New Volvo 3S centre opens in Ara Damansara, PJ

                PETALING JAYA: Sime Darby Swedish Auto Sdn Bhd, which was appointed Volvo Car Malaysia’s dealer-partner in October last year, has unveiled its new Volvo 3S (sales, service and spare parts) centre in Ara Damansara here.

As part of Sime Darby Motors City in Ara Damansara, the 4-storey centre drew inspiration from the brand’s Scandinavian-inspired ideals and heritage, and was built in adherence to Volvo Car’s retail standard – the Volvo Retail Experience (VRE).

It is the first 3S centre to have a VR Studio (Virtual Reality Studio) and a RATC Bay (Reception at The Counter).

The 3S centre features a showroom and service centre, and a car detailing area.

A wheel alignment and balancing zone is located on the fourth floor.

The centre is the first fully air-conditioned workshop in Malaysia.

An after-sales team of 18 people manages 14 repair and service bays, of which two are specifically for RATC Bays.

All customer parking bays have an Electric Vehicle Charger.

Volvo Ara Damansara is located at Block 6, Sime Darby Motors City,6 Jalan PJU 1A/7, Petaling Jaya.

Operation hours are from 8.30am to 6pm from Mondays to Fridays, from 9am to 6pm on Saturdays and 10am to 6pm on Sundays and public holidays.

The Service Centre opens from 8.30am to 5.30pm on Mondays to Fridays and from 8.30am to 12.45pm on Saturdays.

Customers can call 03-7623 3200.


Porsche Cayenne gets enhanced Premium Package

                PETALING JAYA: Sime Darby Auto Performance (SDAP) is reintroducing a new Premium Package for the Cayenne with pre-orders for the base model starting at RM680,000.

The Cayenne with the enhanced Premium Package comes with a range of options to achieve an even more impressive performance in the SUV model range, including air suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) for dynamic handling and driving comfort, as well as 21-inch RS Spyder wheels for improved road handling, and ParkAssist with Surround View.

Other complimentary options include Bose Surround Sound System and four zone climate control.

The 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 engine is equipped with a twin-scroll turbocharger between the cylinder banks and delivers 340PS and 450Nm torque between 1,340 and 5,300rpm paired to the 8-speed Tiptronic S transmission.

“There’s nothing quite like a ride in a sports car, be it for the driver or the passenger, and it’s our goal to share “that sportscar feeling” with more Porsche enthusiasts in Malaysia.

"The introduction of the new Cayenne Premium Package has enabled us to do that, and we stay committed to finding new ways of bringing fans closer to realising their dreams of owning a Porsche,” said Christopher Hunter, Chief Executive Officer of SDAP.

“The SUV segment continues to gain popularity in Malaysia, and as the sportiest car in that segment, the Cayenne is uniquely placed to capture the hearts of customers who want to experience the brand and our sports cars.”

The enhanced Cayenne Premium Package will come with four years warranty as well as four years free service and maintenance. Deliveries will begin in 2021.


Tesla Model 3 fails to get Consumer Reports nod due to 'big flaws'

The Model 3. - Reuters
NEW YORK: Influential US magazine Consumer Reports will not recommend Tesla Inc’s Model 3 sedan, saying on Monday it braked slower than a full-sized pickup truck, taking the shine off a day of gains for shares in Elon Musk’s electric car company.

Musk had driven shares in Tesla as much as 4 percent higher with weekend tweets showing the Silicon Valley company was aiming initially to deliver higher-priced, more profitable fully-loaded editions of the Model 3.

The car is seen as crucial to Tesla’s profitability at a time when it is battling to reverse production shortfalls, confronting reports of crashes involving its vehicles and facing increased scepticism over its finances.

On Twitter, Musk said the fully-loaded Model 3, with all-wheel drive, a dual motor and a 499-km range - but excluding its vaunted Autopilot feature - would cost US$78,000 (RM310,000). The company has not yet begun to make the US$35,000 (RM140,000) base price version that Tesla originally claimed would make it a mass-market vehicle.

Consumer Reports, however, declined to recommend the Model 3 and criticised it for having overly long stopping distances and a difficult-to-use centre touchscreen.

The magazine, which provides an annual rating of vehicles sold in the United States, said even though its tests found plenty to like about the Model 3 and it was a thrill to drive, it had “big flaws.”

 The dashboard of the Model 3.

Tesla’s stopping distance of 46m when braking at 100kph was “far worse” than any contemporary car tested by the magazine and about 2m longer than the stopping distance of a Ford F-150 full-sized pickup, it said.

Tesla said its own testing had found braking distances of 40m on average using the 18” Michelin all season tyre, and as low as 38m with all tyres currently available.

“Unlike other vehicles, Tesla is uniquely positioned to address more corner cases over time through over-the-air software updates, and it continually does so to improve factors such as stopping distance,” Tesla said.

The new Model 3 version’s price was similar to the BMW M3, “but 15 percent quicker & with better handling,” Musk added, without giving details.

Also over the weekend, a Model S sedan crashed and killed the driver in the San Francisco Bay Area, one of a recent spate of crashes, some of which involved fire and some of which took place while the company’s semi-autonomous Autopilot technology was engaged.

In the latest case, the car launched off a rural county road into a nearby pond more than 18m from the road, state and local law enforcement said.

The car appeared to be going faster than the posted 56kph limit, but authorities had not yet determined its speed and whether Autopilot was engaged, a California Highway Patrol spokesman said.

Tesla said it did not yet know the facts and had not yet received data from the car, but was cooperating with local authorities.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it was gathering information and would “take action as appropriate.”

On Friday, proxy adviser Institutional Shareholder Services backed a shareholder proposal to separate Musk’s current chairman and CEO roles, suggesting that shareholders would be better served by having Musk focus on running the company.


Replacing Causeway ‘not solution’ to easing congestion, says Singapore leader

                SINGAPORE: Replacing the Causeway is “not the solution” to border congestion, said Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

“Both governments are working to improve congestion at the Causeway and at our borders,” he added.

Balakrishnan gave this update in the debate in parliament on his ministry's plans.

 Balakrishnan

Dr Faishal Ibrahim (Nee Soon GRC) had asked about efforts to boost connectivity between Singapore and Malaysia.

Balakrishnan said the Causeway continues to have sufficient capacity. The conclusion was reached after a joint study by both neighbours, while Singapore had also done its own projections.

His comments come amid renewed calls to consider replacing the Causeway with a bridge. The latest came from the Sultan of Johor last month. In 2001, then Malaysian prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had also mooted an arched bridge to let vessels sail under it.

The solution to congestion lies in continually enhancing checkpoint efficiency and operations – but not at the expense of security considerations. This is done through such measures as the use of technology and improving infrastructure, Balakrishnan said.

For example, all motorcycle clearance counters at Singapore land checkpoints will have automated features by the year-end.

“We have a responsibility to Singaporeans to ensure that we maintain a stringent level of checks,” he said.

“The Malaysian Government has also had to step up its own security measures.”

Meanwhile, progress is also being made on the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail, which aims to connect both cities in 90 minutes, and the Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System link.


Daimler plans to split into three entities for 2019, says mag

                LONDON: German car and trucks maker Daimler is working on a corporate holding structure which could be ready by the company's annual general meeting on April 5, 2019, Manager Magazin said on Thursday.

The magazine said chief executive Dieter Zetsche and chief financial officer Bodo Uebber have made a preliminary plan to split the company into three separate entities, a process which would unlock the value of the individual businesses.

Mercedes-Benz cars and vans, Mercedes-Benz trucks and buses, and Mercedes-Benz financial services will separated, the magazine said, adding that new mobility services such as ride-hailing will be added to the financial services arm.

Bodo Uebber may end up as head of the corporate holding structure, given that Dieter Zetsche is close to retirement, Manager Magazin said.

When asked about the 2019 date for presenting a new company structure, the company saids: "Daimler is continually reviewing its optimal strategic positioning and structural set up so that it can respond to a changing competitive landscape and market."

In July, Daimler said it might split parts of its business into separate legal entities in a strategy overhaul.

Legally separating the divisions may allow for a partial listing, a way to raise funds to invest in new services such as autonomous and electric cars.

Analysts at Evercore ISI earlier this month said separating Daimler's divisions could unlock value, with trucks and buses on their own worth 31 billion euros (RM156bil). The German company's total market capitalisation is around 64.8 billion euros (RM327bil), according to Thomson Reuters data.


Fisker's debut SUV delayed by lingering software woes

                LOS ANGELES: Fisker Inc. is facing delays on delivering its debut electric SUV to customers because of problems integrating software into the vehicles, according to people familiar with the matter.

The EV startup, which started production in November at contract manufacturer Magna International Inc.’s plant in Austria, needs more testing and troubleshooting of software, said two people who asked not to be named because the information hasn’t been publicly disclosed.

The software is currently prone to glitches, the people said, estimating the issues could take months to iron out. As a result, they said some vehicles are only using a more basic software that limits the vehicles’ speed.

Fisker said in an emailed statement that the vehicle’s "software will be updated over-the-air during the year” after launching with a basic advanced driver-assistance system.

"We categorically deny that the Fisker Ocean can be driven at only low speeds,” it said.

A representative for Magna declined to comment and directed all questions to Fisker.

The first of Fisker’s Ocean SUVs was delivered last week to a customer in Denmark.

But the vehicle is already on its way back to Magna’s plant in Austria, according to one of the people, who said the software problems rendered it inoperable.

In February, the Los Angeles-based company maintained production guidance of 42,400 for the vehicle this year, though it pushed back the completion date of testing needed for US certification of the EV to March from February.

The Ocean received European certification in late April and it’s still pending in the US.

The company, which went public through a reverse merger in 2020, reports its latest financial results and production figures on Tuesday.

Last year, Fisker said Magna could make as many as 50,000 Oceans in 2023, while reservations for the car have hovered around 65,000.

Struggles to make the jump from presenting a slick prototype to production are common in the industry, even for established companies.

Tesla Inc. famously went through "production hell” to ramp up output of the Model 3.

