, among them that there should be preparation and tabling of a complete Cabinet paper to get approvals on matters involving the rakyat.

"Planning and research must also be done thoroughly before a project is announced to the public so it does not give a negative perception or become a matter that can be criticised by society," said the PAC.

It also advised the Entrepreneur Development Ministry to have co-ordination and co-operation with other ministries, agencies, and departments in implementing any government programmes or projects before publicity was sought.

"The Entrepreneur Development Ministry is advised to do its due diligence before making any announcement and decision.

"Venture Tech also needs to do more monitoring on the spending done by Aerodyne Ventures to ensure the investment of RM20mil by Venture Tech is actually used for the purpose that it was approved for," said the PAC.

The PAC also asked the National Audit Department to conduct an audit on the RM20mil investment.

On Feb 26 this year, Redzuan said Malaysia's first "flying car" was expected to be unveiled this year. Although the minister had insisted on calling the vehicle a "flying car", it cannot transform into a roadgoing car like the Terrafugia. Aerodyne Ventures, in fact, said its project is actually a drone powered by four motors running off a lithium-ion battery.

In March, he told Parliament that the government's endorsement of the privately funded project was aimed at developing human capital.

Malaysians made fun of the "flying car" project on social media, with some asking if the model used to represent the expected car was made from KDK fans.


LG and VW to team up on connected car platform

                WOLFSBURG: The Volkswagen Group, whose car companies include Audi, Bentley, Skoda and Bugatti as well as VW, is partnering with South Korean tech giant LG Electronics in order to create the foundations for the connected car of the future.

Announced on Wednesday, the joint research and development program aims to create a digital platform that will seamlessly link the disparate elements of consumers' digital lives - from smart home devices and digital entertainment content, to real-time navigation, news and alerts - to their cars.

"LG Electronics and Volkswagen are teaming up to develop the next generation of connected car platform that allows wide integration with smart home services and adoption of open IoT connectivity technologies," said LG cloud centre chief Richard Choi.

"We think LG's expertise in smart technology together with Volkswagen's leadership in the automotive sector will revolutionise the way drivers interact with their vehicles."

According to VW, one of the most critical elements of the new platform will be how information and notifications are displayed or delivered and how content is accessed.

Cars will be ‘connected' long before they are truly autonomous, meaning that bringing these features to drivers needs to be done in a way that's not only simple and intuitive, but is also


2.3 million summonses worth RM340m issued in Johor

                JOHOR BARU: A total of 2.3 million outstanding summonses with an estimated value of RM340 million were recorded by the Johor police from 2014 to date.

Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said of the total, 109,758 summonses involved Singaporean drivers.

"So far, only 600,000 summonses have been settled. Among the highest traffic offences recorded were driving over the speed limit and ignoring traffic lights,” he told reporters after flagging off the Johor Police Ramah Mesra Programme convoy with Brother Motor at the Johor Police Contingent Headquarters here today.

He urged all traffic offenders to take advantage of the 50 per cent discount offers at traffic police stations in all district police headquarters in the state from 8.30am to 5pm, starting today until Sunday.

Meanwhile, he said the lorry driver who threw rubbish into Sungai Wak Rabun Batu 33 in Pontian, whose action was caught in a viral video recording, was detained at 7pm yesterday to assist in the investigation.

"His urine test came back negative but checks found that he has previous drugs and criminal records,” he said.

Kamarul Zaman added that the 52-year-old man was issued compound under Rule 52 LN 166/59 while his lorry was sent to Puspakom for inspection.

On the three-day convoy programme with Brother Motor, he said it would cover a distance of 734km and the goal was educate motorcyclists and advise them to ride safely and obey traffic rules.


Takata bidders, carmakers to meet this month, US$3b bid on table

                TOKYO: Bidders for Japan's Takata Corp will meet this month with the carmakers key to its survival to consider options, including a US$3 billion bid, at a gathering that could determine the future of the air-bag maker, people familiar with the matter said.

Takata is seeking a financial investor to help pay for huge liabilities from the world's biggest auto recall, with defective air-bag inflators linked to at least 15 deaths globally.

The meetings of the five bidding groups and carmakers, who are Takata creditors and customers, will take place late this month in New York, four people involved or briefed on the matter said today.

The bid from Japanese inflator maker Daicel Corp and US buyout firm Bain Capital, for more than 300 billion yen (US$2.9 billion), is backed by Takata's steering committee of Japan-based lawyers and consultants, said a person involved in the process and one who was briefed on the matter.

That is the highest bid for Takata, the source briefed on the matter said. Automakers asked to meet directly with bidders, the sources said, as differences over whether to put Takata through bankruptcy complicate the discussions. Its US$1.1 billion in capital is dwarfed by recall liabilities of some US$10 billion, according to industry estimates, let alone potential legal liabilities.

The tussle over bankruptcy is likely to delay by months earlier hopes to name a rescuer this month and complete Takata's restructuring plans this year, sources said last month.

Bidders include Sweden's Autoliv, a global rival for Takata in air bags, as well as a partnership between US parts supplier Key Safety Systems and private equity firm Carlyle Group, sources have said.

All five bidders last month presented restructuring plans that would force the air-bag maker to file for bankruptcy protection, people with knowledge of the process have said.

Some automaker customers oppose bankruptcy because they would have to swallow significant losses after shouldering the bulk of recalls costs, sources have said. Automakers are leaning towards Autoliv, the world's largest supplier of air bags, which has ramped up its production capacity of air-bag inflators to provide replacements parts as Takata has struggled to keep up, said a source briefed on the matter.

Toyota Motor Corp, Honda Motor Co, Nissan Motor Co and Volkswagen will attend the meetings, the sources said.

Also attending will be the steering committee, which is overseeing Takata's restructuring discussions, and investment bank Lazard Ltd, which is advising Takata on the bidding, they said.

Daicel, Bain, Autoliv, KSS and Carlyle declined to comment on matters related to Takata. A spokeswoman for Takata and Lazard declined to comment.

Bidders are trying to come up with a plan which will enable Takata to continue operating by drawing a line under its liabilities while also continuing to supply parts to the industry into the future.

Automakers around the world have been recalling vehicles containing more than 100 million Takata inflators after it was discovered that a chemical compound in their propellant can explode violently, especially in vehicles with years of exposure to hot, humid weather.

Increasing recalls and growing liabilities have increased financial pressures on the company which has been run by the founding Takada family since it was founded as a textile maker in 1933.

The parts maker has booked an annual loss in three of the past four years and been shedding assets to raise funds.


BMW announces special offers as it marks 20 years in Malaysia

                KUALA LUMPUR: BMW Group Malaysia is marking 20 years of its existence with special offers from now until June 30. It is also introducing a 20th anniversary logo to celebrate the occasion.

The offers are valid for all vehicles bought only within this month. This anniversary campaign introduces the following offers:

> One-year unlimited charging package with JomCharge membership: BMW Group Malaysia is offering a one-year Unlimited Charging Package through the JomCharge membership. This package is available to the first 300 customers, allowing them to enjoy unlimited charging benefits.

> BMW i Wallbox Programme: BMW Group Malaysia will install for free BMW i Wallboxes for electric vehicle customers looking for home charging solutions.

BMW's financial arm, BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia, also announced three financing options for selected BMW vehicles in 2023.

Customers are eligible for any one of the following options upon their purchase:

> Option A: Straight Line Interest Rates of up to 2.08% for loans on a three- to five-year tenure for newly-purchased BMW 218i GC M Sport, BMW 530e M Sport, BMW 530i M Sport, BMW X3 sDrive20i M Sport, BMW X3 xDrive30e M Sport, BMW X3 xDrive30i M Sport, BMW X4 xDrive30i M Sport and the BMW X5 xDrive45e M Sport with Laserlight.

> Option B: The BMW Easy Drive Cash Rebate Campaign provides rebates of up to RM 10,000 for all newly-purchased 2023 models, excluding the BMW 750e xDrive Pure Excellence, BMW XM, BMW XM Label Red and BMW iX M60.

