Geneva Motor Show postponed until 2022

                FRANKFURT: The organisers of the Geneva International Motor Show said on Monday that they would not organise the event in 2021.

The organisers said a majority of exhibitors surveyed said they would probably not participate in a 2021 event and that they would prefer to have it held in 2022.

“The automotive sector is currently going through a difficult phase, and exhibitors need time to recover from the effects of the pandemic,” said the committee and council of the Foundation Salon International de l’Automobile.

This year's edition was cancelled after Switzerland banned large gatherings before introducing stricter lockdown measures to fight the novel coronavirus.

The wealthy Alpine nation has, like other European countries, lifted many of those measures, but still has restrictions on large gatherings.

The foundation said that back in March, it had asked the canton of Geneva to provide financial support to help cover 11 million Swiss francs (RM49.5mil) it lost when the 2020 edition was cancelled at the last minute, and to help prepare for next year's show.

The auto show is the largest public event organised in Switzerland, and usually fills the Geneva region's coffers with around 200 million francs (RM899mil) each year, the foundation pointed out.

At the beginning of June, it said, the Geneva cantonal government approved a loan of 16.8 million francs (RM75.5mil), but it had been forced to turn down the money due to the reimbursement conditions, and a stipulation that it host an event in 2021.

Instead, it said that it was exploring selling the auto show to the Palexpo exhibition space where the show normally is held. — Additional reporting by AFP


Sneak peek at new Peugeot 308

                SHAH ALAM: Nasim Sdn Bhd hopes that the soon-to-be-launched all-new Peugeot 308 THP would give it a comeback boost in the C-segment category.

In an exclusive sneak preview of the car before its launch next month, Nasim chief operating officer Datuk Samson Anand George said that the car would be the first of the three new car models planned for 2015.

“We are confident that this car which will be priced indicatively from RM135,000 would make its mark in the Malaysian market. This is an award winning car in Europe and this will bring about renewed confidence and image for Peugeot in Malaysia,” Samson told StarBiz.“We have already received close to 100 bookings for the car nationwide even without a full-scale advertising and promotion yet. I am expecting sales of about 1,000 to 1,200 units per year for this car that will work out to about 20% of our total car sales,” he said.

The company sold 5,498 Peugeot cars last year and is aiming to sell 6,000 cars this year.

The all new Peugeot 308 THP (or turbo high pressure) runs on a 1.6-litre turbo engine and was named the “2014 European Car of the Year” receiving 307 points with top marks from 22 of 58 jurors.

“I would say this is a premium package brought to consumers at an interesting price proposition.” Samson said.

Nasim marketing and product management general manager Yasser Awan said that this was the first car in Peugeot’s range built on a new platform called efficient modular platform 2.

“Along with the platform, we have a new drivetrain. So there will be a new engine with this car and a new six-speed automatic Aisin gearbox with Quickshift technology sourced from Japan that enables faster gear changes for better performance and fuel efficiency,” Yasser said.

“The car’s weight has also been cut by 140kg over the previous 308 model. The priority of the design was to save weight given the high usage of high-strength steel that also makes the car safer and more fuel efficient at 6.5 litres per 100km,” Yasser said.


Yamaha previews Nmax, unveils facelifted 135LC

                PETALING JAYA: Hong Leong Yamaha Motor Sdn Bhd will bring in the 155cc Yamaha Nmax by April.

The global scooter model uses the new Bluecore series of powertrain, which claims improvements in combustion efficiency, cooling performance and reduced power loss.

“As a result of this trinity of improvements, the Nmax is able to achieve a higher maximum power output and operating torque,” said Takehiko Gotanda, Yamaha Motor Company Japan’s engine project chief.

The liquid-cooled four-stroke SOHC four-valve fuel-injected engine is mated to a CVT, a formula that has a strong following in Europe right now as proven by the strong sales of the MAX series.

The Nmax comes in either red or grey, with indications it will be priced at around RM10,000.

At the same event in Genting Highlands held to celebrate Chinese New Year with its dealers, HLYM also unveiled the facelifted Yamaha 135 LC, which is now available in red, blue or white, while pricing will be announced at the end of February.

 135LC.


Mercedes-Benz tries out blockchain tech to run its business

                STUTTGART: Mercedes-Benz Cars and Icertis, a leading provider of enterprise contract management solutions in the cloud, team up for a strategic partnership for a consistent documentation of contracts in the supply chain.

Daimler requires its direct suppliers to pass on and control standards and contractual obligations with regard to working conditions, human rights, environmental protection, safety, business ethics and compliance within the supply chain.

The Blockchain prototype allows a transparent mapping and understanding of this transmission across the entire supply chain.

Should one of the sub-suppliers deviate from the contractual obligations, this becomes visible in the Blockchain, similar to a secure accounting system. Mercedes-Benz Cars and a number of Icertis experts have successfully developed and programmed a prototype. Acceptance by suppliers and partners is now being tested in a pilot project, and feedback is being obtained.

Wilko Stark, Member of the Divisional Board of Management Mercedes-Benz Cars, Procurement and Supplier Quality attaches great value to sustainable supply chains: "Blockchain technology has the potential to fundamentally revolutionize our procurement processes, and could affect nearly the entire value chain. Global supply chains are becoming increasingly complex. With our Blockchain prototype, we are in the first step testing one of diverse possible applications with the aim of increasing transparency beyond our direct suppliers."

The placement of contract clauses in the Blockchain creates a sustainable transaction book. The disclosure and confirmation of the Daimler sustainability requirements can be retraced by all participants in the supply chain. This ensures that global procurement and contractual practices meet the stringent requirements of Daimler AG.

Daimler has already been using Blockchain technology in other domains. Since 2017 Daimler has been a member of Hyperledger, a project of the Linux Foundation for the development of technologies and applications based on Blockchain.


Hyundai replaces car keys with smartphone in 2020 Sonata

                NEW YORK: Hyundai has debuted the third-generation 2020 Sonata equipped with a company first: the Digital Key.

Though the Sonata has been around since the 1980s, the latest 2020 iteration comes with technology never before seen in any Hyundai model: a Digital Key feature.

This tool uses Near Field Communication tech to turn a smartphone into a key via a dedicated mobile application - there's no need to carry around a traditional set. Through the app, vehicle owners can select which smartphones have access to the car and for how long.

Those that do can only control the Sonata when their phone is within a couple centimeters of the vehicle; However, the app can remotely manage (via Bluetooth) some car systems, like activating the panic alarm or starting the engine.

The access various users have to the vehicle can be individually tailored by the car owner. Vehicle usage can be limited as well as access to particular features. Additionally, the key can be remotely revoked at any time.

The Digital Key, introduced at the New York International Auto Show last week, is only available to Android-powered devices; therefore, it comes with a set of traditional keys.

The 2020 Sonata goes into production this September and will hit dealerships in October.


Carsome says growth still strong with liquidity of US$150mil

                KUALA LUMPUR: Carsome seeks to clarify a recent news report and affirms that the company has not solicited or petitioned the Finance Ministry for funding.

In a statement, Carsome said it submitted a letter on March 27 in response to an engagement session with the ministry to encourage and welcome the participation of local institutional investors in the company’s growth.

Carsome frequently engages in discussions with various stakeholders on ecosystem building and in driving institutional engagements.

Carsome also said its group liquidity position remains robust at over US$150mil (RM692mil), offering sufficient runway beyond its break-even point, which it expects to achieve well ahead of its targeted deadline.

Carsome said it was among the first regional start-ups to commit to an accelerated profitability plan to prepare itself for more disruptions and challenges in the funding markets.

This approach has borne fruit, delivering operational profitability as a group while enabling Carsome to beat internal targets for gross margin growth and productivity improvements as of Q1 2023.

Last year, the Carsome group grew 250% in revenue, with the newly established retail line Carsome Certified contributing 35% of total revenue.

In Q1 2023, the Carsome group achieved its operational profitability milestone for the first time, primarily driven by a significant growth of trade margin, which doubled compared to the same period last year.

Notably, more than 80% of the trade margin came from high-quality transaction margins, far ahead of most of its global peers.

Among the highlights of its ecosystem strategy, iCar Asia Group has delivered an impressive 30% year-on-year revenue growth in Q1 2023.

In addition to achieving profitability on its own, the ecosystem strategy has also contributed significantly to the more than 60% reduction in Customer Acquisition Cost of the Group over the last twelve months.

With the launch of the flagship Carsome Service Centres, the Carsome group has meaningfully integrated its products and services, from discovery to servicing, all within a single consumer app.

This marks a significant step in pursuing the Carsome group’s mission to provide its customers with peace of mind through the entire lifecycle of their ownership experience.

Today, Carsome said it is confidently poised for new opportunities in its markets across Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore, and has a pipeline of growth initiatives across its ecosystem while welcoming broader institutional support.

Carsome co-founder and group CEO Eric Cheng said the company had embraced adaptability and remained resilient as it navigated a rapidly changing industry.

“Through our commitment to operational excellence and our customer-centric approach, we are grateful to have exceeded our expectations, achieving notable growth whilst pursuing profitability.

“We are grateful for the Government’s support towards a homegrown brand such as ours as we scale regionally,” he said.

He also said the Carsome Group's internal measures for operational excellence were driven by strong capabilities in data and technology that continued to yield gross margin improvements, team productivity, marketing efficiencies, and inventory management across its markets.

“Coupled with this, Carsome will take full advantage of its ecosystem strategy to redefine customer satisfaction in automotive ownership to serve its growing customer base and communities across Southeast Asia,” he said.

As the used car industry evolves rapidly, Carsome said its market share continued to be on an uptrend across its footprint.

Carsome also remained one of the last few larger players in the used car e-commerce space in Southeast Asia even as some of its competitors are reported to be exiting prime growth markets like Indonesia and Thailand.


BMW Malaysia widens charging reach with JomCharge

                KUALA LUMPUR: BMW Group Malaysia further elevates the Premium Electric Ownership Experience with the introduction of BMW Charging, in partnership with local electric vehicle (EV) charging provider – JomCharge.