German auto giant Volkswagen AG has encountered problems with the software on its new EVs as well, and on Monday tapped a new leader to oversee that division.


2017 Peugeot 308: more safety features and better fuel economy

                PARIS: The new 2017 Peugeot 308 gets the latest-generation driving aids recently unveiled on the new Peugeot 3008 and 5008 SUVs.

These include Active Safety Brake and Distance Alert, which can prevents collisions and even reduces the overall number of crashes by drastically reducing the speed of the car.

The system detects registered cars that are stopped or going in the same direction, as well as pedestrians in the car’s path.

However, bikes, motorbikes, animals, and objects on the road are not detected.

The 308 also gets Active lane departure warning, Driver attention warning, Automatic headlamp control, Speed sign recognition and speed suggestion, Adaptive cruise control with Stop function, and Active blind spot monitoring.

There is also VisioPark 1 where a 180-degree video camera is fitted on the rear hatch, and provides a view of the vehicle’s immediate surroundings, which are displayed on the touchscreen.

The parking sensors provide additional data with an overhead view of the vehicle.

A 360-degree overhead view with the vehicle's immediate surroundings is constructed in real time during the parking procedure.

The 308 also has Park Assist, which can automatically steer the car into a parking spot.

With the eight-speed EAT8 automatic gearbox, the driver only deals with braking.

Park Assist manages parallel and perpendicular parking.

New powertrains

The new 308 offers new, increasingly efficient petrol and diesel engines.

These include the new-generation direct fuel injection PureTech 130 S&S BVM6 engine with 4 per cent lower fuel consumption.

The new 308 is the first PSA Group car to have the new BlueHDi 130 S&S engine.

Like the new BVM6, this groundbreaking four-cylinder engine was digitally designed.

The new power unit involved the registration by the PSA Group of over 200 new patents.

With performance levels similar to 2.0-litre engines, this new BlueHDi 130 S&S has an additional 10hp compared with the BlueHDi 120 S&S it replaces.

It is not only more powerful, but also more fuel economical on the order of 4 - 6 per cent compared with the BlueHDi 120 S&S.

An exclusive feature of the new Peugeot 308 GT, the BlueHDi 180 S&S diesel engine is now associated with the new-generation eight-speed EAT8 automatic gearbox developed in collaboration with the Japanese specialists Aisin, which allows for a reduction in fuel consumption of up to 7 per cent compared with the EAT6.

Mirror Screen and a refined cockpit

The new 308 offers a Mirror Screen feature and a touchscreen with 3D connected navigation.

With voice recognition via smartphone (S Voice with Android and Siri with Apple), calls can be made, text messages written, and addresses stated aloud for navigation.

It features the familiar Peugeot i-Cockpit with a compact steering wheel and head-up display.

308 GTi by Peugeot Sport

The GTi version denotes sportiness: lowered chassis by 11mm, a completely new front and rear.

The interior is equally sporty comprising special bucket seats and steering wheel.

Powered by the THP S&S 270 engine, and with an excellent power-to-weight ratio of 4.46kg per hp, the new PEUGEOT 308 GTi goes from 0 to 100km/h in only 6 seconds and takes only 25.3 seconds to travel 1km from a standstill position.

The new PEUGEOT 308 GTi is equipped with a limited-slip Torsen differential and 19-inch Carbone19 wheel rims with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres.

Fitted with 380mm front brake discs, red-painted calipers branded Peugeot Sport, and 268mm rear brake discs.

The emblematic GTi version comes with an exclusive Coupe Franche that marries Magnetic Blue and Perla Nera Black.


AmGeneral Insurance introduces new Auto365 motor insurance plan

                KUALA LUMPUR: Following the liberalisation of the motor insurance sector on July 1, AmGeneral Insurance has redefined its comprehensive motor insurance plan with the introduction of Auto365 Comprehensive Premier.

According to AmGeneral Insurance CEO Derek Roberts, the liberalisation of the sector had created an opportunity for the company to innovate since last year and consequently, it rolled out Auto365 along with its suite of products.

The new motor insurance plan is touted by the company to provide the widest protection for customers with its all-risk features.

This includes accidental damage, damage caused by accidental theft, additional drives, 200km towing assistance, compassionate allowance for loss of vehicle and three years warranty for workmanship.

An optional partial cover for convulsions of nature is also available.

In conjunction with the launch, the company also took the opportunity to introduce a refreshed version of its mascot, agent Max.

"With Auto365, AmGeneral Insurance continues to constantly innovate our products and provide quality services to customers. We are now perfectly positioned to deliver the best service and value to customers via our trusted network of 7,000 agents and partners nationwide," said Derek.

The company currently has a network of 32 insurance branches servicing 7,000 agents and partners nationwide.


Ford previews SYNC 4 infotainment system

                DEARBORN, MICHIGAN (United States): Ford's new SYNC 4 system will be available on selected vehicles in 2020. The American automaker has previewed the next-generation of its SYNC communications and entertainment system, which is faster, easier and simpler than ever to use.

Tailored to run on a variety of new touchscreen displays available, from 8 inches to 15.5 inches, SYNC 4 includes enhanced multi-tasking to simultaneously display different features at the same time, plus cord-free Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and SYNC AppLink compatibility.

Featuring cloud-based connectivity and conversational voice recognition, SYNC 4 delivers comprehensive search results and more functionality for customers.

This includes cloud-based optional navigation to keep up with the latest traffic information, the ability to quickly browse digital owner’s manuals, and wireless compatibility with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and AppLink apps from smartphones and mobile devices.

“With this new fourth-generation technology, we’ve evolved SYNC into an intelligent, voice-activated, in-vehicle digital assistant,” says Hau Thai-Tang, Ford chief product development & purchasing officer.

On all-new available 12-inch screens, multi-tasking will be enabled by splitting the screen into larger and smaller windows.

For example, if a customer wants to keep their navigation route on the screen while changing songs, they can choose to display the radio or other streaming music services in the smaller display area.

Customers will be able to quickly scroll through nine different features to display as Information on Demand, making SYNC 4 easier to use.

With large 15.5-inch screens, SYNC 4 features the addition of Adaptive Dash Cards.

Instead of having to navigate menus every time you want to launch an app, recently used or popular features are listed horizontally underneath the main portion of the screen in individual dash cards.

These cards display helpful information such as the next step on your route, but they are interactive as well.

You can pause or skip songs directly through the card instead of having to bring up your music player, and similarly you can view your phone status or hang up calls through the card as well.

“No matter what size screen Ford customers choose, they will be getting an experience tailor-made for their vehicle,” said Gary Jablonski, chief engineer for SYNC technology, Ford Motor Company.

Also, for the first time, Ford is implementing wireless implementation of both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as SYNC AppLink apps such as Waze.

Customers will continue to be able to use both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to enable simultaneous operation of in-vehicle entertainment and mobile device navigation while providing calls, music, and other features to be controlled through the vehicle's display.

Wireless charging capability also means you can juice up your compatible smartphone even while leaving the cords at home.


Rolls-Royce's shift to smaller, sporty cars spurs sales to record

                FRANKFURT: Rolls-Royce is upbeat about sales this year after smaller, more sporty cars gained appeal with younger customers, resulting in a 13 percent jump in deliveries in 2014.

Chief executive Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes said the brand had benefited from expanding its model range beyond the flagship Phantom, which can measure up to six metres in length and sells for more than 300,000 pounds (RM1.6mil).

Rolls introduced smaller models such as the Ghost II in late 2014 and the Wraith Coupe in late 2013, helping lift overall deliveries to a record 4,063 last year. Both models are almost one meter shorter than the Phantom.

The company is broadening its portfolio to suit a younger market with different aspirations, Mueller-Oetvoes said.

In China for example the average customer is in his or her late 30s or early 40s, around 10 to 15 years younger than elsewhere.

Rolls is even considering building a sports utility vehicle. A decision about whether to go ahead will be made this year, the CEO said.

Given the company's product portfolio and the growth in its ultra-wealthy clientele, Mueller-Oetvoes said he was quietly confident about sales for 2015.

Around the world, wealth accumulated by high net worth individuals, defined as those having investable assets of US$1 million or more, is expected to reach a record of US$64.3 trillion by 2016, 22 percent more than in 2013, according to a report by Capgemini and RBC Wealth Management.

Growth at Rolls has been steady since 2003, when the company sold 300 models of its Phantom, the first car developed by the company under BMW ownership.

But it still lags rival Bentley, owned by Volkswagen, which has yet to disclose full-year sales but which sold 7,786 cars in the first nine months of the year and 6,516 in 2013.

Rolls says it is not playing the volume sales game.

"BMW gives me an earnings target, not a volume target," Mueller-Oetvoes said.

Asked if Rolls might consider a move toward greater independence, just as Ferrari is being spun off from Fiat Chrysler, the German executive saw little appeal in such an idea.

"I hope not. I am glad to be part of BMW Group because we can learn from their vehicle development capacities and know-how," Mueller-Oetvoes said.

"Developing the next generation of fuel-efficient technologies is really expensive."


Customised Toyota Land Cruiser 78 meets WHO standards for refrigerated transport of vaccines

                TOKYO: Toyota has build its first vehicle with a dedicated refrigerator for transporting vaccines.

The Toyota Land Cruiser 78 serves as the base for the build and is equipped with the B Medical Systems' CF850 vaccine refrigerator.

The refrigerator has a storage capacity of 396 litres, or 400 vaccine packages. With its independent battery, the refrigerator can be operated for 16 hours without a power supply. It can be charged by the vehicle while driving and from an external power source when parked.

The customised Land Cruiser was the result of collaboration by Toyota and its subsidiary Toyota Tsusho Corp and B Medical Systems S.à r.l., which supplied the vaccine refrigerator.

The vehicle had recently obtained Performance, Quality and Safety (PQS) prequalification for quality of medical devices and equipment as set by the World Health Organisation. This is the first refrigerated vehicle for vaccines in the world that has obtained PQS prequalification.

Medical devices and equipment which have obtained PQS prequalification meet the equipment selection standards of agencies related to the United Nations and leading NGOs and charity organisations.