> Option C: The BMW Special Easy Drive Campaign allows customers looking to buy selected BMW electrified models to enjoy low monthly instalments starting from RM3,999.00 a month.

Selected BMW electrified models include BMW iX xDrive 40, BMW iX xDrive 40 Sport, BMW iX xDrive 50 Sport and BMW i4 eDrive40 M Sport.

Beyond the new electrifying offerings available for customers here, the premium automaker has also made over 1,000 charging facilities available in its network so far, to enable better access to charging infrastructure for the growing EV community in Malaysia.

Access to these facilities is provided through partnerships with ChargEV,
Yinson Greentech, JomCharge, Gentari as well as new partners such as Shell Recharge with ParkEasy, ChargeN’Go, ChargeSini, Go To-U and FlexiParking.

Over 100 BMW i and MINI charging facilities are also available at most authorised dealerships, as well as partnering venues across the country.

To further facilitate rising EV ownership in Malaysia, the BMW High Voltage Expert Certification – one of the toughest certifications by the BMW Group, was introduced to high-voltage technicians from across the local dealer network in July 2022 – with an aim to cultivate more local experts in the field of electromobility with internationally-recognised standards.

The certified High Voltage Experts will be qualified to perform service and repair for some of the most advanced BMW i vehicles worldwide.

BMW Group Malaysia is also wooing its corporate customers during this time.

Throughout the month of June, corporate customers will be able to enjoy special offerings on the BMW iX xDrive40, BMW iX xDrive40 Sport, and the BMW iX xDrive50 Sport as well as a 4% discount on the BMW i4 eDrive40 M Sport.

Additionally, these customers are also entitled to the JomCharge 1-year unlimited charging package, the BMW i Wallbox Package as well as Wallbox Installation Support across all aforementioned models.

Under financial services, all corporate customers can receive Straight Line Interest Rates of up to 2.08% for loans on a three-to-five year tenure for newly-bought BMW X3 sDrive20i M Sport, BMW X3 xDrive30e M Sport, BMW X3 xDrive30i M Sport, BMW X4 xDrive30i M Sport, as well as the BMW Easy Drive Cash Rebate for all 2023 models except the BMW 630i GT LCI and the BMW X7 xDrive40i LCI.

Besides corporate customers, the offers are also open to registered financial services partners along with government and international chambers as well.


Chery Omoda 5 launched from RM108,800, Tiggo 8 Pro at RM159,800

                KUALA LUMPUR: Chery Auto Malaysia Sdn Bhd, the sole distributor of the China-based brand in Malaysia has officially launched its seven-seater Tiggo 8 Pro and Omoda 5 sports utility vehicles (SUVs).

The Tiggo 8 Pro is available in a single variant and has been priced on-the-road without insurance at RM159,800 while the smaller Omoda 5 comes in an entry-level C-variant at RM108,800 and a range-topping H-variant at RM118,800.

 Tiggo 8 Pro.

The company has effectively reset the country's warranty standards with an unprecedented seven-year warranty which includes a five-year free service.

Meanwhile, for the first 3,000 customers, a 10-year or one million-kilometre engine warranty is available.

For colour options, the Tiggo 8 Pro can be had in either Khaki White or Dark Black while the smaller Omoda 5 C gets to be draped in Khaki White, Dark Black or Phantom Grey.

The higher-specced H variant is further differentiated by the addition of red body stripes matched with two-toned (polished black with red stripes) alloys and is also provided with an exclusive Khaki White and Black body colour combination.

 Omoda 5.

The Omoda 5 SUV - effectively being the brand's first global vehicle, weighs in at 1,495kg (kerb) and has a 2,630mm wheelbase while measuring 4,400mm-long, 1,830mm-wide and 1,588mm-tall.

A 1.5-litre turbocharged engine gets its fuel from a 51-litre petrol tank to produce 156hp and 230Nm of torque which is delivered to the front wheels by a continuously variable transmission with nine virtual gears.

 Omoda 5.

Although the Omoda 5 rolls on 18-inch wheels with 215/55 series tyres, it does the century sprint (0-100kph) in 9.9 seconds before reaching a top speed of 191kph when in Sport-mode. Eco-mode is the other selectable drive mode and is activated upon start-up.

As standard, the Omoda 5 comes fitted with front MacPherson struts and a rear torsion beam for its suspension while LEDs are used for the main headlights, daytime runners and rear light clusters.

 Omoda 5.

Inside, the cabin gets faux leather and fabric combination upholstery, as well as dual-zone climate controls, keyless-entry with push-start button, remote-start engine functionality, a 15W wireless charger and a 10.25-inch touchscreen head unit with six speakers.

Bluetooth connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also included as standard.

 Omoda 5.

Another 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster makes the list of standard items and is accompanied by other amenities which include an automatic dimming rearview mirror, dynamic parking lines, front armrest cooler box and heated external mirrors.

The higher H variant builds on the C variant's specs with an eight-speaker Sony Premium Audio system while adding on a powered sunroof, exterior lighting effect and six-way powered driver seat.

 Omoda 5.

At the front and rear, the vehicle will display a special lighting sequence to welcome its driver upon unlocking while being equipped with sequential turning LEDs, illuminated welcome lights, a 360-degree camera system, front ventilated seats and a powered tailgate.

For safety, the Omoda 5 has been fitted as standard with six airbags, anti-lock braking system, electronic brakeforce distribution, brake assist system with brake over-ride system, electronic stability programme, hill-start assist, tyre-pressure monitoring system and hill-descent control.

 Omoda 5.

Further bolstering safety is the use of advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) which include lane departure warning, blind spot detection, emergency lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, front collision warning with vehicle detection, autonomous emergency braking system, automatic headlights, lane departure prevention and traffic jam assist.

The H variant gets extra goodies such as a six-way powered driver seat, ventilation for the front seats, red-striped wheels, front and rear Ceremonial lighting system, welcome lights, hands-free powered tailgate, powered sunroof and sequential turn signals before adding on speed limit assist traffic sign assist and a 360-degree camera system.

 Omoda 5.

The Tiggo 8 Pro, with its seven-seater arrangement, uses a larger 57-litre fuel tank for its 1,998cc turbocharged direct-injected engine to punch out 256hp and 390Nm of torque while a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission manages output to its front wheels.

With 19-inch alloys wearing 235/55 series tyres, it sprints from 0 to 100kph in 8.4 seconds before reaching a top speed of 200kph for this 1,711kg (kerb) SUV with a 2,710mm wheelbase and measuring 4,722mm-long, 1,860mm-wide and 1,705mm-tall.

 Tiggo 8 Pro.

In Eco mode, this SUV has been rated to consume 7.4 litres per 100km, while also providing other drive modes such as Normal and Sport.

Standard equipment includes LEDs for its welcome lights, front automatic headlights, daytime running lights and rear light clusters.

 Tiggo 8 Pro.

Also included are roof rails, auto-folding powered exterior mirrors with auto-fold function and integrated turn signals, remote engine-start functionality with cooling function and a powered panoramic sunroof, among others.

The interior is also fitted with a multi-colour ambient lighting system along with dual-12.3-inch unified screens paired with a 540-degree panoramic camera system that provides dynamic guidelines when reversing.

 Tiggo 8 Pro.

Other notable mentions comprise powered front seats with ventilation and memory function, keyless entry with push-start button, remote engine-start system with cabin cooling function, dedicated third-row climate controls, hands-free powered tailgate, voice assist function and a 50W wireless charger.

In the safety department, the Tiggo 8 Pro comes with all of the Omoda 5 H's standard and ADAS safety features with the only difference being the addition of a door open warning system thrown into the mix. Tiggo 8 Pro.

At present, there are over 30 sales and service outlets located nationwide. The company aims to increase this number to about 70 outlets by the end of next year.

The company also plans to launch the Omoda 5 electric vehicle and Tiggo 7 Pro next year as well.

