China Evergrande's EV unit warns it may halt production amid funds shortage

                HONG KONG: China Evergrande New Energy Vehicle Group Ltd said today it may have to halt production of electric vehicles (EVs) if it could not obtain fresh funding, after delivering more than 900 units of its flagship Hengchi 5 model.

The EV manufacturing unit of the embattled developer China Evergrande Group said it was aiming to cut costs through measures such as reducing staff numbers and improving management efficiency.

"In face of the inability to obtain additional liquidity, the Group is at risk of discontinuing production," it said.

If, however, it could obtain financing of more than 29 billion yuan (RM18.6bil) "in the future", it aimed to launch a number of flagship models and hoped to achieve mass production, the company said in a statement.

Under that plan, the cumulative unleveraged cash flow from 2023 to 2026 was expected to reach negative 7 billion yuan to a negative 5 billion yuan.

The news comes after its parent, China Evergrande Group, on Wednesday announced plans for the restructuring of its US$22.7 billion in offshore debt, which could set a template for distressed rivals in the country's property sector.

The unit previously said it would start mass production of its second EV model in the first half of 2023 and a third in the latter half of this year.

It had also said it aimed to make 1 million vehicles a year by 2025.

In December, the unit said it was laying off workers and cutting the salaries of some employees as a part of its cost-reduction measures.

The EV unit is key for the transformation plans of Evergrande, once China's top-selling property developer and now at the centre of a deepening debt crisis.

Shares of the unit have been suspended since April 2022.


Fire dept offers survival tips should you and car plunge into water

                KUALA LUMPUR: Do not panic and act quickly to save yourself if your vehicle plunges into water or the sea, says Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia director-general Datuk Mohammad Hamdan Wahid.

He said the first thing to do is to unfasten the seat belt to allow smooth movement in the limited space and take a deep breath before getting out of the car immediately.

"If the vehicle starts to sink, do not try to open the driver's door because the water pressure will make it difficult to push it open. This will be a waste of time and it will be more difficult to escape," he said here today.

He said the victim must wind down the driver's seat window or on the passenger's side – if possible – to get out.

Mohammad Hamdan said if this was not possible of if the door was damaged, the victim should use a hard sharp object – such as the metal part of the head rest – on the corners of the window to break it.

"Do not try to break the front windshield as it will be difficult to do so.

"Push the broken glass pieces with your legs and swim out to the water surface to get help.

"Remove your clothes and shoes if they are dragging you down to make it easier to swim," he added.

Last Sunday, college student Moey Yun Peng, 20, died after the vehicle he was driving collided another and plunged into the sea at KM4 of the Penang Bridge at 2.54am.

Efforts to retrieve the vehicle and victim were hampered by bad weather and strong currents and the operation was successfully completed on Tuesday evening.

The body of the victim was found still strapped into the driver's seat.


Policy paper for p-hailing services to be presented to Cabinet soon

                ISKANDAR PUTERI: The policy paper for p-hailing services, which involves the delivery of parcels and food items using motorcycles, will be presented to the Cabinet soon.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said his ministry, together with other ministries and agencies, were finalising details about the paper.

"The Cabinet has in principle made a decision on the matter, but not on the technical details...how do we want to formulate the regulations, just like the e-hailing service.

"This is part of the gig economy and not a conventional (sector). What about the Human Resources Ministry's policy which wants them to contribute to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF)?," he told reporters after the opening of the Tanjung Pelepas Port Industrial Vaccination Centre here today.

Wee said the policy paper would also look into the safety aspects of p-hailing riders by taking into account the views of the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research.

"We will also take into account the views of (p-hailing) companies, individuals, riders and all stakeholders on how we want to create a fairly comprehensive policy," he said.

To date, there are 73,394 p-hailing riders registered with the ministry.


Toyota and Honda brace for more pain

                TOKYO: Toyota Motor Corp posted a 98% plunge in its first-quarter operating profit today as the coronavirus pandemic halved it global sales.

Japan’s top automaker reported a profit of 13.9 billion yen (RM548mil) for the three months ended June, its worst since the June 2011 quarter. Still, it was better than an average estimate for a loss of 179 billion yen (RM7.1bil) based on a Refinitiv poll of seven analysts.

The bleak results underline the challenges being faced by the global auto industry due to the health crisis that has shuttered factories this year and kept customers out of dealerships, hitting production and sales.

Toyota reiterated its forecast for an annual operating profit of 500 billion yen (RM19.8bil), which would be its weakest in nine years, while raising its vehicle sales forecast.

Toyota, which like its rivals saw sales and production crash over March-May, expects its global sales to fall 13% in the year ending March 2021, versus its prior outlook for a 15% drop.

The maker of the RAV4 SUV crossover and the Prius gasoline hybrid expects to sell 9.1 million cars this fiscal year to March, down from 10.46 million last year, but better than a previous forecast for 8.9 million units.

That would still mark its lowest sales in nine years, hit by a 14% drop in sales in North America - Toyota’s biggest market that accounts for about a quarter of its global sales.

In the first quarter, global sales fell 50% to 1.16 million units, led by a 62% tumble in North America.Toyota expects production to largely return to normal levels this month.

Over at Honda, the situation isn't much better, with a forecasted 68% decrease in annual operating profit to a 10-year low with global demand for cars expected to slide because of the pandemic.

Japan's No. 3 automaker expects profit to sink to 200 billion yen (RM7.9bil) in the year to end-March 2021, its weakest since the 2010/11 year and undershooting analyst estimates.

Honda is bracing for a 6% decrease in annual vehicle sales after a 40% plunge in the June quarter, which resulted in a 113.7 billion yen operating loss.

Global automakers are taking a big hit from the coronavirus outbreak, which shuttered vehicle factories this year and has kept customers out of car dealerships.

The maker of the CR-V SUV crossover and the Fit compact hatchback expects to sell 4.5 million vehicles this year, versus 4.79 million last year. It predicts a 16% sales slide in North America, a key market where the United States is struggling to control a surge in virus infections.

“If the current situation continues as is, we think the situation will not get worse (than we saw earlier this year), but it will take time for demand to recover to pre-pandemic levels,” Executive Vice President Seiji Kuraishi told a livestreamed briefing.

Despite weaker sales in North America, Honda expects annual sales in Asia to increase 8%.

China, one of Honda’s biggest markets, has become a rare bright spot for many global automakers, as demand in the world’s biggest car market has been recovering faster than in other countries.

Honda sank into the red for the second straight quarter and posted its worst operating loss since the March 2009 quarter.

Despite its dire outlook, Honda is weathering the coronavirus pandemic better than rivals Nissan Motor Co, Mitsubishi Motor Corp and Mazda Motor Corp, which last week forecast record operating losses for the year.


Toyota profit to rise but eyes will be on its shaky supply chain, EV strategy

                TOKYO: Toyota Motor Corp is expected to report a small quarterly profit increase on Tuesday, with soaring costs of parts and materials nearly offsetting the benefits from the plunging Japanese yen and a rebound in production.

The world's biggest automaker by sales said last week its global production rebounded by 30% in the quarter that ended in September, but warned shortages of semiconductors and other components would continue to constrain output in coming months.

A gradual improvement in the auto chip shortage situation should help raise output in the second half of the current fiscal year, but investors' focus will shift to demand outlook, other potential disruptions in the supply chain and its electric vehicle strategy when Toyota reports earnings.

"The point to look out for is why there has been such a gap in the supply chain process," said Kohei Takahashi, an analyst at UBS Securities Japan, noting improvement in chip supplies.

"It has been too long for the same reason, so something new must be emerging," he said.

Toyota warned earlier this month that it is unlikely to meet its 9.7 million vehicle production goal for this financial year due to a scarcity of chips. It did not provide a new forecast.

The company is expected to report a 3% increase in July-September operating profit to 772.22 billion yen (RM25bil), its highest since the December quarter, according to the average estimate in a poll of 12 analysts by Refinitiv.

It will be the first profit increase in three quarters and mark a big improvement from a sharper-than-expected 42% plunge in June quarter profit, partly helped by the yen which has further extended its loss.

The yen plunged around 30% this year against the US dollar, boosting the value of Toyota's overseas sales. Toyota adjusted its yen forecast for the year to 130 yen from 115 yen following the first quarter results, but the currency is now trading much lower at around 146 to the dollar.

The benefits of the cheap yen has been offset by soaring input costs. Toyota estimated in August material cost for the full year to be 1.7 trillion yen, a 17% increase.

Toyota's shares are down about 2% this year, compared with the roughly 4% drop in the Nikkei average.

Toyota and its major Japanese rivals, Nissan Motor and Honda Motor, are also grappling with longer term challenges including their slow push into electric vehicles.

Just a year into its US$38 billion EV plan, Toyota is already considering rebooting it to better compete in a market growing beyond its projections, Reuters reported this month.

It also had to recall its first mass-produced all-electric vehicle after just two months on the market due to safety concerns earlier this year. It restarted taking leasing orders this month.


New Honda Wave 125i debuts

                GEORGE TOWN: The new Honda Wave 125i has been launched in Malaysia on Thursday, promising a more comfortable riding experience and improved fuel efficiency.

It is available in two variants: one with disc brake in front and the other with disc brakes on both wheels, priced at RM6,263.54 and RM6,549.74 respectively (with GST but excluding road tax, insurance and registration.) The model also comes with a two year or 20,000km manufacturing warranty plus one year or 10,000 km extended warranty for engine, whichever comes first.

The front of the Wave 125i has been revised to achieve a "haughty" look, while the rear light has been remoulded to increase rider visibility. The panel meter is arranged in such a way that it is readable under bright sunlight and at night. It also has a large seat for better rider comfort.

The Wave 125i is certified as an Energy Efficient Vehicle (EEV). The underbone machine is equipped with a four stroke-air cooled 124.9cc engine with Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-Fi) to enhance fuel consumption. With the largest fuel tank in its class at 5.4-litres, it enables the rider to travel over 300km before refuelling.

The Wave 125i can accommodate a full faced helmet and is the only kapcai in the market with a built-in 18-litre U-Box.

The motorcycle comes in a choice of red, blue and silver colour.


Ford aims to triple exports from India with US$1bil plant

                AHMEDABAD: Ford has invested US$1bil in a new plant in western India which will help the automaker triple exports from the country, chief executive Mark Fields told reporters today.

