Proxy advisers lob rare rebuke against Nissan CEO Saikawa

 Renault chairman Jean-Dominique Senard and Saikawa at a joint news conference in Yokohamaon March 12.— AFP
TOKYO: Two leading proxy advisory firms have urged Nissan shareholders to vote against reappointing its chief executive as a director, heaping more pressure on Hiroto Saikawa as he struggles to find accord with alliance partner Renault.

The move marks a rare public rebuke by international proxy firms against the leader of a top-tier Japanese firm, and comes just as the scandal-hit automaker struggles to move on from the legacy of Carlos Ghosn, its ousted chairman who stands accused of financial misconduct.

It also underscores the precarious position of Saikawa, who was groomed for leadership by Ghosn but appears unable to mend a relationship with Renault that one source said appeared to be in jeopardy.

Institutional Shareholder Services recommended shareholders vote against Saikawa as director at Nissan’s annual general meeting this month, to ensure a “clean break” from the Carlos Ghosn era. Ghosn, first arrested in November, is awaiting trial on financial misconduct charges. He denies all the charges against him.

“When the company needs to break from the past and build a strong board with fresh members, the reelection of Hiroto Saikawa, who has been on the board for 14 years and worked closely with Carlos Ghosn, does not appear appropriate,” Institutional Shareholder Services said in a research note.

The firm also advised shareholders to vote against the nomination of Moto Nagai to Nissan’s board, saying the former executive of Mizuho Financial Group served as an independent auditor at Nissan during Ghosn’s tenure, and “shares responsibility” for failing to exercise oversight of Ghosn’s alleged wrongdoing.

Another proxy adviser, Glass Lewis, similarly told shareholders not to vote for Saikawa, who needs the support of at least half of voting shareholders at the June 25 meeting to be reappointed.

“We cannot confidently support the nomination of Mr. Saikawa who - as the representative director and president of the Company - should have taken greater steps in performing its oversight responsibilities in the misconduct of the board members,” it said in a report to clients.

Nissan declined to comment on the recommendations, which were both published on Friday.

Alliance crisis

A recent push by Renault to block a governance overhaul at Nissan has put the Franco-Japanese automaking alliance in jeopardy, a person familiar with Nissan’s thinking told Reuters.

The two-decade-old partnership was plunged into fresh crisis this week after Renault signaled it would block its partner from adopting planned governance reforms unless the French automaker received more say in the new system. Nissan has publicly called that demand “most regrettable”.

“I have to say that they are endangering the alliance. They have to be very careful not to antagonize Japanese people, shareholders,” the person said, referring to Renault.

“Renault has been saying the alliance is important and irreversible but what they are trying to do is to break the alliance,” the person said, declining to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue.

By abstaining from the governance vote, Renault would effectively block the new governance system - which includes three committees - as adoption requires two-thirds approval.

The rift lays bare the deep strain between the two automakers, whose alliance has been under pressure since Ghosn’s arrest. What’s at stake now may be even bigger than their vast alliance, which includes Mitsubishi Motors.

Renault and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) are looking for ways to resuscitate a collapsed merger plan and secure Nissan’s approval for that deal, Reuters reported this week. Nissan is, therefore, poised to urge Renault to significantly cut its 43.4% stake in Nissan, Reuters has reported.

Nissan recently said it would abstain from voting on the FCA-Renault merger, although both FCA and Renault later blamed the failure of that deal squarely on the French government.


Nissan and VW next batch of car brands to help flood victims

                PETALING JAYA: The distributors of Nissan and Volkswagen are coming forward to lend a hand to flood victims.

Their offer of help came following a similar gesture by Perodua and Naza Kia Malaysia for their respective customers hit by the massive Penang floods in recent days.

Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd (ETCM) together with Tan Chong Ekspres Auto Servis Centre (TCEAS) today announced the immediate commencement of Nissan Flood Relief Programme to aid relief and rehabilitation efforts for Nissan customers whose vehicles were affected by flash flood.

Nissan offer

The programme aims to assist owners whose Nissan vehicles have been damaged by the floods and will run with immediate effect offering owners:

- 20% discount on Nissan genuine spare parts on affected Nissan vehicles.

- 20% discount on labour charges on affected Nissan vehicles.

- Upholstery restoration with special rate at RM1,325 (including GST) for affected Nissan sedan.

- Upholstery restoration with special rate at RM1,590 (including GST) for affected Nissan MPV/SUV/Pick Up /Van.

- Three (3) months or 5,000 km warranty on labour and Nissan genuine parts replacement (whichever comes first).

“Our customers matter most to us and these value added services are provided by ETCM and TCEAS to help thousands of residents that were affected by the flash flood that have happened. We pledged to do what we can to help alleviate the victim’s distress and we hope our contribution will provide some respite and relieve their burden. Lastly, we urge our customers to send their affected vehicles to the nearest TCEAS service centre as soon as possible in restoring it,” said Michael Yao, Head of Business Unit for TCEAS.

For more enquiries on the NISSAN Flood Relief Programme, customers can contact ETCM’s NISSAN Customer Care Centre at 1800-88-3838.

Volkswagen offer

Meanwhile, Volkswagen owners whose vehicles have been damaged by the floods will be offered a 30 percent discount off the total invoice (which includes parts and labour). The discount is valid until Feb 28.

Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia said customers whose cars were damaged in the floods should send them to the nearest Volkswagen service centre for assessment and repair.


Proton dangles 7-year warranty in latest promo

                SUBANG JAYA: Proton has announced an extended warranty of seven years on selected models.

The "Even More Value" promotion also offers a 1.99% loan interest rate per annum on the Saga and Iriz, a full financing scheme for civil servants and other deals for  graduates  and  undergraduates.

The "Even More Value" promotion is ongoing nationwide from now until the end of June.

"Proton is  the  only  original  equipment  manufacturer  (OEM)  to  offer  a  seven-year  extended  warranty programme in the country," said Proton CEO Datuk Abdul Harith Abdullah.

"Customers can also enjoy up to 26% discount on service packages for selected models."


Honda to focus on self-driving cars, robotics, EVs through 2030

Hachigo (right) with the BR-V, which made its first appearance in India at Auto Expo 2016 in New Delhi.
TOKYO: Honda Motor Co today spelled out for the first time its plans to develop autonomous cars which can drive on city streets by 2025, building on its strategy to take on rivals in the auto market of the future.

Unveiling its mid-term Vision 2030 strategy plan, Honda said it would boost co-ordination between R&D, procurement and manufacturing to tame development costs as it acknowledged it must look beyond conventional vehicles to survive in an industry which is moving rapidly into electric and self-driving cars.

Honda has already spelled out plans to market a vehicle which can drive itself on highways by 2020, and the new target for city-capable self-driving cars puts its progress slightly behind rivals like BMW.

"We're going to place utmost priority on electrification and advanced safety technologies going forward," Honda CEO Takahiro Hachigo said.

 The Honda NeuV, a concept automated electric commuter vehicle, shown at CES 2017.

Developing new driving technologies, robotics- and artificial intelligence-driven services and new energy solutions also would be key priorities for Honda in the years ahead, the company said.

Honda established a division late last year to develop electric vehicles (EVs) as part of its long-held goal for lower-emission gasoline hybrids, plug-in hybrids, EVs and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) to account for two-thirds of its line-up by 2030, from about 5 percent now.

By 2025, Honda plans to come up with cars with "level 4" standard automated driving functions, meaning they can drive themselves on highways and city roads under most situations.

Achieving such capabilities will require artificial intelligence to detect traffic movements, along with a battery of cameras and sensors to help avoid accidents.

BMW has said it would launch a fully autonomous car by 2021, while Ford Motor Co has said it will introduce a vehicle with similar capabilities for ride-sharing purposes in the same year. Nissan Motor Co is planning to launch a car which can drive automatically on city streets by 2020.

Honda has been ramping up R&D spending, earmarking a record 750 billion yen (RM29bil) for the year to March.


Trump administration moves closer to rolling back US vehicle fuel economy increases

                WASHINGTON: New rules enacting President Donald Trump’s reductions in fuel efficiency standards for new vehicles through 2026 moved closer to reality on Tuesday when US agencies sent proposals to the White House for final review.

After more than 17 months of discussion, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) submitted proposed rules for 2021 through 2026 model year fuel efficiency to the White House Office of Management and Budget, the agencies said.

Final rules are expected as early as late February or March, officials said.

The administration of former President Barack Obama had required car manufacturers to achieve roughly 5% annual increases in vehicle fuel efficiency through the 2026 model year.

The Trump administration proposed in August 2018 freezing fuel efficiency standards at 2020 levels through 2026, erasing the increases the Obama administration enacted, but officials will not finalize that proposal.

“We’re not going to be flat, as was proposed,” acting NHTSA Administrator James Owens said in a recent interview. “We’re going to set standards that are reasonable and achievable.”

Several automakers said they anticipate annual fuel efficiency increases of about 1.5%, much less stringent than the Obama rules, but administration aides said the proposal, which is around 2,000 pages, underwent significant revisions.

EPA said the final rules “will benefit all Americans by improving the US fleet’s fuel economy, reducing air pollution, and making new vehicles more affordable for all Americans.”

The administration has argued that the rollbacks are necessary for economic and safety reasons, but California and environmentalists reject that analysis, saying consumers would spend hundreds of billions more in fuel costs.

The administration’s 2018 proposal would have resulted in average fuel efficiency of 37 miles per gallon (mpg) by 2026, compared with 46.7 mpg under rules adopted in 2012.

The Trump administration’s “preferred option” would have hiked US oil consumption by about 500,000 barrels per day by the 2030s but reduced automakers’ regulatory costs by more than US$300 billion.

Trump has sought to reverse Obama’s climate change policy, which was aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

In November, California and 22 other states challenged the administration’s decision in September to revoke California’s authority to set stiff vehicle tailpipe emissions rules and require a rising number of zero emission vehicles. They also vowed to sue when the administration finalized the new requirements.

Major automakers - including General Motors Co, Toyota Motor Corp, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV - backed the administration’s effort to bar California from setting tailpipe standards.


Toyota rolling out Kinto car subscription services

                TOKYO: Toyota Motor Corp is rolling out its Kinto mobility services which offers subscription-based car rentals and also, car-sharing and ride-sharing services in France, Italy, and other parts of Europe, and Thailand, Indonesia, and other parts of Asia.