Present at the event were Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, InvestKL chief executive officer Datuk Muhammad Azmi Zulkifli,  Chery International vice-president and Chery Malaysia president Shawn Xu, and other VIPs.

 Tiggo 8 Pro.

"Chery strongly believes that the prospects of the Malaysian automotive market are highly potential and the company is committed to growing together with it," said Xu.

Meanwhile, Tengku Zafrul said Asean's electric vehicle (EV) market was forecasted to grow by almost 33% per annum to US$2.7bil (RM12.6bil) by 2027.

He praised Chery's plan to invest an initial capital of RM170mil for their expansion into the country and introduce its Omoda 5 EV next year.

 Tengku Zafrul (third from left) and Xu launching the models with a touch pad.

"Mass electrification from the automotive sector fits in well with our national ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) along with a net-zero agenda from the manufacturing industry’s perspective," said Tengku Zafrul.

He added that the introduction of Chery's EV would support the country's efforts to decarbonise the economy while contributing to the growth of the country's EV market.

"We are also proud that Chery has chosen Malaysia as the regional hub for right-hand drive vehicles for their Southeast Asian and Oceania markets," he said

The minister added that the company's expansion here would help provide 4,000 high-paying and high-skilled jobs for Malaysians over the next five years.

For more information, log on to www.chery.my.


World Car of the Year finalists announced

The Q2 is one of three Audi models nominated for 2017.
ONTARIO: The list of contenders for one of the industry's most prestigious prizes has been cut down to 10 European and Japanese finalists.

The ballots have been cast and the votes of 75 automotive journalists from around the globe have been counted. When the 2017 World Car of The Year award is presented on the eve of the New York International Auto Show, on April 13, a representative from Audi, Fiat, Honda, Jaguar, Mazda, Skoda, Toyota or Volkswagen will be accepting the trophy.

This year's shortlist is made up almost entirely of European marques, with just Toyota (nominated for the C-HR), Honda (Civic) and Mazda (CX-9) breaking up the monotony.

As well as seven European cars, three of which are Audis, seven of the 10 finalists are also either crossovers or SUVs, leaving one two seat convertible (Fiat 124 Spyder), one coupé (the Audi A5) and one hatchback in the form of the Honda Civic.
The list in full:
Audi A5 / S5 Coupé
Audi Q2
Audi Q5
Fiat 124 Spyder
Honda Civic
Jaguar F-PACE
Mazda CX-9
Skoda Kodiaq
Toyota C-HR
Volkswagen Tiguan


Energy-intensive, too expensive? The long road to the hydrogen car

                MUNICH: The electric mobility revolution is in full swing but there is another way to power cars besides fossil fuels or electric batteries - hydrogen.

While some manufacturers like Audi and Mercedes are entirely focused on going electric, other carmakers are also investing in hydrogen fuel cell technology as it has some clear advantages. However, experts are sceptical about whether the trend will ever really take off.

Toyota and Hyundai are already well advanced in the field and German carmaker BMW will soon launch a small series of a new vehicle, the iX5 Hydrogen, looking to gain experience with the technology and keeping open the possibility of selling such cars in high numbers one day.

"We are already thinking about a possible next generation," BMW chief executive Oliver Zipse has said.

China, meanwhile, wants to have 1 million hydrogen cars on the road by 2030, and Japan and South Korea also see potential in the technology.

An alternative to battery power

BMW plans to sell half of its cars with battery power by 2030 but given the scarcity of the crucial raw materials needed for e-mobility and the still low number of public charging stations at the moment, the autogiant doesn't want to put all its eggs in one basket.

Hydrogen is "the missing piece of the puzzle that can complete e-mobility where battery-electric drives will not prevail," according to Zipse.

Toyota is supplying BMW with the fuel cells for the iX5 Hydrogen. The series will consist of less than 100 vehicles that will be tested by drivers in everyday use in Europe, the US, Japan, South Korea and China.

However, German industry expert Stefan Bratzel is sceptical about hydrogen-powered cars, saying a rapid ramp-up of the technology is not feasible.

"We're talking about long periods of time. That won't help us over the cliffs of the next few years," says the head of the CAM-Autoinstitut in Germany, adding that the technology "is a costly business."

Hydrogen generated with wind and solar power can be burned directly in a petrol engine. Porsche, Toyota, Mazda, Subaru, Kawasaki, and Yamaha are already working on this.

Alternatively, a fuel cell in the car can generate electricity from hydrogen that is then used to power an electric motor. Asian carmakers Toyota and Hyundai already sell such vehicles, and Chinese manufacturer Changan has just started series production.

Hydrogen needs a lot of energy

For Bratzel, the most weighty argument against hydrogen cars is "the high energy input needed for producing hydrogen." On the way from electricity to hydrogen and back to electricity, much of the energy is lost, he explains.

It's true that hydrogen is well suited as a storage medium for surplus electricity and can also be transported over long distances, Bratzel says. "That is of course an advantage but you also have to keep an eye on the costs."

Another argument against hydrogen is the cost of creating the necessary infrastructure. In Germany, for example, there are currently only about 100 hydrogen filling stations. If cars are to refuel with hydrogen, the network would have to become much denser.

Even for the Hydrogen Council, a global CEO-led initiative of more than 100 large energy, transport, industry and investment companies, the battery-powered electric car is still the way to go, crucial for decarbonisation and a mainstream solution for moving away from fossil fuel-powered cars.

However, if 10% of the car fleet were to run on hydrogen that would reduce the demand on the power grid, a saving that would offset the cost of hydrogen refuelling stations, according to the initiative.

For drivers, a hydrogen vehicle offers advantages that they are already familiar with from petrol and diesel cars, Zipse said, namely fast refuelling and a long range.

Former VW chief executive Herbert Diess once called hydrogen the champagne of the energy transition. Just as with expensive bubbly, Zipse is "convinced that there is a market for fuel cell cars in Europe in the premium segment too."

However, e-cars with batteries are likely to remain the cheaper option when it comes to small and mid-range cars rather than fuel cells, Bratzel says.


Renault's de Meo calls on FIA to allow EVs to compete in rallies

                PARIS: Renault boss Luca de Meo on Monday called on the International Automobile Federation (FIA) to permit electric models to compete in rallies so the French carmaker's new Renault 5 Turbo unveiled at the Paris Motor Show could race.

The car designed by Laurens van den Acker - nearly 400hp with two electric motors - is so far a simple concept car built along the lines of the Renault brand's R5 from the 1980s, produced only for demonstration.

However, it could be further developed for rally use if the rules were changed to allow it to take part.

"We have almost found the technical solution to do this, we just have to find the place in the budget," de Meo said at the auto show here.

"But if business goes better than expected, maybe we could afford to develop it? It would be perfect to make it top of the range at Renault."

"The dream is... to fight for a world rally championship," Renault's CEO added. "So the FIA ??should review the regulations to authorize pure electric vehicles."


Italy nears decision on revoking toll road concessions

Explosive charges blowing up the eastern pylons of Genoa's Morandi motorway bridge on June 28. The remnants were destroyed almost 11 months after its partial collapse during a storm killed 43 people and injured dozens. — AFP
MILAN: Italy will soon make a decision about revoking highway concessions, a move that will likely raise further tensions with Autostrade per l’Italia, the company that operates more than half of the country’s aging toll roads.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said the government was close to ending a review on the revocation process sparked by a deadly bridge collapse, as he set out his priorities for next year.

A legal decree in the works aims to prevent the government from having to pay out billions of euros in compensation to autostrade, even if the company asks to end its concession, according to the latest draft seen by Bloomberg News.

"Victims of Morandi bridge claim justice and reports attesting insufficient maintenance don’t leave us indifferent,” Conte said Saturday during a press conference in Rome.

"We don’t want to give discounts to any private individual, we want to protect the public.”

Since the bridge collapsed 16 months ago near Genoa on a motorway operated by Autostrade, a unit of the billionaire Benetton family’s Atlantia SpA, the owners have been trying to head off government efforts to revise contracts for what is a lucrative business.