BMW Charging in partnership with JomCharge brings convenient access to more than 100 charging facilities strategically placed throughout the city centre and national highways, alleviating range anxiety and providing BMW EV owners peace-of-mind on every journey.

The network includes the infrastructures owned by Gentari – the Green Mobility and Clean Energy division of Petronas.

Further completing the Premium Electric Ownership Experience, all new and existing BMW EV owners are entitled to register for the BMW Charging package.

For a one-time fee of RM640, this one-year non-renewable subscription comes with complimentary JomCharge credits worth RM160 to provide a total package value of RM800.

Once registered, customers will be able to enjoy this package as a pay-per-use service with an additional 10% discount on each charging transaction for a year.

To date, BMW Group Malaysia has provided BMW and MINI EV owners with access to over 550 charging facilities nationwide, mainly powered by industry partners such as: JomCharge Malaysia with over 65 charging stations, Gentari with approximately 50 charging stations, and ChargEV with over 330 charging stations -including the 26 charging facilities powered by ChargEV and Yinson GreenTech at 17 Starbucks stores within Klang Valley, Penang, Malacca and Johor.

Over 80 BMW i charging facilities are also available at most authorised BMW and MINI dealerships across the country, with a strategic infrastructure expansion plan already in place for 2023.

BMW Group Malaysia Corporate Communications and Sustainability head Sashi Ambi said an integral part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen the electromobility landscape in Malaysia are the strategic partnerships with industry leaders in the charging infrastructure for EVs such as JomCharge as well as ChargEV and Tenaga Nasional Bhd in the coming months.

“With our shared goals and diversified expertise, we are bringing more key infrastructure and access to these charging platforms to our ever-growing community of existing and potential EV owners here,” he said.

EV Connection managing director Lee Yuen How said, “As the operator of the JomCharge network in Malaysia, our goal is to promote greater Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) adoption in Malaysia by offering transformative, customer-centric infrastructure – which is exemplified through our extensive public charging network.

“This partnership with BMW – a leading premium EV automaker here, enables us to meet our ZEV adoption goals by working together to instil greater confidence amongst the public in our local electromobility ecosystem,” he said.

To learn more about BMW Charging, visit https://www.bmw.com.my/en/topics/bmw-owners/bmw-charging-solution.html.

The JomCharge mobile application is available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.


2015 Peugeot 408

                The premium compact sedan Peugeot 408, which was revealed in last year’s Beijing Auto Show, uses the EMP2 platform making it a light car that promises better fuel efficiency.

So far, the car is being produced for the China market at the moment but will no doubt reach other markets in Asia and Europe.

As such, the 408’s specifications below is for consumers in China.

READ ALSO: New cars coming in second half of 2015

Engine choices will be limited to a 1.6-litre turbo with about 167hp and 1.8-litre naturally aspirated 4-cylinder for base variants.

These are the typical engines fitted to most Peugeot, Citroen and DS models.

The design is surprisingly understated for a French car.

The same sort of headlights with LED technology as on the Peugeot 308 is featured on the front of the car.

The grille is small and discrete, though the “Peugeot” logo in the middle might have a glowing feature.

At the rear, taillight graphics are strangely lacking the “lion claw” styling, which might be added to 408s outside of the China market.

Double exhaust pipes have been fitted, they are subtle and fit flush with the clean bumper.

For more information about Peugeot models in Malaysia, log on to its website.


Work starts on Hyperloop supersonic transport test track in California

LOS ANGELES: Hyperloop Transportation Technologies has been granted permission to build an 8km test track in California, bringing the firm's supersonic transportation project one step closer to reality.

This venture is not to be confused with the project simultaneously being developed by Hyperloop Technologies, a direct rival in the race to get this futuristic transport solution off the ground.

Originally proposed as an idea by Elon Musk, the visionary entrepreneur and founder of Tesla Motors, in 2013, a Hyperloop is a transportation system in which pressurized passenger capsules shoot through reduced-pressure tubes at over 1,220kph -- almost as fast as the speed of sound in air.

Hyperloops could one day be used to connect cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles. Although located almost 600km, a hyperloop could make the journey in just half an hour. The first operating passenger services are aiming to open by 2020.

Hyperloop Transportation Technologies is due to start work on a test track in Quay Valley, Kings County, California, to test out the possibilities of this particularly ambitious new technology with a life-sized model.

As well as promising the fastest ever passenger transport system, Hyperloop claims to be more environmentally friendly and cost-effective to build. The tube-based system would also remain unaffected by weather events, meaning no delays or damage to the route from adverse conditions.

Hyperloop Technologies is expected to build its own similar test circuit soon on land recently purchased by the company in Nevada.


New Volkswagen Golf R to get rear axle torque vectoring

                WOLFSBURG: Volkswagen's new Golf flagship variant - the Golf R - will be the first Volkswagen to be fitted with the new 4Motion all-wheel drive system with torque vectoring on the rear axle.

Outperforming all previous Golf R generations with an output of 320PS and 420Nm of torque, the new R-Performance Torque Vectoring system promises power is brought to the road as effectively as possible while improving handling.

This system, intelligently networked via the vehicle dynamics settings, enables a new dimension of sportiness.

The Golf R has traditionally been the most powerful variant of the best-selling model.

Volkswagen engineer in charge of the Golf R development Jonas Thielebein said:

“Our goal with the Golf R was to make its driving characteristics as neutral as possible. In other words, we want to ensure that the vehicle does not under- or oversteer – it should be as straightforward as possible to control at all times."

The Golf R's new rear axle drive distributes the drive power not just between the front and rear axles, but also between the two rear wheels, making it possible to significantly increase the agility of the car, particularly when cornering.

“The selective wheel torque control allows you to take the car to new limits. Even at high speeds, the vehicle handling remains as neutral as possible,” Thielebein said.

The Golf R can also be ordered with an optional R Performance Package, which increases the top speed to 270kph.

The R Performance Package also includes a larger, prominent rear spoiler for extra downforce on the rear axle, 19-inch wheels in the Estoril design and two additional driving profiles, “Special” (Nürburgring mode) and “Drift”.

The driving profile selection can be rapidly accessed by lightly pressing the R button on the steering wheel.

The Drift mode opens up a whole new level of driving dynamics and further exploits the potential of torque vectoring by provoking oversteer instead of neutral vehicle handling.

The electronic stability control (ESC) in Drift mode is set to “Sport” as standard, meaning that the Golf R’s control electronics kick in at a very late stage.

However, real drifts are also possible with the ESC switched to OFF.


Subaru's Launch Control returns on YouTube and Amazon Prime

                CAMDEN: Subaru Motorsports USA announced the return of the award-winning Launch Control documentary series for its eighth season, set to debut Dec 2 on YouTube and Amazon Prime Video.

Since 2013, the series has given fans an inside look at America’s top rally and rallycross program with 2020 offering a racing season unlike any other.

Season 8 documents a year of upheaval and persistence including an all-new rally driver lineup, a season delayed and shortened by COVID-19, and the return of rallycross ace Scott Speed after a season-ending back injury.

In a Launch Control first, the season will conclude with a two-part miniseries covering the build of a one-off WRX STI for Subaru’s long-awaited return to the Gymkhana franchise.

The season’s first episode picks up where Season 7 left off, with the team celebrating championships in both rally and rallycross but facing an uncertain future.

New episodes documenting the stage rally season will release every other Wednesday through December and January, with the two-part Gymkhana STI build special arriving in February.

“Launch Control has always been an unflinching look at the reality of running a top-level motorsports program,” said William Stokes, Motorsports Manager for Subaru of America. “This year brought more challenges than anyone expected, but we’re a rally team, and in rally we press on regardless. As tough as this season was, we’re thrilled to bring the series back—especially for the fans who couldn’t come to events in 2020, who we’ve missed most of all.”

Launch Control is a production of Formula Photographic and Bowes Media with the support of Subaru of America.


Zen Low and Naza Aylezo competes in Ferrari Challenge APAC

                KUALA LUMPUR: Naza World has introduced driver Zen Low as the sole Malaysian participating in the Ferrari Challenge Asia-Pacific 2017 race series.

Racing under the team Naza Aylezo, he is also the first Malaysian to compete at the wheel of the Ferrari 488 Challenge model.

Low got off to a spectacular start in the first round in Abu Dhabi, earning second place in the first race and third in the second race of the competition.

He later secured another two podium finishes at the second and third rounds in Shanghai and Zhejiang.

For the fifth round in Sepang, Zen managed a podium finish in the first of the two races.

Datuk Wira SM Faisal Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin, Naza World group executive chairman, said, “It has been such a thrill to follow Zen Low’s progress in the Ferrari Challenge APAC. His wealth of experience and passion has shown him to be a strong and worthy competitor. Not only has he done us proud with his performance so far, he has also earned tremendous support of fellow Malaysians!”

Low is racing for the entire 2017 season and competing in the Trofeo Pirelli category under the race number of 69 and team name Naza Aylezo.

Low has an established career as one of the most well-known and successful race drivers in Asia.

An astute businessman with a passion for racing, he founded Aylezo Motorsport in 2009.

Over the years, Zen has taken part in a variety of motorsport events both locally and regionally, including competitions such as the Merdeka Millenium Endurance Race (2009 & 2010), the Gulf 12 Hours 2012, Asian Le Mans Series (2013 & 2016), Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo (2013, 2014 & 2016), GT Asia 2015, Sepang 12 Hours (2015 & 2016) and Bathurst 12 Hours 2017.

For the 2017 season, the Ferrari 488 Challenge makes its debut, taking the place of the Ferrari 458 Challenge.

As the first model in this race series equipped with a turbo engine, the Ferrari 488 Challenge is the most powerful car in the history of one-make series.

Derived from the 488 GTB, the V8 3.9-litre engine – winner of the International Engine of the Year Award in 2016, delivers a forceful 670hp.

This year, the Ferrari Challenge uses a multi-class format; drivers are grouped under Trofeo Pirelli, Trofeo Pirelli AM, Trofeo Pirelli 458, Coppa Shell, Ladies’ Cup and Gentlemen’s Cup.