In Japan, the Kinto One package's line-up of cars will be expanded from 15 models to 31 models with the addition of eight Toyota and eight Lexus models.

The new Toyota models are the Passo, Roomy / Tank, Corolla and Corolla Touring, Camry, Land Cruiser 200 and Yaris and prices start from 32,780 yen (RM1,240) per month for the Passo.

The new Lexus models are te LX, NX, UX, LS, RC, ES and IS and prices start from 74,800 yen (RM2,831) per month for the UX.


Bridgestone continues to raise cancer awareness

                PETALING JAYA: As part of the CSR philosophy of 'contributing to the development of and providing support for people's lifestyles and education in local communities in the countries where we do business', Bridgestone Tyre Sales Malaysia continues its efforts in raising cancer awareness among the Malaysian public.

Bridgestone is proud to be one of the sponsors for the Light The Life 6-km Charity Run, organised by UCSI University Facilitation Programme which was held on 18 December 2016.

For a registration fee of RM60 for Individual category, participants got to participate in the 6-km run as well as contribute to the fund raising.

In his opening address,  Managing Director of Bridgestone Tyre Sales Malaysia, Jo Takekawa expressed his hope that more of the younger Malaysians will participate in similar events, not just to raise cancer awareness, but will continue to practice a healthy lifestyle even after the 6-km run is completed.

He then flagged off the 350 or more participants before joining the run himself.

Aside from raising cancer awareness amongst the students and public, 21 volunteers, most of whom are students at UCSI, have had their heads shaved in a bid to raise more funds in support of the cause.

An estimated RM34,000 was raised for the event from all the activities. This fund was then distributed to the eight beneficiary organisations that have been selected, namely:

1. National Cancer Council Malaysia

2. National Cancer Society Malaysia

3. Breast Cancer Welfare Association Malaysia,

4. Pride Foundation Malaysia

5. Sarawak Children's Cancer Society

6. Empowered - The Cancer Advocacy Society Of Malaysia,

7. Malaysia Anti-Cancer Society

8. Max Family Society Malaysia

The cheques were handed over to the officials of the beneficiary organisations at a ceremony held in UCSI University Campus in Taman Connaught after the end of the run.


GM plans fresh move into electric car market, says WSJ

                WASHINGTON: General Motors Co plans to offer a new electric vehicle with a style and price-point that can compete with the forthcoming Tesla Model 3 car due out in two years, says the Wall Street Journal.

The US$30,000 (RM107,000) electric car called the Chevrolet Bolt, expected to debut commercially in 2017, will be able to drive 200 miles on a charge and is intended to cut into a market where Elon Musk's Tesla Motors Inc has been an investor darling.

Electric car purchases badly lag sales of gas-powered vehicles but the market is growing and GM will show off an early model of the Bolt at the Detroit auto show this week to stake a stronger claim in the space, the newspaper reported.

The Chevy Bolt will boast a stronger battery manufactured by South Korea's LG Chem Ltd,  the paper reported on Friday.

The rapidly falling price of oil has put gas-guzzling cars back to the fore, at the expense of electric vehicles, and Tesla shifted 18,750 cars on the US market in 2014, down 3.1 percent year on year. It had a target of 35,000 deliveries worldwide last year.

Morgan Stanley, one of the few US banks that believed in Tesla’s lofty ambitions, is now doubtful.

“We continue to view Tesla as a niche player,” it said in a note to investors late last year, saying that it expects the company to deliver closer to 300,000 electric vehicles by 2020 - far short of its 500,000 target.

Tesla’s ambitions rest on its ability to manufacture a battery at a competitive price, which seems difficult in the current environment, where oil is plumbing record lows with each passing week, Morgan Stanley said. - AFP/Reuters


Car companies experiment with subscription models

                BERLIN: It’s pretty common nowadays to subscribe to a streaming service to listen to music or have a flat-rate on your smartphone's mobile data. But what about subscribing to a car?

Some car makers are at least experimenting with this type of sales model, where fixed monthly fees for individual models or an entire product range are aimed to entice customers and ease over their transition to this service.

“The car industry has to act and find a way to make its products more attractive and win over customers, even in the age of autonomous driving,” says Professor Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer from the University of Duisburg-Essen. But he says he’s not completely convinced with what’s on offer so far.

The small scale that companies are starting out with shows how uncertain these manufacturers still are. With Porsche’s Passport program, for example, customers can sign up for the “Launch” and “Accelerate” packages to access various Porsche models and trade their car at any time with the app. The program offers a monthly subscription and enables vehicle changes, unlimited mileage and on-demand access to up to 22 Porsche models, according to the manufacturer.

But there’s still two snags: For one, these packages cost between US$2,000 and US$3,000 a month. And second, they’re only available in Atlanta, USA.

On the other side of the Atlantic, sales executives from BMW and Mercedes announced in January that they want to test out subscription models for the first time this year. But whether and when these services will be launched in countries like Germany remains open.

Cadillac meanwhile has announced it will run trials of its Book subscription service in Europe in the Munich metropolitan area this year. For a still unspecified monthly fee, customers will have access to nearly a dozen models ranging from the Escalade SUV to the Corvette. Users select a Cadillac model from their smartphone, while a concierge service will bring the vehicle over to the customer’s chosen location, said Cadillac spokesperson René Kreis.

Volvo is launching its own flat-rate subscription service called Care for its XC40 SUV, chief executive Hakan Samuelsson says. For a fixed monthly rate, customers will drive a new Volvo every 24 months. No additional costs for insurance, repairs or winter tyres will apply. The service is “the mobility model for the current age,” according to Samuelsson.

Still, Dudenhoeffer considers these types of offers to be marketing campaigns. “But in the leasing business, these ideas are not new,” he says.

Services that offer a spontaneous change from a convertible to an SUV or a sports wagon might sound good, but they’re usually not cheap, he says. "Customers can get their dream car much cheaper from a leasing dealership if needed."

These subscription offers should also not be confused with leasing, because there are no similarities other than a monthly payment, says marketing expert Franz-Rudolf Esch. With leasing, the focus is on the car model, while a flat rate subscription allows for a selection from among all of a manufacturer’s models as well as the shift to a new model when it’s released. Those are clear advantages that customers pay a high price for, he says.

A trial subscription with Porsche is thus nearly three times as expensive as leasing a Boxster. Still, manufacturers would be well advised to try out these kinds of concepts, according to experts.

“These are only trial balloons that we are seeing today,” says Dudenhoeffer. “But the future will be cars on demand and it will be exciting.”


Touch ‘n Go now has full coverage for digital on-street parking payments in KL and Selangor

                PETALING JAYA: Touch ‘n Go (TNG) has added the Klang Municipal Council (MPK), Seremban City Council (MBS) Nilai and Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) to its list of supported areas of on-street parking payment in its ewallet on Monday.

The addition brings the total number of supported areas to 19, which includes the total coverage of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.

Other areas covered in the app also include those in the states of Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan, Terrenganu, Perak and Putrajaya.

Existing areas include the following:

Kuala Lumpur City Hall
Subang Jaya City Council
Kota Baru Municipal Council
Kota Baru Municipal Council: Pasir Tumboh
Kuala Langat Municipal Council
Shah Alam City Council
Kuala Terengganu City Council
Machang District Council
Sepang Municipal Council
Kajang Municipal Council
Kuala Selangor Municipal Council
Selayang City Council
Teluk Intan Municipal Council
Putrajaya Corporation
Petaling Jaya City Council
Seremban City Council

In a press statement, TNG CEO Alan Ni said the company’s goal is to provide coverage for on-street parking payments nationwide in its ewallet.

“With more than 300,000 users paying their parking fee with Touch ‘n Go eWallet daily, this expansion will bring good news to more users and our aim is to provide nationwide on-street parking coverage,” he said.

On-street parking payments are available in the TNG ewallet app under the “Services" section, where users can add vehicles to pay for parking, select location of the parking, and make payments based on the duration the vehicle will remain parked in the location


Thailand International Motor Expo 2017: MG ZS smart SUV

                BANGKOK: British car brand MG has pulled the cover off its ZS smart sport utility vehicle (SUV) at the this year's 34th Thailand International Motor Expo.

The  679,000 Bhat (RM86,000) SUV takes aim at young individuals with an active lifestyle, while featuring a 1.5-litre engine under the hood as well as an innovative i-SMART system that accepts Thai-language for its voice command - a world's first.

The engine produces 114hp at 6,000rpm and 150Nm of torque at 4,500rpm while mated to a four-speed automatic transmission.

The ZS boasts of LED rear light cluster, panoramic sunroof and bi-colour 17-inch alloy wheels for the exterior.

Inside, the cabin features  a two-tone interior combined with soft-touch materials on the door panels and console, circular jet-turbine air vents and an information display on the dashboard.

The rear seats are 60:40 split foldable, while the boot's floor can be lowered or raised by 10mm for greater practicality.

The i-SMART system can be operated via Thai-language voice command, the touch screen  on the console as well as the i-SMART application for smartphones.

The driver is able to control the climate controls from the smartphone, search for destinations including hotels, fuel stations and restaurants through the smart navigator, or check the latest traffic with real-time information.

The system is also able to learn a driver's behaviour and adapt accordingly with the use artificial intelligence (AI) which corresponds to the Internet of Things concept.

Additionally, the i-SMART system also collects data and informs the driver about fuel level, battery level, condition of the engine and brakes as well as theft.

For safety, the ZS comes equipped with the company's Synchronised Protection System consisting of nine safety equipment such as six airbags, anti-lock braking system, electronic brakeforce distribution, electronic brake assist, curve brake control, stability control system, hill-start assist, tyre pressure monitoring system, emergency stop signal, reverse camera and parking sensors.

The show will open its doors to the public from Nov 30 to Dec 11 at Impact Arena, Muangthong Thani from 12pm to 10pm daily.


Ferrari's first-ever SUV is as fast as it is unaffordable

                ROME: Ferrari, the home of low-lying status symbols, uncomfortable rear seats and red paint jobs, is now finally caving to the pressure and boarding the SUV bandwagon.

Wait, what? Ferrari, are you sure?