The disaster killed at least 43 people, angering the public and sparking conflict between Conte’s administration and the companies that run the nation’s roadways.

On Dec. 22, autostrade told the government it was ready to give back its highway concessions if the provisional legal change is confirmed. Spokesmen for autostrade and the government declined to comment on the draft decree.

2020 goals

Conte said other goals for next year include simplifying bureaucracy and decreasing the tax burden. The economy will grow thanks to a "strong infrastructure plan” involving Southern Italy, he added.

Still, the government coalition he leads is facing several internal tensions.

During the press conference, Conte unveiled Lucia Azzolina as his next appointment for education minister, after the last one Lorenzo Fioramonti resigned over a lack of funding for the education sector.

He is also making Gaetano Manfredi the university and research minister.


1978 March BMW 782 returned to former glory

                LONDON: A Munich-based museum’s 1978 March BMW 782 F2 car recently underwent a full restoration process and subsequently took to the Silverstone track for a shake down session before debuting at the upcoming Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The car, weighing roughly 500kg, is powered by a 2.0-litre 310hp engine and is owned by BMW Museum AG commissioned Cars International to restore and race prepare the car before returning it to Munich, Germany.

Cars International is renowned as experts in the sales and preparation of historically important F1 cars and the company’s funder and former racer Paul Osborne took it through its paces on the track despite experiencing torrential rain conditions.

“It is perfect, unlike many cars from this era, it feels a part of you. The engine is brilliant. So is the handling, even in the monsoon like conditions… when a car has been restored and rebuilt by World Championship winning Formula 1 engineers, it is as we expected,” said Osborne.

After the shake down, BMW engineers were impressed enough to allow the car to run in the forthcoming Goodwood Festival of Speed, where second in the 1978 F2 European Championships Marc Surer will be the guest driver to pilot the car.

It was Bruno Giacomelli, Surer’s teammate, who took the championship and emerged top in the standings – both drivers dominated the season9 that year


Volkswagen Cares Programme begins

                KUALA LUMPUR: Volkswagen Malaysia has launched it first Volkswagen Cares Programme - a series of free car workshops exclusively meant for owners of the German brand.

The first workshop was conducted at Volkswagen Wearnes Sg Besi where a total of 12 Volkswagen owners were in attendance.

 Volkswagen Wearnes Sg Besi presenter speaks about fuel saving tips

During the workshop, topics covered included safety, fuel saving tips, child safety steps, what to do in emergency situations as well as the different features available in Volkswagen vehicles.

Furthermore, trained aftersales technicians conducted a hands-on demonstration about basic maintenance tips and simple self-checks.

 Hands on demonstration being conducted

The free quarterly programme was developed to help boost the ownership experience, which will be initiated and conducted by participating Volkswagen dealers for their customers.

"Volkswagen Malaysia is proud to announce this initiative as we believe that by empowering our owners with the right knowledge, awareness and education paired with the brand's effort, we will be able to enhance the overall ownership experience for our customers," said Volkswagen Group Malaysia managing director Armin Keller.


Bosch to offer lower-cost sensors for self-driving cars

                STUTTGART: German automotive supplier Robert Bosch said today it has developed a sensor that lets cars “see” a three-dimensional view of the road, aiming to lower the cost of technology that could speed the development of self-driving vehicles.

Privately-held Bosch said the internally-developed lidar sensor, which it will show at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week, will cover both long and close ranges on highways and in the city and will work in conjunction with the company’s camera and radar technologies.

Lidar technology, which uses light-based sensors to generate a three-dimensional view of the road, remains a relatively young technology that is still in flux.

In its current form, it is too expensive for mass market use, but if a cheaper lidar sensor were widely adopted, it could provide more depth data that would allow self-driving cars to detect the distance to other road users like pedestrians.

While numerous start-ups are working on lidar, the involvement of large and trusted suppliers like Bosch could help speed adoption of the technology.

“Bosch is making automated driving a viable possibility in the first place,” Bosch management board member Harald Kroeger said in a statement.

Initially using bulky spinning devices placed on the roof of cars, lidar developers have transitioned to more compact solid-state devices that can be mounted on other parts of a car, such as near the headlights. These now sell for less than US$10,000 in limited quantities, but analysts say they must sell for as little as US$200 in mass production to become commercially viable.

Bosch did not provide a timeline, pricing or technology details for its lidar, but a spokesman said the company is working on making the sensors “production ready” and the focus will be on “affordable mass market” technology.

The spokesman declined to say whether Bosch already had auto customers for the sensor.

The development of self-driving cars has hit a speed bump as costs and regulatory concerns cause automakers and tech companies to rethink their plans.

Lidar is currently used by companies including General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co and Alphabet Inc’s Waymo. Apple Inc also is evaluating the technology.

Others are less enthusiastic about adopting lidar, citing high cost and limited capabilities - including Elon Musk’s Tesla Inc and Nissan Motor Co Ltd.

Last April, Musk called lidar “a fool’s errand” that was too costly and said anyone relying on the technology was “doomed.” Tesla vehicles rely on cameras and radars as their vision system for self-driving.

Hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested in lidar start-ups over the last few years.

Other major suppliers developing the technology include Valeo, Aptiv, and Continental. Last July, Valeo said it had won €500 million worth of orders for its lidar sensor products.


Lose your driving licence if you earn 100 'reward' points from JPJ system

                PUTRAJAYA: Rack up 100 points under the Road Transport Department's (JPJ) new demerit points system and you can kiss your driving licence goodbye.

Errant motorists will also be subjected to incremental penalties for every 20 points, ranging from a warning to having their licence suspended for varying periods.

JPJ director-general Datuk Seri Nadzri Siron said the Kejara system will be enforced from April 15 for two offences: speeding and running a red light.

Running a red light will earn offenders four points for private vehicles, and six points for commercial vehicles such as buses and lorries.

"Buses and lorries pose a greater risk to the public and need to be held to a higher degree of responsibility," Nadzri added.

For speeding, the demerits range from two to four points for private vehicles, depending on how much the speed limit was exceeded by. For commercial vehicles, it ranges from four to six points.

The first 20 points accumulated would earn the offender a warning; the next 20 points, a six- to eight-month suspension of their driving licence; the third, an eight- to 10-month suspension; the fourth, a 10- to 12-month suspension; and the fifth, for a total of 100 points, would result in their licence being revoked.

Nadzri said a licence could also be revoked if the offender gets suspended from driving three times within five years.

Those on a learner's permit are on an even shorter leash; getting 20 points will result in the immediate revocation of their licence.

"The system is not to punish drivers, it's for their own safety. We want to take habitual offenders off the road and reduce traffic accidents," Nadzri said during a press briefing at JPJ headquarters here Thursday morning.

Kejara would be integrated with Automated Enforcement System (AES) cameras as part of the Automated Awareness Safety System (Awas), which was introduced on April 1.

Nadzri said the Kejara system had been implemented in many developed countries including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Germany and Singapore, and yielded significant results in improving compliance and reducing the number of road accidents and fatalities

He said the demerit points would be logged once offenders paid their compounds or were convicted in traffic court.

He added that those who did not pay on time or make their court dates would automatically be penalised.

"Those who get enough demerit points to warrant a warning, suspension or revocation will be given notice," he said.

Any suspension or revocation would take effect immediately after offenders hand in their licence at a JPJ office, or 21 days after the notice was issued.

Those who are convicted of further traffic offences while their licence is suspended or revoked can be fined between RM3,000 and RM10,000, or jailed a maximum of three years.

Those whose licences are revoked may reapply for one after a 12-month cooling-off period.

Nadzri said those who have fewer than 20 demerit points may attend a rehabilitation course and 50% of the demerit points will be removed after they pass the course.

"Those who do not commit a traffic offence for a one-year period from their last offence are also eligible to a 50% demerit point removal incentive," he said.


Autoliv to expand steering wheel production with second plant in Mexico

                DETROIT: Automotive safety systems manufacturer Autoliv, Inc. today announced plans to build a new steering wheel plant in Aguascalientes, Mexico.