Ford plans to make India an export hub for compact cars such as the EcoSport, a sub-four metre sports utility vehicle, and the newly launched compact sedan, Ford Figo Aspire, the first car to be produced at the new facility. The Figo Aspire comes with a choice of a 1.5L TDCi diesel or 1.2L TiVCT petrol engine.

The new plant in the western state of Gujarat will nearly double the company's installed production capacity in the country to 610,000 engines and 440,000 vehicles a year, Fields said at the launch of the new facility.

He declined to say how quickly Ford would take exports to three times the current level.

Smaller cars are key to Ford's efforts to compete in Asia and particularly in India, where a growing urban population means compact models account for about one in every two passenger cars and utility vehicles sold.

Ford, like foreign rivals General Motors and Volkswagen, has struggled to ramp up sales in India, amid a sluggish recovery in the domestic market and tough competition from established Japanese automakers such as Maruti Suzuki and Honda Motor Co.

Maruti Suzuki dominates the small car segment in particular.

Ford sold 77,140 vehicles in India in 2014 down from 80,431 in 2013, while exports nearly doubled to 76,981 units over the same period. In comparison, market leader Maruti sold 81,564 passenger cars in December alone.

But the market, already the world's sixth largest, is tipped to grow rapidly. While sales rose just over 2 percent last year, industry experts expect that to accelerate to 6 to 8 percent in the fiscal year beginning April 1.

Ford expects Indian auto sales to more than double by 2020.

Fields said Ford would introduce three new cars in India over the next 12-18 months. He did not give more details.

India's government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sought to encourage manufacturing in a drive to boost jobs in a country where a million people join the workforce every month.

The Ford plant, spread over 460 acres, will have an initial installed annual capacity of 240,000 vehicles and 270,000 engines.

"India is going to be attractive (as an export hub) because of the low cost base, and also the expectation that when the dollar strengthens it will be favorable for exporters," said Abdul Majeed, partner and auto expert at PriceWaterhouse India.

But Ford's "make in India" drive comes with heavy automation, as it tries to hedge against a steep rise in labor costs that has hampered firms elsewhere in Asia. Ford employs 2,500 people in the Gujarat plant, twice the number in a similar sized plant in Chennai, in southern India.

"Over time in these emerging markets labor costs will go up," said David Scoch, president of Ford's Asia Pacific operations. "We have seen that in China."


Limited edition Triumph Street Twin Gold Line introduced

                PETALING JAYA: The latest generation of Triumph’s most successful custom classic, Triumph Street Twin is enhanced with unique premium detailing and an exquisite, hand-finished black and gold paint scheme.

The Street Twin Gold Line Edition features the hand painting skills of Triumph’s expert team with the latest technical updates.

This unique edition is limited to 100 units worldwide with only two units available in Malaysia.

The RM59,900 limited edition model comes with certificate of authenticity.

Both units have been pre-sold the minute the word got out on the bikes availability.

The bike is fitted with rider aids including two riding modes (road and rain), ABS and switchable traction control to maximize rider’s safety and an under-seat USB charging port for convenience.

The stylish 900cc machine comes with a low 765mm seat height, reliable engine and good rideability makes this bike a great choice for new and even very experienced riders.

The base model Triumph Street Twin is priced at RM54,900 (Jet Black) and RM55,900 for premium colours (Matt Ironstone & Cobalt Blue).

Click the Whatsapp Sales Team: https://wa.me/601123002007?text=StreetTwincantik or email: info@fastbikes.com.my or visit www.triumphmotorcycles.my.


New firm in deal to deliver Sarawak highway project

                PUTRAJAYA: A newly set-up company has joined the Works Ministry and the Sarawak Government in signing a memorandum of understanding to build the Sarawak portion of the 2,239km Pan Borneo Highway.

The company, Lebuhraya Borneo Utara Sdn Bhd (LBU), has been appointed as Project Delivery Partner (PDP) to manage and supervise the project.

Sarawak was represented by state secretary Tan Sri Morshidi Abdul Ghani, while secretary-general Datuk Seri Zohari Akob signed for the ministry yesterday and LBU chairman Tan Sri Abang Ahmad Urai Abang Mohideen signed for the company.

The ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa.

LBU will be the single point of accountability that is responsible in implementing, managing and completing the Sarawak portion of the highway at a reasonable cost and period agreeable by the Government.

In return, LBU will receive PDP’s fee based on an agreed Key Performance Indicator.

The Sarawak portion, a toll-free access known as the Pan Borneo Sarawak Highway, involves a stretch of 1,090km road linking Lundu and Lawas while the Sabah potion covers 727km.

The first phase of the Pan Borneo Sarawak Highway was launched by Najib in March, comprising the upgrading of the 43km Nyabau-Bakun road, a 33km single carriageway from Telok Melano in Tanjung Datu, which is the westernmost tip of Sarawak, to Semantan which begins in September.

The remaining sections, connecting Tanjung Datu to Miri and Tedungan to Merapok, are scheduled to be completed by mid-2023.

A ceiling budget of RM27bil has been set for the entire project.

Speaking to newsmen, Adenan said the highway would benefit Sarawak and Sabah the way the North-South Expressway did for the peninsula.

“The highway will not only help communication but also open up economic opportunities.”

Adenan added that Sarawak-based companies would be given priority in the projects.


Tesla says it sent update for security flaws found by hackers

                SAN FRANCISCO: Tesla Motors Inc said on Thursday it has sent a software patch to address security flaws in the Tesla Model S sedan that could allow hackers to take control of the vehicle.

The Financial Times reported on Thursday that cybersecurity researchers said they had taken control of a Model S and turned it off at low speed, one of six significant flaws they found that could allow hackers to take control of the vehicle, Tesla confirmed elements of the story and said it already has issued a software patch to owners.

Kevin Mahaffey, chief technology officer of cybersecurity firm Lookout, and Marc Rogers, principal security researcher at Cloudflare, said they decided to hack a Tesla car because the company has a reputation for understanding software that is better than that of most automakers, the FT said.

"We shut the car down when it was driving initially at a low speed of five miles per hour," the newspaper quoted Rogers as saying. "All the screens go black, the music turns off and the handbrake comes on, lurching it to a stop." Tesla said it had developed and deployed an over-the-air update to Model S owners to address the "vulnerabilities".

In a statement, Tesla said the hackers did not turn off the car remotely, but from inside the vehicle.

"Our security team works closely with the security research community to ensure that we continue to protect our systems against vulnerabilities by constantly stress-testing, validating, and updating our safeguards," the automaker said.

The hack will be detailed at cybersecurity conference Def Con in Las Vegas on Friday, the FT said.

The hack on Tesla follows a similar attack on Fiat Chrysler's Jeep Cherokee last month that prompted the company to recall 1.4 million vehicles in the United States.


myTukar hosts Malaysia's largest used car fair from Jan 7-9

                KUALA LUMPUR: myTukar, Malaysia’s fastest-growing digital used car platform is hosting Malaysia’s largest ever used car automotive fair, myTukar AutoFair 2022.

Held from Jan 7-9, the fair is in conjunction with the launch of the brand’s new flagship retail showroom, the myTukar Retail Experience Centre, in Puchong South.

The event features over 1,000 vehicles, the latest car parts, and accessories from various renowned automotive manufacturers.

myTukar’s flagship showroom will be the first in a long line of centres myTukar is set to open.

The company opened one recently in Skudai, Johor Bahru and will be opening up another in Seremban and Malacca by March.

Among the many services myTukar will be offering at their flagship showroom includes test drives, purchasing services, and after sales services such as servicing, tinting among others. It will also serve as an inspection centre.

myTukar CEO Derrick Eng said the event marked a new beginning for the company.

 Eng.

“While we are still focused on growing online, the expansion of our offline operations will enable us to provide a go-to centre to check out the latest in used vehicles and serve customers with exceptional after-sales service,” he said.

He also said the company's first ever auto fair would provide buyers with the opportunity to seamlessly experience the ease to buy cars with myTukar.

“We want to change the public's perception of the used car industry, opening up new avenues to buy and sell used cars. This new beginning signifies our commitment to providing exceptional retail services to our customers,” Eng said.

The Auto Fair visitors will receive on-the-spot trade in value for their vehicles, same-day loan approval and car collection.

Participating banking institutions include RHB, Hong Leong Bank, Maybank and Public Bank.

Visitors who bought a car at the Auto Fair would have the benefit of two years of free car service, one-year extended warranty, 5-day money back guaranteed, loan interest rates as low as 1.68% with over RM800,000 rewards up for grabs.

As myTukar’s nationwide coverage now also includes larger, more premium car showrooms as well as full-fledged in-house service facilities, customers will get to enjoy a worry-free car maintenance experience.

The Auto Fair will showcase a wide range of vehicles, from Malaysia’s No.1 choice, a 2019 Perodua Myvi to a 2019 Mercedes-Benz 350 AMG Line and many more.

On top of that, by booking any car at the Auto Fair, visitors also stand a chance in driving home a Proton X70 Premium worth RM100,000.

For details, visit https://mytukar.com/


Porsche offers braided carbon wheels

                STUTTGART: Porsche has become the world’s first vehicle manufacturer to offer light-weight wheels with braided carbon fibre.

They are available now as an option for the Porsche 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series.

Carbon, the characteristically black high-tech material, can be fully appreciated with a protective layer of clear lacquer.

Together, the innovative wheels weigh around 8.5kg less than standard alloy wheels, which is a reduction of 20%.

They are also 20% stronger. With a reduced unsprung weight, the tyres trail the surface of the road better and are perfectly optimised for absorbing longitudinal and lateral forces. Lower rotating masses mean more spontaneity both in acceleration and braking. The result is increased driving dynamics and driving pleasure.

Manufactured entirely from carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP), the wheel is essentially comprised of two components. The wheel centre is made from carbon-fibre fabric. This involves cutting and assembling over 200 individual components.

The second component is the rim base made from braided carbon fibre by what is currently the world’s largest carbon fibre braiding machine with a diameter of approximately nine metres. The wheel centre is then braided into the rim base.