Also, it is easier for developing countries without their own qualification system for medical devices and equipment to receive support for transportation equipment procurement by using PQS as the qualification standard, and effective use of vaccines can be expected.


Sweden invaded by massive Mercedes-Benz bus

                STUTTGART: The extra-large CapaCity L articulated bus from Mercedes-Benz has been approved for local public transport in Gothenburg, Sweden.

TÜV Rheinland has confirmed that the four-axle extra-large bus meets all the requirements set by the Swedish transport authority regarding lateral stability in an articulated bus.

The versatile and agile giant Mercedes-Benz buses measuring 21 meters in length have space for up to 191 passengers and designed for large cities with extremely busy bus services.

The Swedish transport operator Transdev has ordered 23 units of the CapaCity L.

Delivery of the vehicles has already begun. The vehicles are to be in service on the streets of Gothenburg before the end of this year.


Red alert: Ferrari 296 GTB track drive

                Six laps of an eye-opener. That's how we shall start with when referring to the Ferrari 296 GTB as it shows its moves on the Sepang race track.

The experience last month with the Lamborghini Huracan STO at the same venue was still fresh in our minds. That car itself was impressive enough with its 5.2-litre V10 naturally aspirated engine making 640hp/565Nm.

Along comes this little Ferrari to deliver its interpretation of performance with a seemingly modest powertrain that puts out 818hp/740Nm.

At first glance, it looks like more for less from a smaller albeit turbocharged engine. How is that possible? Electrification is the not-so-secret sauce.

In recent years, electrified cars have proven they not only can cut down on fuel consumption but can pump up performance. Massively.
The 296 launched in Malaysia in late March and three months later, it was time to show its mettle as the third plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model for Ferrari after the even more potent SF90 Stradale and SF90 Spider.

The regional track drive of the 296 saw selected media organisations from Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia flocking to Sepang.
Naza Italia also used the occasion to introduce the 296 GTS, the convertible variant.

Looking back, the 1957 Dino engine that Ferrari built was its first V6 and the forerunner to the modern V6 that you see on this page.
The arrival of this electrified model comes as Ferrari gears up to introduce its first all-electric sports car in 2025.

Described by Ferrari as the most "fun to drive" model, the 296 has a 2,600mm wheelbase and is the shortest wheel-based model in the Ferrari line-up, with a 40.5 %/59.5% front/rear weight distribution.

As any Ferrarista will tell you, the 296 refers to the 2.9l engine displacement and the V6 layout, while "GTB" stands for Gran Turismo Berlinetta or a mid-engine coupe.

Ferrari says the RM1.2mil 296 is targeted at car enthusiasts and is also aimed at attracting new customers. For even keener performance on track, the 296 can be ordered with an Assetto Fiorano package that comprises lightweight carbon fibre parts, suspension upgrades and aero mods.

Elegant and sinuous

The side view shows off the 296 elegance to great effect. It is characterised by the sinuous muscle of the wings. A clear, strong crease line runs along the doors and melds with the large air intakes positioned at the most aerodynamically efficient point.

The front is clean and extremely compact. The headlights take their inspiration from the “teardrop-shaped" headlights of the past, with the daytime running lights akin to the signature for the front of this car. The central single-grille styling results in a bar-bell shape which hints at the presence of the two powerful radiators. In the central section is a compact suspended wing, reminiscent of solutions adopted in F1.

The rear is a mix of modern and classical elements. The upper surface of the tail is dominated by an imposing flying buttress. At its base, it incorporates the engine bay cover which has a unique, three-dimensional glass surface.

On the 296, for the first time, an active device is being used not to manage drag but to generate extra downforce. The LaFerrari-inspired active spoiler integrated into the rear bumper allows the 296 to generate high rear downforce when required: the equivalent of a maximum of 360kg at 250kph in high-downforce configuration with the Assetto Fiorano package.

The traditional twin round taillights have morphed into two semi-circular indents in the rear surface below the side lights. Adding a modern touch is a single central exhaust tailpipe.

The exterior is rounded off by new 20-inch alloys. The wheels can be specified in carbon-fibre which is 8kg lighter than their forged counterpart.

The cabin has a distinctive design, comprising a visor-style windscreen that wraps around onto the side windows.

The sinuous minimalistic look of the exterior is echoed inside, complemented by an entirely digital interface which Ferrari first debuted on the SF90 Stradale.

The fully digital instrument cluster is set into a deep cleft carved out of the dashboard trim. The steering wheel and the instrument cluster jut out supported by two visible structural supports, which taper seamlessly into the dashboard.

Completing the picture are two side satellites, each with its own capacitive touch area, and an air vent. The passenger side is very minimalistic with the standard passenger-side display, allowing them to live the driving experience as a participant, almost a co-driver.
Bucket seats come with exclusive Italian leather trim.

A PHEV at heart

The 296 is the first-ever Ferrari with a rear-wheel drive-only PHEV architecture in which the all-new engine is integrated with a rear-mounted electric motor derived from the Formula 1 application from which it also inherits the MGU-K (Motor Generator Unit, Kinetic) moniker. The electric motor and engine communicate via the Transition Manager Actuator, which allows them to be used both together or decouples them to allow the electric motor to run solo.

Combined output from engine and motor is an astounding 818hp, with 164hp from the motor and 654hp from the engine, making it the most powerful car in its segment. The V6 engine is arranged at an 120-degree angle to lower the powertrain and hence lower the centre of gravity.

This is the first Ferrari to feature the twin turbos installed inside the vee to result in compact packaging. Transmission is an 8-speed dual clutch, which is touted as having the fastest gear changes in the market.

The 0-100kp acceleration is attained in 2.9s, and 0-200kph in 7.3s. Top speed is in excess of 330kph, while electric range is 25km at 135kph.

One sits really low to the ground; even when adjusted to the lowest seat setting, this tallish driver had to crouch a little forward because the helmet was rubbing against the roof.

Being a PHEV, the 296 comes with a new power management selector (eManettino) touch panel located alongside the traditional Manettino switch on the steering wheel.

The eManettino has four settings: eDrive, Hybrid, Performance and Qualify

Swing it

With an instructor riding shotgun, we cycled through the settings as we picked up speed. We set off in eDrive for pure electric driving, which offered 25km on a full charge at a top speed of 135kph. It was disconcerting to feel the Ferrari move off briskly and silently with only the tyre sounds audible.

As we flipped on the default Hybrid mode, there's a dynamic interplay between engine and motor to create power flows for maximum efficiency.

The action really heats up in Performance and Qualify.

In Performance, the engine is always on and helps maintain the 7.45 Kwh battery efficiency to ensure full power at all times and is the ideal setting for press-on driving. Qualify mode is where both engine and motor pull out all the stops to deliver maximum performance but at the cost of lower battery recharging.

Most track drives are limited to three laps but we got six on the 5.5km Sepang track, known for its technicality and twin straights for all-out speed.

And so round and round we went through hairpins, sweeping corners and off-camber curve on the 15-turn circuit.

The 296 was fast, agile and drove like a dream.

We managed to hit 280kph in the grandstand straights and the brakes worked well to slow down the car quickly. Steering feel was excellent. With such a low centre of gravity, the 296 did travel like a go-kart on steroids.

Twice, we could feel the back start to give way on exiting a corner a little too exuberantly but the car was forgiving and didn't try to run us off the track. A quick hand/foot co-ordination to modulate the throttle and brakes, and steer into the turn, was enough to straighten it out.

Maranello didn't call the V6 the "little V12" for nothing. It's the little engine that could and is one serious screamer. Ferrari engineers have tuned the engine in such a way that it almost sounds like its bigger brethren.

Parting words

Ultimately, can this V6 Ferrari tug at your heartstrings?

Most certainly yes.


Volvo Cars joins pan-European safety project

                GOTHENBURG, Sweden: Volvo Cars is joining forces with other car makers, service providers and governments in a pan-European pilot project to share traffic safety data generated by cars and infrastructure.

The pilot project is under the umbrella of a public-private partnership called the European Data Task Force.

The partners will share anonymised safety data or safety services based on that data with the pilot via a cloud-based platform.

Volvo Cars will contribute to the pilot project by providing real-time data from its industry-first connected safety technologies, Hazard Light Alert and Slippery Road Alert.

 Hazard Light Alert demonstration on XC40

For example, participating car makers can use the data to warn drivers of potential dangers on the road ahead, while service providers can deliver this data via their live traffic services and to traffic services operated by national road authorities.

“The more vehicles we have sharing safety data in real time, the safer our roads become,” said Malin Ekholm, Head of the Volvo Cars Safety Centre. “That is why the European Data Task Force is such an important initiative.”


March 7 to 13: Fuel prices take a dive


New Renault Zoe goes on sale in the UK

                LONDON: The pioneering Renault Zoe electric vehicle (EV) is back with a third-generation iteration.

Touted as the most popular EV sold in Europe, the latest Zoe is being sold in the UK from £26,170 (RM135,000) while sporting a new 52kWh Z.E. 50 battery.

This allows the Zoe to travel up to 394km on a single full charge - 32% more over its 41kWh predecessor, while using 100% recycled plastics for its exterior cladding and cabin.

This EV rolls out of the French carmaker's Flins (France) manufacturing plant and comes included with a free (including installation) 7kW BP Chargemaster Homecharger unit for new customers.

Being 50kWh rapid charge compliant, charging for 30 minutes will allow this EV to travel up to 145km.

Furthermore, single pedal driving is possible thanks to its new regenerative B-Mode braking system.

New customers are assured of a five-year, 162,000km vehicle warranty and an eight-year or 162,000km traction battery warranty.

At current, the restyled Zoe can be had in two variants (in nine colour options) starting with the 80kW R110 and a range-topping 100kW R135.

Features include full-LED automatic high/low headlights with as standard and new customers have the option of the choosing three wheel sizes (15, 16 and 17-inch).

Inside, the cabin features a customisable 10-inch TFT instrument cluster as standard as well as a 9.3-inch portrait-style multimedia screen mated to a Bose sound system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard for audiophiles.