Autoliv Americas president Kevin Fox said the expansion was to meet growing customer demand.

Construction of the new facility is planned to begin in June and Autoliv expects the new plant to be operational by January 2022. Once completed, the 30,000 sq m facility would have capabilities that include armature casting, plastic and polyurethane injection molding, leather preparation and wrapping, final assembly, testing, and development.

It would also create up to 3,000 jobs.

Steering wheels are an integral part of vehicle safety restraint systems and play an important role in allowing the driver to operate a vehicle safely. The wheel itself is designed to absorb energy in a crash and the centre unit is where the driver airbag is mounted.

Over time, many vehicle controls and driver warning systems have been mounted on the steering wheel to provide greater comfort and control over the vehicle.

Autoliv is the world's leading producer of steering wheels for passenger vehicles. It has 16 manufacturing and assembly sites and four technical centers around the world that produce more than 20 million steering wheels annually.

Autoliv also operates a second plant in Matamoros, Mexico.


New Hyundai Kona N coming in hot

                LONDON: Hyundai Motor has confirmed that the next member of its high-performance N range will be the all-new Kona N.

The model will be the first high-performance sports utility vehicle (SUV) for Hyundai.

“We’re excited to expand the recipe for success we’ve developed with the i30 N and, most recently, with the i20 N to one of our most popular SUVs on the market today -  Kona,” says Hyundai Motor Europe vice-president (marketing & product) Andreas-Christoph Hofmann.

“The addition of Kona to the N family will bring our high-performance brand to the next level.”

The all-new Kona N will be available with an eight-speed wet dual-clutch transmission, known as N DCT.

Combined with its 2.0-litre turbo engine, it is sure to deliver a powerful and nimble driving experience.

As with other N models, the all-new Kona N will be equipped with a variety of high-performance driving features such as Launch Control and an emotional sound experience.

“The all-new Kona N is the first ‘hot SUV’ from the N brand,” says Till Wartenberg, vice-president and head of N Brand management and motorsport sub-division at Hyundai Motor Company.

“As a ‘hot SUV’, it will have plenty of versatility as well as the driving pleasure like any other N vehicle. Enthusiasts will enjoy taking this car anywhere; from road to the track.”

Hyundai’s high-performance brand N, which ventured into the high-performance field with its i30 N, is planning to expand its line-up in 2021.

Especially with more diversified segments in its line-up, like the i20 N and the upcoming Kona N, the N brand will provide fun-to-drive vehicles that befit any kinds of consumers looking for driving pleasure.

More details will be announced in the coming weeks.


Toyota GR Supra gets first 4-cylinder turbo engine

                DAYTONA, Florida: For 2021, the six-cylinder GR Supra 3.0 models leap ahead with a power boost and retuned chassis, while a new GR Supra 2.0 four-cylinder turbo model joins the line.

The first 1,500 Mk. V Supras were Launch Editions, and for 2021 Toyota is offering 1,000 new A91 Editions. This special edition Supra will have the 3.0-liter inline-six-cylinder engine.

On the 2021 Supra 3.0 Premium and A91 Edition, the front Brembo brake calipers are painted red and feature the “Toyota Supra” logo.

For 2021, Toyota is keeping the pedal down, boosting output of the Supra’s turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six from 335 hp at 5,000-6,500 rpm to 382 hp at 5,800-6,500 rpm, a 14-percent increase.

Torque rises from 495Nm at 1,600-4,500 rpm to 499Nm at 1,800-5,000 rpm.

The 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters carries over for 2021.

Seeking increased roll resistance and enhanced cornering stability, Toyota retuned the Supra 3.0 chassis, adding lightweight aluminum braces that tie the strut towers to the radiator support to increase lateral rigidity, along with front and rear bump stops and new damper tuning.

Revised programming for the electric power steering (EPS), Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Active Differential works in concert with the hardware changes to make the 2021 Supra more stable through quick transitions, such as compound turns.

Meanwhile, the 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine shares much of its technology with the 3.0-liter inline-six, including a twin-scroll turbo, direct fuel injection and continuously variable timing on both the intake and exhaust camshafts.

The variable intake valve lift system adjusts intake valve timing and duration.

The bottom line is 255 hp at 5,000-6,500 rpm and a stout 400Nm peak torque at 1,550 to 4,400 rpm.

The Supra 2.0 uses the same 8-speed automatic transmission as the 3.0-litre.


Alpine announces Première Édition

                PARIS: Alpine, the resurrected French sportscar maker, is clearly very confident that its upcoming return to the roads after a 20-year sabbatical has got keen drivers and keen collectors excited.

Despite the fact that the new Alpine is yet to be unveiled or even have little things like its engine size confirmed, the company is offering 1,955 people the chance to purchase a Première Édition, and to do so via a bespoke smartphone app.

Available for Android and iOS, the app will allow users to make a €2,000 (RM9,350) deposit, to choose whether their car is finished in blue, white or black, and to pick which of the cars in the 1,955-model run they want. That number will be displayed on a dashboard-mounted plaque.

"The interest that the announcement of Alpine's return has generated across the globe inspired us to give sports car enthusiasts and Alpine fans early opportunity to reserve the new car. The Première Édition versions of the new model will be the first to come off the line, and we wanted to allow Alpine fans to choose the number of their car," said Alpine's Managing Director Michael van der Sande.

French automotive giant Renault, which owns the Alpine brand, has adopted the mantra "slow and steady wins the race" in its approach to breathing new life into the once great company. It's taken 10 years to get from initial idea to the Première Édition, partly due to shelving plans following the financial crisis, but partly because when the Alpine does go on sale, it won't be competing for sales with the Ford Focus RS or the Toyota GT86 - it wants the Porsche Cayman's traditional customers.

"Alpines made such a mark because of the elegance of their designs, their nimble handling and their memorable successes in world class motor racing and rallying," said van der Sande.

So it has the same racing legacy - Alpine's on-track record stretches back to 1955 when the company was founded. And the new model, like the current Porsche Cayman, will have rear-wheel drive and a mid-mounted engine. What's more, the company has finally confirmed that this motor will enable the car to go from 0-100kph in 4.5 seconds.

However, even with the bespoke app installed and the deposit paid, potential owners still have no idea how many cylinders that engine has or if it's turbocharged. All Alpine is saying about the launch model is that it will have "exclusive appointments" and will cost between €55,000 and €60,000 (up to RM281,000).

As for the standard production model, expect to see it finally make its official debut at the 2017 Geneva motor show this March. Sales are expected to start at the end of 2017 in Europe and Asia.


2017 Perodua Myvi launched: All you need to know

HIGHLIGHTS

> Perodua Myvi prices between RM44,300 and RM55,300
> 5-star Asean NCAP safety rating
> 5,000 bookings and counting
> 78% of bookings for 1.5-litre variants
> Granite Grey most popular colour
> Standard 5-year/150,000km warrantyPUTRAJAYA: The 2017 Perodua Myvi offers more space, better performance, lower fuel consumption, and improved comfort and safety features.

It comes in five variants, consisting of three 1.3-litre and two 1.5-litre models.

The entry-level Myvi is the 1.3-litre Standard G grade (five-speed manual and four-speed automatic variants).

This is followed by Premium X grade (1.3-litre), and High and the flagship Advance grades (both 1.5-litre) - all fitted with automatic transmissions only, and the Eco Idle engine start-stop feature.

The 2017 Myvi has an impressive list of comfort and safety features, including automatic braking.

Malaysian-centric features of the car include the built in toll reader, which is a first for Perodua and an anti-theft hook which made its debut in the Perodua Axia in 2014.

 Built-in toll card reader.

Standard across the range are LED headlamps with follow-me-home function and headlamp levelling, LED rear combination lamps with light guides and Smart Entry with Push Start.

All Myvi variants get ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC). The 1.5L variants come with six airbags while four airbags are standard on 1.3L variants.