It's true, the Prancing Horse is giving rear passengers legroom at last. The makers of some of the flattest and flashiest sports cars in the world are now pumping things up to an off-road level with their first SUV, the Purosangue, planned for a mid-2023 launch.

It's set to be as environmentally unfriendly as it is fast and expensive, and this prancing workhorse offers performance worthy of a sports car, accelerating from 0 to 100kph in 3.3 seconds and offering a top speed beyond 310kph.

Fuel consumption is a thirsty 17.1 litres and CO2 emissions are put at a high 389 g/km. Ferrari is not mentioning plans of electrifying this two-ton off-roader.

For now, talk is instead of Ferrari firsts: Not only is it the first Ferrari in which you'll be able to sit comfortably in the rear, but it's also the first four-door Ferrari, as well as the first model with folding rear seats and an electric tailgate.

With a length of 4.97 metres, this SUV has a wheelbase of 3.03 metres and offers 473 litres of load space.

There are so-called suicide doors for rear passengers, meaning they are hinged on the rear side so that they open in the opposite direction to the front doors.

It might be the closest Ferrari yet to a family-friendly car, and yet it will remain unfriendly to the vast majority of families.

The SUV, which ranks above competitors such as the Lamborghini Urus or the Aston Martin DBX, costs at least €380,000 (RM1.8mil) in its home market of Europe.

Leather upholstery costs extra and Ferrari won't even install a navigation system if you offer money.

Living up to the car's Purosangue ("thoroughbred") name, propulsion comes from a V12 engine with 725 hp, which delivers a maximum torque of up to 716 Nm.


Drivers, drink enough water to stay alert

                LONDON: Did you know that being dehydrated while driving is potentially dangerous?

A recent study by Britain's Loughborough University revealed drivers who only have 25ml of water an hour made more mistakes on the road. So avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of water. Keep a bottle of water with you, but make sure you have stopped in a safe place before you have any food or drink.

“People give a lot of consideration to the influence of alcohol and drugs on driving; but virtually no thought at all to dehydration," said Institute of Advanced Motorists chief examiner Peter Rodger.

"A driver’s reactions and response rates can be severely affected if they are not hydrated properly – don’t let this easily fixable thing ruin your journey.”

Rodger also said sharing the drive especially on longer journeys would help alleviate the chances of feeling tired.

He also urged drivers to avoid using the cruise control on the road when they are feeling tired as " the less control you have of your car the higher the likelihood of you dozing off."

Other tips offered by the Institute of Advanced Motorists are:

> If you will be on the road for more than two hours be prepared to take a 15-minute break even if you think you don’t need the rest.  You should also avoid driving straight after eating a heavy meal; you will only end up feeling lethargic.

> Try and get a good night’s sleep the day before your journey to prevent you from feeling tired before you set off – especially if you plan to set out early in the morning or late in the evening when you’re less likely to be naturally alert. Driving when you would normally be asleep greatly increases the risk of a sleep related crash.

> If you are feeling tired or sleepy, head towards the nearest service station and have a short nap. Remember, if your car has not broken down you must not stop on the hard shoulder.


Chip tech startup SiFive launches products aimed at automotive market

                SAN FRANCISCO: Silicon Valley startup SiFive Inc recently launched three new products aimed at the automotive market, which is emerging as one of the hottest areas for chip makers with electric and self-driving cars expected to boost the number of chips needed.

The new chip designs launched are the E6-A series for digital control applications like steering, S7-A for so-called "safety islands" that act as a failsafe for other critical applications, and X280-A to manage data from image sensors and do machine learning work, including for autonomous driving.

“Where you'll see us going is from these targeted compute chips ... to arrays of processors that will be available over the coming 12 to 24 months,” said SiFive CEO Patrick Little.

Before SiFive, Little helped build Qualcomm’s automotive business, and said both Qualcomm Inc and Nvidia Corp could be great customers and partners for SiFive.

Qualcomm and Nvidia are both betting on automotive as a big business and have launched systems such as Snapdragon Ride and NVIDIA DRIVE that automotive customers can use for applications including autonomous driving.

SiFive does not make chips, but makes the blueprint for chipmakers to use. It uses a RISC-V instruction set architecture (ISA), a base for building chips that defines what kind of software can run on the chips.

Arm Ltd's ARM and Intel's x86 are the dominant ISAs used today for general-purpose processors, or the brains of computers, and are proprietary. RISC-V is an open standard and is gaining traction, especially in China.

SiFive competes with Arm, which is also targeting the automotive market.

Little said some of the strongest demand for its chip technology is coming from customers looking to develop autonomous vehicles.


Toyota unlocks its engine technology, could sell to rivals

                TOKYO: Long guarded about what was beneath the hood of its pioneering Prius cars, Toyota Motor Corp plans to open up its powertrain technology to rivals, hoping this will boost sales and speed up the industry's shift to lower-emission vehicles.

Announcing last week it would expand its gasoline hybrid technology development, the world's largest automaker said it would consider selling complete powertrain modules - engines, transmissions and other drive components - to its competitors.

The prospect of giving rivals access to "one-size-fits-all" powertrains comes as cars are increasingly dependent on computerised components, making it easier to design similar parts across model ranges. The industry has moved on from competing largely on mechanical engineering.

That trend will likely accelerate as automakers face pressure from regulators to further cut car emissions and develop more long-range electric vehicles.

As cars become more like glorified computers, automakers are standardising many mechanical parts and competing more on style and packaging - giving drivers a bigger range of features from automated parking to cockpit concierges.

For Toyota, this is a big departure from having a tightly-knit network of suppliers keeping much of their jointly developed technology exclusive so as to have an engineering competitive edge on rivals.

"Toyota suppliers produce a lot of technology which can only be used by Toyota," Toshiyuki Mizushima, president of Toyota's powertrain company, told reporters. "We want to change that to a system where we develop technology with our suppliers at an earlier stage ... so they can make that technology available to non-Toyota customers."

Mizushima, who joined Toyota a year ago from group company Aisin Seiki Co, noted, for example, that past versions of Toyota's hybrid system didn't fit other automakers' cars, limiting suppliers' options to sell to non-Toyota customers.

Powertrains combine parts often made separately by several independent parts makers, but Toyota's are unique in that they are made by its group suppliers, allowing engineers at the automaker and its suppliers to collaborate in development.

"Until now, we couldn't sell the same inverter used in Toyota's previous hybrid system to other customers because it wouldn't fit the motor, or the voltage was different," said Yoshifumi Kato, executive director of engineering R&D at Denso Corp, Toyota's biggest supplier.

"We can avoid this issue if suppliers can sell the entire system."

The move should help auto parts companies such as Denso and Aisin spread their customer base and compete better against global rivals including Robert Bosch and Continental. Currently, Toyota accounts for around half the annual sales at Denso and Aisin.

Mizushima said he would like to see Toyota offer its powertrain modules to all its rivals, in an industry where more automakers are setting up exclusive tie-ups on parts.

Nissan Motor Co this year launched the Infiniti QX30 luxury compact crossover using engines and other parts developed and made by Daimler AG's Mercedes and its suppliers. Toyota already shares components for Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd's Subaru BRZ sports car under a joint development agreement.

In opening up its proprietary technology, Toyota is acknowledging the escalating costs of R&D, as global automakers vie to develop hybrid and all-electric cars, self-driving cars and cars connected to mobile technology.

Toyota's R&D spend last year was 73 percent more than in 2010 at around US$9 billion, while spending at Volkswagen, its biggest competitor, more than doubled over the same period.

As automakers are having to invest more, they are cramming as much technology as possible into each vehicle, while limiting price increases. Toyota and its suppliers expect their newer production platform will mean making a lot more of fewer common parts across its models, and selling them to other automakers to earn back more of the money spent on R&D.

"If we take a component developed with Toyota and sell a million to Toyota and another million to other customers, it would double our return on our development costs," said Denso's Kato.

Toyota's rivals, too, should be able to keep their own development and procurement costs down if they can source off-the-shelf from Toyota, say industry consultants.

"It could be a win-win for Toyota and its rivals because Toyota could develop another sales line, while customers could gain access to components which may be cheaper and of higher quality than the same parts developed in-house," said Takeshi Miyao, Asia managing director at Carnorama.


MAA seeking extension of SST exemption on vehicles

                KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) has urged the government to extend the sales and services tax (SST) exemption on passenger vehicles in the upcoming Budget 2022.

“The automotive total industry volume (TIV) has still not achieved pre-Covid 19 levels. Also on MAA’s wish list is for the government to announce incentives for electric vehicles (EVs),” MAA president Datuk Aishah Ahmad told StarBiz.

The SST exemption, which is until Dec 31, 2021, is 100% for locally assembled or completely knocked down (CKD) passenger vehicles, and 50% for imported or completely built up (CBU) passenger cars.

Meanwhile, Maybank Investment Bank (IB) Research did not rule out the possibility of an SST exemption extension beyond end-2021.
 Aishah.
“An SST extension will be positive to 2022’s TIV. The 2021 SST exemption did not realise its full potential due to the multiple lockdowns in 2021,” said the research unit.

However, Maybank IB Research expected such policy to be possibly announced towards year-end, as announcing it during the budget would soften sales in November and December.

The research unit forecast 2022’s TIV to be 580,000 to 600,000 units while TIV for 2021 to be 500,000 to 520,000 units.

Maybank IB Research has “buy” calls on Bermaz Auto Bhd (target price: RM2.25), Sime Darby Bhd (target price: RM2.70), MBM Resources Bhd (target price: RM4), UMW Holdings Bhd (target price: RM4), and Tan Chong Motor Holdings Bhd (target price: RM1.45).

According to Maybank IB Research, if Malaysia’s upcoming EV policy is attractive, Bermaz Auto would plan to bring in battery EV, hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars from Kia, Peugeot and Mazda.

“Bermaz Auto has identified private charging operators (PCOs) to collaborate with, on the EV charging infrastructure (to address range-anxiety issues). Its EV models will have subscription-based plans (for batteries; key cost component of EVs – to address cost/ warranty issues),” said the research unit.

Maybank IB Research also noted that UMW will invest RM270mil to expand its current manufacturing operations and facilities including the CKD and introduction of a new and technologically-advanced generation of hybrid electric vehicles.