The competition kicked off in Abu Dhabi (6-8 April) and travelled to Shanghai (27-29 May), Zhejiang (9 -11 June) and Fuji (7- 9 July) before making its way to Sepang (25-27 August).

For the next round, the Ferrari Challenge APAC will make its way to Singapore (15-17 September) and will finally finish off in Mugello (26-29 October) for the Finali Mondiali.


Volkswagen's South African unit says its cars comply with green laws

                JOHANNESBURG: Volkswagen's South African unit said today all its vehicles in Africa's most advanced economy are compliant with environmental laws, following the emissions testing scandal, which has rocked the global car industry.

The South African business said its vehicles comply with the published CO2 values and were technically safe and roadworthy.

"There is therefore no action required on either the part of the customer or our dealers," the company said in a statement.

Volkswagen, Europe's biggest carmaker, faces the worst business crisis in its 78-year history after it admitted cheating diesel emissions tests for nitrogen oxides in the United States, with 11 million vehicles affected worldwide.

A South African regulator last week said they were investigating Volkswagen's local cars to see if they also rigged carbon emissions data.

"All Volkswagen Group diesel vehicles of the type EA 189 retailed in South Africa, that is, Volkswagen passenger, Audi, Light and Medium Commercial Vehicles comply with this standard for nitrogen oxide emissions," the company said.

Volkswagen was the second most popular car brand in South Africa after Toyota , selling 8,472 out of 51,055 vehicles in the market during August, data from the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa showed.

In a related development, Volkswagen has lost its "Green Car of the Year" prize for two models that employed technology at the heart of German giant's pollution-cheating scandal, US prize organisers said last week.

Green Car Journal announced it was rescinding the 2009 prize for the Volkswagen Jetta TDI and the 2010 prize for the Audi A3 TDI in the wake of the Volkswagen scandal.

"These models were selected as Green Car of the Year above others for compelling reasons, including high fuel efficiency, reduced carbon emissions, a fun-to-drive nature, and the ability to meet 50 state emissions requirements with advanced diesel technology," said Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of the Green Car Journal.


Nikola discloses grand jury subpoenas from DOJ

The US Securities and Exchange Commission also issued subpoenas to Nikola, its board and eight of its officers and employees in September. — Reuters
PHOENIX: Nikola Corp and its founder Trevor Milton received grand jury subpoenas from the US Department of Justice in September in connection to allegations of fraud by short-seller Hindenburg, the electric-truck maker said in a regulatory filing late on Monday.

The company also received a grand jury subpoena from the New York County District Attorney’s Office in the same month.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission also issued subpoenas to Nikola, its board and eight of its officers and employees in September, the company disclosed in the filing, which was prompted by the short-seller’s scathing report earlier that month.

The report had claimed that Milton, who has since resigned as chairman, had made false claims about the company’s proprietary technology to form partnerships with large automakers. Nikola publicly rejected all accusations.


Shell city car concept coming

                THE HAGUE: Shell is working with race and road car designer Professor Gordon Murray and engine specialist Osamu Goto to co-engineer an ultra-compact, efficient car for city use based around the internal combustion engine.

The Shell concept is intended to be a simple, practical global city car, drawing together the most innovative aspects of light-weight engineering, streamlining, and driveline efficiency and work well whether you are in a city where mass-motoring is a relatively new thing or already a century-old. Once built, the car will be tested on-the-road.

The concept is intended to inspire thinking about maximising personal mobility while minimising energy use, helping people get around the world’s ever-more congested cities where, by 2050, up to three quarters of the world’s estimated nine billion people could be living.

 Project M Concept Drawing.

Started by Shell, the collaboration, known as Project M, brings together Shell’s Lubricant’s Technology Team, The Gordon Murray Design Group and engine specialist Geo Technology. This collaboration between the three expert teams means that the development of the lubricants, engine and vehicle will be integrated delivering results neither group could achieve by working apart.

The Shell car is scheduled to be unveiled in November 2015 and people will be able to follow the development of the car through the website www.shell.com/Projectm.


Nissan amps up the anti-collision technology

                YOKOHAMA: Nissan has announced a new driver-assistance technology, which is currently in-development, that utilises highly accurate, real-time information about the vehicle’s surrounding environment to dramatically enhance collision avoidance.

At a Nissan facility here, a test vehicle was used to demonstrate how this technology can automatically perform collision-avoidance maneuvers.

Nissan’s “ground truth perception” technology fuses information from next-generation high- performance LIDAR, radar and cameras.

The technology can detect the shape and distance of objects, as well as the structure of the area surrounding the vehicle, in real time with a high degree of accuracy.

Utilising this information, it is possible for the vehicle to instantly analyze the current situation, judge and automatically perform required collision-avoidance operations.

This technology can also detect slowed traffic and road obstacles in the distance and execute lane changes accordingly.

Importantly, the technology can also provide increased support to drivers in areas where detailed map information is not available.

Nissan senior vice-president, leading global research and development, Takao Asami said the company has been the first to market a number of advanced driver assistance technologies.

"When we look at the future of autonomous driving, we believe that it is of utmost importance for owners to feel highly confident in the safety of their vehicle. We are confident that our in-development ground truth perception technology will make a significant contribution to owner confidence, reduced traffic accidents and autonomous driving in the future,” he said.

Nissan has partnered with cutting-edge companies to research and develop this technology and share know-how.

The next-generation LIDAR, a crucial element, is being integrated into Nissan’s system in collaboration with Luminar, utilising world-leading technologies.

In the area of advanced collision avoidance control it is critical to develop highly accurate verification technology in a digital environment.

To this end Nissan is teaming up with Applied Intuition, which has state-of-the-art simulation technology.

Nissan aims to complete the development of its ground truth perception technology by the mid-2020s.

It will first be available on select new models, and on virtually every new model by fiscal year 2030.


Proper maintenance of your brake system can mean life or death

                BERLIN: Having a functioning brake system in your car can save your life.

Taking care of your brakes is more than just regularly replacing mechanical components, however; it also means changing out the brake fluid according to the manufacturer's specifications.

According to the experts at a leading inspection agency, Tuv Sud, the typical time period is every two years. When changing the fluid, the system should also be flushed to remove any dirt.

If you're planning a longer road trip vacation and have any doubts about the brakes, then it's a good idea to have a workshop check them out - as well as the rest of the vehicle's functions in general.

Checking brake fluid levels now and again between the scheduled replacements also isn't a bad idea. Why not take a glance when you're doing a routine check on the engine oil and coolant anyways?

"It's basically a closed system," explains Vincenzo Luca from Tuev Sued. "If the level is below the minimum mark, that's an indication that something is wrong." Sometimes damage or lines that have become porous over time can also lead to fluid loss between the intervals.

If you notice that the brake fluid is low, you should have the issue clarified by a workshop as soon as possible, says Luca. In fact, this advices applies for any abnormalities you notice in the brake system.

It's important to not drag your feet on changing the brake fluid or checking out abnormalities: The fluid can attract and bind moisture from the air, ensuring that it loses its heat resistance.

That's a problem when you really have to use your brakes, such as going downhill, as gas bubbles are created. This can compromise the brake system due to the high pressure and reduce brakes to almost nothing.


Believe it! This 1957 Ferrari sold for record 32 million euros at auction

PARIS: A legendary 1950s Ferrari has fetched a world record 32 million euros (RM149mil) at auction, going under the hammer here.

Applause broke out after the hammer came down on the bidding for the 1957 335 S Spider Scaglietti at the Artcurial auction house just off the Champs-Elysees.

In a sale that generated interest from around the world, the race car fetched 28 million euros (RM130mil) plus premiums and taxes taking the overall price to just over 32 million euros (RM149mil).

The Spider - which beat the record set in 2014 when a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO sold for what was the equivalent of 28.9 million euros (RM134mil) - finished sixth in the Sebring 12 Hours race in 1957 and second in the Mille Miglia 1,000-mile (1,600-kilometre) road race in Italy.

Thereafter, the car was returned to the factory to have its engine size boosted from 3.6 to 4.1-litres - raising power from 360hp to 400hp, allowing a top speed of 300kph.

The Ferrari enabled the Italian manufacturer to win the Constructors' World Championship title in 1957.

The identity of the purchaser of the Spider was not revealed following Friday's deal but is US-based, according to Matthieu Lamoure, director general of Artcurial motorcars.

"Clearly, we won't soon forget," Lamoure told journalists after the hammer came down on the record sale, bidding having started at 20 million euros.

The sleek machine had belonged to the family collection of late French racing driver Pierre Bardinon, who died in 2012.

Legendary British driver Mike Hawthorn drove the Spider in the Le Mans 24-hour race in 1957.


Chrysler saviour Lee Iacocca dies at 94

                LOS ANGELES: Lee Iacocca, the US auto executive and television pitchman whose feel for consumers’ changing tastes helped produce the Ford Mustang and the Chrysler minivan and made him one of the first celebrity CEOs, has died. He was 94.

His passing was confirmed by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in a statement. The death was caused by complications from Parkinson’s disease, the Washington Post said, citing his daughter Lia Iacocca Assad.

Studied in business schools, emulated by a generation of executives, Iacocca was a star salesman for cars and for himself, spurring periodic talk of running for president. (He never did.)

His autobiography was by far the top-selling hardcover nonfiction book of 1984 and 1985, according to the New York Times. For more than three decades, since his appointment by President Ronald Reagan, he led the effort that has raised more than US$700 million to restore the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

“Lee Iacocca was truly bigger than life and he left an indelible mark on Ford, the auto industry and our country,” Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford said in a statement. “I will always appreciate how encouraging he was to me at the beginning of my career. He was one of a kind and will be dearly missed.”

 Iacocca at a Chrysler briefing on earnings in February 1991. — Reuters

Iacocca arguably ushered in the era of the celebrity auto executive, with others such as Sergio Marchionne, Elon Musk and Carlos Ghosn following in his footsteps. Marchionne died last year, and Ghosn fell from grace in November after his arrest for financial crimes related to his tenure at Nissan Motor Co.