The assembled wheel is impregnated with resin and pre-hardened at high pressure and high temperatures. The finished wheel is hardened at high temperatures followed by a long cooling process. The central lock is then inserted into the finished wheel and the wheel is protected with clear lacquer.

Porsche is the first company in the global automotive industry to use this extremely complex technology. The braiding technology offers key advantages over the more conventional method of manufacturing pre-impregnated carbon-fibre fabric: This production technique makes the material structure of the carbon considerably denser and more compact.

This increases rigidity. Using the material more efficiently also produces less waste. The new carbon wheel is made from a total of 18 kilometres carbon fibre or eight square metres of carbon-fibre fabric.

From the beginning of 2018, the new carbon wheels will be available as an option for the 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series in the dimensions of 9 J x 20 for the front axle and 11.5 J x 20 for the rear axle.


First 'robotaxis' enter service in Beijing

An Apollo Go autonomous taxi is seen on a street in Yizhuang, a town of Daxing District, in the southeast suburbs of Beijing. — AFP
BEIJING: Beijing has approved its first autonomous taxis for commercial use, bringing dozens of the so-called "robotaxis" to the streets of the Chinese capital.

The vehicles can only carry two passengers at a time and are confined to the city's southern Yizhuang area.

An employee of the taxi firm also sits in the front of the car in case any sudden intervention is needed, but the vehicle drives itself.

The roll-out is a significant step forward for the driverless ambitions of Chinese tech giant Baidu and start-up Pony.ai, who were given the green light to deploy the cars on Thursday.

But it is expected to be years before the taxis operate fully without human intervention, due to regulations and safety requirements.

Developers are hoping Chinese consumers - who have embraced e-commerce, online payments and other digital solutions - will quickly get used to the sensation of travelling in a car without a driver.

Pony.ai co-founder Peng Jun said the key to moving the industry forward is "policy, technology and public acceptance".

More than 500,000 trips have already been made in Pony.ai's robotaxis during earlier testing stages, the Toyota-backed start-up said.

Passengers using Baidu's "Apollo Go" cars must download an app called "Luobo kuaipao" - meaning "radish run" - and can hail a cab at one of 600 pick-up and drop-off points.

Sixty-seven Baidu taxis are on the roads in Beijing charging just over two yuan (RM1.33) for a 5.9-kilometre journey.

Alibaba-backed start-up AutoX and ride-hailing giant DiDi Chuxing have also been running robotaxi pilot projects in cities around the country.


BMW M2 lands on local shores

                KUALA LUMPUR: BMW Group Malaysia has launched the BMW M2 Coupé (F87) – basically an ode to the BMW 2002 turbo, with a potent 3.0-litre turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine.

The M2, with only a few undisclosed units available in the country, only comes in Long Beach Blue Metallic and is currently priced on-the-road with GST without insurance at RM498,800.

Weighing in at 1,520kg (kerb), the M2 coupe has a wheelbase of 2,693mm and measures 4,468mm-long, 1,854mm-wide and 1,410mm-tall and beneath its sheet metal dwells components from it big brothers – the venerable M3 and M4 coupe.

Under the hood lies a turbocharged 3.0-litre (2,979cc) inline six-cylinder engine sending 370hp at 6,500rpm and 465Nm (500Nm overboost) of torque from 1,400 to 5,560rpm to the rear wheels via a seven-speed M-double clutch transmission (DCT) with Drivelogic and integrated Launch Control function.

Furthermore, the transmission also comes with stability clutch control, creep on demand function as well as a “smokey burnout” function, while three Driving Experience Control modes of Comfort, Sport and Sport+ are available at the push of a button.

With the DCT, the M2 takes 4.3 seconds to reach 100kph and tops out at an electronically limited speed of 250kph – although the M instrument cluster’s speedometer goes all the way up to 300kph and the tachometer to 8,000rpm.

For the time being, the car only comes with a DCT, but if preferred, a six-speed manual can be order.

The M2’s potency is further indicated by a pair of 93mm-diameter twin-tail pipes that make up the sports exhaust system with electronic flap control.

It rides on the combined efforts of the lightweight aluminium sports suspension from the M3 and M4, while the 19-inch aluminium forged wheels with 245/35 (front) and 265/35 (rear) Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres take on grip duties.

To further improve traction, the M2 also receives an electronically controlled Active M Differential, which helps to optimise traction and directional stability, but to increase the level of driver engagement is the car’s dynamic stability control system’s M Dynamic Mode that allows for more wheel slippage.

Stopping power is handled by a set of four-piston (front) two-piston (rear) callipers in blue that bite down on 380mm (front) 370mm (rear) grey-cast iron cross-drilled disc brakes that make up the M compound brakes.

The confines of the cabin are accented in leather, Alcantara and open-pored carbon surfaces and receive leather clad sports seats with adjustable side-bolsters, M footrest and knee support on the centre console, an M Sports steering wheel and a M gearshift lever.

Although powerful, the M2 also comes equipped with the BMW EfficientDynamics package that includes brake energy recuperation, an electromechanical power steering (M Servotronic steering), automatic start/stop function, intelligent lightweight design, situation-specific control of auxiliary systems, volume flow-controlled oil pump and a rear differential with optimised warm-up times.

Other equipments include BMW ConnectedDrive apps that comprises of the GoPro app, M Laptimer app, Navigation System Professional, concierge services and intelligent emergency call (using the built-in SIM card) to help improve emergency response times.

A manual emergency call function is also available and allows rapid help to be summoned for other road users in emergency situations.

“The New BMW M2 Coupé will once again reinforce the fact that premium performance and dynamic vehicles in Malaysia can only be measured by one letter – M– the Most Powerful Letter in the World,” said BMW Group Malaysia head of sales Raymond Tan.


Ferrari extends after-sales services with new Ferrari Premium programme.

                MARANELLO: Ferrari is extending even further its class-leading after-sales services for clients with the new Ferrari Premium programme.

This is where the programme provides official maintenance services for the following models:
360 Modena (all versions)456 GT / GTA456 M GT / GTA550 Barchetta550 Maranello599 GTB Fiorano599 GTO599 SA Aperta575 Maranello575 Superamerica612 Scaglietti (all versions)F430 (all versions)Ferrari Enzo
The new scheme provides eligible cars with a Certificate testifying that all scheduled and preventative maintenance has been carried out on their car correctly and that all recall and service campaigns for their car have been implemented.

To ensure cars are maintained to the correct standards, thus preserving their performance and safety, the Ferrari Premium programme includes the substitution of parts subject to wear over time.

The schedule includes a dedicated package of components at special prices, including the fuel, lubrication, hydraulic power steering and brake systems.

Clients with eligible cars that receive the Ferrari Premium Certificate will, on the 20th anniversary of the first registration of the car, also have privileged access to Ferrari Classiche certification, the programme that testifies to the authenticity of those models that are now considered modern-day classics.

Ferrari Premium is the latest programme that complements Ferrari’s exclusive after-sales services which are the most comprehensive and flexible of their kind.

Every new Ferrari comes with a standard four-year warranty (UK only, three-year ROW) and seven years of free maintenance.

The full factory warranty can be extended for a further 24 months and, for vehicles aged from six to 15, owners can stipulate the New Power warranties which provide cover on main mechanical components.

Owners who benefitted from the seven-year Genuine Maintenance programme can now extend the cover with Main Power, which also includes the New Power warranty, up to the car’s 15th year from first registration.


Warnings over RON95 petrol sales working, says minister

                LABUAN: The problem of foreign-registered vehicles filling up with RON95 petrol in Malaysia has abated after the authorities issued warnings against this practice, said Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi.

"Initially, just after the reopening of the country's borders, there was a rush (by owners of foreign-registered vehicles to fill up).

"But after our reminders (to petrol station operators), it seems the problem has lessened.

"We depend a lot on (petrol station) operators to help the government ensure that RON95 is only sold to Malaysians," he told reporters after visiting business premises at the Financial Park Complex here today.

He said the ministry had received complaints from the public about foreign-registered vehicle owners topping up with RON95 petrol in border states after Malaysia reopened its borders on April 1 following a two-year closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The RON95 petrol is heavily subsidised by the government. It should only be sold to Malaysian-registered vehicles."

He hoped foreigners would understand that the subsidy was meant to ease the burden of Malaysians only.

Since Aug 1, 2010, foreign-registered vehicles were allowed to buy only RON97 petrol in Malaysia.


Luxury in focus as Geneva car show opens

People taking pictures inside the VW Sedric concept car. - Reuters
GENEVA: Europe’s biggest annual car show kicks off in Geneva today with luxury and crossover vehicles in the limelight, but with the emissions scandal still hanging over the industry.

Automakers are celebrating the end of the sector’s crisis as European sales have returned to levels last seen in 2008 before a global financial meltdown inflicted deep dents on their business.

It is a far cry from last year’s show where the industry was under a cloud after Volkswagen admitted in 2015 to having installed software in 11 million diesel engines worldwide to circumvent emissions tests, a scandal that will cost it billions in fines and compensation to car owners.

 A VW Arteon on display. - Bloomberg

While Volkswagen has survived the crisis, the scandal has focused attention on emissions and the challenges automakers will have in building cars that can meet ever tougher pollution rules. Carmakers are now having to steer towards engines that emit no more than 95 grams of CO2 per kilometre by 2021 to meet European requirements, compared to 130 grams in 2015.

But as diesel cars have been getting a bad rap because of emissions scandals, that target looks harder to meet.
”Diesel cars emit 15 percent less CO2 per kilometre” than gasoline-fuelled models, said Christophe Aufrere, a technology strategist at car parts maker Faurecia.

With electric vehicles still only accounting for a sliver of European car sales, that means gasoline-powered cars have to take up the slack, requiring the industry to squeeze more efficiency out of engines and to reduce vehicles’ weight.

Research and development costs “have practically doubled in the past decade” said Remi Cornubert at AT Kearney, a consulting firm, and if carmakers fail to succeed, the bill will be high.

Automakers failing to meet the CO2 targets - capping petrol consumption to 4.1 litres per 100 kilometres and diesel to 3.6 litres - will have to pay 95 euros (US$100) for every extra CO2 gram emitted by each car - potentially adding up to tens of millions of euros of fines.