For safety and convenience, the Zoe is equipped with lane-keeping assist, easy park assist, blind-spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition, reverse camera and a three-year 4G data pack.

Lastly, three trim levels of Play, Iconic, and a sporty GT Line can be specified.


Ferrari pauses new Purosangue orders amid strong demand

                MILAN: Ferrari has temporarily stopped taking orders for its Purosangue SUV as high demand has sent waiting lists for some customers to around two years, chief marketing and commercial officer Enrica Galliera told the drive.com.au website.

Ferrari unveiled in September the petrol-powered 12-cylinder Purosangue, which the Italian sports car maker prefers to describe as a four-door, four-seater.

It pledged to keep the model's sales below 20% of total group shipments over the car's life-cycle to retain a degree of exclusivity.

"It's no secret that we stopped taking orders. We had such an interest without delivering one single car," Galliera was quoted as saying by the Australian website.

"We made a decision that we thought was consistent with the positioning of Ferrari and the model," he added.

Asked for a comment, Ferrari declined to provide further details.

Waiting lists for new Ferraris normally run around 18 months. The company prioritises existing customers when taking orders for new models.


Nissan offering free drone with its latest X-Trail

                PARIS: Alongside features like leather seats and a premium infotainment system, owners will now be able to choose a Parrot Bebop 2 Drone when selecting the optional equipment on their next Nissan SUV.

Nissan is hoping that the addition of a Parrot drone as standard equipment on its X-Trail SUV will help take on-the-road adventures to another level.

In recent months, a host of automakers have previewed concept vehicles that come complete with a drone for making deliveries or for scouting out the route ahead. But Nissan's package is one of the first of its kind for a true production vehicle.

The company hasn't integrated a landing pad for the drone on the X-Trail's roof, nor has it developed the drone in question completely in-house. Instead it's partnering with French startup Parrot and have together gone with a Bebop 2 unit as standard.

It has a flight time of up to 25 minutes between charges and features an integrated 14-megapixel camera that can shoot and stream live video to a smartphone screen or to a dedicated headset. It can also autonomously follow the user via GPS - a great feature for those that use a crossover or SUV to actually get into the great outdoors and beyond on adventures.

The drone, along with its remote controller and headset, can be stored in a specially designed padded backpack when not in use and, because the whole set tips the scales at a little over 500g, the bag will be light enough to carry with you once the car has stopped.

Although Nissan will only be offering the drone as standard equipment on the X-Trail X-Scape for a limited period it is now also officially on the X-Trail's list of cost options.


Solar panels on electric cars could offer record range

                PARIS: Two years ago, American startup Aptera Motors caused a sensation when it unveiled a three-wheeled, all-electric prototype vehicle equipped with solar panels for a record range announced at 1,600km on a single charge. Today, a production model is up for pre-order, with the first shipments expected in 2023.

To achieve such a performance, this unusual car draws on its many assets: a build from light composite materials, a record air penetration coefficient (Cx) of 0.13, and a little more than 3 square metres of solar cells spread over its roof.

As an optional extra, it is possible to add even more solar panels to further boost range. On its own, the continuous solar charging system is expected to meet the daily needs of most motorists, or about 60km.

The interior is less spectacular and more minimalist. It is composed in part of sustainable materials, although Aptera hasn't yet named them specifically.

This model, supposedly designed to last a lifetime, is priced between US$25,900 and US$50,700, depending on the chosen configuration (power of the electric motor, battery capacity).

A deposit of only US$100 is required to reserve your model. And you certainly won't go unnoticed driving this car around town. However, for the moment, only American motorists will be able to buy this curious vehicle.

This achievement echoes another ambitious project from the Dutch manufacturer Lightyear, which soon plans to release an electric sedan itself covered with solar panels, albeit with a much more modest range, not exceeding 600km.

Meanwhile, Hyundai is the only current manufacturer to offer a model equipped with a solar roof, with its Sonata.


Tesla wins China approval to build Model 3 vehicles with LFP batteries

Model 3s at Tesla's Shanghai factory. — Reuters
BEIJING: Tesla Inc has received government approval to build Model 3 vehicles in China equipped with lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, a document on Ministry of Industry and Information Technology website showed.

Reuters exclusively reported in February that Tesla was in advanced talks to use LFP batteries from CATL that contain no cobalt - one of the most expensive metals in electric vehicle (EV) batteries - in cars made at its plant in China.

The document does not provide the name of the battery maker. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


Lazada Malaysia hosts Shell online store, may sell cars and bikes in future

                KUALA LUMPUR: Shell Malaysia Trading Sdn Bhd has launched the first official Shell online store on e-commerce site Lazada Malaysia.

The Shell Malaysia Official Online Store aims to make Shell Helix motor oil more accessible to customers across Malaysia. Prices include delivery nationwide.

According to Shell Lubricants executive director (Southeast Asia & Oceania) Troy Chapman, Malaysia was the first market in the region to enable online purchase of Shell Helix products and service packages from an official channel.

 From left, Ressel with Chapman at the launch.

“This is yet another initiative from Shell, which explains why we have been the number one lubricant supplier in the world for the past 10 consecutive years. We were the first motor oil brand to offer the Shell Helix Engine Warranty or S.H.E.W last year.

The Shell Malaysia Official Online Store is said to offer value for money engine oil service packages at selected authorised workshops in the Klang Valley and Johor.

These packages, from RM103, include Shell Helix oil, oil filter, labour and a  complimentary 15-point vehicle check. In conjunction with the launch, shoppers at the Shell Malaysia Official Online Store will get an e-voucher from Lazada Malaysia worth up to RM30 for every purchase of Shell oil or oil service packages from Aug 3-10.

Car owners who buy  an engine oil service package from the Shell Malaysia Official Online Store will be contacted by the official Shell distributor to arrange their preferred service venue, date and time slot followed by a confirmation via SMS.

The Shell Malaysia Official Online Store also provides access to product technical support to those seeking guidance on the Shell Helix motor oil that is best suited for their cars.

Lazada Malaysia chief executive officer Hans-Peter Ressel said the Shell entry would benefit consumers as they now have better access to Shell Helix products.

He also said the site might start selling used or new cars and motorbikes within two years.

The Lazada platform is already hosting about one million automotive products, and that demand for them was increasing, he said.

“We are looking to add more products. Our sister company (Lazada Indonesia) has been selling motorcycles and we are considering that as well. But, we will still be focusing on accessories, because the demand is there,” he told reporters.

Ressel said the company would focus on fulfilling demand for vehicle parts before thinking of expanding into selling cars and motorcycles.


Porsche and Michelin support Indonesian rubber plantation farmers

                STUTTGART: Porsche and Michelin are championing the sustainable extraction of natural rubber in Indonesia through the CASCADE (Committed Actions for Smallholders Capacity Development) project.

CASCADE is one of the first support projects in the world to start at the lowest level of the natural rubber supply chain.

The two long-term partners are supporting Sumatran small plantation farmers in the extraction of rubber.

The scheme will see 1,000 smallholders trained by local partners to make extraction methods more environmentally compatible and efficient.

This makes a considerable contribution to the lasting improvement of living conditions of smallholders and their families.

Porsche and Michelin are investing around one million euros in the project, which will initially run until 2024.

To put Indonesia's natural rubber production in context, it's the second largest producer in the world after Thailand. In third place is Vietnam; Malaysia is ranked sixth.

Indonesia's rubber acreage includes the rural Jambi province.

Porsche and Michelin identified risks to the sustainability of the supply chain in rubber extraction using an app specially developed for this purpose and by conducting discussions with market participants in the area.

Rubber is used in many industrial products as a raw material. As an automotive manufacturer, Porsche also contributes to global rubber consumption through its tyres as well as in a wide range of vehicle parts.

"Smallholders form the heart of a sustainable supply chain for natural rubber. That's why we are supporting them to achieve a decent standard of living while adhering to good environmental and social practices.”
said Porsche AG procurement board member Barbara Frenkel.

“We are happy to be working with Porsche on this ambitious project," said Michelin chief procurement officer Hélène Paul.

"For almost 20 years, we have enjoyed a close partnership in the tyre business, which we are now also expanding to the area of sustainability.”


Woman succeeds in appeal over claim for late husband's car insurance

A Mazda CX-5 SUV. For illustration purpose only.
PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal has awarded RM85,000 in a claim filed by a woman against an insurance company over the loss of her late husband's car three years ago.

A three-man panel of the appellate court unanimously ruled that the High Court had erred when it affirmed a magistrate's court's decision that rejected the claim by 38-year-old Loh Swee Liang, who filed the claim together with her father-in-law Tay Boon Hui, 75.

Justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah, who chaired the panel, said that based on the circumstances of the case, it was established on the balance of probability that the car, a Mazda CX-5, was stolen and the respondent did not provide evidence to the contrary.

"Therefore, we find the policy is engaged and the respondent is liable to pay the agreed insured value.

"We allow the appeal and set aside the High Court order dated Feb 19 which affirmed the decision by the Magistrate's Court. We allow the appellants' claim as prayed for in the statement of claim," he said in a Zoom proceeding here today.

The court also awarded the appellants RM30,000 in costs.

Other judges on the panel were Justices S. Nantha Balan and Darryl Goon Siew Chye.

Earlier, the court heard from Loh's lawyer James Ee that his client was not with her husband when he drove the car on July 3, 2018.

"In no way would she have known the whereabouts of the car. The grounds for this repudiation are unprecedented. If their (High Court and Magistrate's Court) decisions are not reversed, this sets a precedent in the insurance industry and nobody will be able to make this (theft) insurance claim," Ee said.

Meanwhile, lawyer Datuk SS Gill argued that the appellants had only pleaded that the car was missing and not stolen.

Loh and Boon Hui were appealing the lower courts' decisions that dismissed their claim against AmGeneral Insurance Bhd.

The legal action was initiated in October 2019 after Loh failed to get compensation for the vehicle, which went missing around the time of her husband's death.