“I didn’t always agree with him, but he was a brilliant visionary," said Bob Lutz, former Chrysler president, who worked closely with Iaccoca and clashed with him at times. “He was flawed in many ways but when I rated the CEOs I knew, he came out on top.”

Iacocca was no miracle worker, however, and the American auto industry’s struggles didn’t end with his tenure. Japanese carmakers saw their US market share grow 10-fold, to about 30%, during his 23 years leading two of America’s Big Three automakers. Chrysler, which averted collapse in 1980 in what may have been Iacocca’s crowning achievement, was buffeted by the financial crisis and recession of 2008, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April 2009.

“It pains me to see my old company, which has meant so much to America, on the ropes,” Iacocca told Newsweek at the time. The company emerged as Chrysler Group LLC, majority-owned by Italy’s Fiat SpA. It is now named Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV.

Iacocca first came to prominence when, at 36, he was named general manager of Ford Motor Co.’s flagship Ford division in 1960. With a group of like-minded young executives, he formed what became known as the Fairlane Committee — named for the inn where they met for brainstorming dinners — to discuss how to design a low-cost, sporty car that would entice younger, more affluent families to become two-car households.

“It had to be a sports car but more than a sports car,” Iacocca wrote in his memoir. “We wanted to develop a car that you could drive to the country club on Friday night, to the drag strip on Saturday and to church on Sunday.”

The Mustang, introduced at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York, was an unqualified hit. Iacocca and the car appeared on the covers of Time and Newsweek, with Time calling him “the hottest young man in Detroit.”

As for the car itself, Time swooned: “Priced as low as US$2,368 and able to accommodate a small family in its four seats, the Mustang seems destined to be a sort of Model A of sports cars, for the masses as well as the buffs.”

Iacocca “will probably go down in history as the first modern example of a charismatic business leader,” Harvard Business School professor Rakesh Khurana wrote in 2002. Iacocca’s turnaround of Detroit-based Chrysler “made him a celebrity and even a national hero,” one who relied on an “inspirational leadership” style that presaged that of Apple Inc.’s Steve Jobs, among others, he said.

Ford sold more than 400,000 Mustangs during the first model year. The car’s styling captured young buyers, and Mustang clubs sprang up around the country.

 Iacocca and his wife Darrien in 1994. — Reuters

Not everybody believed Iacocca deserved the share of credit he got.

“The model was totally completed by the time Lee saw it,” Eugene Bordinat Jr., Ford’s design director at the time, told Time in 1985. “We conceived the car, and he pimped it after it was born.”

As much as for any of his corporate decisions, Iacocca became known as the straight-talking, patriotic pitchman in Chrysler’s television commercials, produced by New York-based firm Kenyon & Eckhardt Inc., in which he vouched for Chrysler’s cars as superior to those from Japan and Germany.

“If you don’t agree they’re the best Chryslers ever made, the very best America has to offer at a sensible price, then I’m in the wrong business,” he said in one ad.

His trademark line went down in advertising history: “If you can find a better car, buy it.”


KLIMS'18: Clarity hydrogen-powered car among Honda exhibits

The Clarity fuel cell electric vehicle.
KUALA LUMPUR: Honda Malaysia is showcasing at KLIMS'18 a bevy of cars including the Clarity fuel cell vehicle and the brand's advanced technologies under its "Frontier of Innovation".

Among the display are:

Clarity Fuel Cell
Clarity's motor gets electricity from the conversion of hydrogen. Aside from being clean technology, the electric motor provides instant acceleration and more than enough performance to satisy drivers.

Jazz and CR-V Mugen concept
Both cars are equipped with Mugen body kit for an elevated level of sportiness. The new Passion Red Pearl colour adds another level of pizzaz.

Honda Sensing
This intelligent driver assistance system uses a monocular camera and millimetre wave radar system to detect vehicles and road lines. The seven safety features of Honda Sensing are Adaptive Cruise Control, Low Speed Follow, Forward Collision Warning, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Lane Keeping Assist System, Road Departure Mitigation and Lane Departure Warning.

Honda Sensing was first introduced in the CR-V and extended to the Accord and Odyssey.

VTEC Turbocharged
Honda introduced its 1.5-litre turbo charged engine in the Civic and CR-V in 2016 and 2017 respectively, providing performance similar to a 2.4-litre car but with better fuel efficiency.

The latest Civic Type R, holder of the title of Fastest Front-wheel-Drive Production Car in the world, uses Honda's powerful 2.0-litre VTEC turbo engine with 310PS and 400Nm of torque.

Sport Hybrid
The Sport Hybrid technology features Intelligent Dual-Clutch Drive (i-DCD) that integrates a 1.5-litre DOHC I-VTEC engine, electric motor and lithium ion battery with a seven-speed dual clutch for a more dynamic drive.


Ferrari creates chief racing revenue officer post, names first appointee

                MILAN: Ferrari said today it had appointed Lorenzo Giorgetti (inset)  to the newly-created position of chief racing revenue officer, tasked with boosting long-term relations with sponsors across all racing activities.

Among his previous posts Giorgetti has been chief commercial officer at Serie A soccer club AC Milan and head of commercial management in the sports division of Italian publisher RCS Mediagroup, Ferrari said in a statement.

He will report to Ferrari's CEO Benedetto Vigna and will also cover the booming Esports field of videogame sport competitions.

Giorgetti is currently a board member of the Global Esports Federation.

The appointment shows a greater focus by Vigna, who has redesigned the company's top management structure since taking over as CEO a year-and-a-half ago, on commercial expansion linked to Ferrari's racing activities.

It comes just after Ferrari appointed Frenchman Frederic Vasseur as its new Formula One team principal in an effort to regain competitiveness in its flagship competition.

Ferrari's revenues from 'sponsorship, commercial and brand', which include those earned by its Formula One racing team through sponsorship agreements, rose 11% last year to 479 million euros (RM2.2bil).


Malaysian gets jail, driving ban in Singapore for motor insurance fraud

                SINGAPORE: A 40-year-old man, who was part of a syndicate which set up fake road accidents in order to cheat S$104,700 (RM320,468) from insurance companies through fraudulent claims, was jailed for 44 weeks on Tuesday.

Tew Yee Jeng, a Malaysian, will also be disqualified from driving for five years after his release from prison.

He had pleaded guilty in November last year to three charges of conspiring to cheat, and a count each of scheming to drive in a reckless manner and of conspiring to give false information to the police.

Tew also admitted to another seven charges, which were taken, into consideration during sentencing.

A district court had heard that Tew, a ceiling board installer, would recruit accomplices and instruct them to brake suddenly while driving on the roads, so that an unsuspecting vehicle would crash into the back of their cars.

In all, fake property damage and personal injury claims amounting to $104,768 were submitted by the syndicate for three car accidents, which took place in July 2014, April 2012 and Jan 2012.

A total of S$18,258 was paid out by two insurance companies in relation to these false claims.

On one of the occasions, on July 3, 2014, Tew and three accomplices - two of whom were Malaysians - drove around Woodlands looking for a suitable vehicle to target.

At about 9.45pm, while travelling along Woodlands Avenue 9, Tew slowed down his red Totoya Altis and told an accomplice travelling behind him, who had his mobile phone on speaker mode, to jam the brakes on his Singapore-registered white Toyota Estima.

The heavy vehicle that was travelling behind the accomplice's car was not able to stop in time, and crashed into the back of the Toyota Estima.

Yew and his two Malaysian accomplices fled Singapore at about 11.10pm that night; they had entered Singapore earlier on the same day for sole purpose of causing an accident.

A claim for repair costs of S$54,707 (RM167,448) for the Toyota Estima was submitted, but this was lowered to S$27,800 (RM85,090) after further inspections.

For abetment to cheat, Tew could have been jailed for up to 10 years and fined.

For abetment to drive recklessly, he could have been jailed up to two years and fined.

For abetting to give false information to a public servant, he could have been jailed for up to a year and fined.

Four accomplices have been prosecuted for their respective roles in the insurance scam. Three accomplices remain at large.


Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport unveiled

                MOLSHEIM (France): The new Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport is an uncompromising hypersports car for winding roads – a new aerodynamic configuration generates more downforce while the lower weight increases agility.

Production of the Chiron Pur Sport will start in the second half of 2020 and it's limited to 60 units at three million euros excluding VAT.

It has a close-ratio transmission, high-performance tyres with a new material mix geared towards extreme grip as well as an agile chassis and suspension setup.

Powered by a 8.0-litre W16 engine generating 1,500hp and 1,600Nm of torque, the Chiron Pur Sport unleashes its full power at 350 km/h.

Bugatti has increased the maximum engine speed of the W16 unit by 200rpm to 6,900rpm.

In conjunction with the closer overall gear ratio this creates significantly better elasticity.

A new chassis setup featuring 65% firmer springs at the front and 33% firmer springs at the rear, an adaptive damping control strategy geared towards performance as well as modified camber values (minus 2.5 degrees) guarantee even more dynamic handling and added agility in bends.

Carbon-fibre stabilisers at the front and rear additionally minimise roll.

This setup makes the Chiron Pur Sport steer more directly and accurately through bends and maintains the grip levels for a very long time – even at high speeds.

Apart from the four familiar EB, Motorway, Handling and Sport drive modes, the Chiron Pur Sport features the new Sport + drive mode.

In contrast to Sport mode, the traction control system kicks into action on dry race tracks at a significantly later point in the new mode aimed at more skilled cornering experts, making it possible for drivers to change their personal driving style even more than before from razor-sharp ideal lines to drifts, also through fast corners.

Bugatti and Michelin developed the new and exclusive Bugatti Sport Cup 2 R tyre in 285/30 R20 dimensions at the front and 355/25 R21 at the rear to match the new Aero wheel design.

A large diffuser and fixed rear spoiler generate plenty of downforce at the back end, while also helping to boost agility.

At the same time, doing away with the hydraulic component of the otherwise automatically extending spoiler reduces the weight by 10kg.