 Infiniti Project Black S.New models

Jostling among carmakers for market position is also likely to dominate discussions after French carmaker PSA announced Monday the acquisition of General Motors’ European subsidiary, which includes the Opel and Vauxhall brands, for 1.3 billion euros (US$1.38 billion), catapulting it into second place in Europe.

And there was more good news for PSA in Geneva on Monday after its Peugeot brand won European car of the year for its 3008 urban 4x4, as the show opened to the press.

Volkswagen, meanwhile, unveiled its first prototype autonomous car Monday evening, the electric Sedric. The German giant, whose brands include Audi and Porsche, said it planned to join a string of other automakers in investing billions of dollars in developing the vehicle over the coming years.

 Lamborghini Huracán Perfomante.

Despite the greater emphasis on fuel economy, the Geneva car show is unlikely to disappoint in terms of its usual glitz and glamour.

The legendary Ferrari, Lamborghini, Pagani, McLaren and Bentley have all picked Lake Geneva’s shores to present new models. Renault will showcase the final version of its Alpine A110 sports car.

”Geneva has always been the show of beautiful automobiles and prestigious racing cars,” said Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer at the CAR institute.

 Volvo XC60.

But the greatest buzz may come from so-called “crossover” vehicles (CUVs), which combine features taken from sports utility vehicles (SUVs) with those of passenger cars.

The segment, including fashionable urban four-wheel drive vehicles, now makes up nearly 30 percent of the European car market and features the Volvo XC60, the Citroen C-Aircross, the DS7 Crossback and the Land Rover Velar.

Some 180 companies will be present at the 10-day show which opens to the public on March 9 after two press days during which most major corporate announcements are expected. Last year’s show attracted 687,000 visitors.

The VW Sedric concept car. - Reuters

 Range Rover Velar.


Porsche ranks highest in J.D. Power 'APEAL' study

                LOS ANGELES: U.S. customers have rated Porsche highest among all automotive brands in the latest annual J.D. Power 'APEAL' (Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout) Study.

In addition, the Porsche Cayenne took the top position in the 'Midsize Premium SUV' segment, the third straight year for the model line and the first entry for the new, third generation Cayenne.

The 2019 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study measures owners' emotional attachment and level of excitement with their new vehicle across 77 attributes, ranging from the sense of comfort and luxury they feel when climbing into the driver's seat to the power they feel when they step on the gas.

These attributes combine into an overall APEAL index score measured on a 1,000-point scale.

The study, now in its 24th year, is based on responses gathered from February 2019 through May 2019 from nearly 68,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2019 model-year vehicles who were surveyed after 90 days of ownership.

Porsche earned 891 points on the 1,000-point scale, improving 8 points over last year.

This compared to the premium brand average of 853 and overall industry average of 823.


Perodua launches 5-year road safety campaign

                PETALING JAYA: Perodua has launched a five-year-year road safety campaign to inculcate good driving behaviour among Malaysians.

President and chief executive officer Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh said statistics had shown the occurrence of road accidents in the country reached half a million last year, with 7,000 deaths or a fatality rate of six per cent, higher than previously.

"A survey showed 80.6 per cent of the road accidents were due to human negligence," he said at the launch of the Perodua Road Safety Campaign and Perodua Child Seat here today.

The campaign was officially launched by Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abd Aziz Kaprawi.

 Kaprawi (left), Aminar (second from left) and other Perodua officials highlighting the safety campaign.

Aminar said the five-year programme's initial focus is on the four pillars of good driving habits, namely the wearing of seat belts, non-usage of mobile devices while driving, the usage of turn signals and usage of child seats.

He said the safety campaign includes putting up promotional materials at Perodua sales and service outlets nationwide, with safety messages targeted to reach one million customers within a year of the programme.

Perodua also unveiled its locally produced infant and toddler seats, under Perodua's all-new range of car accessories, GearUp, at the event.

From now until Chinese New Year 2018, Aminar said the seats are being offered at introductory prices of RM660 and RM780 for the infant and toddler seats respectively.

After the promotional period, the infant seat will be priced at RM790 and the toddler seat at RM980.

"We believe the products are competitive when compared against other established brands, and what's more, they come with our seal of approval," he added.


Shell Rimula winners rewarded with Hungary trip

                KOTA KINABALU: In conjunction with the 2015 Shell Rimula Gala Dinner at the Magellan Sutera Resort, eight grand prize winners of this year’s Shell Rimula Global Promotion Contest were presented with an all-expense paid trip to Hungary in September.

The lucky eight are  Chong Kong Jam, Foo Kuek Hua, Gan Choon Ling, Jennie Lew,  Lee Wah Chuo, Liew Foh Min, Renny Ong and Tan Yeong Li.

In Hungary, they will get VIP treatment at the exciting Shell Hungary Truck Prix at the Hungaroring race circuit and enjoy behind-the-scenes access to a truck racing team and understand the demands placed on the trucks during a FIA European Truck Racing Championship race.

The following day, they will take part in the Shell Rimula Truck Racing Challenge, a series of challenges that will test their truck racing team potential.

The 2015 Shell Rimula global promotion contest was held from Apr 15 to July 15, 2015 and was open to all customers who purchased Shell Rimula R4, R5 or R6 heavy-duty diesel engine oil as well as some other Shell Driveline products.

 Chapman addressing the crowd at the Shell Rimula gala dinner.

Shell Rimula believes that its technological leadership enables it to consistently offer superior customer-focused solutions that deliver real business value to customers.

As a result of its continuous investment in research and development, Shell is able to offer a complete range of high performance lubricants that protects all the driveline components in trucks, heavy equipment and machineries.

They include Shell Rimula heavy duty diesel engine oils; Shell Spirax axle, transmission and gear oils; as well as Shell Gadus greases. Shell Lube VideoCheck is a state-of-the-art digital fiber-optic method of inspecting internal engine components without the need for a teardown while Shell LubeAnalyst is an oil and equipment condition monitoring service that helps identify potential failures before becoming critical. And  Shell’s LubeAdvisor service is designed to ensure that customers use the right oil at the right time, every time.

“We are constantly developing customer-focused solutions that can help businesses, especially transport industry players and heavy equipment owners and operators, attain new levels of operational and cost efficiency. I believe Shell customers, many of whom have been with us for a very long time, appreciate our commitment and understanding of their business needs," said Shell Lubricants Cluster general manager – Southeast Asia, Troy Chapman.

Also present was Shell Rimula Global Brand Manager, Seow Lee Ming.


Covid-19: Toyota confirms one infected, 11 more in quarantine

                TOKYO: Toyota Motor Corp has confirmed that one of its employees has contracted the Covid-19 virus.

The person in question is a male full-time employee in his 20’s working as a line worker at the Japanese carmaker's Toyota City Takaoka Plant that's based in the Aichi Prefecture of Japan.

The employee reported in with a fever on March 14 and has been resting at home his since March 16.

On March 19 his fever continued prompting a test to be conducted for the COVID-19 virus, which returned positive.

Following the result, the company conducted an investigation which found 11 other individuals to have been in close contact with him.

As a safety precaution, the 11 individuals have been asked to stay home for two weeks from since having come into contact with the confirmed infected employee.

Also, the company immediately began to disinfect the affected work sites on March 19 after upon learning that the employee was suspected of being positive and resumed operation shortly afterwards.


Peugeot Citroen reveals 'real-world' fuel consumption

                GENEVA: Leading French automobile manufacturer PSA Peugeot Citroen published Tuesday "real-world" fuel consumption figures for three of its diesel cars, seeking to win over wary customers after the Volkswagen pollution cheating scandal.

Peugeot Citroen said the initiative was a world first, launched in the aftermath of German rival Volkswagen's admission last year that it had fitted 11 million diesel engines worldwide with devices that fool official pollution tests.

"We were obviously shocked by what happened with Volkswagen-gate and in some way, like the profession, the whole automobile industry, we were affected by the situation and deeply upset," Carlos Tavares, chairman of the group's managing board, said on the sidelines of the Geneva Motor Show.

"It was important to safeguard our customers' trust in relation to knowing their automobiles' consumption," he told a conference.

The French car maker said the results were based on tests designed by two environmental groups, Transport & Environment and France Nature Environment.

The cars were driven on public roads in town, outside town and on motorways near Paris in "real-life" driving conditions with passengers, luggage, roads with hills and the air conditioning switched on, Peugeot Citroen said in a statement.

 Citroën C4 Picasso being tested.

"Peugeot Citroen is the first car maker to adopt such an approach," the company said.

Peugeot Citroen promised to reveal the real-world fuel consumption results for 30 models "before summer 2016".

As expected, all the "real-world" fuel consumption figures exceeded the results of the existing official laboratory-style New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) tests, which were thrown into question by the Volkswagen scandal.

The "real world" tests showed:

> A medium-sized sedan Peugeot 308 consumed 5.0 litres for 100 kilometres, compared to just 3.2 litres in the NEDC tests;

> A Citroen C4 Picasso people carrier drank 5.6 litres for 100 km, compared to 4.0 litres in the NEDC tests;

> And the premium subcompact DS 3 used 4.9 litres over 100 km, compared to 3.6 litres in the NEDC tests.

All three cars were equipped with 1.6-litre, 120-horsepower engines with manual gearboxes.

New official tests called the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedures, aimed at better measuring real-world fuel or energy consumption and pollution emissions are being defined for introduction in 2017.

For now, the official NEDC tests are the only recognised measure for car performance in Europe, said Gilles Le Borgne, head of research and development at Peugeot Citroen.

"If others want to join our initiative, we would be delighted," he said, adding however that no other manufacturer had shown interest in doing so.

Peugeot Citroen first announced the real-world testing initiative in November last year, two months after the Volkswagen cheating scandal broke.

Volkswagen admitted the existence of the illegal cheat software on diesel engines which limits the output of toxic nitrogen oxides during emissions tests by regulators.

But when the vehicles are in actual use, the software allows them to spew poisonous gases far above permitted levels.

Volkswagen chief Matthias Mueller called in Geneva on Monday for his company to "learn from past mistakes".

In 2015, VW's own-brand sales fell five percent to 5.82 million vehicles worldwide, the first decline in 11 years, the company has revealed. On top of lost earnings, VW is facing a barrage of legal complaints related to the scandal.