 Dashboard - Myvi Advance.

Six colours are available – Ivory White, Glittering Silver, Mystical Purple, Lava Red, Peppermint Green (new colour, 1.3L variants only) and Granite Grey (new colour, 1.5L variants only).

A 5-year/150,000 km warranty is offered as standard throughout the range.

Design with Jazz, Swift and Polo as benchmarks

The 2017 Myvi was benchmarked against the Honda Jazz, Suzuki Swift and Volkswagen Polo during its design and development stage.

The underbody uses a Daihatsu platform, and a Perodua team designed the entire upper body, which looks sleek and aerodynamic.

Development work for the new Myvi, including a market survey on what consumers wanted from a compact car, started in 2014.

 Myvi 1.5 Advance.

Many in the Perodua design team were fresh graduates, in order to ensure their design ideas were not influenced by past work on the current crop of Perodua cars.

"The localisation rate for the new Myvi is the highest among Perodua cars - more than 90 per cent," said Perodua president and CEO Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh, adding that it is the third transformation model designed by Perodua, after the Axia and Bezza.

Aminar said the entire upper body design is not based on any existing Daihatsu or Toyota models.

"If for Bezza, we developed 80 per cent; this one (Myvi), we developed 99.99 per cent. I am very proud of my team," he told reporters.

 Myvi 1.5 Advance.Engines
• New 1.3 and 1.5 litre Energy Efficient Vehicle (EEV) engines with Dual VVT-i.
• Built at Daihatsu Perodua Engine Manufacturing Sdn Bhd in Sendayan, Negeri Sembilan.
• The aluminium-block engines are lighter, more efficient and meet Euro 4 emission standards.

Aerodynamics
• Lower height, air spats, semi-flush rear spoiler, aeroslim wipers contribute towards a drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.296.
• This is an improvement over the outgoing Myvi’s 0.306.

 Myvi 1.5 Advanced.Fuel economy
• The new Myvi is on average 32% more efficient than the previous model.
• 21.1 km/l – 1.3 AT (with Eco Idle)
• 20.5 km/l – 1.3 MT (without Eco Idle)
• 20.1 km/l – 1.3 AT (without Eco Idle)
• 20.1 km/l – 1.5 AT (with Eco Idle)

Body construction and NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness)
• Upper body completely designed in-house.
• 2.5 times more high-tensile steel than in its predecessor.
• Additional bracing and reinforcements in strategic areas.
• Increased body rigidity – improved stability and resistance to front and side collisions.
• Acoustic windshield for lower NVH levels.

 Leather seats on the Myvi 1.5 Advance.Suspension enhancements
• Front and rear stabiliser bars with increased diameters.
• New lightweight front lower arm.
• Stiffer rear beam structure with new curved design.
• Redesigned rear cross member for better rigidity.

More space

The new Myvi has dimensions of 3,895mm (length); 1,735mm (width); 1,515mm (height) and 2,500mm (wheelbase).

Compared with the previous Myvi, the new Myvi is longer (+210mm); wider (+70mm); lower (-55mm) and has a longer wheelbase (+60mm).

Compared with the Axia, the new Myvi is longer (+255mm); wider (+115mm); slightly taller (+5mm) and has a longer wheelbase (+45mm).

Regarding rear cargo space, the new Myvi has more storage room with 277 litres (previous Myvi had 208 litres).

Better performance

Both engines in the new Myvi are 4-cylinder aluminium block units with dual VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing - intelligence).

The 1.3-litre or 1,329cc engine is shared with the Perodua Bezza, and outputs 70kW (94hp) at 6,000rpm and 121Nm at 4,000rpm.

It's slightly more powerful than its predecessor, which produced 67kW (90hp) at 6,000rpm and 117Nm at 4,400rpm.

As for the 1.5-litre or 1,496cc engine, this is a new unit that outputs 76kW (102hp) at 6,000rpm and 136Nm at 4,200rpm.

Nice comfort features

Standard or entry-level kit on the new Myvi include LED headlamps (with Follow Me Home function and manual levelling), auto off headlamps, electric side mirror/side turn signal, acoustic windshield, minimum of two USB ports, shopping bag hook, anti-snatch theft hook, 60:40 folding rear seats, smart entry with push-start ignition, seat height adjuster (driver only), electric power steering, and a tilt steering.

With the Follow Me Home function, the headlamps remain lighted for 30 seconds after the engine is shut down.

 Reverse Camera in Myvi Advanced.

Higher grade variants (starting from 1.3-litre X grade) get an extra USB port with side pocket (on the driver's seat), an audio system with Bluetooth and microphone, a leather-clad steering with audio and call receiver controls, and Eco Idle engine start-stop.

The base 1.5-litre new Myvi has a built-in toll reader for a Touch 'n Go card, which means you do not need a SmartTAG device.

The flagship Myvi Advance gets leather seats, a multimedia system with navigation and Smart Link, and a Android-powered touchscreen.

Improved safety features

Regarding safety, the new Myvi has a minimum of four airbags, seat belt reminder - all seats, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), ISOFIX child seat points, reverse sensor.

Higher grade variants (starting from 1.3-litre Premium X grade) get front corner sensors and Hill Start Assist (HSA).

Both the 1.5-litre new Myvi grades get six airbags.

Meanwhile, the flagship Myvi AV grade adds on security tint film, a reverse camera and safety technologies called ASA or Advanced Safety Assist which can reduce damage from low-speed frontal collisions.

 6 airbags on Myvi 1.5-litre variants.

ASA uses a stereo camera, located on the windscreen, which detects vehicles up to 60 metres and pedestrians up to 30 metres ahead.

ASA consists of Pre-Collision Warning (PCW), Pre-Collision Braking (PCB), Front Departure Alert (FDA) and Pedal Mis-operation Control (PMC).

PCW alerts the driver that a collision is imminent. PCB assist drivers by applying the brakes if they are still unaware of the impending collision.

The FDA gives a warning to the driver that the vehicle in front has moved. This is particularly useful in heavy traffic.

Lastly, with PMC, if the driver accidentally selects Drive instead of Reverse when there is an obstacle in front such as a wall, this feature will assist in suppressing the engine if the accelerator pedal is pushed.

The ASA features are limited in their application as the forward facing stereo camera will only operate under the right conditions.

“These features are a first for this price segment. However safety is still in the hands of the driver and the system is only there to assist,” said Perodua president and chief executive officer Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh.

READ MORE:
2017 Perodua Myvi: fuel efficient Dual VVT-i engines
2017 Perodua Myvi: Full in-house design for upper body
Automatic braking & Advanced Safety Assist included in Perodua Myvi

Auto brake test in Rawang

At a special preview session at Perodua's research track in Rawang last month, we had two rounds each in the Myvi 1.3 (manual) and Myvi 1.5 (auto).

Both cars were quiet, handled well enough on the track at speeds under 110kph, and we found plenty of cabin space - lots of legroom.

Rear headroom is decent for 1.7-metre adults.

We also tried the Pre-Collision Warning and Braking assist, via a slow crawl towards a specially set-up obstacle (about 50 meters in front of us) at 20kph.

We put the car in D mode, lifted our right off the accelerator pedal, and just let the car crawl.

As we approached the obstacle, warning beeps were emitted and when we still didn't put our foot on the brakes, the car automatically braked and came to a juddering stop right in front of the obstacle.

Perodua must be commended for providing such advanced safety features in this Myvi Advance which is priced under RM60,000.