US consumers borrow more for longer to drive trucks and SUVs

                NEW YORK: US consumers borrowed more for longer in the first quarter of 2021 so they could drive more expensive trucks and sport utility vehicles, according to a new Experian study of auto credit market trends.

At the same time, average credit scores for consumers who financed new and used vehicles are higher, and delinquency rates are lower, indicating a healthy auto credit market overall, the study found. Experian, an information services company, gathers data on consumer and business credit and generates credit scores, among other services.

"Consumers are increasingly purchasing SUVs, CUVs and pickups. It's driving loan amounts up and payments up," said Melinda Zabritski, Experian's senior director of automotive financial solutions. CUV is an acronym for car-like, crossover utility vehicles such as the Toyota RAV4, a best seller in the category.

Average credit scores for new and used vehicle buyers rose in the first quarter, and the average used car buyer now has a prime level credit rating of 663, Experian said. The share of consumers with sub-prime credit scores dropped to a new record low of just over 17%.

More than 56% of new vehicles financed in the first three months of 2021 were SUVs, and another 17% were pickup trucks. The average amount financed to buy a new vehicle rose to US$35,392 in the first quarter from US$33,833 a year earlier.

The share of new vehicle loans longer than 72 months rose to just over 35% of the total from just under 32% a year earlier.

Used-vehicle lending showed a similar pattern of more borrowed on average for longer periods.

In the past, lengthening loan terms raised yellow flags among auto credit market-watchers. But Experian found the share of delinquent loans - where borrowers were 60 days behind on payments - fell in the latest quarter to 0.54% from 0.67% a year ago, and 0.68% in the first quarter of 2019, before the onset of the pandemic.

"I don’t see anything in the industry itself that would be a cause for alarm," Zabritski said.


Aug 17-23: No changes in fuel prices

                PETALING JAYA: The fuel prices of RON97, RON95 and diesel will remain the same for the following week.

The Finance Ministry said the price of RON97 would remain at RM2.49 per litre, while RON95 petrol and diesel stay at RM2.08 per litre and RM2.18 per litre respectively.

The fuel prices would take effect from 12.01am on Saturday (Aug17) until Aug 23.

"Based on the calculation under the Automatic Pricing Mechanism, the retail prices for both RON95 and diesel should be increased to RM2.19 per litre and RM2.21 per litre respectively.

"While there are no changes for RON95, the price of diesel had decreased from RM2.28 per litre in the previous week, " it said in a statement Friday (Aug 16).

The ministry noted the prices of RON95 and diesel are capped at RM2.08 and RM2.18 per litre respectively, following the government's decision to stabilise fuel prices and to reduce the people's cost of living.

The ministry also noted that the estimated subsidy borne by the government between Aug 17 and Aug 23 is about RM47.10mil.

The weekly fuel pricing mechanism was reintroduced on Jan 5 under the APM.

Under this system, weekly fuel prices are announced every Friday and remain in force for one week.


Carsome boosts liquidity to RM924mil via fundraising

                KUALA LUMPUR: South-East Asia’s largest integrated car eCommerce platform Carsome Group Inc has improved its liquidity position to about US$200mil (RM924mil) at the close of its latest fundraising round.

Carsome said this funding round drew broad-based participation from its existing investors, namely 65 Equity Partners, Seatown Private Capital Master Fund, Qatar Investment Authority, Gobi Partners, and Asia Partners.

“It also attracted a long-term debt facility from a new investor, EvolutionX Debt Capital, a growth-stage debt financing platform that provides an alternative source of financing to technology companies in Asia,” it said in a statement yesterday.

Co-founder and group chief executive officer Eric Cheng said the group spent the last eight years building a more trusted way for customers to transact within South-East Asia’s used car industry.

“Our comfortable liquidity position and strong backing from both existing and new investors place us on solid footing to deliver the world’s first integrated car ownership ecosystem, going beyond just buying and selling cars to include ancillary services across the whole ownership lifecycle,” he said.

According to the statement, Carsome has been actively reshaping South-East Asia’s used car industry through its innovative data and tech-driven approaches, offering trust, transparency and choice to elevate the automotive ownership experience.

The platform today is firmly poised for an exciting next chapter in its growth journey, having sold over 150,000 cars annually and serving more than 15 million unique customers monthly across its diverse online and offline channels in the region, it added. — Bernama


Ops Selamat: Pahang records 656 accidents, 17 deaths

                KUANTAN: Pahang recorded a total of 656 accidents with 17 deaths during the eight days of the Op Selamat 20 period which began on April 20, in conjunction with the Aidilfitri celebration, says state police chief Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf.

He said the number of accidents showed a drop of 34 cases compared with the Ops Selamat 18 held last year, while the number of deaths increased by three cases.

He added that the analysis showed that the fatal accident occurred in an area that was not identified as a frequent accident location or 'blackspot'.

"In fact, during Op Selamat 20, several fatal accidents occurred on town roads and village roads with 13 cases recorded," he said in a statement today.

He also said that 2,300 summonses for various offences have been issued and 10 arrests have also been made, including cases involving reckless and dangerous driving, driving under the influence of alcohol and using fake registration numbers.

A total of 378 officers from the Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department, Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department were involved throughout the operation period, he added.


School buses, public transport not included in targeted subsidy for diesel initiative

                PUTRAJAYA: The soon-to-be-implemented targeted subsidy for diesel will not be applied to school buses and public transport so as to avoid fare hikes, Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said.

He said the implementation of the targeted subsidy for diesel will begin when the subsidised diesel control system is completed in the second half of this year.

"We will try to complete the system before we can launch targeted subsidy initiative, but the targeted subsidy for diesel will not be applied to school buses and public transport as we do not want any increase in fares," he said.

Ahmad said this to reporters after launching the Public Sector Home Financing Board e-counter and client’s charter here today, which was also attended by the board's chief executive officer Mohd Farid Nawawi.

For targeted subsidy for petrol, Ahmad said the matter would be expedited where a special committee had been established which involved several departments to look at the implementation method.

"(In the Dewan Rakyat) Yesterday, Some Members of Parliament mentioned that not all in the T20 group should be excluded from getting the subsidy as the T20 group earning RM10,000 in Kuala Lumpur differs from the T20 group earning RM10,000 in Pontian. The pressure for the T20 in Kuala Lumpur is definitely higher.

"This is among the details that need scrutiny before the government can decide to implement targeted subsidy for petrol," he said.

Ahmad said if the targeted subsidy for fuel, such as petrol, diesel and gas was implemented for only B40 and M40 groups, the government would be able to save around RM16bil to RM17bil.

On the board's e-counter, Ahmad said it would enable customers to communicate directly with customer service officers through video calls for financing application matters.

Among the services offered by the e-counter are eligibility calculations, arrears checks, loan status inquiries, and submission of supporting documents such as notification of retirement and death of the borrower.

The board currently finances 776,000 borrowers with total loans worth RM100bil.


Refreshed Nissan X-Trail gets official prices at last

                KUALA LUMPUR: Official prices of the refreshed Nissan X-Trail have finally been revealed by distributor Edaran Tan Chong Motor ahead of its launch this month.

Four variants are available with prices ranging from RM134,000 to RM160,000. All variants are certified Energy Efficient Vehicles.

Prices are as shown in table.

Previously, Edaran Tan Chong Motor was only able to give estimated prices for the SUV pending government approval. It had estimated the 2.0L 2WD at below RM139,900; 2.0L 2WD MID (below RM149,900), 2.5L 4WD (below RM159,900) and 2.0L Hybrid (below RM169,900).

Five colours are available: Brilliant White, Tungsten Silver, Titanium Olive, Diamond Black and Imperial Umber (new).

A 2-year or 40,000km periodic maintenance service (whichever comes first) is offered as part of the launch campaign. Additionally, high trade-in offers are available and the first 500 registered vehicles will also receive a gift worth RM488.

Members of the public can test-drive the X-Trail at any Nissan showrooms now.

READ MORE:
Media gets first look at refreshed Nissan X-Trail
Why Govt slow in approving car prices


European power firms aim to harness electric car batteries

                FRANKFURT/LONDON/PARIS: Ever wanted to run your electric car for free? If you’re open to a bit of give and take, then stay plugged in and your wishes might come true. At least that’s what some European power companies and Japanese carmakers believe.

E.ON and EDF are already working with Nissan to develop services that allow power stored in electric vehicle batteries to be sold back to the grid — and now they’re trying to persuade European carmakers to follow suit.

With millions of electric cars expected on European roads over the next decade, utility firms see both an opportunity to sell drivers more electricity and a risk that surges in charging at peak times could destabilise stressed power grids.

That’s why E.ON is working with Nissan to develop so-called vehicle-to-grid (V2G) services, including software for aggregating and marketing charging data so the German power company can predict peaks and troughs in electricity demand.

Nissan’s idea is that if you charge your electric vehicle (EV) at off-peak times and are prepared to sell power back to the grid when it’s under strain, you could effectively charge for free.

French utility EDF has teamed up with San Diego-based V2G technology specialist Nuvve to build the first commercial-scale V2G charging network in Europe for vehicles made by Japan's Nissan and Mitsubishi.

Europe’s biggest utility by market value, Italy’s Enel, has also worked with Nissan and Nuvve on V2G pilots in Denmark and the Netherlands, as well as in Rome and Genoa.

The problem for the utilities is that unlike Nissan, the French and German firms that will make most of the electric cars expected on Europe’s road in coming years are not playing ball - at least for now.

Virtual power plant

E.ON and EDF are talking to European carmakers about taking V2G seriously, according to two industry sources, but they are more focused on EV charging technology that the sources say is less suited to two-way flows than Japanese standards.

IONITY, a joint venture of Volkswagen, Daimler, BMW and Ford, said it did not see an initial case for V2G in its drive to install high-speed charging stations across Europe to facilitate long-distance journeys.

“Our clients want to charge fast and not feed back in,” a spokesman for IONITY said. “Only in combination with an external storage system would a use case possibly be interesting.”