Where's the lane? Self-driving cars confused by shabby US roadways

                LOS ANGELES: Volvo's North American CEO, Lex Kerssemakers, lost his cool as the automaker's semi-autonomous prototype sporadically refused to drive itself during a press event at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

"It can't find the lane markings!" Kerssemakers griped to Mayor Eric Garcetti, who was at the wheel. "You need to paint the bloody roads here!"

Shoddy infrastructure has become a roadblock to the development of self-driving cars, vexing engineers and adding time and cost. Poor markings and uneven signage on the 3 million miles of paved roads in the United States are forcing automakers to develop more sophisticated sensors and maps to compensate, industry executives say.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently called the mundane issue of faded lane markings "crazy," complaining they confused his semi-autonomous cars.

An estimated 65 percent of US roads are in poor condition, according to the US Department of Transportation, with the transportation infrastructure system rated 12th in the World Economic Forum's 2014-2015 global competitiveness report.

Tesla, Volvo, Mercedes, Audi  and others are fielding vehicles that can drive on highways, change lanes and park without human help. But they are easily flummoxed by faded lane markers, damaged or noncompliant signs or lights, and the many quirks of a roadway infrastructure managed by thousands of state and local bureaucracies.

In other developed countries, greater standardization of road signs and markings makes it easier for robot cars to navigate. In the US, however, traffic lights can be aligned vertically, horizontally or "dog-house" style in two columns. Pavement markings use paint with different degrees of reflectivity - or don't exist at all.

"If the lane fades, all hell breaks loose," said Christoph Mertz, a research scientist at Carnegie Mellon University. "But cars have to handle these weird circumstances and have three different ways of doing things in case one fails."

To make up for roadway aberrations, carmakers and their suppliers are incorporating multiple sensors, maps and data into their cars, all of which adds cost.

Mercedes says the "drive pilot" system found in its recently unveiled luxury E Class 2017 sedans works even with no lane markings. The system - which incorporates 23 sensors - takes into account guard rails, barriers, and other cars to keep cars in their lanes up to 135kph, under "suitable circumstances."

Boston Consulting Group estimates that initial semi-autonomous features add US$4,000 to a car's price. It estimated carmakers will have to spend more than US$1 billion over the next decade in research investment for even more sophisticated autonomous features.

On a good road in daylight, cameras installed around a car are sufficient to distinguish road lines, traffic lights and signs. But without lane markings, the car needs more technology to judge its position.

Enter radar and lidar, which send out radio waves or light pulses to bounce off objects. The data sent back informs the car about objects, their distance and velocity. Triangulating between trees to the right, boulders to the left, and other vehicles ahead, for instance, can give the car its bearings.

A host of companies - including Silicon Valley firms Quanergy and Velodyne and international suppliers like Paris-based Valeo - are vying to reduce the cost and size of lidar from the bulky, US$75,000 Velodyne version first seen on the roof of Google's self-driving car.

In January, Quanergy unveiled a small US$250 Lidar with no moving parts. Automakers want the price to drop below US$100 for production vehicles, which Quanergy promises to do by 2018.

Sub-par roads are fuelling efforts by companies such as Germany's HERE and Dutch company TomTom to create three dimensional maps that can provide the car's location on the road within centimeters, said Chris Warrington, CEO of mapping technology company GeoDigital.

Automakers are looking to pay US$50-US$60 per car for such maps, which may be well below the actual price, said Warrington.

"We know they're coming, but they don't exist yet. That's why lane markings are so important now," said Gary O'Brien, director of advanced engineering for automotive supplier Delphi Automotive Systems PLC.

O'Brien snaps photos of bad roads when he travels.

"Look at this, there are no lane markings at all!" O'Brien said, showing a picture he took on a desert road in Bluff, Utah where the demarcation between the road and ground is barely visible.

Some officials envision traffic signals that communicate with cars at dangerous intersections and vehicles that can signal each other their positions, direction and speed.

The US Department of Transportation's "Smart City Challenge," a competitive grant program, will offer up to US$40 million this summer to help one city integrate new technologies, which could include infrastructure for self-driving cars.

The Transportation Research Board, an independent group that advises the government, plans to issue recommendations for standardized lane markings for machine vision by 2017. By then, several automakers say they plan to offer models with some form of autonomous highway driving.

Paul Carlson, a research engineer focused on infrastructure at Texas A&M University, said he gets calls from transportation officials asking how to accommodate robot cars.

He tells them to aim for consistency: "Make up your mind, people! Do you want your traffic lights vertical or horizontal?"


All-new Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 4Matic launched from RM430,000

                KUALA LUMPUR: Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has unveiled the all-new second-generation 2023 GLC 300 4Matic all-wheel drive with AMG Line interior, which is offered as a mild hybrid with 48-volt technology, priced at RM429,888 on-the-road without insurance.

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine mated to a 9G-Tronic nine-speed automatic transmission, outputs 258hp at 5,800rpm and 400Nm at 2,000 to 3,200rpm.

Also, the mild hybrid system with a second-generation integrated starter-generator (ISG) and electric motor produces 17kW and 200Nm.

There's a new four-link suspension at the front and a multi-link independent rear suspension, and the Agility Control suspension provides optimum road holding.

The passive selective damping system automatically optimises the ride characteristics, damping effect and stabilisation.

The 0 to 100kph sprint is done in 6.2 seconds and top speed is 240kph.

Safety and assistance systems include Guard 360-degree all-round monitoring of the vehicle's surroundings - for example, with break-in and anti-theft alarm with tow-away protection.

There's also Active Lane Keeping Assist for lane guidance, which can actively intervene and perform a course-correcting steering intervention, as well as Blind Spot Assist, Active Brake Assist, and Pre-Safe system.

Meanwhile, the new Parking package with 360-degree camera and Active Parking Assist with Parktronic offers all-round visibility, with four cameras (front, rear and both vehicle sides) and includes a virtual bird’s eye view.

The driver can choose to park manually or hand control over to Active Parking Assist.

Standard kit includes an off-road driving mode and DSR (downhill speed regulation).

In off-road mode, the GLC with 360-degree camera offers a “transparent bonnet” - the central display shows a virtual view under the front of the vehicle, including the front wheels and their steering position.

This enables the driver to recognise obstacles such as large stones or deep potholes in their path at an early stage.

Also, the new off-road screen uses the two displays for clearly arranged information, controls and functions.

Among other things, the driver’s display shows inclination, gradient, topographical altitude, geo-coordinates and a compass as well as road speed and engine speed when operation is with an internal combustion engine.

With the AMG Line interior, highlights of the GLC 300 4Matic include Artico man-made leather upholstery in black as standard, Microcut microfibre and the AMG sports pedals.

For limited fully imported units, the two-tone upholstery in Artico man-made leather in sienna brown black is also available.

Other interior highlights are powered front seats with memory function, and the multifunction sports steering wheel in nappa leather, with a flattened bottom section – a shape that was adopted from motorsports.

Also, there is a Burmester 3D surround sound system as well as a 12.3-inch high-resolution display screen in front of the driver, while the 11.9-inch central display appears to float above the trim area.

The 2023 GLC 300 4Matic has the latest-generation MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) infotainment system, and the dialogue and learning ability of the Hey Mercedes voice assistant is based on state-of-the-art algorithms.

Music streaming providers can be integrated into MBUX.

There is also a wireless charging system for mobile devices in the front, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

As for the exterior, the GLC 300 4Matic polished aluminium roof rails and aluminium-look running boards with rubber studs, while the AMG bodystyling consists of AMG front apron with sporty air intakes and chrome trim element and diffuser-look AMG rear apron.

Other features are the wide track and 20-inch AMG multi-spoke light-alloy wheels, the radiator grille with Mercedes-Benz pattern, and new two-section rear lights.

The new GLC has Digital Light headlamp technology which is billed as offering high-resolution and targeted light distribution according to local conditions, and excellent visibility for the driver without impairing that of other road users.

Regarding its size, the new GLC with a length of 4,716mm is 60mm longer and also, 4mm lower than its predecessor.

The track widths have increased by 6mm at the front (now 1,627mm) and 23mm at the rear (now 1,640 mm).

The longer vehicle length benefits the wheelbase and the front and rear overhangs.

Vehicle width has remained the same at 1,890mm.

An acoustic membrane in the windscreen is standard while the acoustically effective heat insulation glass provides more comfort.

Luggage capacity has increased significantly to 620 litres (70 litres more than its predecessor).

Also standard is the Easy-Pack tailgate, which opens or closes at the touch of a button on the ignition key, the switch in the driver’s door or the unlocking handle on the tailgate.


HERE HD Live Map powers hands-free driving and routing functionalities in new BMW 7 Series

                MUNICH/AMSTERDAM: Location data and technology platform HERE Technologies has announced that the BMW Group is using the HERE HD Live Map, HERE’s high-definition map to enable hands-free driving in the United States and Canada.

HERE is one of the world’s first companies to provide high-definition maps for Level 2+ automated driving capabilities in series production vehicles.

This is the result of a long-standing collaboration between BMW and HERE on next-generation mapping capabilities.

The BMW Group first introduced hands-free driving at a maximum speed of 130kph in 2018.

Now, the all-new BMW 7 Series is the automaker’s first production vehicle to launch with SAE Level 2+ automated functionalities at a maximum speed of 130kph.

With the HERE HD Live Map on board, this function enables hands-free driving on interstates and highways, provided drivers remain focused and ready to take control.

Additionally, the HERE platform provides functionality for the vehicle’s navigation system to display in real-time where the SAE Level 2+ function can be activated safely.

Over time, the HERE HD Live Map will be integrated into additional BMW models as automated driving capabilities increase across vehicles, roadways and regions.

“A digital HD map is essential for highly automated driving. HERE HD Live Map is rich and reliable: it provides road geometry, route profile and traffic signs – all on a global scale,” said Dr Nicolai Martin, Senior Vice President Driving Experience at BMW Group.

“We have been working with HERE for many years to bring highly automated driving to market, and we are now thrilled to see the result of our collaboration finally come to life. Together, we are going one step further in delivering on our promise to provide a superior driving experience to our customers.”

The HERE HD Live Map consists of rich, highly accurate and fresh layers of data to support the vehicle in knowing exactly where it is on the road and what road features lie ahead.