It hoped policymakers would green light an EV policy, as a forward looking, well-thought framework, with attractive incentives (taxes, infrastructure and tariffs) would spark interest and super-charge the electromobility adoption, transition and penetration in the Malaysian automotive market.

“This move, if executed well, will transform the land transportation landscape, to meet the nation’s low-carbon economy aspiration and match up to the progress of its South-East Asia counterparts.”

Maybank IB Research also hoped for the upcoming budget would have a section dedicated to green automotive targets.

“Attractive tax incentives should be accorded to early adopters (of green vehicles). This would also attract automotive players to bring in EV models into the market,” said the research unit, adding that zero-emission battery EVs (BEVs) should be accorded full tax exemption status.

Also, BEVs require infrastructure support (such as EV chargers) and capital expenditure (capex) to complement them.

Maybank IB Research also noted that establishing a solid and reliable public EV charging network (akin to petrol stations) would ensure a seamless transition and alleviate driving range anxiety concerns (especially on long-distance commutes).

“The EV charging market has huge growth potential but the start-up phase is capex-intensive (especially for Direct Current Fast Chargers or DCFC), a scale game, hard to monetise and is not a profitable business at the early stage.”

To jump start the infrastructure rollout, the government needs to play a supporting role by offering attractive incentives, matching grants and tax rebates to these PCOs that come with upfront capex and services first and consumers (home charging, EV early adopters).

The research unit opined that the government should also consider granting special utility tariffs (a form of subsidy akin to fuel) for EV users during the early adoption stage.

“The tariff rates for domestic consumers are currently at 21.8 to 57.1 sen per kWh. Policymakers should also make it essential for new commercial/offices and existing/new residential buildings to impose a set ratio of charging stations per resident, improve access to overnight charging by implementing a ‘right to charge’ rule for existing multi-user dwellings such as high rise buildings (condominiums/flats),” said Maybank IB Research.


Scania vehicles sold in Malaysia ready to run on B10 biodiesel

                PETALING JAYA: All vehicles sold by Scania (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd can run on B10 biodiesel without further adaptation.

Normal warranty will apply when running on B10 diesel – which comprises 10% biodiesel and 90% regular diesel – which means there will be no impact to existing customers with regards to warranty.

There are no changes to the operational procedures or frequency of vehicle servicing. Also, there would be no additional costs incurred as no additional equipment is required for vehicles sold by Scania (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd to run on B10.

“Scania continues to be at the forefront of sustainable transport solutions," said Scania South-East Asia managing director Marie Sjödin Enström.

"Our wide range of alternative fuels have been in operation around the world for some time already and including in South-East Asia. Our customers continue to enjoy profitability while being environment-friendly in their operations through reduced CO2 emissions.”

At the recent Budget 2019 announcement, the Government announced the resumption of the stalled B10 biodiesel programme.

The B10 (from a mix of 10% palm methyl ester and 90% diesel) programme for the transportation sector would start next year, helping to clear the current high crude palm oil (CPO) stockpile, which has led to the poor CPO price performance.

The B10 programme is expected to absorb about 500,000-600,000 tonnes of CPO per year.


Proton to gradually restart operations from May 5

                SUBANG JAYA: Proton expects to reopen its sales and service outlets (located in green and yellow zones) on May 5.

All premises and personnel will be subject to strict safety protocols guided by the National Security Council to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

“Proton will begin the gradual resumption of all its business activities. However, the safety of our customers and employees is our main priority and in line with the Prime Minister’s calls to adopt a “new normal”, we will introduce a new set of protocols in all areas,” said Dr Li Chunrong, CEO of Proton.

Proton will also gradually resume production operations at its plants in Tanjung Malim and Shah Alam from May 5.

The corporate office at the Centre Of Excellence will also begin operations; however new work practices will be adopted to minimize infection and contact.

“We would like to reassure all our customers that no effort will be spared in ensuring their safety and health,” added Li.


All-electric BMW iX secures 64 pre-bookings

                KUALA LUMPUR: BMW Group Malaysia has received 64 pre-booking registrations for the all-electric BMW iX, coinciding with the 64th Merdeka Day on Aug 31.

Pre-booking of the iX xDrive40 and iX xDrive40 Sport was made available on the BMW Shop Online platform via https://shop.bmw.com.my/ at a fee of RM5,000 on Aug 26.

BMW Group Malaysia managing director Hans de Visser said the company was pleased to see Malaysians take a bold step in choosing sustainable mobility as part of their lifestyle, which underlines BMW's belief that the future is in fact electric.

“We have long committed to shape the future of mobility in the country, and we will confidently continue to cultivate the shift towards electromobility further by accelerating the availability of charging infrastructures in Malaysia and rapidly expanding the BMW i dealer network in key cities nationwide,” said de Visser.

The First-Ever iX represents all that modern electromobility can offer and more.

iX xDrive 40 Sport.

The impressive WLTP range of up to 630km in the iX variants is also designed to dispel range anxiety among potential and existing EV owners.

Now, the first 100 customers to pre-book the iX will get an exclusive pre-booking advantage, consisting of a Complimentary Charging Installation and a Complimentary one-year Public Charging Access, available until Sept 22.

With the Balloon Financing Plan from BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia, the iX xDrive40 and iX xDrive40 Sport can be owned with a monthly instalment plan starting from RM4,888 and RM5,478 respectively (based on estimates of an 80% loan on a five-year tenure).

The full electric vehicle prides itself as a minimalist living space on wheels, offering sheer comfort on every journey–featuring first-of-its-kind Shy Tech concept which allows modern technology and innovation in the vehicle to discreetly blend in the background until needed or explicitly desired.

The fully-electric vehicle will also feature the very first BMW IconicSounds Electric –developed in collaboration with world-famous composer and Academy Awards winner, Hans Zimmer, offering owners an emotional driving experience with the unmistakable sounds of the BMW and BMW M models.

Owners can enjoy battery warranty of up to eight years or 160,000km, whichever comes first.


Indonesia and Japan to forge closer automotive ties

                JAKARTA: Indonesia is strengthening cooperation with Japan in electric vehicles (EV), carbon neutral fuel and biofuel to boost its automotive industry.

"The effort is also in line with the government’s target to cut greenhouse gas emissions levels 32 per cent by 2030, according to Indonesia’s Ministry of Industry in a statement.

"As one of the best countries in the world’s auto industry, Japan could support our efforts to achieve carbon neutrality,” the ministry’s machinery and electronics director Taufiek Bawazier said.

During the 4th Indonesia-Japan Automotive Dialogue held here recently, Taufiek presented an overview of the country’s automotive industry, EV development goals and the battery industry.

Representatives of the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Japanese automakers attended the dialogue.

Enomoto Masato, Asia Experts Group’s chairman at Japan automotive Manufacturers’ Association Asia, proposed a "multiple pathway approach" to achieve "zero emissions" in Indonesia.

Data from the Asean Automotive Federation showed Indonesia’s auto sales in 2022 rose to 1,048,000 units from 887,202 units in 2021.

In car manufacturing, the country recorded growth of 31 per cent to 1,470,146 units from 1,121,967 units in 2021.


Toyota Vios Challenge winner: Mitchell Cheah, a teen racer

                SERDANG: Anyone who watched the intense battle between cars 11 and 12 during the recent Vios Challenge Super Sporting Race 2 in MAEPS, Selangor will agree that what they witnessed in the 16 lap race was a showcase of skill, determination and simply outstanding motor racing between the two drivers where no quarter was asked nor given.

The chaser in Car 12 was Vios Challenge championship leader and Prince of Drift Tengku Djan who relentlessly piled on the pressure until he himself clashed with the chasing William Ho and retiring from the race four laps from the end allowing Car 11’s driver to take his maiden victory in the series and the respect of everyone who was privileged to have watched the race either live or in cyberspace.

What comes as a surprise is that the driver of Car 11 who kept his head, fending off the pressure from the double winner was not a seasoned veteran with decades of battles under his belt, but a fresh-faced racer who wasn’t even born the year Tengku Djan began racing.

 Mitchell Cheah's Car 11 (right) being pursued by Tengku Djan during the Vios Challenge Super Sporting Race 2 in MAEPS, Selangor.

Mitchell Cheah who will remain a teenager till his birthday in March this year is currently in the first year of college, pursuing a diploma in business and his bookish looks hides the fact that this young man has been driving around circuits for a good part of his life.

As the eldest son in a family of five, Mitchell tended to pursue the many activities his father Anthony indulged in.

“My father was a big sportsman who spent a lot of time indulging in football, badminton, table tennis, pool, swimming, golf, go-karting, anything that kept him active. I used to follow him to all kinds of activities and at around seven, we went to the go-kart circuit in Shah Alam. He put me in a car and I tried my hand at it for a year or so. There were so many kinds of sporting activities to explore at that time, I didn’t take an immediate interest in racing,” said Mitchell.

“My siblings took after my mother who is musically-inclined. They all play musical instruments but I don’t. Instead, I play a lot of sports including golf which I had a passion for at one time. I gave it up because it takes too much time and now, I spend most of my energy on dodgeball, futsal and motor racing,”

 Vios Challenge racer Mitchell Cheah holding aloft his Junior trophy.

“When I was around 11 my dad re-introduced me to karting and this time, the interest began to build. Seeing as I enjoyed it, my Dad and my ‘godfather’ Ng Wai Leong who runs a driver development programme, encouraged me to undergo a development programme to see how far I could go in the sport,”

“I went to Europe at 12 to train and I even entered a race in Belgium. I achieved a top 20 finish but it also opened my eyes to the fact that I needed to work very hard to get good results. When I came back, I continued to train and with the help of Wai Leong, I managed to win the Asia Max Championship at the age of 15,”

Moving from karting, Mitchell began exploring other forms of circuit racing including formula cars where he had some measure of success with but the biggest achievement came in 2017 when he swept to a surprising and well-deserved Malaysian Championship Series (MCS) title.

 Vios Challenge racer Mitchell Cheah with his mentor Ng Wai Leong.