According to court documents, Loh's husband, Tay Guan Song, 37, drove the car to clean a condominium that was left vacant and passed away at the unit from coronary artery disease.

Loh only realised the car was missing after her husband's burial.

The court also heard that Loh's insurance claim on the missing vehicle was repudiated by the company on the grounds that the loss of the vehicle did not fall within the ambit of theft.

In the repudiation letter, the insurance company said Loh had no knowledge of the vehicle's whereabouts and did not witness the loss as the vehicle appeared to be lost after the demise of the insured (Guan Song).

In its statement of defence, the company stated that Loh and Boon Hui had failed to provide evidence that the theft of the vehicle was a risk or event covered under the policy.

It said it was not obligated under the policy to compensate as there was no evidence that the theft was protected by the policy.

It also said that Loh's delay in reporting the incident to the company had prejudiced its rights to do a preliminary investigation of her claims.


Govt urged to increase fuel transportation subsidy

Villagers in Ulu Baram in remote northern Sarawak have to pay a lot to use hired vehicles to travel to Miri as seen here.

MIRI: The newly-minted Federal Cabinet has been urged to look into increasing fuel transportation subsidy for rural Sarawak.

Sarawak deputy state assembly speaker Datuk Gerawat Gala said this was one of the most urgent needs in the rural parts of the state and required attention.

“The very high cost of transportation in rural Sarawak now is due to the high cost of petrol and diesel in the interior.

“This is because the previous Federal Government had cut down transportation subsidy in the last Budget.

“With the change in Federal Government, I hope the new Cabinet will immediately increase the transportation subsidy to reduce the cost of travel for rural folk,” he said.

Gala, who is Mulu assemblyman, said there was a lot of uncertainty among rural folk following the change of Government in Putrajaya.

“During Barisan Nasional’s administration, Sarawak was given a lot of allocations as well as a big transportation subsidy for sending essential food, petrol and diesel fuel, cooking gas and cement to rural settlements.

“The state is the largest in the country in terms of size, the biggest contributor to the national income in several key economic sectors and also among those worst hit by the high cost of living.

“When Pakatan Harapan took over (in 2018) they cut the subsidy by a lot and caused a lot of hardship for us.

“We rural natives want the new Government to make sure more subsidy is given to Sarawak,” he said.

Gala was commenting on complaints from rural folk in ulu Baram hit hard by exorbitant transportation charges, forcing them to fork out hundreds of ringgit just to go to Miri.

Gala said previously, RM200mil was allocated annually to subsidise the cost of transporting petrol and diesel into rural Sarawak to make sure the market price was the same as urban Sarawak.

However, the budget for this was slashed to about RM30mil per year in 2018.

Gala said this reduction in transport subsidy meant the market cost of fuel would shoot up and thereby increase the cost of travelling in hired vehicles between rural villages and urban areas.


Volvo Buses unveils fully-built low entry double-deck bus

                SHAH ALAM: After introducing the Volvo B11R Low Entry 6X2 chassis to the Malaysian bus market, Volvo Buses is now showcasing the first ever fully-built double-deck coach version and inviting customers to experience it first-hand at a Ride and Drive event.

Jointly organised by Volvo Buses and its partner Truckquip Sdn Bhd (TQ), Volvo’s fully authorized chassis assembly factory in Malaysia, the Ride and Drive kicked off at Volvo Buses’ Malaysia office in Shah Alam.

The event, which was attended by Transport Minister Anthony Loke and Ambassador of Sweden to Malaysia Dr Joachim Bergstrom, saw participants take a tour around the Shah Alam area and experience the mixed road conditions.

 Loke (left) and Dr Bergstrom (right) going for a ride with other VIPs in the double-deck bus.

Volvo Buses Asia Pacific vice-president Mats Nilsson said Malaysia is the only market in Asia offering the Volvo B11RLE that is locally assembled and built.

He said the coach was specially designed for Malaysia to meet the customers’ expectations, passengers’ requirements and local operational needs.

The first-ever Volvo B11R Low Entry bus featuring the ALPHA DD12 TQ body, is designed to offer maximum safety with a newly integrated Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) enhanced with technologies such as Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS), which will provide alerts against microsleep or distractions while driving.

The Alpha DD12 built as a wider stance results in a lower centre of gravity for better stability, especially while driving on the highway, to increase driver confidence, thus ultimately improving passenger comfort and road safety.

 Nilsson (second from left) handing over the mock bus key to Wan Mohd Iskandar.

Warisan TC Holdings Bhd executive vice-president and Group CEO Tan Keng Meng said the collaboration between its subsidiary company TQ and Volvo Buses started in 2015 with bus chassis assembly for the local market.

“TQ’s technical team has worked day and night over the past year with Volvo’s body-building support and instructions to come up with this striking, premium double-deck coach and we look forward to more such successful collaborations,” said Tan.

Sani Express Sdn Bhd (Sani) has signed an order for a total of 12 units of the B111R Low Entry double deck coach, which will be delivered throughout the year.

The units are expected to be used for passenger service between Kota Bharu and Kuala Lumpur.

Sani Group managing director Wan Mohd Iskandar Dato Salleh said he was confident that the new coaches would elevate his fleet to a new level by providing outstanding comfort to his passengers for long-distance travel.


Tesla buys German engineering firm to help boost electric car production

Musk - EPA
FRANKFURT: Electric carmaker Tesla Motors Inc has agreed to buy Germany's Grohmann Engineering GmbH, which develops automated manufacturing systems for batteries and fuel cells, as the California-based company seeks to expand its production more than sixfold by 2018.

Unlisted Grohmann Engineering, based in Pruem, Germany, helped Tesla rivals Daimler and BMW build production facilities for electric car batteries.

Tesla is seeking to raise its global manufacturing capacity to 500,000 vehicles in 2018 from an expected production rate of about 80,000 this year. Its main production facility is in Fremont, California.

"To date, we have increased the production rate at our Fremont Factory by 400 percent in four years, and we expect this acquisition to accelerate that growth rate," Tesla said in a blogpost.

Following the acquisition, which still needs to be approved by the cartel authorities in Germany, several elements of Tesla's automated manufacturing systems will be designed and produced in Pruem, close to Germany's border with the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

The deal, whose financial terms were not disclosed, is expected to add over 1,000 engineering and skilled technician jobs in Germany over the next two years Tesla said in its blog. Grohmann currently has around 700 employees.

Tesla agreed on Sunday to buy a 74.9% stake from company founder and majority owner Klaus Grohmann, and a further 25.1% stake belonging to private equity firm Deutsche Beteiligungs AG, DBAG said in a statement on Nov 8.

DBAG said it expected to earn in the mid single-digit million euro range by selling its stake in Grohmann and that Grohmann had revenues of €123mil (RM575.7mil) in 2015.

DBAG said Grohmann had developed production lines for battery cells and batteries for "numerous" German and international automobile manufacturers. Grohmann was also specialised in the industrial production of fuel cells, DBAG said, and was active in the electronic and semiconductor industries as well as the biotechnology and medical technology sectors.

Grohmann Engineering will be renamed Tesla Grohmann Automation after the deal and will serve as the initial base for Tesla Advanced Automation Germany with other locations to follow, Tesla said.

The deal is expected to close next year.


New Audi RS 5 Sportback joins the line-up

                NEW YORK: Although Audi has already unveiled the new RS5, we've had to wait until this week's New York International Auto Show to get a look at the new RS5 Sportback. Now we can feast on the official images of this beautiful car that will move as well as it looks thanks to the 444 horsepower 2.9-liter V-6 it has under the hood.

This all-wheel drive fastback variant joins the RS5 Coupe and RS4 Avant models in an expanding family of new mid-range RS cars designed to provide serious competition for rivals such as the BMW M3 and M4, and the refreshed Mercedes-AMG C 63 sedan and coupe that have also just been unveiled in the Big Apple.

Michael-Julius Renz, Audi Sport GmbH's managing director, says of the new model: "The Audi RS 5 Sportback is a completely new offer for our customers. Our progressive interpretation of a five-door high-performance coupe has neither a predecessor model nor a direct competitor. The Sportback offers the ultimate in functionality with maximum performance."

Even though this is a relatively practical five-door car, the 2.9 litre TFSI V-6 biturbo it uses delivers all the power, efficiency and distinct RS sound we would hope for from such an auspicious model. The new biturbo powerplant develops 444hp and 603Nm of torque that's available in a wide range of revs from 1,900 to 5,000 rpm.

This means the new RS5 variant is capable of getting from a standing start to 100kph in less than four seconds and onwards to a top speed of 250kph, or as much as 280kph when specified with the optional Dynamic plus package.

As for the aesthetics, the RS5 Sportback boasts a wide and flat Singleframe grille, large honeycomb air intakes that are RS-specific, a matte alu-optic front spoiler with quattro script, matte alu-optic exterior mirror housings, and side sills finished in a high gloss black. Further enhancing the distinct and sporty style of the Sportback at the rear are a RS-specific diffuser, oval RS exhaust pipes, and a rear-lip spoiler that's once again finished in a high gloss black.

At the moment, Audi isn't being more specific about an on-sale date than saying the RS5 Sportback will be available in the US and Canada from the second half of 2018.


Allianz General improves coverage and benefits for motorcyclists

                KUALA LUMPUR: The new and improved Allianz Motorcycle Plus now features enhanced protection for riders and pillion riders of motorcycles 250cc and below.

Allianz Motorcycle Plus (Comprehensive or Third Party) now offers the authorised rider and pillion rider additional protection with Death/Permanent Disablement of RM10,000 each and Hospital Income up to RM6,000 each (RM100 per day, up to 60 days) at no extra cost.

Allianz Motorcycle Plus comprehensive policy covers losses or damages to motorcycle due to accident, fire, and theft; third party death and bodily injuries; and third party property losses or damages.

Meanwhile, the third party policy covers third party death and bodily injuries; and third party property losses or damages.

Furthermore, the comprehensive cover also features additional coverage of all Special Perils Full Sum-Insured Protection (covering flood, landslides, or any natural disasters) and roadside assistance provided by the Allianz Road Rangers, both at no extra cost.