The lane-level data serves as a redundant source of information to the on-board sensors, providing additional quality assurances for the system. HERE HD Live Map helps a vehicle to proactively adjust its behaviour to upcoming road characteristics.

Like the iX, the new 7 Series also features HERE Predictive Routing, a cloud-based routing functionality that learns individual driving patterns to propose more personalised journeys.

In addition, the latest 7 Series uses HERE Real-Time Traffic across 70 countries.

The service delivers drivers detailed information on traffic congestion with lane-level precision and potential road hazards ahead, with auto re-routing capabilities, helping drivers stay safe and save time.


PJ council to go easy on issuing summonses

                PETALING JAYA: No parking summonses will be issued to motorists here if there are no parking coupon agents or parking machines in the vicinity.

Petaling Jaya City Council communications officer Hasbullah Juyahir said the council was aware that not all commercial areas within the city have retail places selling the park-and-display coupons or functioning coin machines.

“The park-and-display coupon system is being introduced in stages and we have 16 shops selling them. For now, we will not issue summonses in areas where there are no coupon agents or parking machines,” Hasbullah said when contacted yesterday.

On why MBPJ appointed coupon agents outside the city, Hasbullah said some of the parking agents registered their business in Shah Alam, Puchong and Semenyih.

“These agents have their office registered in places like Shah Alam. However, they were appointed to engage with smaller agents in Petaling Jaya to sell the coupons,” he said in response to queries from Petaling Jaya folk on the rationale of appointing parking coupon agents in Shah Alam, Puchong and Semenyih while some busy commercial areas within the city have no agents.

The parking coupon method was implemented on Tuesday after the council’s former parking operator’s contract was terminated last month.

The council received a lot of flak for allowing only 16 agents to sell the coupons with places such as PJ New Town, Section 14 and SS2 commercial areas without an agent.

The council also said that in areas where there are coin machines, the public could still display the parking tickets.

Friends of Kelana Jaya Park deputy chairman Esham Salam said few of the 16 coupon distribution agents listed by MBPJ were located out of the city.

“People are confused why some agents are in Shah Alam. Shouldn’t all the agents be in Petaling Jaya? Is it because the parking coupon will soon be used in all councils in Selangor?” asked Esham.

 Parking coupons should be standardised for customer convenience but they are not as the coupons differ from one council to another in Selangor. Selangor has 12 local councils.

He said the council needed to select more business operators in the city to become parking coupon agents.

Esham welcomed the move to reintroduce the parking coupon system and suggested that it be implemented on a long term for all council managed parking.

“We can do away with a lot of management and machine maintenance issues with the coupon system,” he said, adding that the operating cost would be cheaper with the coupon method.

Section 14 (Jalan 14/1 to 14/15) Residents Association chairman Selva Sugumaran Perumal said there were no agents selling parking coupons in his neighbourhood which was a busy commercial centre.

“The scratch-and display system was implemented after a long holiday break on Tuesday and people did not have time to buy the coupons. The council should not issue summonses until there are enough agents selling the coupons.

“My area has no coupon agents. Section 14 near the Digital Mall area, Petaling Jaya New Town and SS2 have no agents selling coupons, the last I checked. These are among the busy business areas in the city and motorists are worried they will be penalised,” said Selva.

 Working parking meters are harder to find in Petaling Jaya nowadays.

“Residents claim there were not enough parking coupons in stock. PJ has over 600,000 residents, excluding those who live elsewhere and work here. There should be over one million parking coupon booklets printed and the council should have a stockpile.

“It is inconvenient for the public to go to the MBPJ headquarters to buy the coupons,” he said.

Florence Sundaram, 60, said although she was familiar with the coupon system, she found it troublesome to adapt to the various systems implemented by different councils.

“I now have several different parking coupon booklets for the various councils. I can’t see too well and I am worried I might place the wrong coupon,” she said, calling for one common coupon for all councils in the state.

Bukit Gasing assemblyman R. Rajiv said retail outlets in the city interested to become coupon agents could go to the MBPJ finance department.

He told a press conference that PJ Old Town and Section 14 near Digital Mall were among places with the highest number of faulty machines.

Six more agents were appointed, and among them are Jokey Parking outside Digital Mall (Jalan 14/20), Advance One Stop Supplies in Jalan Tengah (PJ New Town), and Lian Hin Enterprise in Jalan 1/12, PJ Old Town, he said.

Petaling Jaya councillor Terence Tan said there were suggestions to have one parking system for all 12 councils in Selangor, but it would be a challenge as each council had different agreements with the parking operators.


Ford, Suzuki to get incentives under India's US$3.5b clean fuel scheme

                NEW DELHI: Ford Motor Co, Suzuki Motor Corp and Hyundai Motor are among 20 companies that will be eligible for incentives under India's US$3.5 billion (RM14.7bil) scheme to boost clean fuel vehicles, the government said on Friday.

The federal cabinet last year approved a plan under which it will give benefits to the automobile sector over a five-year period to boost production of electric and hydrogen fuel-powered vehicles and their components.

The scheme is also part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government plan to cut the fuel import bill and bring down pollution by encouraging local production of clean vehicles.

The ministry of heavy industries said it has approved applications from 20 companies which also include Kia Motors, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra and Softbank-Group Ola Electric.

Ford last year decided to stop selling cars in India but has still retained its two factories in the country. The automaker is exploring the possibility of using one of its plants in India as a base to produce electric cars for export.

Tata Motors said it is committed "to shape India's vehicular landscape with smart and sustainable mobility solutions".

Suzuki, Hyundai, Kia, Mahindra and Ola did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A total of 115 automakers and auto part makers applied for the incentives scheme. The government will announce the final list of auto component makers at a later date.

The incentives will range from 8% to 18% of the sales value of the vehicles or components, and will be given to companies if they meet certain conditions such as a minimum investment over five years and 10% growth in sales each year, Reuters has previously reported.


Petron Malaysia's employees come to aid of community centre

                KUALA LUMPUR: The volunteerism movement of Petron employees, Volunteerism-In-Action (VIA) came to the aid of the Desa Mentari Seva community centre by providing it with recreational and educational item.

The centre in Petaling Jaya, which helps more than 200 children, received furniture, laptops, encyclopaedia, storybooks, and magazines as well as yoga mats, educational board games and a foosball table to make it more functional and conducive to learning particularly during this pandemic.

“We are truly grateful and happy to receive the contributions from Petron. We hope this contribution will help us bring in more children to our centre. Apart from keeping them safe, these children will now be more engaged at our centre with the items we received,” said centre manager Kumar.

Petron Malaysia employees also donated bookstore vouchers for the students.

Desa Mentari Seva Centre serves more than 200 children from B40 families who often spend time at the centre to unwind and expand their horizons.

Petron Malaysia corporate affairs manager Wan Adibah Azian Mahmood said the company was happy to do its part to help Desa Mentari Seva Centre achieve its goals for its beneficiaries.

"Through the Petron VIA programme, we worked hand in hand with Desa Mentari Seva Centre to understand its needs and try our best to fulfil them and hope that our contributions will help improve the centre further,” she said.

Championed by its employees, Petron VIA is an integral part of Petron Malaysia’s sustainability development programme.

Earlier this year, Petron VIA together with the company’s network of service station dealers brought festive cheer during the Chinese New Year celebration at Puchong old folks home.

They also assembled close to 40,000 face-shields for frontliners during the early part of the pandemic for nationwide distribution.


US agency orders Ford to recall 3 million vehicles over air bags

                WASHINGTON: Ford Motor Co must recall 3 million vehicles with potentially defective driver-side Takata air bags, the US auto safety regulator said on Tuesday, rejecting a bid by the second-largest US automaker to avoid a recall.

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it was denying petitions filed by Ford and Mazda Motor Corp in 2017 seeking to avoid recalling vehicles with potentially dangerous inflators.

The decision also will require Mazda to recall and repair driver air bags in around 5,800 vehicles. The recalls will cover various vehicles from the 2006 through 2012 model years.

The defect, which leads in rare instances to air bag inflators rupturing and sending potentially deadly metal fragments flying - especially after long-term exposure to high humidity - prompted the largest automotive recall in US history of more than 67 million inflators. Worldwide, about 100 million inflators installed by 19 major automakers have been recalled.

The NHTSA said the “evidence makes clear that these inflators pose a significant safety risk.”

Earlier this month, the auto safety agency said at least 17 million vehicles with Takata air bags remain unrepaired.

Takata inflators have resulted in the deaths of at least 27 people worldwide and 18 in the United States, and over 400 reported injuries,

Ford said on Tuesday that the vehicles the NHTSA was ordering be recalled were subject to an earlier Takata recall for the passenger-side airbag, but did not comment further.

Mazda did not immediately comment.

The recall will apply to various Ford Ranger, Fusion, Edge, Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ, Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKX vehicles, along with Mazda 2007–2009 model year B-Series vehicles. The Mazda vehicles were designed by Ford, built on the same platform, and used the same air bag inflators as the Ranger trucks.

The regulator said Ford must within 30 days “submit to NHTSA a proposed schedule for the notification of vehicle owners and the launch of a remedy.”

Two people died in Takata air bag ruptures in previously recalled 2006 Ford Ranger vehicles with the most recent death in 2017.

In November, the NHTSA said it was rejecting a petition filed by General Motors Co to avoid the recall of 5.9 million US vehicles with Takata air bags.

In November the agency said GM must recall the 2007-2014 model-year trucks and SUVs. GM estimated in securities filings that it would cost US$1.2 billion if it were required to replace air bag inflators it had sought to avoid fixing and said it would recall 7 million vehicles worldwide.


E-bikes outselling electric cars in US

NEW YORK: Nearly 790,000 e-bikes were sold in the United States in 2021, an increase of 70% compared to 2020, according to data compiled by the Light Electric Vehicle Association (LEVA) and reported by Bloomberg. This figure compares to 650,000 electric cars (or plug-in hybrids) sold in the same period.

This success is especially evident in large cities, where e-bikes represent a fast and ecological alternative to cars.

An electric bike can indeed travel as fast, if not faster, than a motorcycle or car in downtown areas. They are much easier to handle in traffic jams and can easily slip through where other motorised vehicles have a harder time advancing.

Sales figures have been booming around the world since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, and there is still plenty of room for growth in the United States.