Below is the list of specs/features for the 2017 Myvi:

2017 Perodua Myvi 1.3-litre (G grade - manual/automatic)

- LED headlamps with Follow Me Home function, and manual levelling
- Auto off headlamp
- Electric side mirror/side turn signal
- 14-inch alloy rims (175/65 tyres)
- Acoustic windshield (1st in Perodua)
- 2 USB ports (1st in Perodua)
- Shopping bag hook
- Anti-snatch theft hook
- 60:40 folding rear seats
- Smart entry with push-start ignition
- Reverse sensor
- Seat height adjuster (driver only)
- Seat belt reminder - all seats (1st in Perodua)
- Electric power steering
- Tilt steering
- ISOFIX child seat points
- Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
- Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD)
- Vehicle Stability Control (VSC)
- Emergency Stop Signal (ESS)
- 4 airbags (1st in Perodua)

2017 Perodua Myvi 1.3-litre (Premium X grade)

- 4 speed E-AT (Electronically Controlled Automatic Transmission)
- Front grille with chrome
- Fog lamps with chrome garnish
- Retractable side mirror
- Chrome door outer/inner handle
- Rear seats detachable headrest
- Audio/Bluetooth/microphone
- USB port with side pocket (driver's seat)
- Leather steering with audio and call receiver controls
- Front corner sensors
- Hill Start Assist (HSA)
- Eco Idle engine start-stop

2017 Perodua Myvi 1.5-litre (High grade)

- 4 speed E-AT
- Front and side skirting
- 15-inch alloy rims (185/55 tyres)
- Rear spoiler
- 2-tone rear bumper
- Built-in toll reader (1st in national car)
- 6 airbags (1st in Perodua)

Myvi 1.5-litre (High grade)2017 Perodua Myvi 1.5-litre (Advance grade)

- 4 speed E-AT
- Leather seats
- Multimedia system with Navigation and Smart Link
- Touchscreen with Android
- Reverse camera
- Security tinted film
- ASA or Advanced Safety Assist (1st in national car)

Myvi 1.5-litre (Advance grade)Myvi 1.5-litre (High grade in GearUp kit)Myvi 1.3 Premium X

2017 Myvi: Exterior shots - assorted variants2017 Myvi: Interior shots


Mercedes ends G-Class production

                STUTTGART: When it hasn't been celebrating the 50th anniversary of its tuning arm, AMG, Mercedes has spent most of 2017 reminding car connoisseurs of the G Class, its iconic status among the SUV fraternity and the fact that after 38 years of continuous production, the car is finally being phased out.

These nods and nudges towards the car's status and age and the fact that this year is the last year that you'll be able to add one to your car collection have come in the form of numerous special and limited editions from the designo manufaktur Edition, the G 63 AMG and G 65 AMG Exclusive Editions right up to the jaw-dropping Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet four-door convertible model, complete with portal axles and US$500,000 (RM2.1mil) price tag.

And now, with the latest limited edition, the Mercedes-AMG G 65 Final Edition, Mercedes is finally closing the book on the G Class and will be starting a new SUV chapter in 2018.

This particular take on the venerable G-Wagon will be limited to 65 numbered examples. Each will come with a €310,233 (RM1.5mil) price tag but for that financial outlay you'll be getting the only production SUV currently on sale that offers a 6-litre bi-turbo V12 under its hood, a 0-100kph time of 5.3 seconds, 630hp being channeled to all four wheels via locking differentials and a transfer case and an immense 1,000Nm of torque.

To ensure it stands out among other G Wagons, the Final Edition sits on 21-inch alloys with a bronze finish that contrasts against the huge silver brake calipers. The underbody skid plate is also finished in a matte bronze, as are the exterior trim elements that aren't treated in obsidian black.

Inside, the cabin is awash with Mercedes' highest quality design nappa black leather with contrasting brown stitching. And as cosseting and luxurious as the interior is, Mercedes goes to great lengths to highlight the car's genuine off-road process. It can cope with an 80% slope, can ford at depths of 60cm, has a 27° approach and departure angle and is stable driving at perpendicular angles of up to 28°.

But the truth is the vast majority of AMG-tuned G Wagons spend most of their lives cruising the boulevards of Los Angles and Miami and, with this latest, last edition, it's very likely that many will be simply stored away as potential automotive investments.


Tesla delivers record 308,600 vehicles in Q4, beating estimates

                AUSTIN: Tesla Inc said on Sunday it had delivered a record 308,600 electric cars to customers in the fourth quarter of 2021, well above Wall Street estimates, thanks to a production ramp-up at the electric-car maker's Shanghai factory.

Analysts had expected Tesla to deliver 263,026 vehicles, according to Refinitiv data.

Tesla said it sold a total of 296,850 Model 3 compact cars and Model Y sport-utility vehicles to customers in the fourth quarter.

It delivered a combined 11,750 Model S and Model X vehicles, an improvement from 9,275 in the third quarter. Analysts were expecting Tesla to deliver 12,879 Model S and Model X cars.


Nissan glows on glowing Dutch highway

                AMSTERDAM: Nissan has blazed a trail by driving its unique glow-in-the-dark zero-emission LEAF along the world's first glow-in-the-dark motorway in Oss, the Netherlands.

The innovative Smart Highway project was conceived by designer Daan Roosegaarde.

His idea: Help guide drivers in the dark while saving energy that might otherwise be used in street lighting.

A 600-meter stretch of the N329 highway – a major transport link that runs through the city of Oss – has been upgraded with glowing lines that absorb light during the day and glow for eight hours at night.

"The glowing lines on the Smart Highway replace standard street lighting to reduce electrical energy consumption," said Roosegaarde.

"To have the world's first glow-in-the-dark car on our road is a privilege, and it mirrors goals that we want to achieve with our Smart Highway."

The road's photo-luminescent strips complement the Nissan LEAF's innovative finish.

The spray-applied coating absorbs UV energy and other visible radiation during daylight hours and glows for between eight and 10 hours when the sun goes down.

While glowing car paint is already available, as are glow-in-the-dark car wraps, the bespoke, ultraviolet-energized paint created especially for Nissan is unique thanks to its secret formula.

It contains a solid, odorless Rare Earth Metal called Strontium Aluminate.


Trevo entices sign-ups with Grill-Lah event

                KUALA LUMPUR: Trevo, the people-to-people car-sharing application that's a subsidiary of Socar Mobility Malaysia, recently treated visitors within the Bangsar area to freshly cooked Ramly burgers while providing new sign-ups with RM100 during its Grill-Lah event.

The Trevo Lighthouse Activation Center - located along Jalan Maarof, was the centre of attraction from July 29 to 30 (6.00pm to 9.00pm daily) as Socar CEO Leon Foong and Trevo general manager Susan Teoh served up burgers to inquisitive patrons.

The two-day event helped some 150 people learn about how the car-sharing app (available to download for free on Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store) can benefit vehicle owners (Hosts) by connecting them to users (Guests).

This allows Guests to book a car that fits their mobility needs while helping Hosts earn some added income to help offset the cost associated with vehicle ownership.

“For Guests, having more mobility choices means more options in fulfilling their travel dreams with a wide selection of cars to meet their ad-hoc needs. While for Hosts, we offer the opportunity to earn extra income from their underused cars," said Teoh.

The general manager added that the app can help provide an extra path of income for individuals to finally afford their "dream" vehicle through its growing pool of over 50,000 users already signed up - contributing to the app's vehicular diversity and geographic reach for Guests.

Teoh added that the company has almost 1,000 cars available with models ranging from the Perodua Axia to the Myvi as well as other luxury brands that include Porsche and BMW among others.

For budding Guests and Hosts concerned about safety, the company assures with its Shield insurance coverage which safeguards both Hosts and Guests against damage and liability, while its sanitisation standard operating procedures (SOPs) help to ensure a cleaner and safer drive.

For more information, log on to trevo.my or the company's official Facebook page www.facebook.com/TrevoMY.


Mobileye looks to build own lidar to drive down costs

Mobileye is developing in 2025 its own lidar sensor that works on a principle called frequency modulated continuous wave, or FMCW, which is different from Luminar’s technology. — Reuters
JERUSALEM: The chief executive of Intel Corp-owned Mobileye on Tuesday laid out plans for a self-driving car system for 2025 that could use inhouse-built lidar sensors rather than units from Luminar Technologies Inc and cost a “few thousand” dollars.

Luminar shares fell as much as 9% after Reuters reported the move. In a statement, Luminar said its units will cost less than US$1,000 and will exceed Mobileye’s cost and performance requirements.