The roadside assistance, available through tel: 1800-22-5542, includes emergency towing assistance (free for up to 50km, round-trip), fuel delivery, battery, and flat tyre service.

Allianz General Insurance Company (Malaysia) Bhd chief executive officer Sean Wang said motorcyclists sometimes forgo additional coverage due to issues of affordability or lack of understanding of insurance.

“But being underinsured is unacceptable. Motorcycle riders are deserving of meaningful, affordable coverage, and we are happy to provide that through our latest enhanced of Allianz Motorcycle Plus,” he said.

“With 90% of motorcycles on Malaysian roads being kapcai or underbone models 250cc and below, we were adamant that the additional coverage be made available for comprehensive and third party policies at no extra cost.

“In such difficult times, we want riders to be able to put aside financial affordability and get the protection they deserve,” Wang said.

 (From left) Allianz General deputy chief sales officer Sazali Abd Rahman, Wang, Rohisham and Fattah Amin at the prize presentation ceremony.

Allianz General also unveiled the grand prize winner of its 111 Motorcycle Campaign at Allianz Arena in Plaza Sentral, with a special appearance by Fattah Amin.

Rohisham Husain took home a brand new Honda CBR250RR worth RM25,999.

On top of that, Allianz General also gave away 110 Honda Wave Alpha as monthly prizes during the three-month campaign that ended on Dec 31, 2021.

For details on Allianz Motorcycle Plus, visit allianz.com.my.


Navistar to develop self-driving trucks with TuSimple

                CHICAGO: Truck maker Navistar International Corp has bought a minority stake in TuSimple and aims to co-develop self-driving trucks by 2024 with the technology company as it rolls out a national US autonomous freight network, the two companies said on Wednesday.

Self-driving technology for freight trucks has attracted investor attention as it should be easier and cheaper to roll out than in self-driving cars and robotaxis, while providing a clearer path to profitability.

Unlike self-driving cars and robotaxis, self-driving freight services run on fixed routes between predefined points — almost all of that on major highways with no intersections or pedestrians. That business is more predictable and requires less mapping than driving customers between random points.

Navistar and TuSimple did not disclose the size of the stake. TuSimple recently announced it was launching a self-driving truck network with United Parcel Service Inc, trucking firm US Xpress Enterprises Inc, and McLane, a supply chain unit of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

Navistar chief executive Persio Lisboa, who said the truck maker chose TuSimple because its software was more developed than its competitors’ and because of its relations with customers, said the minority stake could “turn into something bigger as we go to the next phase of development.”

TuSimple’s president, Cheng Lu, said because its network runs using points on a fixed network — which he likens to a railroad — the trucks the company will co-develop with Navistar will operate at Level 4 autonomy — where vehicles can operate without a driver under set conditions.

Self-driving car developers are aiming for Level 5, or full autonomy, which will require far greater investments of money, time and research to develop.

“You don’t need to over-engineer this,” Lu said. “Trucking is always about taking freight from point to point on predefined routes and this is where we can add value by addressing pain points in the industry.”

In addition to running tests on TuSimple’s network, UPS also owns a stake in the company.

“This is the type of developmental production partnership we are excited to view in this market,” Philip Aiello, the director of UPS’ advanced technology group, said of the partnership between Navistar and TuSimple.

The two companies have worked together since 2018 and Navistar CEO Lisboa said much of what needs to be done by 2024 consists of testing technology the truck maker has already developed on TuSimple’s network.

In January, Volkswagen AG’s truck unit, Traton, offered US$35 a share, or US$2.9 billion, for the Navistar shares it does not already own.

Lisboa declined to comment on buyout talks, but said as Traton has two seats on Navistar’s board, it is well aware of the move to work with and invest in TuSimple.


Once-dominant foreign auto brands pledge comeback in China

Honda's electric vehicle e:NS2 is displayed at the 2023 Auto Shanghai. — Reuters

SHANGHAI: Global automakers, including Toyota and Volkswagen, took the stage at the Shanghai auto show today with built-for-China and electric-drive products to compete for a high-stakes comeback in the world's largest market.

But after a year when trends have shifted sharply against the established foreign brands that once dominated in China, executives from Chinese automakers offered a reality check: the game is moving faster and the pressure to cut prices is getting more intense.

Volkswagen said at the show it would introduce 10 more electric vehicle (EV) models by 2026 and cut the time to develop new models by almost 40% to keep pace with faster-moving Chinese rivals.

"Our guiding principle is development in China for China at full speed," Thomas Schafer, chief executive of VW passenger car brands said.

Toyota, which has been slow to roll out electric vehicles, used the Shanghai show to unveil two new EVs, doubling the number on offer in China under its mainstream brand.

It also introduced a Lexus-brand LM minivan, the "Luxury Mover," a hybrid designed to be chauffeur driven, a preference for many Chinese luxury car buyers.

Both Toyota and VW's mass-market brands have lost share in China over the past year as the market shifted to EVs and plug-in hybrids where made-in-China brands, led by BYD, have moved faster.

In a mark of that reversal, BYD outsold both Toyota and VW brand vehicles in the first quarter of this year in China.

BYD today launched an entry-level EV, the Seagull, aimed at the small car market that Toyota has long-dominated with models such as the Corolla, a global best-seller.

The Seagull will start at the equivalent of just over US$11,000 (around RM49,000). By comparison, Toyota's most popular EV on offer in China, the bZ4X, starts at more than US$29,000 (RM129,000).

"Amazingly affordable," Bill Russo, founder of Automobility, a Shanghai-based consultancy. "This will be the best-selling car in China within six months of launch."

The hatchback-styled Seagull comes with battery options rated at between 305-km and 405-km of range and represents a cheaper alternative to BYD's Dolphin, China's best-selling electric car this year.

The BYD Seagull. China today, tomorrow the world

BMW, which plans to launch 11 EV models in China by the end of the year, said it had added features in response to the China market, like the rear-entertainment system in the i7 sedan.

“What moves Chinese customers today, moves the world tomorrow,” BMW CEO Oliver Zipse said.

Other Chinese auto executives underlined the pace and pressure to cut costs in a market where electric-drive cars now make up almost a third of new sales.

Zhu Jiangmin, chief executive of privately held Leapmotor, offered a bold prediction on how low prices could go, a promising notion for consumers but threatening to automakers.

Within a decade, he said, he expected China to be able to sell a SUV-styled EV with a battery range of 400km for around US$7,500 (RM34,000).

Tesla's Model Y, the US EV-maker's top seller globally ahead of its Model 3, is estimated to have a range of 545 km in China but starts at almost US$40,000 (RM178,000)in the country.

Tesla, which has faced some pushback from Chinese consumers and some of its earliest fans for not introducing new models and features faster, opted to skip the Shanghai auto show this year.

The company reports first-quarter results on Wednesday where the key focus will be how much its discounts in China and other markets cut into its margin.

"The real situation is that the Model 3 was competitive in 2018, but not so competitive today, and it is normal for them to cut prices," Nio founder William Li told reporters.

"You can get better cars for the same price in China."

Li estimated Nio and other automakers that manufacture primarily in China had as much as a 20% cost advantage over Tesla because of China's dominance over the supply chain and raw materials for battery-electric cars.


Alfa Romeo plans new 8C and GTV models

                TURIN: FCA's latest five-year plan announced at its Bolocco Italian proving ground recently included lots of exciting news about the likes of Ram, Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler, but some of the most exciting updates for driving enthusiasts concerned Alfa Romeo. As well as doubling down on SUVs and electrified vehicles, by 2022 the legendary Italian brand has plans to revive both the 8C and GTV names as high-performance hybrids.

Of course, those who keep a keen eye on all things Alfa Romeo may remember that by 2018 we were already supposed to have been treated to eight entirely new products, which were to have included a new "specialty" vehicle. What the company actually delivered were the Giulia and Stelvio, although both have been well received and sold in more than respectable numbers.

Alfa's boss Tim Kuniskis admitted the previous plans may have been a little too ambitious, but the new vision is claimed to be more realistic while also being perhaps even more far-reaching than the last one.

New products to look out for in coming years are new compact and full-size SUVs to slot into the range above and below the Stelvio. And although plans for a new larger sedan appear to have been shelved, a long-wheelbase version of the Giulia is expected for the burgeoning Chinese market.

The return of the 8C supercar and GTV sports car is without doubt the news that will excite fans of the brand most though. Details are thin on the ground at the moment, but the 8C will employ a carbon-fiber chassis with a mid-mounted twin-turbo V-6 engine producing in excess of 700 horsepower, which will then be sent to all four wheels using an electrically-driven front axle propelling the 8C to 62 mph in under 3 seconds.

Over the last four years Alfa Romeo sales have grown by an impressive 160 percent to the point where the company estimates an annual total of around 170,000 units will be sold worldwide by the end of 2018. Some 16 percent of those sales can now be attributed to the North American market, which is huge growth from almost nowhere as recently as 2013.


Want to jazz up your car with KL licence plate 'VDN'? It's open for bidding from June 21

                PUTRAJAYA: Online bidding for Kuala Lumpur's "VDN" licence plate numbers will be opened from June 21, says Anthony Loke.

The Transport Minister said following the success of the e-bidding for the Putrajaya "FC" numbers in April, the ministry – through the Road Transport Department (JPJ) – had decided to continue with the system.

"Bidding for the VDN number series will be opened for five days beginning June 21, from midnight to 11.59pm on June 25. The winners will be announced at noon on June 26.

"Registration can be done at the portal https://jpjebid.jpj.gov.my or via the JPJeBid mobile app," said Loke at a press conference here Friday (June 14).

For "golden numbers", the minimum bid is RM20,000, with subsequent bids set at RM1,000 increments.

The Putrajaya "FC" number series was the first to use the online e-bidding system.

The system was launched in conjunction with the 73rd JPJ Day celebrations on April 15 and the ministry collected RM3,113,364 from 2,481 bids.

The highest winning bid was for the number "FC1" which collected RM231,000.