LEVA estimates sales of electric bikes at over three million units in Europe and over 35 million in Asia.


Geely to set up 5,000 battery swapping stations by 2025

                BEIJING: China's Geely aims to set up 5,000 battery swapping stations for electric vehicles (EV) globally by 2025, as sales grow in the world's biggest vehicle market, the automaker said in a statement today.

A battery swapping station allows drivers to change car batteries to power the rides.

Chinese automaker Nio Inc plans to have 4,000 battery swapping stations globally by 2025.

China is promoting EV-related infrastructure facilities, including charging stations and battery swapping stations.


JPJ grants nine months extension for learners’ driving licence

                PETALING JAYA: Due to the ongoing movement control order to stem Covid-19, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) has granted a nine-month extension to Learners Drivers Licence (LDL) beginning Feb 11 until Nov 11 this year.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said the nine months extension will apply for drivers whose LDL expires between Jan 13 and Nov 11 this year.

"If the expiry date of the LDL is more than two years before or after the MCO (before Jan 13 or after Nov 11), drivers will not be qualified for the extension.

"The owner needs to make a new LDL application. He needs to repeat the KPP 01, KPP 02, and KPP 03 training, as well as all examinations in Part I, II, and III."

Dr Wee said LDL holders only need to make a copy of their licence together with a RM10 fee.

"LDL drivers are eligible for the extension until Nov 11 by only making a copy of the LDL with a RM10 fee.

"The date printed on the LDL is the date of the transaction that commences and ends on Nov 11 (more than the period of three or six months)," he said.

For the LDL B2 owners, they are allowed to renew their licence with a payment of RM2 for three months, if the LDL still has a validity of two years


Captivating Lamborghini Urus Pearl Capsule

                SANT’AGATA BOLOGNESE: Automobili Lamborghini presents the Urus in the new design edition, Pearl Capsule: the start of new adventures in colour and features for the Lamborghini Super SUV.

This first exclusive customization option for the Urus is created by Lamborghini’s Centro Stile design department to showcase the inimitable style and exhilarating performance of the Lamborghini Super SUV.

READ MORE: Lego and Lamborghini team up

The assertive two-tone exterior embraces Lamborghini’s traditional high-gloss four-layer pearl colours of Giallo Inti, Arancio Borealis and Verde Mantis in combination with high gloss black roof, rear diffuser, spoiler lip and other details.

The sporty matt grey tailpipes are complemented by 23” high-gloss black rims with body-colour accent. The interior trim is based on a unique two-tone colour combination, featuring the hexagon-shaped upholstery stitching Q-Citura with logo embroidery on the seat, plus carbon fibre and black anodized aluminium details.

READ MORE: The new Lamborghini Huracan EVO

Available exclusively on the Pearl Capsule, the optional fully-electric seat features airy perforated Alcantara for exceptional comfort.

The Urus Pearl Capsule is available on Urus model year 2021, alongside an extended range of colours and features following the first full year of Urus production in 2019. With more than 8,300 Urus delivered worldwide since its launch, the most popular colour options were elegant hues of greys, closely followed by Lamborghini’s trademark yellow.

Alongside enhanced standard and optional equipment, including the most comprehensive ADAS equipment in its segment, Lamborghini Urus owners will now be able to unlock their personality even more: they can choose from an updated standard colour palette and a continuously-expanding range of special colours, as well as further interior customization offered by Lamborghini Ad Personam.


New Promotion from Mitsubishi

                SHAH ALAM: Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM), the official distributor of Mitsubishi Motors vehicles in Malaysia, is offering Malaysians low interest rate of up to
0.88% for selected Triton variants exclusive with Maybank or Public Bank hire purchase only.

The promotion is in conjunction with the upcoming year-end festivities and promotion is valid until Dec 31.

Customers who book and register a new Mitsubishi Triton VGT Adventure X, Triton VGT AT Premium and Triton VGT MT Premium can choose to either enjoy interest rate of up to 0.88%, or cash rebates.

The Triton VGT Adventure X now comes with All-Round Monitor, Driving Video Recorder and stylish body stickers offered by MMM authorised dealers.

The Triton VGT MT Premium recently won Best Pick-Up Trucks by The Star Carsifu’s Editors' Choice Awards 2019.

Customers who book and register a new Mitsubishi Outlander 2.0-litre or 2.4-litre will enjoy cash rebates up to RM4,000 plus 2-Year Free Maintenance and RM2,000 plus 2-Year Free Maintenance respectively.

The Outlander 2.0-litre is priced at RM137,888 while the Outlander 2.4-litre is priced at RM152,888.

Safety is the Outlander's key feature, befitting its role as a seven-seater family vehicle.

The Outlander comes with 4WD, seven SRS airbags, ABS with EBD, Brake Assist, Active Stability and Traction Control (ASTC), Hill Start Assist (HSA) and ISOFIX child seat mounts as standard.

The Mitsubishi ASX Compact SUV 4WD and 2WD come with cash rebates up to RM12,000 and RM8,000 respectively.

The ASX 4WD is priced at RM133,336 while the ASX 2WD is priced at RM118,866.

Both vehicles come with five years warranty with unlimited mileage.


BMW R nineT updated

                KUALA LUMPUR: BMW Motorrad Malaysia today introduced the updated R nineT. It is available in the standard R nineT and the R nineT Pure and R nineT Racer derivatives.

They are priced respectively from RM101,900, RM82,900 and RM88,900.

The R nineT Pure is, as the name suggests, a roadster reduced to the essentials. It is designed as a classic, old-school half-faired sports motorcycle. Both concepts were popular in the 1960s and 1970s and were brought to life as a nostalgic flashback.

The new BMW Heritage models feature an air or oil-cooled boxer engine with a capacity of 1,170cc and an output of 110hp and a maximum torque of 116Nm, combined with a 6-speed transmission. Both are also designed to meet the requirements of the EU4 pollutant class. This involved fitting the motorcycles with such features as a new engine mapping, a fuel system with carbon canister for fuel tank ventilation and an exhaust system with an altered catalytic converter that has a larger cross-section.

 The Pure (left) and the Racer variants. The R nineT.R nineT
The R nineT features a new dual speed indicator and rational-speed sensor instrument with on-board computer. Optional “Machined Parts” available include “Machined” cylinder head covers, “Machined” headlight rig, “Machined” engine cover, and “Machined” handle bars.

R nineT Pure
The R nineT Pure is a no-frills motorcycle. The design combines classic and modern stylistic elements of motorcycle construction mixed with high-end details such as footrests and foot bridges in forged aluminium with an anodised finish.

Featured as a standard, the fuel tank and front mudguard of the new R nineT Pure are finished in Catalano Grey. The circular headlamp comes with sheet steel casing and the BMW emblem is positioned centrally on the bulb cover.

A round speedometer features an analogue display and integrated indicator lamps. It is also fitted with an LCD display that shows time and trip distance.

R nineT Racer
The R nineT Racer conveys old-school sporty aspiration with its short, frame-mounted half-fairing on the steering head, and combines this with modern technology. The front view of the R nineT Racer is slim and squat in style, determined by the classic circular headlamp.

The typical café racers of the 1970s featured analogue circular instruments, and this detail is reproduced for the R nineT Racer. The classic sports bike also has an on-board computer featured as standard, which provides a large and clear display on a segmented screen of the most important information such as time, active gear, remaining range, trip distance, service interval and average speed and fuel consumption.

The stainless-steel exhaust system with rear silencer positioned on the left-hand side also reflects the style of a classic motorcycle. Like the R NineT Pure, the R NineT Racer is fitted with light alloy cast wheels.

The new R nineT Racer is finished in the colour Lightwhite, which appears on the half-fairing, the fuel tank, the front mudguard and the seat hump.

The bike can be personalised with a pillion frame, HP carbon parts for the tail cover, mudguard, cover intake snorkel, timing chain cover, and cylinder head cover and cover ignition key, navigation mounting.

The three bikes can be bought through BMW Credit Malaysia with monthly payments from RM1,490 for the R nineT, RM1,190 for the R nineT Pure and RM1,290 for the R nineT Racer.

BMW Group Malaysia managing director and CEO Han Sang Yun said BMW Motorrad has experienced healthy growth in Malaysia over the last two years and had sold a record of over 1,000 motorcycles annually.

The bikes will be on display at the BMW Motorrad Nightfuel event on April 15 from 7pm to 10pm at the open car park opposite Pulp Coffee along Jalan Riong in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.


Land Rover teases Velar in Range Rover expansion

                LONDON: Land Rover's Range Rover family will get a new member with the introduction of the Velar.

The new sport utility vehicle will be revealed on March 1 ahead of the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, which runs from March 9-19. The Range Rover family has been in existence since 1970.

The new Range Rover's name - Velar (pronounced vel-ar), is derived from the Latin word "velare", which means to veil or cover.

Such a name was used by engineers who needed to hide the true identities of the Range Rover prototypes of 1969.

The Velar is being touted as the avantgarde among its stablemates and has been refined for every occasion and for various terrains, while utilising unique sustainable materials and advanced engineering.

It slots in between the Range Rover Sport and smaller Evoque, while the full-sized Range Rover sits at the top.

“We call the Velar the avantgarde Range Rover. It brings a new dimension of glamour, modernity and elegance to the brand. The Range Rover Velar changes everything,” said Land Rover chief design officer Gerry McGovern.


CSH Alliance enters electric vehicle MoU with BYD Malaysia

                PETALING JAYA: CSH Alliance Bhd aims to revolutionise the nation’s logistics industry by helping industry players adopt zero-emission commercial electric vehicles (EVs) through a collaboration with BYD Malaysia Sdn Bhd.

In a statement yesterday, CSH Alliance’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Alliance EV Sdn Bhd (AEV), announced a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with BYD Malaysia.

This joint cooperation is also to explore business in the distribution of the fully electric commercial vehicle and to provide 4S services – sales, service, spare parts and body and paint services – as well as to explore the possibilities of local assembly of EVs.

According to the statement, Deloitte has forecast the global EV industry to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 29% over the next 10 years, with total EV sales growing from 2.5 million in 2020 to 11.2 million in 2025, then reaching 31.1 million by 2030.

It also estimated that EVs would secure 32% of the total market share for new car sales in this period.