While the series championship was a feather in his cap, there was still a question of his ability to win individual races. “Prior to this, I wasn’t mentally strong enough to win races because everytime I was in the lead, I would get nervous or lose my focus. I tended to finish behind the winner so I had to draw every ounce of strength to win the last Vios Challenge race in Serdang,”

“Before the start of that race, I was a nervous wreck. I was screaming under my helmet to get myself to calm down. I knew that Djan would try every way to pass and I needed to focus. I knew that as long as I was covering the corners where he would try to pass, I should be fine. But that was easier said than done because it he was relentless and I took quite a long time to calm down. Even when Djan dropped out, I was still worried as I knew the bumper had come lose,”

“It was only when I saw the flag that I knew I had broken the jinx and won a race from the front. It was such an awesome feeling,” said an elated Mitchell.

 Vios Challenge racer Mitchell Cheah (right) and his father Anthony.

“Getting into the Vios Challenge was a great move for me. As a racing driver, I wanted to know where I stood as all the cars are identical with no mechanical advantage. It is truly a great platform for any driver wanting to prove his worth and hopefully, I have done that by winning my first race,”

“I hope that this will be the opportunity to move on to a career in motor racing where I become a professional racer. That would be my hope for the future,” he concluded.


Proton 1 Tank Adventure - A Proton Iriz, a single tank of petrol and 650km.

                Faced with the daunting task of travelling 650km on a single tank of petrol would have most casting large shadows of doubt - especially so when it involves the compact Proton Iriz and its little 40-litre fuel tank during the Proton 1 Tank Adventure.

Proton’s Centre Of Excellence (COE) was the starting point for the journey and off we took to an altitude of one foot off the ground and a maximum cruising speed of 80kph.

Along the way, the 30-car convoy which included the Persona and Saga models, made stops at Perigi Batu Pahat and Tanjung Piai National Park as well as other checkpoints that needed to be reached within a specified time.

After an overnight stay in JB, the ended at a petrol station as the final checkpoint before continuing back to COE.

For many, fuel efficiency has always been one of the main factors when it comes to buying a vehicle with many tips and tricks on how to be frugal on fuel.

One of the main ways, as arduous as it can sometimes be, is to consistently apply copious amounts of restraint on the right foot. Jamming on the throttle will only dump fuel into the engine which makes it work harder - but not efficiently.

The trick is to slowly and ever so slightly ease into the throttle pedal just enough to have the Iriz gently and gradually build up speed to 80kph which puts the engine revving around 1,500rpm and then maintain.

The most painful ordeals were the numerous uphill slopes which negated any or all efforts placed into getting the car up to speed and only managed to up the level frustration. Nonetheless, perseverance was necessary to complete the distance.

At the final checkpoint (a refuelling stop), many drivers breathed a very large sigh of relief, as did we, considering the car’s instrument cluster displayed the car’s remaining range as “ - - “ - 45 minutes prior to reaching the final checkpoint.

With the Malaysia Speed Festival scrutineers, the Iriz’s fuel usage was measured at 37.496 litres for an average of 5.69 litres per 100km over the 650km distance.

Out for the three models, the Iriz managed to achieve the best fuel consumption which was measured at 4.94 litres per 100km while the Persona and Saga achieved a best of 4.98 litres and 5.43 litres per 100km respectively.

Impressive indeed for the Iriz which can now officially add “efficiency” to its already long list of positive attributes that include fun, comfortable, compact and feature-packed among others.


Geely's flagship Hao Yue SUV gets formally introduced

                BEIJING: Geely Auto has officially launched its flagship Hao Yue - its first seven-seater D-segment sports utility vehicle (SUV) in China.

Power comes from a 1.8TD engine - a 1.8-litre (1,799cc) turbocharged direct-injection petrol engine producing 181hp at 5,500rpm and 300Nm of torque at 4,000rpm.

Power is managed by a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission before sending the "twist" to the front wheels of this seven-seater SUV which can have its third-row seats folded down to reveal a boot capacity of up 2,360 litres.

As an added option, the Hao Yue can adopt a seven ‘VIP’ seat configuration that includes seven independently-adjustable seats.

The company said that with China's highly competitive SUV market dominated by foreign joint-venture brands, it has equipped the Hao Yue with its full suite of intelligent vehicle technologies.

The Hao Yue is said to have been equipped with Level 2 assisted driving technologies which utilise 24 sensors to assist 17 intelligent drive features.

Among its standard equipment is adaptive cruise control which can operate up to 150kph and down to a full stop as well as park assist with a 360-degree camera view among others.

Furthermore, the company took extra steps to ensure that the cabin does not come with a "new car smell" that it deems to be harmful before further equipping it with a CN95-grade air purification system.

The air purifier is said to be capable of filtering out 99% of PM2.5 particles and 98% of droplets bigger than 0.74µm which may contain viruses and other harmful elements.

In combination with the Hao Yue’s tri-zone climate controls and air quality management system (AQS), the company touts that its cabin air can be quickly purified and refreshed in under three minutes.

Passenger will be able to utilise the company's new Android-based Geely Key User Interface (GKUI) smart ecosystem that uses an E01 quad-core microprocessor.

The GKUI allows users to interact with the vehicle through an AI-powered voice assistant.

The ecosystem is also able to be integrated with a host of "Internet of things" (IoT) applications such as JD.com’s smart home which allows users to monitor and control home appliances while on the road.

Users can also interact and monitor information in the vehicle through multiple high-definition displays including a 12.3-inch central infotainment panel, 12.3-inch full LCD instrument panel and a head-up-display with navigation projected onto the windshield.


New Tesla Roadster pictured on the road

                SAN FRANCISCO: Tesla revealing an all-new Roadster last year certainly caused quite a stir in the global auto market, and a number of more traditional manufacturers have already stated their intention to produce rival electric sports cars.

Of course, unveiling a concept and taking to the road in one are two very different things, but that's exactly what Tesla chief designer Franz von Holzhausen has just been doing. And he's published a picture of himself online enjoying the new Roadster, too.

Even though Tesla has some serious production bottlenecks to sort out to meet demand for its existing models, and testing of its electric semi-articulated truck is also just getting underway, it hasn't stopped the second-generation Roadster making its debut on the road.

Earlier this week, von Holzhausen took to Twitter to post an image of himself behind the wheel of the new Roadster out and about on the roads of America's west coast.

Tesla certainly knows how to make a splash in the media though, because as if unveiling an EV Semi Truck in November wasn't enough, it also used the occasion to announce this all-new version of its Roadster would be the fastest accelerating car in the world.

The "base" version of the Roadster is said to get from 0 to 100kph in just 1.9 seconds, according to Tesla, and reaches 160kph in just 4.2 seconds. To put that into perspective, it means the Tesla could get to 160kph faster than something like a BMW M4 coupe can get to 100kph.

The official top speed hasn't been announced yet, but it's thought to be somewhere around 400kph. But what really is exciting about this car on top of all that is the claimed driving range on a single charge of 997km.

The second-generation Roadster is scheduled to go into production in 2020, with reservations already being taken. However, considering how long some early-adopters are currently having to wait for their Model 3s to be built it could be a while before we start seeing the Roadster on the road in any numbers.


Toyota to use biosynthetic rubber product in engine and drive system hoses

                TOYOTA CITY: Toyota will become the world's first automaker to use biohydrin, a newly-developed biosynthetic rubber product, in engine and drive system hoses.

Jointly developed by Toyota, Zeon Corporation, and Sumitomo Riko Co., Ltd., biohydrin rubber is manufactured using plant-derived bio-materials instead of epichlorohydrin, a commonly-used epoxy compound. Since plants absorb CO2 from the atmosphere during their lifespan, such bio-materials achieve an estimated 20 percent reduction in material lifecycle carbon emissions (in comparison to conventional petroleum-based hydrin rubber).

The first vehicles to use vacuum sensing hoses made from biohydrin rubber will be produced in May, with usage expected to be rolled out to all Toyota vehicles manufactured in Japan by the end of this year.

Engine and drive system hoses require a particularly high level of oil and heat resistance. Since epichlorohydrin offers exceptional oil resistance, heat resistance, heat aging resistance, ozone resistance, and gas permeability, it is currently commonly used as a key compound in the production of rubber for components such as hoses.

Production of biohydrin rubber uses a variety of compound technologies for bonding plant-derived materials with petroleum-derived materials at the molecular level. These technologies ensure that biohydrin rubber provides the levels of oil resistance, heat resistance, and durability required for vacuum sensing hoses in engines and drive systems. Additionally, biohydrin rubber is similar to conventional petroleum-based hydrin rubber in terms of quality and mass producibility, enabling large-scale use in commercial vehicles. In the future, Toyota plans to expand the usage of biohydrin to other high-performance rubber components, such as brake hoses and fuel line hoses.

Using biohydrin rubber in vehicles represents a small but important step towards meeting a range of ambitious environmental targets outlined by Toyota in October 2015. Collectively referred to as the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, these targets represent the company's comprehensive roadmap for contributing to global environmental sustainability.

Toyota said it would continue to develop and commercialise technologies that enable the use of materials like Ecological Plastic and biosynthetic rubber in a wider range of components.


Toyota joins Tesla in developing self-driving tech with low-cost cameras

                SAN FRANCISCO: Toyota Motor unit Woven Planet has joined Tesla Inc in trying to advance self-driving technology without expensive sensors such as lidars.

Woven Planet said it is able to use low-cost cameras to collect data and effectively train its self-driving system, a "breakthrough" that it hopes will help drive down costs and scale up the technology.

Gathering diverse driving data using a massive fleet of cars is critical to developing a robust self-driving car system, but it is costly and not scalable to test autonomous vehicles with expensive sensors, it said.

Tesla has been betting on cameras to collect data from over 1 million vehicles on the road to develop its automated driving technology, while Alphabet's Waymo and other self-driving car firms added expensive sensors like lidars to a small number of vehicles.

"We need a lot of data. And it's not sufficient to just have a small amount of data that can be collected from a small fleet of very expensive autonomous vehicles," Michael Benisch, vice president of Engineering at Woven Planet, said in an interview with Reuters.

"Rather, we're trying to demonstrate that we can unlock the advantage that Toyota and a large automaker would have, which is access to a huge corpus of data, but with a much lower fidelity," said Benisch, a former engineering director at Lyft's self-driving division, which Toyota acquired last year.

Woven Planet uses cameras that are 90% cheaper than sensors that it used before and can be easily installed in fleets of passenger cars.

It said using a majority of data coming from low-cost cameras increased its system's performance to a level similar to when the system was trained exclusively on high-cost sensor data.