Sweden's teens drive Porsches and BMWs, no licence needed

                STOCKHOLM: Too young for a driver's licence at 15, Evelina Christiansen is already cruising in a sleek BMW in Sweden, where teens can drive any car modified to roll no faster than a golf cart.

An almost century-old regulation originally applied to agricultural vehicles allows kids 15 and older to drive without a proper driver's licence, as long as the vehicle has been altered to have a maximum speed of 30kph.

Called an "A-traktor" — with Swedes often using "EPA" as the older designation — these cars and trucks have become so popular in recent years that authorities are now concerned about a rise in road accidents.

"I got it a year ago, in April, for my birthday," Evelina said proudly in front of her dark blue 5 Series BMW in the driveway of her family's home in a southern Stockholm suburb.

The gift was a special reward for her achievements in school.

While teenagers elsewhere have to make do with a moped or scooter until they get a driver's licence, young Swedes can use almost any vehicle that has its top speed capped.

In Stockholm's wealthy suburbs, young kids are regularly seen driving Porsche Cayennes on their own.

"I usually use it when I go to school or meet up with friends," Evelina says.

A triangular warning sign in the back indicating a slow-moving vehicle and a hitch ball for trailers are both mandatory for an "A-traktor".

The back seat must also be removed, so they can carry only the driver and one passenger.

All that is required is a simple moped licence, available from the age of 15, or a tractor licence, from 16.

The system is surprisingly lenient in a country known for championing road safety — the three-point seatbelt is a Swedish invention — and for its strict drink driving rules.

The system was relaxed even further in mid-2020, when it became possible to cap cars' top speed electronically, making it much easier to modify a modern car.

Criticism from EU

Originally the domain of youths in rural areas, city kids have increasingly been getting wheels of their own, with the number of registered A-traktors doubling to 50,000 in just two and a half years, in a country of 10.3 million inhabitants.

The predecessors to today's A-traktors originated during the 1930s Depression, when there was a shortage of agricultural equipment.

To encourage the construction of cheap vehicles when tractors were still out of reach for farmers, the government allowed them to cobble together simple cars.

In the 1950s, as the economy prospered, real tractors became more common and the need for these homestyled vehicles began to subside.

But in the countryside, young people without a licence were happy to use them to get around, especially in areas without much public transport.

The state formalised the use of A-traktors with a 1963 regulation, which has been closely guarded for decades in rural Sweden.

Only in 2018 did authorities introduce mandatory road worthiness testing for the vehicles.

Sweden looks set however for a battle with the EU — the European Commission criticised the system in early March, and proposed that a simplified permit become mandatory.

For many rural teenagers, the A-traktor symbolises their dream of independence.

It is also the focus of a growing subculture focused on customised cars and a new music genre hugely popular in Sweden called "EPA Dunk".

In the western Swedish town of Karlstad, 17-year-old Ronja Lofgren regularly turns heads with her 5.5-tonne Scania Vabis truck from 1964, which her father saved from the scrap heap.

The teen has adorned the refurbished truck with a gleaming red-and-blue paint job and lots of headlights. The motto "Queen of the Road" is emblazoned on the front and "Go with style" on the back.

"When I went into town at first, everyone would pull out their phones and film me," the teenager said.

Soaring accidents

Following the surge in new registrations since 2020, insurers and police have expressed alarm at the more than fivefold increase in accidents involving A-traktors in five years.

The number of injuries has exceeded 200 per year and there were four deaths in 2022 alone.

For others, the surge has become a business opportunity.

Oskar Flyman, 21, and his younger brother started a business in 2021 converting cars into A-traktors.

"You can find A-traktors from 30,000 kronor (RM12,465) to 200,000 kronor (RM83,000)," Flyman said, adding that if you already have a car, a typical conversion costs around 25,000 kronor (RM10,400).

In their garage in a suburb north of Stockholm, filled with Audis and BMWs, they do about five to six conversions a month.

Sweden's transport authority has recently proposed that as with regular cars, the wearing of seatbelts and the use of winter tires become compulsory.


Proton gunning for 30% jump in sales

                PETALING JAYA: National carmaker Proton Holdings Bhd is targeting a 30% jump in vehicle sales to 132,000 for 2020, following a stellar performance last year.

Chief executive officer Li Chunrong said Proton will be launching its completely-knocked-down X70 “very soon, ” adding that the company will be launching a “brand new model” later in the year.

It is believed that he is referring to the much anticipated X50 compact crossover, which has been spotted being tested on Malaysian roads last year. Unlike the X70 which started selling in Malaysia as a fully imported model, the X50 would launch straight away as a locally assembled model.

“We’re targeting 132,000 cars for 2020, but I challenge everyone in Proton to do more, ” he said in his speech at a media luncheon on Monday.

“For exports, last year we sold 1,070 units without any support. “This year, we want to sell 4,000 units.

“If we get the right type of support, we can achieve 6,000 units, ” said Li, without going into specifics.

He added that Proton exported its cars to six countries last year.

“This year, we try to export to more than 10 countries.

“At the end of last year, we were back to two shifts. We want to produce more.”

Li said Proton launched six models in less than eight months last year.

In terms of the group’s vendor network, Li said Proton is targeting to grow its 3S (sales, service and spare parts) and 4S (sales, service, spare parts and body and paint services) centres to 150 by year-end from 121 currently.

Proton’s total domestic and export sales for 2019 surged by 36,077 units or 55.7% year-on-year to 100,821 units.

Proton’s car sales had in fact surpassed the 64,744 units sold in entire 2018 by September 2019.

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This made Proton the country’s second-biggest car seller, a marked improvement from its fourth ranking in 2018.

Overall market share for the year stood at 16.7%, the company’s highest since 2014.

After a gap of 40 months, Proton returned to second spot in total sales for Malaysia’s automotive market in July last year.

The last time the company was in a similar position was in March 2016, while the last calendar year it finished second was in 2015.

According to a statement by the company earlier this month, sales for the month of December were the highest for the whole of 2019, growing by 112% over the corresponding month in 2018, closing at 11,117 units.

It was also the first time the company sold more than 11,000 cars in a month since July 2014.

Proton’s four models – X70, Saga, Exora and Persona – ended December as best-selling models in their respective segments.

About 26,331 units of X70, which was launched in Dec 2018, were sold in 2019, making it the leader within its segment.

The Saga was the most popular A-segment sedan, with total sales for 2019 closed at 38,144 units. The updated model was launched on Aug 6,2019.

Meanwhile, the Persona, which is a B-segment family sedan, saw total sales volume grow by 29% to 21,876 units in 2019.

Sales of other models such as Iriz grew by 97% in 2019, while the seven-seater Exora posted a 40% sales growth.

Proton recorded its highest sales volume in 2002 with 214,373 units.

According to Frost & Sullivan, total industry volume continues to be more concentrated with the share of the top three players increased to 77.7%.

“Perodua continues to dominate the passenger vehicle segment with a 44.3% market share followed by Proton in second place. Honda dropped to third position with 15.4%.”

It noted that the biggest market share gain in 2019 was registered by Proton.

“The market share grew due to strong performance of the Saga and X70. In the process, Proton regained the second position after a gap of a few years. Perodua has an unassailable lead over all the other players and is expected to remain as the number one player in Malaysia.”

Perodua revised upwards its sales target for 2019 to 235,000 units from 231,000 cars previously, underpinned by sustained healthy demand for all its models.

The company will be announcing its final sales numbers today.

Since Geely became a key investor in Proton in 2017, the latter has undergone a management overhaul and seen marked improvements in its distribution network and sales. With Proton's re-emergence as a competitive threat to be reckoned with, its rivals have turned out to be the non-national brands such as Toyota and Honda, and not Perodua as some perceived. The non-national brands are feeling the pressure as Proton regains its strength, more so with the X50 expected to be launched later this year.

Frost & Sullivan last week announced that its expects flat growth for the local automotive sector in 2020, as ongoing global headwinds and repeated postponement of the National Automative Policy may create uncertainty and affect consumer sentiment.

The Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) will announce last year’s official TIV figures later this month.

At its biannual media conference in July last year, the association maintained its 600,000 units TIV forecast for 2019, in light of the economic uncertainties.

MAA president Datuk Aishah Ahmad said consumers and businesses were expected to remain cautious going into the second half of 2019, adding that this would only spur aggressive promotional campaigns by local car companies.


Puspakom monopoly on vehicle inspections ends from September 2024

                PUTRAJAYA: Puspakom will no longer be the sole provider of vehicle inspection services once their concession ends on Aug 31, 2024, says Anthony Loke.

The Transport Minister said those interested in providing vehicle inspection services would be invited to send applications in the first quarter of 2024.

"The decision is in line with the government's desire to create a competitive service environment and facilitate all Malaysians," Loke said at a press conference today.

"This decision means that Puspakom will no longer be the sole provider of vehicle inspection services on behalf of the Road Transport Department (JPJ) from Sept 1, 2024," he added.

Loke said the vehicle inspection service providers would be required to appoint employees who meet specified qualification requirements, provide and use computerised inspection equipment regulated and approved by JPJ, only charge the set inspection fee rate, and would be strictly prohibited from offering repair or modifying services and sell spare parts.

He said that the prospective providers must have their own equipment in place.

"We won't spend money to build their system. The interested companies must fulfil the criteria set by the ministry and JPJ," he said.

Puspakom is Malaysia's first and only comprehensive national vehicle inspection company appointed by the government to undertake all mandatory inspections for both commercial and private vehicles.

Incorporated in 1994, it is a wholly-owned subsidiary of DRB-Hicom Bhd.

Loke said the ministry discussed it with DRB-Hicom, and the management acknowledged the decision.

He said the public had raised the issue of a monopoly in the sector for many years, adding that the decision to open the sector would also reduce the waiting time for commercial transport vehicles to be inspected.

"The large vehicle lorries and buses wait for hours, and there are complaints of long waiting times. Sometimes, there is only one service centre in the state.

"We do not close Puspakom but open up for other options," he added.