Mobileye is making rapid progress towards a full autonomous driving system using cameras and a custom-made processor chip, but the company plans to augment its cameras with lidar and radar sensors that will capture a three-dimensional view of the road.

Mobileye believes it can meet the safety and reliability requirements automakers are demanding for production vehicles by combining the two approaches.

Mobileye has deals to supply its current camera-based driver assistance systems to BMW, Volkswagen AG and Nissan Motor Co. Those systems help with tasks such as adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping and but also generate and transmit mapping data for Mobileye as they drive.

Mobileye CEO Amnon Shashua and an Intel senior vice president said data allowed the company’s test vehicle to autonomously navigate the streets of Munich with only a week of setup and without flying any engineers from Mobileye headquarters in Israel to Germany.

“This is a critical milestone - this is what you need for scalability. If you want to have a system at the consumer level, it has to be able to drive everywhere,” he told Reuters after the company posted footage of the successful test, which used a human safety driver as a backup.

Mobileye plans to demonstrate its camera-based systems with safety drivers in several more cities before rolling out a test fleet of 100 completely driverless vehicles augmented with lidar and radar in Tel Aviv in 2022.

In November, Mobileye said it had selected Luminar to supply lidar units starting in 2022. Luminar began trading as a public company earlier this month after a merger with Gores Metropoulos Inc, a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC.

Shashua said the first lidar systems with cameras, radar and Luminar units will cost between US$10,000 and US$20,000 and will be targeted at robo-taxis, which are commercial vehicles that can spread the cost of the system over many trips.

But for 2025, Mobileye is developing its own lidar sensor that works on a principle called frequency modulated continuous wave, or FMCW, which is different from Luminar’s technology.

Shashua said the FMCW technology will benefit from Intel’s silicon photonics manufacturing expertise and will drive costs low enough for consumer cars.

He said the inhouse-built Mobileye lidar, in combination with cameras and radar, will be used on consumer vehicles and could also replace Luminar’s units in Mobileye-powered robo-taxis.

“We believe the cost of an entire self-driving system can be in the few thousand dollar range, and that brings us into a consumer vehicle position,” he said.

“If we can make this work, it will also be used for robotaxis. But we have time to make that decision five years from today.”

In a statement, Luminar said that “we agree achieving high-performance lidar at a sub-US$1,000 cost is key for production vehicles, and the fact that we’re the first and only company to make that happen has enabled us to land the first production deals in the industry for autonomy. Mobileye partnered with us directly for that reason, with Luminar contractually delivering lidar that exceeds these cost and performance requirements for their 2022 launch and beyond.”

Mobileye does plan to continue outsourcing the manufacturing of its processor chips, Shashua said.

He said the next generation of chip, called the EyeQ6 and expected to arrive in 2023, will continue to be made by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s using its 7-nanometre chipmaking process.


Covid-19: Proton delivers PPE ahead of schedule

                SUBANG JAYA: When Proton began delivering 60,000 face shields on April 16 to medical frontliners, the entire exercise of producing and delivering the personal protection equipment (PPE) components was estimated to take 20 days.

That target has been exceeded as Proton now expects the final batch of face shields to be delivered by April 30.

“We would like to say thank you to our volunteer staff who worked tirelessly to complete production of the face shields ahead of schedule. We would also like to acknowledge, Pos Logistics Berhad, for doing an excellent job delivering them and Hicom-Teck See Manufacturing for donating the material to produce the frame. As of 4pm on April 28, deliveries have been made to 46 hospitals in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, Malacca and Johor,” said Datuk Radzaif Mohamed, deputy CEO of Proton.

Proton initially intended to produce face shields specifically for medical front liners but beginning on May 4, the company will be producing a second batch.

A joint effort with parent company DRB-Hicom, these will then be distributed to other branches on the Covid-19 frontline such as the police (PDRM), armed forces (ATM) and other service industries.

“For the second phase we will produce a further 60,000 face shields and prioritise deliveries to members of the PDRM and ATM enforcing the Movement Control Order (MCO). Production kicks-off on 4 May and thanks to improvements made along the way, we expect it to be completed by May 9,” added Radzaif.


Perodua reveals GearUp accessories

                KUALA LUMPUR: Today marks the start of Perodua's latest accessories offerings - GearUp, which provides options to both new and existing customers to help them personalise their ride.

The accessories include exterior to interior parts with prices ranging from RM260 to RM3,600 (not inclusive of labour and GST).

These new additional options can be added to new car loans and while it is currently available for the Axia, the accessories will be also include the Myvi and later on the Alza.

The accessories include new bumper and grilles, side skirts, a new rear bumper and a rear spoiler specifically for the Axia Standard E and Standard G variants.

Applicable for the Special Edition (SE) and range-topping Advance variant will be the Sporty GearUp bodykit (priced at RM2,024.60), which has its own front bumper, side skirts and rear bumper.

Additionally, the SE variant’s interior can be further spruced up by adding the Trendy GearUp (RM1,110.90) accessories that includes PVC seat covers (front and rear) with a honeycomb design and red double-stitched PVC door inserts.

The Standard E and G variants will have access to the Elegant GearUp bodykit (RM2,459.20) that sports its own unique front bumper and grille, side skirts and rear bumper, as well as a rear-spoiler too.

The interior also has its own individuality via the Styling GearUp interior accessories (also priced at RM1,110.90) that also includes PVC seat covers (front and rear), but with a diamond design and grey double-stitched PVC door inserts instead.

Furthermore, Perodua customers have the option of opting for combo packages as well as the unique Comfort package (RM546.75), which consists of insulators for both the front hood and doors.

At current, an introductory price from as low as RM2,200 is available for customers till 31 August and all accessories (comes with a six-month warranty) will be available at all Perodua’s 182 sales and 183 service centres nationwide from tomorrow onwards.

“This new entity (GearUp) caters to the unique taste of our customers that wishes to have his or her own special Perodua even before it is sold,” said Perodua president and CEO Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh.


Ford's powerful Ranger Raptor to hit European markets in mid-2019

                COLOGNE: Ford is set to sell the most powerful version of its Ranger pick-up in Europe from mid-2019, the US carmaker announced at the Gamescom trade fair in Cologne.

As with the Australian model released earlier this year, the Blue Oval is teasing the Raptor as being made for rugged, off-road driving, especially at higher speeds.

With a reinforced chassis and specialized suspension, the Ranger Raptor will be equally adept at handling rugged terrain or driving on smooth asphalt. The driver can also choose from six driving modes, including a sport mode, one for rocky terrain and the "Baja mode" for fast off-road driving.

The pick-up has a 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel engine with 213 horsepower, as well as a 10-gear, four-wheel-drive automatic transmission.

The underbody is equipped with a steel underrun protection, while the flared wheel arches will also provide an additional shield for the body.

The Ranger Raptor is also set to appear in the new Forza Horizon 4 racing game, also showcased at the Gamescom trade fair.

The Ranger Raptor, launched in Thailand in February, is selling there at almost 1.7 million baht (RM210,476).


Skoda Kamiq crossover to premiere in Geneva

                PRAGUE: Czech car maker Skoda has announced that its new urban SUV will be christened Kamiq.

The new model will be unveiled in Switzerland At the Geneva Motor Show, which is to be held from March 7-17.

The Kamiq, which has been billed as a compact and lifestyle-oriented crossover, will be the third SUV, in the wake of the Karoq and the Kodiaq, to be launched by the brand in Europe.

Like all of the models of this kind by Skoda, the Kamiq will thus have a name that begins with "K" and ends with "Q".

According to the brand, the word "Kamiq," which comes from the the language of the Inuit people living in northern Canada and Greenland, means "second skin." It should be noted in passing that Skoda has already used the name for another SUV sold in China.

As it stands, Skoda has provided no further details about the new model, which is expected to be largely inspired by the Vision X concept, a petrol, electric and natural gas (NGV) hybrid vehicle, which was presented in Geneva a year ago.