He said, however, Toyota would still use multiple sensors such as lidars and radars for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles to be deployed on the road, as this currently seemed to be the best, safest approach to developing robotaxis.

"But in many, many years, it's entirely possible that camera type technology can catch up and overtake some of the more advanced sensors," he said.

"The question may be more about when and how long it will take to reach a level of safety and reliability. I don't believe we know that yet."

Tesla's CEO Elon Musk said it can achieve full autonomy with cameras this year after missing his previous targets several times.


BMW teases first 2 Series Gran Coupe

                MUNICH: Though the world premiere isn't expected to take place until the LA Auto Show in November, BMW has begun teasing the upcoming 2 Series Gran Coupe while other car manufacturers tease their models for April's New York Auto Show.

While BMW's Gran Coupe lineup has already spanned from 4 Series models to 6 Series models, a 2 Series rendition will be joining the line-up in the spring of next year.

Most vehicle teasers taking place right now have been published in preparation for the New York Auto Show which begins next month; BMW, however, is preparing for the Los Angeles Auto Show world premiere eight months away.

Of the shadowed teal model pictured in the teaser, all that is visible is a hair of the back door and its handle as well as an illuminated taillight. The roofline, as far as we can see, looks pretty streamlined.

The four-door coupe has been developed for "modern, urban target groups" with a taste for sporty design. All the company revealed about the powertrain is that it will have a front-wheel-drive system despite the standard 2 Series Coupe featuring rear-wheel-drive.

BMW also announced that the BMW 1 Series will come out over the course of this year, but no further details have been revealed.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe will make its worldwide market launch in the spring of 2020 after its premiere this November.


Hyundai plans long-range premium electric car in strategic shift

                SEOUL: Hyundai Motor Co said today it was placing electric vehicles at the centre of its product strategy - one that includes plans for a premium long-distance electric car as it seeks to catch up to Tesla and other rivals.

Like Toyota Motor Corp, Hyundai had initially championed fuel cell technology as the future of eco-friendly vehicles but has found itself shifting electric as Tesla shot to prominence and battery-powered cars have gained government backing in China.

Toyota is now also working on longer distance, fast-charging electric vehicles, local media have reported.

The South Korean automaker is planning to launch an electric sedan under its high-end Genesis brand in 2021 with a range of 500km per charge. It will also introduce an electric version of its Kona small sport utility vehicle (SUV) with a range of 390km in the first half of next year.

"We're strengthening our eco-friendly car strategy, centering on electric vehicles," executive vice president Lee Kwang-guk told a news conference, calling the technology mainstream and realistic.

The automaker and affiliate Kia Motors Corp, which together rank fifth in global vehicle sales, also said they were adding three plug-in vehicles to their plans for eco-friendly cars, bringing the total to 31 models by 2020.

Underscoring Hyundai's electric shift, those plans include eight battery-powered and two fuel-cell vehicles - a contrast to its 2014 announcement for 22 models, of which only two were slated to be battery-powered.

Hyundai also confirmed a Reuters report that it is developing its first dedicated electric vehicle platform, which will allow the company to produce multiple models with longer driving ranges.

Last year, it launched its first mass-market pure electric car IONIQ, but the vehicle's per-charge driving range is much shorter than offerings from Tesla and General Motors.

Hyundai also unveiled a near production version of its new fuel cell SUV with a driving range of more than 800km per charge under European standards, nearly double the 415km for its current Tucson fuel cell SUV.

The mid-sized SUV will be launched in Korea early next year, followed by US and European markets.

A fuel cell electric bus is slated to be unveiled late this year, while a sedan-type fuel cell car is also planned. Even so, analysts noted that gaining traction with fuel cells was going to be a long hard slog.

"Hyundai will achieve fuel cell economies of scale by 2035 at the earliest," Lee Hang-koo, a senior research fellow at Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade.

"Before that, Hyundai has no choice but to rely on battery cars," he said.


All-new Hyundai Sonata open for booking

                PETALING JAYA: Hyundai Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) has started taking orders for the all-new Hyundai Sonata that is expected to be launched before the end of the year.

Buyers can book the D-segment sedan with a fee of RM888 at all Hyundai showrooms nationwide.

More details about the new multi-award winning Sonata are available by contacting Hyundai at tel: 1-300-13-2000 or log on to www.hyundai.com.my to locate the nearest showroom.

To-date, the Sonata has bagged several coveted awards in the US which include “Best Car for Teens” by US News and World Report, “2020 Best Auto Tech Award” by Kelly Blue Book, 2020 NHTSA 5-star Overall Rating, MotorWeek’s “2020 Drivers’ Choice Award” for Best Family Sedan and Wards “10 Best User Experience Award.”

The Sonata will feature several new innovations and cutting-edge technology such as:

> Smartstream G2.5 MPi engine with improved fuel efficiency,

> Six-speed automatic transmission with shift-by-wire feature,

> State-of-the-art Hidden Lighting Lamps architecture, and

> Wireless phone charging with cooling function.

HDSM managing director Low Yuan Lung said the new Sonata model has urged ahead of competing models in terms of sales in several markets and is accumulating more awards.

“The Sonata’s unique features in the D-segment is patently obvious. One look at it and you can already see that its Sensuous Sportiness exterior design, with its coupe roof line and elegant, sporty body lines, makes this the stand-out car in the segment," he said.

He said Hyundai designers had discarded the conservative look of the D-segment when developing the Sonata.

"The new Sonata's design was conceived to emote. This is not your average D-segment car.

"With its courageous new design, Hyundai’s new Sonata is a statement of intent. Here is a marque that refuses to blend in with the crowd.

"With every new model, some of the best car designers and creative directors in the world such as Luc Donckerwolke and SangYup Lee have been hired by Hyundai to create cars that move you in more ways than one," he said.

Low also said the new Sonata's blind-spot-view monitoring assists drivers with a live video feed of the blind spot which is projected onto a video screen on the digital gauge cluster, an innovative design which is not available in other D-segment sedans.

He said the Sonata, like all Hyundai models, is also one of the safest cars in the world as it is built with Hyundai’s proprietary Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS).

"This stems from Hyundai corporate legacy which started as an industrial steel company, forging steel of such robust strength that it was used in the construction of railway tracks, bridges and ships. Now the AHSS is used to build every Hyundai car,” he added.


Drivers of four supercars issued summonses for blocking highway

                PETALING JAYA: Police have issued summonses to the drivers of four supercars shown blocking the road along the Elite Expressway

Selangor police chief Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan, in a statement today said that the police were notified of the incident following a 49-second video posted on social media.

The video showed a convoy of supercars which was causing disruption to road users along the expressway.

"The police have summoned the account holder and following that, summonses have been issued for obstructing the road.

"The police would like to advise all road users to obey road laws to avoid accidents, road congestion and causing unnecessary grief to other road users," he said.

Summonses were issued to four drivers who were the main cause of the congestion.

The incident echoed a similar one by a Singapore car club on the Second Penang Bridge last month that was albeit a bigger convoy.


Still status quo. You have to pay same RON95 price as in December

                PUTRAJAYA: We waited and waited — and waited until midnight yesterday. It was a no-show from the Cabinet when it came to a decision on fuel price changes.

The weekly float system, which was supposed to start from Jan 1, has been put on hold as the government reviews it. The Cabinet was supposed to discuss and make a decision on the issue yesterday at its first meeting of the year. However, it has yet to issue a statement on the matter.

Officials from the Prime Minister’s Office and the Finance Ministry said they have not receive a directive to make a public announcement.

In short, this means motorists will have to continue paying the current fuel prices.

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng had said a weekly float system would be used to determine RON95 fuel price from Jan 1 due to the falling prices of crude oil, which will allow consumers to enjoy lower prices faster.

But on Monday, the government announced that the retail prices of fuel would remain unchanged for the first week of 2019.

The prices of RON97, RON95 and diesel remain at RM2.50, RM2.20 and RM2.18 per litre respectively until the government sets new retail prices.

Earlier yesterday, petrol dealers met with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to highlight their concerns over the weekly float system.

They also presented their proposal for consideration to ensure they would not suffer losses should the government continue with its plan.

Petrol Dealers Association Malaysia (PDAM) president Datuk Khairul Annuar Abdul Aziz said the meeting was held before the Prime Minister chaired the Cabinet meeting.

“We were told that the Cabinet will discuss and decide on the petrol issue,” he told reporters after the PDAM delegation held a 45-minute meeting with the Prime Minister.

Khairul Annuar said the association explained to Dr Mahathir the problems they would face should the proposed weekly float be implemented.

“The Prime Minister seems to understand our predicament. We are hoping for a favourable outcome,” he said.


Harley sells clothes on Zalora, bikes on Lazada

                PETALING JAYA: Harley-Davidson has launched a selection of Harley-Davidson Men’s and Women’s lifestyle apparel on fashion website Zalora.

The partnership will be extended to Brunei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan and is in addition to Harley-Davidson’s extensive dealership network in South-East Asia.

The partnership comes on the heels of the motorcycle maker teaming up with Lazada to sell initially two motorcycle models.

From t-shirts, jackets, coats, shirts, hoodies and sweatshirts, online shoppers can now shop a range of lifestyle apparel from the most desirable motorcycle brand in the world, with prices starting from RM113.


NSE Ipoh Utara-Ipoh Selatan southbound lanes to close from 10am Nov 30 for emergency drill

                IPOH: A highway emergency response exercise will take place on the Ipoh Utara-Ipoh Selatan stretch of the North-South Expressway (NSE) on Nov 30 between 10am and 2.30pm.

PLUS Malaysia Bhd (PLUS) chief operating officer Datuk Zakaria Ahmad Zabidi said the southbound stretch of the road will be temporarily closed to facilitate the exercise.

"Throughout the closure, southbound highway users from the north or from Kuala Kangsar will be diverted to the Ipoh Utara toll plaza and are advised to use the FT240 Jelapang-Ampang slip road.

"Highway users heading south are advised to re-enter the expressway via the Ipoh Selatan toll plaza," he said in a statement today.

"Highway users are advised to obey all traffic signage and instructions given by PLUS personnel throughout the exercise," he added.

Zakaria said the exercise was aimed at gauging the readiness and response by PLUS, emergency teams and related agencies in managing emergency situations on the highway.