The other big V2G holdout is EV pioneer Tesla, which also sells large stationary batteries for home power storage. Tesla declined to comment on V2G.

The idea of using millions of EV batteries as large virtual power plants to put power back into the grid has been around for years though the concept is still mostly at the pilot phase, mainly because there are very few EVs on the roads now.

But its appeal to the power industry is obvious.

With a typical car driving less than 10 percent of the day, the rest of the time car batteries could be used to balance out demand and supply swings in energy networks that increasingly need to juggle intermittent solar and wind power.

That’s the case in Germany in particular as it is phasing out baseload nuclear and coal-fired plants, unlike France and Japan which are sticking with nuclear to ensure a secure supply.

Jonathan Tudor, director of technology strategy at the innovation division of Britain’s biggest utility, Centrica, said V2G will be part of the mix of technologies stabilising networks — once more EVs hit the road.

“Winding the clock forward 10-12 years, if consumer behavior stays the same we will see thousands of people arriving home and wanting to charge up their cars at the time that is already peak demand for most countries,” he said.

Alberto Piglia, global head of e-mobility at Enel, said as the EV market grows exponentially, there will be a tipping point at which there will be an explosion of related energy services. “We are preparing the world for this.”

Plug wars

One major hurdle for the roll-out of V2G in Europe is that for now it only works well with the EV charging standard developed in Japan known as CHAdeMO.

The IONITY e-mobility joint venture, meanwhile, is focused on establishing the Combined Charging System (CCS) plug as the industry standard.

But experts say the communication protocol between CCS chargers and EV batteries is not being set up currently in way that allows rapid changes in two-way information flows to charge and discharge electricity.

Rather, CCS is being developed so EV owners can charge vehicles as fast as possible, to encourage the acceptance of electric cars by drivers reluctant to give up the convenience of quickly filling up vehicles with gas.

“We are missing a V2G charging standard,” said Gregory Poilasne, chief executive of Nuvve.

The network of 4,000 V2G charging stations it is developing with EDF in Britain and France will only be used for now with corporate fleets of Nissan Leaf E-NV200 utility vans and Mitsubishi Outlanders running on the CHAdeMO standard.

That’s why Nuvve is also in talks with French and other carmakers about making CCS compatible with V2G.

China, the world’s biggest market for EVs, also has V2G in mind. China’s own GB/T standard is not well suited to V2G but the China Electricity Council struck an agreement with the Japan’s CHAdeMo Association last year to develop a common fast-charging plug that should handle rapid two-way flows.

But at a time when global infrastructure standards for EVs have yet to be established, German carmakers are reluctant to give up on the technology they have invested in, nor cede too much control over their vehicle components to utility firms - something V2G effectively requires them to do.

Still, despite making little headway so far, E.ON hopes that the CCS standard will become part of the V2G mix.

“The technology for aggregation and marketing that we’re developing at E.ON based on the CHAdeMO standard will also be applicable to the CCS standard,” said Johannes Werhahn, E.ON’s head of flexibility, renewables marketing and storage solutions.

OVO Energy, a challenger to Britain's "Big Six" power retailers, is also eyeing CCS as a market for the V2G charger it launched last year in a deal with Nissan.

“We are very close partners with Nissan but we do expect to work with other car manufacturers in future, including those that use CCS,” said Tom Pakenham, OVO’s head of EVs.

Centrica invested in Israeli EV software charging firm Driivz last year and said part of the deal would involve developing V2G technology.

“Once the software is integrated and we understand what needs to be done we will look to start trials, likely sometime in the next 18 months,” Tudor said.

One catch for V2G proponents is that constantly charging and discharging is widely perceived to be the fastest way to shorten the life span of a battery - the most expensive component in an EV usually accounting for about a third of its cost.

Analysts say persuading consumers that V2G makes economic sense and doesn’t disrupt their daily lives will be crucial.

Nissan, though, is convinced V2G will “change the rules of the game” once consumers can be offered a service that will effectively mean they can charge vehicles for free.

Japan’s Honda also plans to incorporate V2G capability when it launches its first EV in Europe this year.

Nuvve’s Poilasne said V2G could reduce the total cost of EV ownership by about 25 percent without ruining the battery, though earnings from grid-balancing services would be greater in countries with a larger share of intermittent renewable energy.


Official Toyota Tundra photo released following leak

UPDATE: Second official photo from Toyota showing the Tundra dashboard was released on June 22.

DALLAS: Toyota USA rushed out the first official picture of the new-generation Tundra after an online leak marred its power to surprise.

Shortly after the leak happened late last week, it sent out the photo on Friday without any accompanying text.

Various leaked dealer photos have popped up on the Tundras.com forum that claimed to show the next-gen 2022 Tundra in TRD Pro spec.

The photo set showed the front three-quarter view, a close-up of the grille and the rear of the full size pick-up truck.

 Compare the exterior of the outgoing Tundra with the incoming one.

Meanwhile, the official photo shows of a chunky and very good-looking Tundra, also in TRD Pro spec, with LED headlights and running lights positioned above a vertical air intake. The huge, blacked-out grille has three LED strips in three places arranged in a triangle.

The 2022 Land Cruiser is fitted with a twin-turbo V6 that will also be used in the new Tundra. In keeping with the times, expect the Tundra to have an electrified variant.

The Tundra goes up against the Ford F-150 Raptor and similar brawny offerings from other pickup truck makers.

It is set for a September debut.


Tesla to reveal Model S Plaid on June 3

                SAN FRANCISCO: Tesla will show off the Model S Plaid, its quickest electric vehicle to date, at a June 3 delivery event for customers at the company’s factory in Fremont, California. There aren’t many details yet.

Tesla typically hosts one or two splashy events each year. They serve a triple purpose for the electric-car maker: keep customers excited and plunking down deposits on products, assure investors that the future is bright, and generate an avalanche of media coverage. On May 20, Elon Musk tweeted about the event, proclaiming that the “fastest production car ever” will be able to go from 0 to 100kph in under 2 seconds.

This playbook looks familiar. In 2019, Tesla hosted an “Autonomy Day” in April, then unveiled the Cybertruck that November — the shattered-glass during the demo gone awry was viral gold. Last year, Musk hosted a socially distant “Battery Day” in September.

The story line for 2021, as the world emerges from the coronavirus pandemic, is more muddled.

Tesla is expanding globally, building new factories in Austin and Berlin. Customers still are waiting for the Semi and the Cybertruck, which are dependent on new and larger battery cells that the carmaker is producing in-house and also buying from long-time battery supplier Panasonic.

“It appears as though we are above 12, probably not more than 18 months away from volume production of 4680,” Musk cautioned during Tesla’s last earnings call. So it doesn’t sound like we are likely to see either truck produced in significant volumes any time this year.

The second quarter has been rough for Tesla shareholders. Federal regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, launched investigations into a fatal crash in Texas in April and another in California this month.

Musk has been busy tweeting about Bitcoin, and Tesla’s solar customers are grumbling — and suing — about price hikes for the Solar Roof. Tesla shares, which had an incredible run in 2020, are down more than 30% from their peak in late January.

Tesla didn’t make any new Model S or X cars in the first quarter and faced unspecified delays.

“The Model S and X are really niche,” Musk said in October 2019. “They’re very expensive, made in low volumes. To be totally frank, we’re continuing to make them more for sentimental reasons than anything else. They’re really of minor importance to the future.”

Tesla is already known for high-performance, long-range vehicles and sees range as being a key part of converting people from internal-combustion engine cars to electric. While the Model S may indeed be of minor importance to the future, the Plaid event seems to be an important one for the quarter.


San Francisco set to impose road tolls and reservation system for their iconic 'Crooked Street'

                SAN FRANCISCO: Visitors and tourists hoping to capture an Instagram snap while driving down San Francisco's most iconic "Crooked Street" may have to pony up an entrance fee.

After years of putting up with traffic and congestion around Lombard Street, better known as Crooked Street for its steep hairpin turns, a proposal to impose a toll and reservation system is being considered in the California Legislature.

According to the bill, the tourist attraction draws more than two million visitors a year, who queue for up to 10 hours for the chance to drive down the iconic street, snarling traffic and resulting in overcrowding in the residential neighbourhood.

During peak periods, traffic can stretch three blocks and even impact traffic on the state highway system.

To remedy the situation, the bill proposes implementing a reservation system, in which drivers would have to book a specific time to visit.

Entrance fees being considered range from US$5 to $10 (from RM21 to RM42).

Lombard Street is the latest neighbourhood street to become overrun with visitors. In Paris, residents of rue Crémieux in the city's east end asked the city to consider closing their street on evenings and on weekends to reduce the number of tourists descending en masse on their pastel-coloured, Instagram-friendly neighbourhood.


Malaysian biodiesel production likely to surge this year

                KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is expected to produce between 800,000 and 900,000 tonnes of biodiesel in 2017 from 500,000 tonnes last year when the government implements the biodiesel mandate, said the Malaysian Biodiesel Association.

Its president, U.R Unnithan, said the B10 mandate implementation was expected to start “anytime this year”.

The biodiesel B10 is a blend of 10% palm methyl ester (PME) and 90% regular diesel, while B7 is of a lower blend of 7% PME.

Unnithan said likewise, the Indonesian output would rise to 3.5 million tonnes in 2017 from three million tonnes in 2016.

He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Global Palm and Lauric Oils Conference after presenting his paper entitled Biodiesel Outlook in a changed global landscape here today.

Organised by Bursa Malaysia, the two-day event attracted about 2,000 participants from over 59 countries.

Unnithan said Malaysia produced 500,000 tonnes of biodiesel last year, which were 173,000 tonnes lower than in 2015.

He believes that the Government would implement the B10 biodiesel on the back of a subdued palm oil market and better parity than oil.

But if B10 (mandate) is not implemented, biodiesel production would hover around 500,000 tonnes or 600,000 tonnes, he added.

He said when the association got the industry off the ground, 52 licences to operate biodiesel plants were issued by the government, but only about 20 companies took the challenge to build them.

But the number of active licence holders has since declined to 17 companies, he added.