Loke also said Puspakom had been asked to improve the quality and integrity of their inspections, such as increasing automation and digitising their workflow.

Regarding the current Puspakom concession which was extended for 15 years in 2009, the Cabinet has agreed to extend the agreement for the same period, effective Sept 1, 2024, by improving the terms of the existing agreement.


Proton ownership gets easier with special interest rates

                SUBANG JAYA: Proton has announced a collaboration with Bank Rakyat to offer special financial packages for fresh graduates and government employees on specific Proton vehicles.

The package, available from now until Dec 31, provides up to 100% financing for fresh graduates and government employees and consists of two special financing rates.

The first offering is the An-Naqlu 1 package – which offers 90% financing starting at an attractive rate of 2.88% per annum, while An-Naqlu 2 offers 100% financing starting at 3.30% per annum.

The offer is limited to new Malaysian graduates of ages 20 to 30 years old as well as government employees aged from 18 to 60 years old and the vehicles available for purchase are the Persona, Iriz, Exora and Saga.

According to Proton corporate sales director Fazli Hisham Shukor, this is one of many special collaborations that Proton has engineered to help with easy ownership.

“Under this special scheme, Bank Rakyat offers customers easy financing approval, while Proton makes it more attractive with a free service package of up to two years, depending on the models that they choose. The Saga is being offered with one-year free service, while the Persona and Iriz with two years; including free labour and parts” said Fazli.

Additionally, customers also stand to benefit from an enhanced insurance package under Etiqa Takaful and Zurich Takaful.

The Proton Insurance Programme provides customers with special coverage which includes key care cover, flood relief allowance and also all driver coverage - including a guarantee of zero excess charges for Proton vehicles up to 10 years old.

Those interested may visit any Proton outlet nationwide and with regards to fleet programmes enquiries may be emailed to corporatesales@proton.com.


Keyless systems of many VW Group cars can be hacked, say researchers

 The latest Golf R does not have the flaw as it is based on the MQB platform.
FRANKFURT: Tens of millions of vehicles sold by Volkswagen AG over the past 20 years, and some current models, are vulnerable to theft because keyless entry systems can be hacked using cheap technical devices, according to European researchers.

Computer security experts at the University of Birmingham have published a paper outlining how they were able to clone VW remote keyless entry controls by eavesdropping nearby when drivers press their key fobs to open or lock up their cars.

Vehicles vulnerable to this attack include most Audi, VW, Seat and Skoda models sold since 1995 and many of the approximately 100 million VW Group vehicles on the road since then, the researchers said. The flaw was found in car models as recent as the Audi Q3, model year 2016, they said.

"It is conceivable that all VW Group (except for some Audi) cars manufactured in the past and partially today rely on a 'constant-key' scheme and are thus vulnerable to the attacks," the paper said.

The only exception were cars built on VW's latest MQB production platform, which is used in its top selling model, the Golf VII, which the researchers found does not have the flaw.

"There are still some VW car models being sold that are not on the latest platform and which remain vulnerable to attack," Flavio Garcia, co-author of the report and a senior lecturer in computer security at University of Birmingham, told Reuters.

A VW spokesman said that its current Golf, Tiguan, Touran and Passat models are not at risk from the attack.

"This current vehicle generation is not afflicted by the problems described," VW spokesman Peter Weisheit said in a statement, without commenting on the risks to other models.

In their paper, the researchers did not identify the auto parts subcontractor that makes the affected keyless systems for VW and potentially other car makers. VW declined to comment on its supplier relationships.

Garcia and co-author David Oswald, also a lecturer at Birmingham University, are scheduled to present their paper at the Usenix security conference in Austin, Texas, today.

The disclosures come as Europe's largest automaker struggles to overcome its biggest-ever corporate scandal, after it admitted to manipulating diesel emissions tests in about 11 million vehicles globally.

Attackers can use cheap and widely available tools for grabbing radio signals, according to the three researchers from the University of Birmingham in central England and a fourth who is a security consultant with Kasper & Oswald GmbH in Germany.

Cars from other manufacturers may share these flaws, including some model years of the Ford Galaxy, the researchers said.

“We are aware of this security gap and have incorporated this knowledge in the enhancements of existing and future systems. We no longer use the described system in any of our new cars,” Ford Europe spokesman John Gardiner said.

The reports' authors said they had focused on mass-market models and did not analyse in detail VW's luxury brands including Porsche, Bentley, Lamborghini and Bugatti.

They first disclosed their findings to VW Group in November and met the company and the subcontractor involved in February and said VW had acknowledged the vulnerabilities.

The Wolfsburg-based automaker confirmed it has had a constructive exchange with the researchers and that the authors had agreed to withhold details in their report that savvy criminals could use to break into cars.

In 2013, VW obtained a restraining order against a group of researchers that included Garcia to prevent publication of a paper detailing how certain anti-theft car immobilizer were vulnerable to hackers.

That research was published in 2015 after the authors agreed with VW to remove a detail that would have allowed thieves to figure out how to carry out an attack.

Garcia, Oswald and their co-authors also describe a second attack that could be used against Hitag2 remote keyless entry systems used in older models of other auto makers, running on circuits produced by Dutch-American chipmaker NXP.

An NXP spokesman said HT2 chips first introduced in 1998 have been gradually replaced by automakers since 2006 and that the chipmaker has advised them to replace HT2 chips in new cars since security weaknesses were reported in 2009 and 2012.


Limited edition BMW 520d Sport launched

                KUALA LUMPUR: The new BMW 520d Sport was launched recently at the BMW Malaysian Open 2015.

Only 50 units are offered from April 1st and is priced (on the road, without insurance, with BMW Service + Repair Inclusive) at RM354,800.

“Outstanding, premium efficiency with ultimate driving dynamic is undoubtedly a specialty of the BMW 5 Series. With the introduction of the new BMW 520d Sport, we are confident that this premium sedan will continue its lead in its segment," said BMW Group Malaysia managing director and CEO Alan Harris at Malaysia’s most prestigious professional tennis event.

The limited edition 520d Sport has a new four-cylinder diesel engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology, which produces 190hp and torque of 400Nm.

It boasts a 0 to 100kph acceleration of 7.7 seconds, with a top speed of 233kph.

Average fuel consumption reading has improved by nearly 9% to 4.1 litres per 100km, compared with the previous engine offering in the BMW 520d.

It features an M Aerodynamic exterior package, 18-inch double-spoke light alloy wheels, Adaptive LED headlights and Dynamic Damping Control.

Its new BMW Multifunctional Instrument Display is a 10.25 inch monitor which allows drivers to select displays from a wide range of data choices.

There is also seamless Bluetooth integration with Android and iPhone, and even Siri activation by pressing the voice input button on the steering wheel.


Toyota robot to keep elderly mobile, one step at a time

A model demonstrating Toyota's rehabilitation robot Welwalk WW-1000, designed to aid in the rehabilitation of individuals with lower limb paralysis in Tokyo. — Reuters
TOKYO: Toyota Motor Corp said it will commercialize rehabilitation robots later this year when it makes its robotic walk assist system available for rent, joining Honda Motor Co in marketing mobility devices for Japan's ageing population.

A decade after it began developing rehabilitation robots, the world's No.2 automaker on Wednesday said the system would be ready to hit the market by the end of 2017, two years after Honda launched a similar device.

Hospitals and other care providers would be able to rent the system, designed for patients with lower limb paralysis, for 350,000 yen (RM14,130) per month plus an initial fee of 1 million yen (around RM41,000).

"The (system) will help to provide assistance to the elderly by enabling them to live more independent lives and to also provide support for their care-givers," Toyota said in a statement.

Japan is graying faster than the rest of the world, with the number of people aged 65 or older accounting for 26.7 percent of the population in 2015, dwarfing the global average of about 8.5 percent.

Demand for aged-care services has boomed as the shrinking working population means that fewer able-bodied adults are available to look after the elderly.

Globally, sales of robots for elderly and handicap assistance will total about 37,500 units in 2016-2019, and are expected to increase substantially within the next 20 years, according to the International Federation of Robotics.

In 2015, Honda launched a rental service for its mobility contraption. Worn around the waist and attached to the thighs, it helps patients improve their stride.

Such systems are a new frontier for major automakers, which are already competing to develop self-driving cars with an eye on the elderly as a major future market.

Toyota has invested heavily in artificial intelligence as part of its push into self-driving cars, and has said it may become a maker of A.I. robots to help the elderly.


US auto sales set to smash record in 2015

                DETROIT: US auto sales were set to smash records in 2015 with December looking to be one of the best sales months in history as easy credit, hot new vehicles and strong consumer confidence lured buyers to showrooms.

General Motors, Ford, Fiat Chrysler and Toyota reported strong December sales on Tuesday and forecast the good times would keep rolling in 2016.

"The US economy continues to expand and the most important factors that drive demand for new vehicles are in place, so we expect to see a second consecutive year of record industry sales in 2016," said Mustafa Mohatarem, GM's chief economist.

"The single most important pieces are the ongoing gains in employment and the growth in personal income. When you add in lower energy prices, it's easy to see why consumer spending is strong."

GM forecast that total industry sales for 2015 would hit 17.5 million vehicles once all carmakers report their results later Tuesday.

That would beat the previous record of 17.4 million set in 2000 and be six percent higher than the 16.4 million vehicles sold in 2014, according to WardsAuto.

"It's truly remarkable that the auto industry is finishing off its best year ever just six years after the depths of the Great Recession," said Jessica Caldwell, an analyst with the automotive website Edmunds.com.

While easy credit terms and low gas prices are making it easier for consumers to buy or lease new cars, Caldwell said it was the attractiveness of product offerings that are sealing the deal.

"If you're buying a new car today, you're getting a safer, more fuel-efficient and more technologically packed vehicle than ever before," she said in a statement. "Automakers are doing a great job giving the people what they want in a new car."

"2015 was a standout year for the auto industry," Bill Fay, general manager for the Toyota division, said in a statement. "Best-ever light truck sales helped the Toyota division earn the retail sales crown for the fourth consecutive year."