“Safety of highway users is always our top priority. Therefore, emergency response exercises are conducted from time to time to measure and evaluate the level of preparedness of PLUS personnel and other agencies to ensure the safety of highway users is in good hands,” he said.

The exercise will also involve various agencies such as the Malaysian Highway Authority, the police, Road Transport Department, Fire and Rescue Department, Environment Department, Civil Defence, MERS 999, National Security Council, Health Ministry, Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research, Edgenta Infrastructure Services (EIS) and many more.

For more traffic information or assistance during emergencies, call PLUSLINE at 1800-88-0000.


Tesla to export China-made Model 3 vehicles to Europe

                BEIJING/SHANGHAI: Tesla Inc said today it would start exporting China-made Model 3 cars to more than 10 European countries this month, joining a growing number of automakers using China as an export hub for electric vehicles.

The US carmaker, which started delivering vehicles made in its Shanghai factory in December, will export China-made cars this month to countries including Germany, France, Italy and Switzerland, it said in a statement.

Elsewhere, German rival BMW is preparing to export its electric iX3 model, made at a joint venture plant in Shenyang, China, to Europe, while Daimler is shifting production of its Smart branded city cars to Hangzhou Bay.

Tesla has been expanding in China even as tensions between Washington and Beijing have been escalating. The Shanghai factory, Tesla’s first car plant outside of the United States, aims to build 150,000 vehicles this year.

“Support from Chinese government towards the industry, innovative local companies and customers embracing new technologies make China the best market for smart electric vehicles,” Tesla said, adding it would expand car production, charging and sales networks in China.

The electric vehicle maker, which sold more than 11,000 Model 3 cars last month in China, the world’s biggest auto market, is also building new car manufacturing capacity in Shanghai to make its Model Y sport-utility vehicles.

Reuters reported in September that Tesla was planning to export Model 3 vehicles made in China to Asian and European markets, citing people familiar with the matter.

The export of the Model 3 to Europe comes as Tesla is in the process of building a German factory on the outskirts of Berlin and after the German government announced a subsidy of up to 9,000 euros for buyers of electric cars, including the Model 3.


Anime, Michelin Man and Transformers: truck art thrives in Thailand

Families gathered in front of rows of custom-painted trucks at a fancy truck party in the Thai coastal province of Rayong. - All pix by AFP
RAYONG: Music pounds from the speakers and LED lights ripple across the customised cabs at a "truck party" hosted by proud Thai drivers showing off their lorries with swag.

They own 20-wheeler behemoths that turn heads on the roads with lurid graphics and paint-jobs of everything from unicorns to "Transformers" and Disney characters on their cabs and containers - while large Michelin Man dolls often add to the visual assault.

Thailand is a major logistics hub and long-haul truck routes connect goods from Myanmar and Laos to the North, Cambodia to the east to Bangkok and Malaysia in the south.

Like their South Asian peers, Thai truck owners are enthralled by decorous vehicles - with new designs spinning out across social media and the best artists charging up to US$1,600 (RM6,300) for their work.

"These trucks are used in real life," said Teerasak Inklom, while controlling the state-of-the-art sound system on his heavily decorated 10-wheeler at the party in a disused field in Rayong, on Thailand's eastern seaboard.

"The relationships it creates can also be useful when you have accidents or technical issues on the roads," he added, of a job that is often lonely and also prone to be targeted by criminals in remote areas.

"These friends can help."

At a vast warehouse near Bangkok, dozens of workers cut stickers and spray on designs ranging from traditional flower patterns to Japanese robot anime craze Gundam.

It belongs to Sirintra Phichitphajongkit, managing director of Soonchai Industry, one of Thailand's largest truck assemblers that has recently devoted one section to painting the trucks.

"I think it's about psychology," said Sirintra.

When the trucks are "nicely decorated, drivers are motivated to be extra careful and not to leave any scratches on them."

Thailand's lavish vehicle decoration originated with bus paintings - and the Michelin Man.

The tubby white mascot known as "Bonhomme Michelin" in French are given by the Lyon-based tyre company to customers who buy a certain number of tyres.

Many drivers say they then use the figurines for decoration as a way to show off their wealth.

But truckers today are adding wackier local designs to the mix and installing accessories like loudspeakers and extra wing mirrors.

Though decorating vehicles is prohibited by Thai law over safety concerns, drivers mostly get away with small fines and sympathy from admiring police officers.

That wasn't always the case.

The community was long perceived as led by shadowy, drug-ridden machos who idolise "bad boy" icons from Che Guevara to Saddam Hussein with stickers on the sides of trucks.

"That reflected the tough guy lifestyle of people who endure long drives on the roads," said Suphot Saengow, leader of The Artistic Mind Truckers Club of Thailand.

"I think now we look more polished and friendly."

That is certainly the case for Wichukorn Wongdara as he drives a bright green truck carrying rocks from an out-of-town quarry destined for a Bangkok construction site.

The unicorn on his truck - designed by his daughter - aims to attract admiring eyes and deter thieves, who sometimes siphon off fuel from parked trucks.

"It's been a dream to create my own fancy truck," said Wichukorn.

"What do I get out of it? I get the feeling of pride when people come to look at my trucks and praise how beautiful they are."


Ducati Hypermotard 950 RVE heads out for adventure

                BOLOGNA: Ducati's range of fun-loving Hypermotard motorcycles just got bigger with the introduction of the mid-range Hypermotard 950 RVE.

The Hypermotard 950 RVE sits between the entry-level Hypermotard and range-topping Hypermotard 950 SP while sporting a street art-inspired "Graffiti" livery.

Although it's technically stickers that have been sprayed over by clearcoat, the Italian bike builder said that it used very thin ones that make it look like they've been airbrushed on.

Aside from the graphics, the middle-child RVE naturally gets added goodies over the standard Hypermotard which includes the Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) Up and Down EVO for some fast-shifting and clutchless action.

As standard, the Hypermotard RVE comes with the usual inclusion of Bosch Cornering ABS with Slide by Brake function (in setting 1), Ducati Traction Control Evo (DTC EVO) and Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) EVO.

The Hypermotard 950 is the fun-bike par excellence of the Ducati range and is designed to guarantee a high level of pleasure and control while riding.

Power still comes from the 937cc twin-cylinder Testastretta 11-degree engine producing 114hp at 9,000rpm and 98Nm of torque - 80% of which is already available at 3,000rpm.

In comparison to the range-topper, the 950 SP sports racing graphics and Öhlins suspension with increased travel, Marchesini forged wheels and Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) Up and Down EVO.


Karma Automotive offers new packages for 2020 Revero GT

                LOS ANGELES: Karma Automotive has launched new Sports and Performance packages for the 2020 Revero GT, catering to the driving enthusiast.

The 2020 Karma Revero GT features dual electric motors which power the vehicle’s on-board generator and offer the best of both worlds; exceptional performance and handling, with the ability to drive up to 80 zero-emission miles on battery power alone and 360 miles overall range, powered by a 28kWh NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) lithium-ion battery.

The Sports and Performance Packages feature both functional and visual upgrades which make the Revero GT even more striking.

Both the Sports and Performance packages unleash an acceleration of 0 to 60mph in 3.9 seconds and electronic torque vectoring.

The Sports package exterior features a Borrego Black paint as standard, with chrome blackout and lightweight carbon fiber exterior pieces, GTS fender badges, red calipers, cross drilled rotors, and 22-inch Dune Twist Midnight Chrome wheels.

Karma’s signature badge, a solar eclipse, is notably monochrome, indicating a special high-performance variant -- a unique design element shared by the brand’s SC2 concept car.

Inside the vehicle, a similar blackout Karma badge is placed on the steering wheel, complemented by a sleek carbon fiber trim throughout the cabin.

GTS insignia is respectfully placed upon the center console and UX/UI display, a subtle nod to the vehicle’s performance enhancements.

For the driving enthusiast who prefers to conquer the roads surreptitiously, the Revero GT Performance package offers all the functional upgrades of the Sports package, while maintaining the original exterior of the Revero GT.

Inside the cabin, a GTS emblem in the performance oriented UX/UI, including a special Track Mode, serves as a strong nod to the vehicle’s enhancements.

The Revero GT is available to order at Karma’s North American retailers, starting at $144,800 USD.


Lexus ES enhanced

 Lexus ES 350.

NEW YORK: Lexus, after giving the ES 350 significant enhancements for 2015, maintains its momentum by endowing the 2016 ES 350 and ES 300h with a makeover for the front, rear and wheels; and new safety, connectivity and multimedia technology.

The Lexus ES 350 serves as part of the brand’s strategy in the entry-luxury segment, combining flagship-type comfort (including 40 inches of rear seat legroom) with front-wheel drive traction. The ES 350 delivers strong and efficient performance from a standard 268-hp 3.5-liter V6 engine teamed to an ultra-smooth six-speed automatic transmission.

The current-generation ES 350 was already wearing the Lexus spindle grille, the brand’s signature design feature, and for 2016 it receives a more strongly styled, even bolder, one-piece version, framed by elegant satin chrome trim. New standard LED headlights give the ES 350 a steely stare at night. A fully redesigned front fascia puts the fog lights at the corners to accentuate the wide stance.

 Lexus ES 350.

The 2016 ES 350 shows a more sophisticated look from the rear, too, with distinctive L-themed taillights and new chrome-tipped rectangular exhaust ports peeking through a restyled rear fascia, as on the flagship LS. The freshened design extends to new optional 17-inch alloy wheels and four new exterior colors.

Starting with 10 standard airbags, the 2016 Lexus ES 350 offers exemplary safety through its robust structure and a wide array of driver-assist technologies. For 2016, the new available Lexus Safety System+ Package combines Pre-Collision System (PCS), Lane Departure Alert (LDA) with Steering Assist, Intelligent High Beam (IHB) and High-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control.

 Lexus ES 350.

Always in pursuit of optimal luxury, Lexus made numerous upgrades to the 2016 ES 350’s already comfortable cabin. New interior colours and colour coordination, soft-touch materials added to the console and silver-trimmed piano black door switch plates are among the details that give the interior a richer appearance.

Meanwhile, the Lexus ES 300h becomes more alluring for 2016 thanks to a design makeover that touches much of the exterior and interior. New safety, multimedia and connectivity technology uphold the brand’s penchant for catering to its customers’ lifestyles.

 Lexus ES 300h.