In a weak export market, a lot of capacity went unused, he said, adding that the capacity usage at the current level was under 25% or close to 20%.


The versatile Michelin LTX Force tyre

                SEPANG: The Sepang International Circuit was the venue for tyre maker Michelin to showcase its latest all-terrain tyre, the Michelin LTX Force, made for SUVs and 4x4 vehicles.

The Michelin LTX Force tyre is capable for use on both on-and-off roads whether it be on asphalt and concrete roads as well various terrains such as gravel, sand, mud and dirt roads.

The LTX Force have on-road capabilities due to its CompacTread Technology where the reinforcement between the tread blocks increases the contact area with the ground for better breaking and safety.

And its CushionGuard Technology absorbs road imperfections for a comfortable drive.

As for its off-road capabilities, its toughness is derived by its Extended Sidewall Biting Edge which improves the sidewall’s cut-chip resistance with Deep and Open Shoulder Design for off-road traction.

Members of the media were among the participants of the event and two courses were prepared to test the capabilities of the LTX Force tyre.

The courses however did not involve the use of the Sepang track itself. Instead, the car park at the entrance was the area for testing the on-road capabilities while an off-road course was constructed near the Sepang Go-Kart Circuit.

 From left, Kuang Boon Keat, Customer Engineering Support, Michelin Malaysia; Pascal Nouvellon, Managing Director, Michelin Malaysia and Duy Pham, Marketing Manager, Michelin Malaysia.

During the off-road test, we were given two pickup trucks, both Toyota Fortuners, to drive. One was fitted with LTX Force while the other with BFGoodrich KO2 which are tough off-road tyres.

The off-road track consisted of muddy, rocky and sandy terrains, 35 degree inclines and slopes as well as elephant steps to showcase just how tough the LTX Force tyre is.

We drove the first lap with the LTX Force and was immediately impressed with how it went through the off-road course without any trouble.

We then compared it to the KO2 tyres and, being an off-road tyre it was minimally smoother and slightly more comfortable than the LTX Force. Other than that, the LTX Force showed just how well designed the tyre was to tackle various off-road terrains.

After that it was off to the car park where another set of on-road tests were performed.

There was a slalom course, a braking test on dry road and a comfort test.

First was the comfort test and even just driving on asphalt road, we noticed how quiet it is compared to off-road tyres which tend to produce a lot more noise on such a surface.

Then it was braking test, and we tested the LTX against a competitor tyre and the result was the LTX outperformed the competition by braking over a meter shorter.

Lastly, the slalom course showed how responsive with a high-level of grip the LTX tyres possesed compared to the competition as the latter needed more work on the steering to go through the track and felt really loose grip-wise.

“Off-road technologies behind the Michelin LTX Force are derived from the World Rally Championship (WRC), one of the world’s most demanding rallies, thus providing another example of Michelin’s “From track to street” philosophy.

“At the same time, on-road technologies improve braking performance on both wet and dry roads, as well as increases durability,” said Michelin Malaysia’s managing director, Pascal Nouvellon.

Michelin LTX Force is available in a wide range of fitments - from 15 inch to 18 inch - and is available at Tyreplus car service outlets, Michelin Expert Centre and authorised dealers nationwide.


With or without legislation, sales of new combustion engine cars in Europe look set to end by 2035

UPDATE: EU lawmakers back ban on combustion-engine cars in 2035

STRASBOURG: Members of the European Parliament will discuss and vote today on the eight proposals made last year to gradually reduce CO2 emissions in Europe, in the aim of achieving carbon-neutrality by 2050.

Among these proposals is the controversial suggestion of banning the sale of new combustion engine vehicles from 2035. But whatever the outcome, most carmakers have already taken the lead on this front.

The idea is that by 2035, not a single new car with an internal combustion engine would be sold in Europe.

This does not include the second-hand market.

Nevertheless, in the space of a few years, the share of used electric cars should logically increase as their sales on the new market also increase.

Certain member states have already taken steps in this direction on a national scale.

In France, for example, legislation has already set the date of 2040 to end the sale of combustion engine cars.

A new law voted at European level would speed up the shift.

While the 13-year deadline may unsettle consumers, manufacturers are already prepared.

At least, they are anticipating this transition, since the vast majority of carmakers have already announced the end of their production of gasoline and diesel cars.

This is already the case for Volvo, which is setting an example in the field.

All of its models are now electric - either 100% electric or plug-in hybrids.

This should also be the case for DS, Jaguar Land Rover, Maserati and Mercedes by 2026. Bentley and Porsche are aiming for 2030.

Volkswagen, meanwhile, has planned to switch entirely to electric vehicles by 2035 - potentially just in time.

Renault has long been a pioneer of 100% electric models and is even preparing to revive its legendary R5 and 4L in this new form. The Stellantis group (Peugeot, Citroën, Opel, Fiat) has also set itself the target of not selling any more combustion engine models by 2030.

According to a study published a year ago by Ernst & Young, electric car sales are expected to represent the majority worldwide by 2033. In Europe, the tipping point could come even sooner, from 2028.

Other measures in this "Green Deal" include the creation of a new carbon tax on imports, new targets for land use and forestry, and the launch of a fund to help people affected by energy poverty.


Motorists using Petron Blaze 100 give it a thumbs-up

                KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s first and only high-performance RON 100 fuel delivers power, engine responsiveness and fuel efficiency, according to findings carried out on customers using various vehicles.

Petron Malaysia said the test results also affirmed that Blaze 100 is the best fuel for long-distance travel.

“It feels more powerful as it provides me with better acceleration. My engine feels much more responsive with RON 100 and the pick-up is faster. You can feel the improved power when overtaking,” said Daniel Chin Wei Xiong who tested Petron Blaze 100 on his personal Nissan GT-R which also became also smoother and slightly quieter.

“It is such an enjoyable feeling to drive with RON 100, totally different,” he said, adding that Blaze 100 also gave his car better mileage.

 Chin.

A Volkswagen Golf owner, Lim Jae Sam also said Blaze 100 made his car more powerful and had more responsive acceleration.

He also said his vehicle's fuel efficiency has improved by 15% as compared to other fuels.

"It is much better with Petron Blaze 100 and I believe the fuel can make a difference to my running costs in the long run. Definitely worth the premium,” said Lim.

Motorcyclist Tan Meng Keat who fueled his Yamaha MT-09 using Blaze 100 said, “I really feel the burst of power and acceleration when I twist my throttle. The response is instant. It only takes me six seconds to get from a rolling 50kph to 100kph.”

Tan said, his motorcycle gave a smoother sound with less vibrations, while starting the engine was easy.

 Tan.

When Petron Malaysia first launched the fuel in 2016, the market was abuzz with the introduction of the high energy fuel that took fuel performance to a whole new level.

Blaze 100 is the perfect choice for consumers who are looking for a fuel to provide exciting high performance drive experiences, especially on long distance travels.

The company has invested in a premium formulation to deliver improvements in engine protection, mileage and fuel economy.

With the TriAction Advantage formulation, which combines a fully-synthetic detergent, organic combustion improver and friction modifier, the fuel burns more efficiently and enhances engine responsiveness and cleanliness while lowering fuel consumption, as concluded by the test drives.

Petron Head of Retail and Commercial Business Choong Kum Choy said the company was committed to delivering innovative products that are exceptional and enhance customer experience.

"Our Blaze 100 is one such product. With the demand for Blaze 100, we have made Blaze 100 available at more than 100 stations today. This is to ensure that more consumers can have the opportunity to enjoy this exceptional fuel.”

Blaze 100 is now available at more than 100 service stations throughout Malaysia.


Honda CEO to step down, replaced by low-profile engineer

                TOKYO: Honda Motor Co today named an experienced, yet little known, engineer as its new chief executive, who will take over in late-June with the Japanese automaker battling the fallout from a slew of recalls that have shaken its reputation for quality.

Takahiro Hachigo, 55, joined Honda in 1982 and has worked across research and development, procurement and manufacturing, with spells in the United States, Britain and China, where he is currently a senior official at the R&D arm.

He will replace Takanobu Ito, who is stepping down after six years in the post that saw Honda struggle through the global financial crisis, natural disasters and the more recent damaging recalls.

Ito and other executives took a pay cut in October following a fifth recall in a year of the re-engineered Fit hybrid subcompact, and Honda last month trimmed its core annual profit forecast as it set aside hundreds of millions of dollars to cover mass recalls to replace air bag inflators made by Takata Corp that have been linked to six deaths, all in Honda cars.

Ito conceded this month that the Fit quality glitches could have been caused at least in part by an aggressive sales target.

At a brief news conference in Tokyo, Ito and Hachigo spoke little of Honda's recent missteps, instead saying the groundwork had been laid to take the automaker forward after moves to make its six operational regions self-reliant and accountable.

Hachigo, who worked on the popular US Odyssey MPV and CR-V crossover, skips several ranks in his promotion to CEO, but Ito said his broad experience made him the ideal candidate.

"I felt this was the right timing for us to boost efficiency and results globally," Ito, 61, told reporters.

Hachigo's appointment marks the first time Honda has named as CEO a non-director and someone who has not headed the firm's R&D company.

"My job is to take the (current) strategy forward, and evolve it," Hachigo said.

For the past three years, Ito, a feisty former supercar engineer, has shaken up Honda's decades-old, tightly knit supply chain, seeking to trim costs and find more cutting-edge technologies.

That has rankled local suppliers, and some retired Honda executives manoeuvred to have Ito removed, sources have told Reuters.

"I think this is an attempt by Honda to tread a different course, with someone who upholds harmony," said Takaki Nakanishi, a veteran auto analyst and CEO of Nakanishi Research Institute.

"I don't know anyone who has anything bad to say about him," said one senior Honda executive, speaking on condition of anonymity. He described Hachigo as "nice" and "thoughtful".

Ito became CEO in 2009 as the auto industry was licking its wounds from a crushing global financial crisis. The years that followed were no easier, as a disappointing launch of the Civic model caused many to question whether Honda had lost its edge. Natural disasters in Japan and Thailand also hit production and profits hard.