 The T3 electric van is non-polluting and boasts a big cargo space.

It said AEV will be distributing and supplying BYD the T3 model, an EV, and after-sales service together with the spare parts and warranty packages.

One of the clients for this EV is said to be Line Clear Express and Logistics Sdn Bhd, a logistics and courier company in which CSH Alliance owns a 15% equity interest.

CSH Alliance executive director Peter Yap said vans and trucks only made up 1% of the total EV sales in the world.

He noted that many leading logistics companies had already declared their commitment to reduce carbon emissions and go zero-carbon in relation to EVs. BYD Group is a manufacturer of EVs.

“Besides the EV distribution itself, CSH Alliance also plans to look into supplying charging stations, energy diversification into solar panels and the spare parts business in addition to building the ecosystem in order to make this EV business a success,” he said.

Yap believes that with strong partners like the BYD Group, the goal of zero emissions can be combined with the needs of commitment to revolutionise the transportation industry and further eliminate fossil fuels.


AIG Malaysia wins Best Insurer award

                PETALING JAYA: AIG Malaysia Insurance Berhad, a subsidiary of American International Group, Inc. (NYSE: AIG), won the Best Insurer 2016 award  by Motordata Research Consortium (MRC).

The main criteria of winning the award, was based on the best turn-around time in the approval of motor claims amongst all the general insurers in Malaysia.

AIG Malaysia holds the record for the shortest turn-around time for motor claims in the industry.

 Antony Lee, CEO of AIG Malaysia (second from left) together with the Auto Insurance Claims Team (left to right) Paul Sylvester Panjanathan, Head - Personal Lines Claim; Yew Sin Nam, Manager - Claims Technical Control and Dilsher Singh, Vice President - Claims & Operations.

This is the fourth time AIG Malaysia is being honoured for this award, having won the number one spot consecutively in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

“We are truly honoured to receive this award and to be recognized as a leader in the industry for our commitment to providing our customers exceptional motor claims service,” said Antony Lee, Chief Executive Officer of AIG Malaysia.

“We have set a benchmark with our claims processes here at AIG Malaysia and will keep pushing ourselves to stay ahead of the competition. We do not merely make promises, we deliver on our customer proposition as evidenced by this award.

Formed in 1998, MRC is the only concessionaire that is appointed by The General Insurance Association of Malaysia (PIAM) with endorsement of Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), to build such a database to provide standards, and reduce subjectivity.

The database acts as a point of reference and record-keeping to improve claims processing and increase transparency.


Baidu's self-driving taxis are popping up all across China's megacities

                BEIJING: The battle is on between Alphabet in the United States and Baidu in China in regards to the development, launch and rollout of self-driving taxicabs.

Baidu recently announced the launch of a test program in five major cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, where residents can take advantage of vehicles equipped with its Apollo autonomous driving system.

Chinese company Baidu has announced the beginning of public tests of its autonomous driving technology Apollo in Shanghai through a small fleet of cabs available to be used by passengers.

Known as China's answer to Google, the firm has already invested in five of the country's major cities (Beijing, Changsha, Cangzhou, Guangzhou and now Shanghai) with the objective of being present in some 30 cities by 2024. By then, several thousand vehicles equipped with this technology should be on the road in these Chinese metropolises.

In Shanghai, up to 150 pickup and dropoff stations will soon be opened up to the public so that residents can "automatically" have themselves driven to residential or commercial areas, to the nearest train station or to their work via a service called "Apollo Go."

These cars are equipped with level 4 autonomy, which allows the vehicle to move forward and maneuver alone, without any human intervention in predefined conditions and areas, although at any time a driver can take over in case of an emergency. Baidu is at the same stage of development and testing as Waymo, the autonomous car branch of the American company Alphabet.

Recently, Waymo announced the launch of a handful of self-driving cabs, without drivers, for use by the general public via a dedicated application.

Another experiment is already taking place in Phoenix. Waymo has been working on autonomous mobility for more than 10 years now, running its cars and trucks equipped with their own technology.

The company now claims to have driven more than 10 million cumulative kilometres.


Merkel's record mixed as she takes wheel at last IAA show

Merkel.— Reuters
BERLIN: No German leader's diary would be complete without a visit to the venerable IAA motor show, which welcomes Angela Merkel today for the last time in her chancellorship.

But the biennial celebration of all things auto-related is mired in controversy this year as Germany struggles to adapt its flagship industry to the electric and digital revolution.

Merkel, who is quitting politics after an election on Sept 26, has been a regular at the show over her 16 years in power - even earning the sobriquet the "car chancellor" for her efforts to shield German carmakers from tougher EU pollution rules.

The fair opens to trade visitors today in Munich, a shift from Frankfurt as part of efforts to rebrand itself as a "mobility fair" with a spotlight on electric cars.

Underlining the headwinds faced by the industry, activists blocked highways around Munich on Tuesday morning, while others brandished slogans like "Stop driving climate change".

'Depressing and incomprehensible'

The beginning of the end for diesel came when Germany's biggest carmaker Volkswagen admitted in 2015 to fitting 11 million vehicles with illegal emissions-cheating devices, in a scandal called "dieselgate".

Until then, diesel was favoured by German and other governments as an efficient and more environmentally friendly alternative to gasoline.

Merkel expressed anger at the scandal.

But in Brussels, her government sought to slow the shift to e-mobility by watering down toughened emissions regulations that German carmakers would struggle to comply with, the Sueddeutsche Zeitung said.

On the eve of Merkel's visit, the boss of Volkswagen even blamed her government for slowing down the electric revolution by incentivising diesel engines even after his company was seeking to make the switch following the emissions scandal.

"A car company cannot do this transition (alone) because you need the right environment," Volkswagen chief executive Herbert Diess told AFP in an interview.

"If you keep diesel cheap... nobody will buy an electric car, it's impossible," he said.

Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, director of the Center for automotive Research at the University of Duisburg-Essen, called the government's diesel strategy "depressing and incomprehensible".

"The state fuelled a diesel boom through tax breaks, and now diesel passenger cars are practically unsellable," he said.

"Scrappage schemes, incentives to buy electric cars, subsidies for battery production, aid for recycling, short-time working allowances - this has been the strategy for 16 years. This alleviates short-term economic problems, but does not build a new structure," Dudenhoeffer said.

"The government has had to balance short-term economic concerns with the interests of industry and the unions," he said.

Merkel's government has always treaded gingerly because of the 800,000 jobs at stake in the industry.

But the Sueddeutsche Zeitung lamented in August that "with her overly generous attitude towards the car industry, the chancellor has helped neither the companies nor the country in the medium term".

"Valuable years have been lost in the battle to phase out the combustion engine," it said.

Existential crisis

With the momentum for greener mobility growing, and with tougher anti-pollution guidelines in place, Germany's car manufacturers are now no longer able to put off the inevitable.

The decline of the combustion engine is proving to be an existential crisis for the car industry, which accounts for more than 12 percent of jobs in the industrial sector in Germany.

In late 2019, Audi said it was planning to cut 9,500 jobs in Germany by 2025, while Daimler announced it would cut 10,000.


Car sales revved up in September as curbs lifted

                KUALA LUMPUR: Vehicle sales jumped 153% in September from August due to the full month of restored business operations nationwide following the relaxation of movement restrictions, the industry body said.

The Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) said today total industry volume (TIV) for September rose to 44,275 from 17,500 units in August.

However, the September TIV was lower compared with 57,758 a year ago.

Year-to-date, TIV sales volume for September 2021 was at 318,874 units compared with 344,019 units in the previous corresponding period year.

MAA said shortage of computer chips had affected sales of certain makes which faced some cancellation of orders due to low consumers' sentiment.

As for the outlook of October, MAA expects sales will be better than September as business operations have been restored nationwide.

It also pointed out companies were ramping up production and deliveries of vehicles.


Nissan distributor touts Malaysia Day campaign

                KUALA LUMPUR: Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) has announced its ‘Malaysia Day Treats Promotion’ September campaign for Nissan models by offering sales tax exemption, attractive low monthly instalment (Flexi Financing promotion), exclusive accessories package and maintenance service.

All Nissan showrooms are operating as usual except for those within the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) affected areas.

For more information, log on to www.nissan.com.my or call Nissan Customer Care Centre Hotline at 1800-88-3838. Terms and conditions apply.


Ukraine mechanics turn rally cars into 'combat buggies'

The car conversion is sponsored by local businessmen who buy metal and car parts. — AFP
ZAPORIZHZHIA (Ukraine): At a workshop in Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine, mechanics are hard at work turning rally cars into vehicles that can be used to fight Russian troops on the frontline.

They change mufflers, remove sports tuning and change the interiors to create pared-down vehicles — all under the supervision of businessman Volodymyr Tarkhov.

Before the Russian invasion, the 32-year-old produced fibreglass catamarans and kayaks.

Since the start of the war, Tarkhov said he and his friends have converted around 30 ordinary passenger cars for the military.

Now they are completing work on a "combat buggy" with the engine from a Russian Lada model used by Ukrainian rally drivers — their second such conversion.

They took out doors, made it quieter and added a large hole at the front through which to shoot with a machine gun.

Welder Maxym Sendukov, 33, said the new muffler will make the car almost completely inaudible to the enemy.

"The goal is to make the car a little quieter to be able to pass by and stay invisible," he said.

'Comfortable for soldiers'

In the early days of the Russian invasion, the mechanics were busy building anti-tank obstacles and installing concrete blocks to protect the entry points to the city.

Their car conversion is sponsored by local businessmen who buy metal and car parts.

"In general we are just making the car comfortable for soldiers to sit in it or get out," said Yevgen, 45, whose role is to strip out the car to prepare it for welding.

He said the soldiers who have been using the other buggy the team produced have said it is "very fast and easily manoeuvrable".

"It is very useful in intelligence and military missions," he said.

One of the soldiers who had come to inspect the car, a 50-year-old with the callsign "Mamai", said there were not enough cars for soldiers operating on the frontline.

He said many vehicles brought to the frontline were being sourced by volunteers.

"Jeeps and minibuses are needed at the frontline to move lots of people".

For "Mamai", the advantage of the "combat buggy" was that all the passengers could shoot on all sides of the car.

"We will take the car today and take it to our positions," he said.