The current-generation ES 300h was already wearing the Lexus spindle grille, the brand’s signature design feature, and for 2016 it gets an even bolder, one-piece version framed by elegant satin chrome trim. New standard LED headlights give the ES 300h a more distinctive face, day or night. A fully redesigned front fascia puts the fog lights at the corners to accentuate the wide stance.

At the rear, the ES 300h now shows a closer kinship to the flagship LS sedan with distinctive L-themed taillights. The freshened design extends to new and exclusive 17-inch alloy wheels and four new exterior colours. As before, the ES 300h conveys its hybrid identity through subtle cues, including a trunk lip spoiler, hidden exhaust pipe and blue hybrid badges.

 Lexus ES 300h.

The beauty of the Lexus Hybrid Drive system comes through in its transparent operation. The system combines a 2.5-liter four-cylinder Atkinson cycle engine with an electric motor to generate 200 total system horsepower. It will run on electric motor or gas engine alone, or a combination of both, based on the driving situation. The Hybrid System Indicator shows use of energy and encourages efficient driving habits.

New interior colours and colour coordination, soft-touch materials and silver-trimmed piano black door switch plates are among the details that give the 2016 ES 300h interior a richer appearance and feel. New trims are for 2016 are Linear Dark Mocha, Illustrious Piano Black (replaces Piano Black) and Bamboo with a matte finish.


Volkswagen rolling out 2018 Golf family at New York Auto Show

                NEW YORK: Volkswagen’s award-winning Golf family receives styling, technology and driver assistance updates across the lineup for 2018.

The updated exterior design showcases sharper lines, with new bumpers and a new chrome grille.

Full-LED taillights and Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) come standard, with available full-LED headlights replacing the optional Bi-Xenon headlights in the previous models.

 2018 Golf GTI.

Wheel designs and body colors are also refreshed. Interior updates include new trim panels and materials.

Infotainment systems in 2018 model year vehicles now feature larger, crisper touchscreens.

Standard 6.5-inch displays replace the 5-inch screens in previous models.

SE and SEL trims feature standard 8-inch touchscreens.

 2018 Golf GTI.

The new Volkswagen Digital Cockpit, allowing drivers to customize the vehicle information on the dashboards, is standard on the Golf R.

Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking (Front Assist) is now available on most SE trims and above, as is Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Traffic Alert.

The updated version of Front Assist now includes Pedestrian Monitoring. Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Departure Warning (Lane Assist), Park Distance Control, Parking Steering Assistant (Park Assist), and High Beam Control (Light Assist) are also available on some models.

 2018 Golf R. 2018 Golf R.


Resigned riders of gasoline-fueled motorcycles pay for parking in Paris

                PARIS: Paris's town hall decision to make gasoline-fuelled motorcycles pay for parking kicked in this Thursday, triggering reactions from riders ranging from resignation to dissatisfaction.

The new charge fulfills a campaign promise of socialist Mayor Anne Hidalgo and was set to start in January, but the measure was delayed as Hidalgo made a bid for the French presidency in the spring.

The move aims to reduce noise and pollution, as parking for electric motorcycles remains free.

"I'm totally against it (...) I might take the car to come to Paris now, who knows, so we'll have even more traffic jams, this measure is really totally inappropriate", said pensioner Herve Jehanin, who lives in the suburbs.

In recent years, Hidalgo has built a network of new bike lanes and increased parking fees for cars in a bid to steer Parisians and commuters towards more environmentally-friendly transport options.

"I just paid my parking fee. This impact is financial but after that I think the goal is to kick out all type of vehicle out of Paris (...) it's sad but that's the way it is," said Sylvain Guittet, an architect whose offices are just outside Paris.

Motorcycling organizations and Paris' conservative opposition have called the motorbike parking fee plan a new tax that will not reduce congestion, while groups representing cyclists and pedestrians have welcomed the move, saying it was long overdue.

"This changes everything (...) the only option left for us will be to let go of our motorbikes but, as things stand now, it is not easy to do everything by bike in Paris," said Antoine Coulis, a 23-year-old student.


GM works with Microsoft on Cruise self-driving vehicle

                DETROIT: General Motors announced Tuesday it is joining forces with Microsoft on its Cruise autonomous driving venture, with the tech giant coming on board as an investor and technology partner as it pushes to commercialise self-driving technology.

The companies have established "a long-term strategic relationship," and Microsoft will join GM, Honda and institutional investors in a new US$2 billion equity investment round, GM and Cruise said in a press release.

The tech giant also will provide hardware and software engineering support.

The plan includes the use of Microsoft's Azure cloud computing capacity to commercialise Cruise technology.

"Our mission to bring safer, better, and more affordable transportation to everyone isn't just a tech race - it's also a trust race," Cruise chief executive Dan Ammann said.

"Microsoft, as the gold standard in the trustworthy democratisation of technology, will be a force multiplier for us as we commercialise our fleet of self-driving, all-electric, shared vehicles."

Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella said the venture will help GM and Cruise to "scale and make autonomous transportation mainstream."

The partnership comes on the heels of a series of GM announcements to reposition the Detroit giant to compete with Tesla and other newer players.

Last week, GM announced plans to build a fleet of new electric vans, and earlier this month, the company unveiled its first new corporate logo in decades in an effort to shift its image towards what it calls a world of "zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion."


RFID payment available at select petrol stations in Klang Valley starting tomorrow

                PETALING JAYA: Drivers will be able to buy fuel while still seated in their cars by taking part in a pilot project that uses RFID payment at selected Shell petrol stations.

To participate, you will need a car fitted with the Touch ‘n Go (TnG) RFID on the windscreen or headlamp.

You will also have to use the Touch ‘n Go (TnG) app and sign up for Activate Fueling by keying in the default refuelling amount and a six-digit one-time password (OTP).

Users will receive a push notification if the activation is successful.

According to the FAQ, the default fuelling amount is required to make a pump reservation and any unused amount will be refunded directly to the eWallet.

To ensure a smooth transaction, users are recommended to activate the RFID repayment prior to visiting the petrol station and ensure their eWallet balance exceeds the default fuelling amount.

At the fuelling bay, an overhead scanner will read the radio frequency from the RFID tag and deduct the amount from the TnG eWallet.

The RFID payment will work even if the user’s mobile connection is weak though the push notification for the transaction may appear late.

Users have to lift the pump within 80 seconds of making the payment, otherwise the pump will be locked and the prepaid amount refunded.

Should this happen, the user will have to move to another RFID-enabled bay to try again.

The pilot project will run from tomorrow to Aug 12 at five Shell stations at Bandar Sri Menjalara, Mint Hotel, NKVE Damansara, Taman Connaught and Taman Tun Dr Ismail.

To incentivise users to participate, early adopters will receive a one-time RM20 cashback which will be credited to their eWallet if they refuel at least twice and each transaction is a minimum of RM10.

They must also complete a survey, which will be sent to their email, before Aug 15 to qualify.

Users will also earn BonusLink points if they link their BonusLink account to the eWallet.


Get 'well' in the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class

                STUTTGART: Mercedes-Benz's latest S-Class will make its official debut very soon and among the highlights are its new engine range, series of new electrification technologies, Intelligent Drive and a new comfort and wellness standards for the interior.

With production having begun, the new S-Class will be rolling in with a new radiator grille flanked by its MULTIBEAM LED headlamps with ULTRA RANGE Highbeam, which generates the maximum light intensity permitted by law.

Inside, there's going to be a new control and display concept and under a shared glass cover, the two high-resolution displays, each with a 12.3‑inch screen will blend together to form a Widescreen Cockpit.

There will also be touch-sensitive Touch Control buttons on the new steering wheel, which will include DISTRONIC and cruise control, while the infotainment system can be operated via a touchpad, centre console controller or LINGUATRONIC voice control with over 450 commands.

In terms of driving assistance systems, there will be Active Distance Control DISTRONIC and Active Steering Assist, which is touted to be even more comfortable for the driver's use when keeping a safe distance and steering.

The Active Distance Assist Distronic will interact with map and navigation data to help support the driver based on the route, and can conveniently adjust the vehicle speed.

Handling and comfort will be handled by its Magic Body Control along with Road Surface Scan as well as curve inclination function for the first time to further enhance comfort.

In terms of power delivery, there will be a completely new range of highly efficient engines with new six-cylinder in-line diesel and petrol variants, as well as a V8 biturbo with cylinder shut-off.

Meanwhile, the 48-volt Integrated Starter Generator and electric booster compressor will also make their premier.

In Eco Assist mode, the S-Class will utilise navigation data, traffic signs and information from the driving assistance systems to help send its owner advance notifications in order to help enhance the level of driving comfort, allowing to coast to a stop with the engine off or with recuperation.

The S-Class' Energizing comfort control (from September 2017) networks different onboard comfort systems and allows a specific wellness setup according to the mood or needs of the customer. The extended ambience lighting creates interior lighting moods like a work of art by composing colour worlds from different colours.

For greater convenience, there will be a new Concierge service (market dependant), while mobile phones can now be charged wirelessly with front and rear passengers getting text messaging options allowing them to receive, send, forward and use voice-to-text to dictate text messages.


WATCH: How difficult is it to get cars into a video game?

                LOS ANGELES: It's always exhilarating to find out just how your favourite vehicle might perform in a video game.

But before the real deal goes virtual, there's a great deal of work that's done beforehand.

In one of Donut Media's latest video, it takes the viewer through the development stages in order to get it in virtual form for some on-screen enjoyment.

Codemasters - the developers for the Formula 1 and DIRT video game franchise, allowed a brief-yet-informative look at their development process, namely vehicle selection, modelling and ultimately programming.

Because a chosen vehicle is "virtually" being copied, a tonne of licensing is involved as well as continuous amounts of confirmation.

This is to help ensure that details of a car manufacturer's pride and joy get properly and accurately depicted from the colour right down to the exhaust note, handling characteristics and even structural integrity.

Getting past the corporate side of things, it's time to dive deep into the computing side - particularly three-dimensional (3D) renderings.

The final touch is the way the car is programmed to handle so that it properly depicts the way it's supposed to be in reality.

Although this will vary between titles, it will also depend on how the game's "engine" recreates the vehicle to help bring about the love many of us have developed for certain games.

This finally brings about the love many of of us have developed for certain games.