Ito will remain on the board and become an adviser to Honda.

Honda also said Koichi Fukuo, a senior managing officer tasked with overseeing quality after the recalls, would take over as R&D chief from Yoshiharu Yamamoto who is retiring.


Buffett-backed BYD to supply EV batteries to Ford

Men cleaning a BYD e2 electric car displayed at the 2019 Shanghai auto show. — Reuters
BEIJING: Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker BYD Co Ltd, will supply EV batteries to US automaker Ford Motor Co, a document on the website of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology showed today.

Ford’s China venture with Changan Automobile is seeking government approval to build a plug-in hybrid model equipped with BYD’s batteries, according to the document.

This marks BYD’s first-known battery supply deal with a major global automaker.

Shenzhen-based BYD, which is backed by US investor Warren Buffett, said it would supply EV components including batteries and power management devices.

The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker said last year it planned to launch more than 30 new or significantly redesigned models in China by the end of 2021, of which over a third will be electric vehicles.

Ford and BYD did not immediately respond to requests for comment.


New Range Rover Evoque P300 HST variant introduced

                LONDON: The appeal of the Range Rover Evoque has been broadened even further with the launch of a new powerful Range Rover Evoque P300 HST.

The new sports utility vehicle (SUV) features enhanced technology with the latest Pivi infotainment and improved looks.

The Evoque P300 HST takes inspiration from the larger Range Rover Sport HST and is exclusively available with Land Rover’s P300 Ingenium petrol engine.

The 2.0-litre Ingenium petrol engine delivers 300hp and allows the Evoque P300 HST to accelerate from 0-100kph in 6.8 seconds.

Transmission is a nine-speed automatic featuring Land Rover’s cutting-edge Terrain Response 2 system and all-wheel drive system for a combination of dynamic on-road handling with trademark Range Rover all-terrain capability.

Available in 11 exterior colours, the SUV gets modern and sporty looks enhanced with the Black Pack, comprising Gloss Black Range Rover bonnet script, side vents, bonnet louvres, door mirror caps and exterior accents.

Also standard are Gloss Black Sliding Panoramic Roof and Privacy Glass, plus unique Gloss Black 20-inch alloy wheels with red brake calipers.

The Evoque P300 HST also shares exclusive features with the Range Rover Sport HST such as Suedecloth steering wheel and Ebony Suedecloth headlining.

Other luxurious touches include grained leather seat trim, Range Rover treadplates, a Sliding Panoramic Roof and powered tailgate.

Inside, enhanced specification of the P300 HST includes Land Rover’s advanced and intuitive Interactive Driver Display with its configurable, high-definition 12.3-inch instrument cluster able to show a comprehensive array of driving information, navigation instructions and infotainment data.

The Pivi Pro infotainment comes with a 10-inch deployable touchscreen and 10-inch lower touchscreen and 13-speaker 400W Meridian Sound System to bring enhanced connectivity and audio quality.

Meanwhile, keyless entry and Premium LED headlamps, with signature DRLs and animated indicators, provide heightened convenience and sophistication.

The Evoque P300 HST is priced from £50,440 (RM294,300) in the UK.


Hyundai poll highlights mobility wishes of today's children

                LONDON: Self-charging electric cars and public transport to space are the top of the future mobility wish list, according to today’s youngsters.

Over seven in 10 children aged 6-10 (72 per cent) said self-charging electric cars were an invention they’d like to see, while over half would like a flying car (51 per cent).

And almost two in 10 (17 per cent) want to go to space via public transport.

When asked about other inventions for their future tech wish list, the transport theme continued with teleportation and a flying school bus, as well as robots.

According to the poll of 1,000 children aged 6-10, 65 per cent think technology can make the world a better place, for making and building things (59 per cent) and learning (56 per cent).

Over half of their adult counterparts (51 per cent) also believe that technological developments are essential for driving progress in society.

According to the poll of 2,000 UK adults, scientific research, healthcare, business and education are all areas where people believe technology holds the key to success.

When considering the impact of technology on their day-to-day lives and its benefits, almost two thirds of Brits (62 per cent) said they recognised the role technology has played in their personal mobility.

Meanwhile, transport was also a key area for tech developments, with 23 per cent saying it would benefit from technological advances.

There is a clear appetite for mobility to be more sustainable, as 38 per cent of Brits said they felt tech could be deployed to improve transport and mobility’s environmental credentials.

Echoing their younger counterparts, when asked about the technology they were most excited about, robots, flying and autonomous cars all featured heavily for adults, while renewables and AI were also high on the agenda.

The study exploring attitudes toward future technology was commissioned by Hyundai, as the brand looks to understand how adults and children perceive mobility solutions such as electric cars and flying taxis.

As Hyundai prepares new innovations like autonomous flying taxis, more than a third imagined such inventions wouldn’t be available for at least another 20 years.

And three-quarters didn’t know some modern electric cars can be used as charging points, to charge other electric vehicles around them, and indeed other essential personal tech.

“It’s clear from our research that society is eager to embrace technology on a range of levels such as helping efforts to clean up the environment and offer clean mobility solutions, ultimately driving progress in the way we travel," said Hyundai Motor UK managing director Ashley Andrew.

“Many of us are also intrigued by the potential capacities of robotics, and how this will determine the future of technology.”

Following the findings in the OnePoll research, people were asked how they feel about welcoming technology into their lives.

While expressing their thoughts in a video, participants got to experience the opportunity robotics presents for the future, with Spot the robotic dog from Boston Dynamics making a surprise appearance.

Participants also had the chance to see the Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric vehicle, which offers Vehicle-to-load (V2L), enabling other vehicles and personal electronics to be charged from its charging port.

Nearly four in 10 adults have come to terms with the idea of interacting with robots in their daily life, and 31 per cent feel excited at the prospect.

And almost half - 47 per cent - said they believe robots to be useful, especially in the fields of scientific research, healthcare and transportation, and cited the abilities to learn, endure climate extremes and harsh terrain as important abilities.

Perhaps not surprisingly for generation alpha (children under 12), the key robot capabilities were the ability to do chores (55 per cent) and homework (47 per cent).

For social progress, adults rate robots higher than children. Almost a third of adults (32 per cent) said they’d be willing to befriend one, while only 24 per cent of children agreed.

The field of robotics is an important area of business development for Hyundai Motor Group further bolstered by the acquisition of Boston Dynamics.


How Big Tech is helping transform cars into smartphones

                LAS VEGAS: Technology companies transformed smartphones and televisions into continuous fountains of revenue. Now, big tech wants to work with automakers to do the same thing for your car.

With the widespread rollout of autonomous vehicles still years away, the two industries have converged on the idea of cars providing services and features delivered “over the air” — that is, over the same wireless data networks used by smart phones.

Those services — streaming video, vehicle performance upgrades, dashboard commerce — could answer a pressing need for automakers. They need to learn how to milk their hardware for revenue long after vehicles roll off dealers’ lots. Tech companies see cars and the time people spend in them as a new frontier for growth.

Both auto and tech companies used the big CES technology show here this week to showcase their determination to make the vision of vehicles as connected revenue machines a reality. Cloud computing giants Amazon.com Inc and Microsoft Corp were in the forefront, chasing the opportunity to manage torrents of data flowing to and from connected vehicles.

“It’s absolutely huge,” General Motors Co president Mark Reuss said in December of the opportunities to generate revenue after a vehicle is sold by providing streamed services and over-the-air upgrades facilitated by GM’s new high-capacity onboard electrical system.

The pivot comes at a time when global automakers are looking for fresh revenue sources as sales slow and as rising costs to comply with tougher emissions standards threaten profit margins. Shares of legacy automakers such as Ford Motor Co and GM badly lagged broader market indexes in 2019.

The contrast is Tesla Inc, whose market cap on Wednesday for the first time exceeded Ford and GM’s combined market values.

Tesla pioneered the model for charging for over-the-air upgrades, now asking customers to pay US$6,000 to turn on the full self-driving option.

Other automakers are eager to try their hand at turning cars into upgradeable, revenue-generating gadgets.

Chinese carmaker Byton’s new M-Byte sedan features a 48-inch screen as a dashboard, as well as a steering-wheel display and a digital tablet for passengers. When parked, the car can be an office, enabling video conference calls, or a roadside cinema.

BMW showed at its CES display a concept of its future interior with reclining lounge chairs and a windshield with augmented reality built in to annotate the road ahead.

BMW executive Klaus Froehlich said the automaker is seeking approval from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to get US approval for the seats, but could not say when they would appear in production.

Tech companies and suppliers want to accelerate the transformation of vehicles into subscription bundle-ready machines by helping automakers sort out the tangle of computer chips that make most current vehicles difficult or impossible to upgrade over the air.

The current crazy quilt of vehicle processors “is not cost effective, and it’s hard to get (vehicles) developed and launched so that everything works all the time,” said Glen De Vos, chief technology officer of auto supplier Aptiv Plc. Aptiv’s solution: A new Smart Vehicle Architecture that consolidates most computerised functions.

Harman, a unit of Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, is also pushing a similar digital platform to control the flow of data in and out of the car. A centralised system, said chief executive Dinesh Paliwal, would help protect the car against hackers, who would have only one way in rather than dozens.

Harman, which supplies some of the technology that automakers including Tesla use to deliver the over-the-air upgrades, plans to sell its new vehicle computing brain with cybersecurity features built in — but some car buyers will have to pay to turn it on.

Qualcomm Inc, which already provides the cellular modem chips that allow vehicles to connect to the internet, introduced a more comprehensive computing system that can manage in-vehicle entertainment and help the car drive itself.

One element is a much easier way for automakers and their partners to deliver feature upgrades, such as unlocking a better sound system already built into the car.

NXP Semiconductors is working on a chip that would serve as a gateway between the car and the cloud, to help automakers cope with the massive amounts of data that sensors and digital cockpits will create.

That data has to be stored and managed, and that’s where cloud computing providers such as Amazon Web Services come in. AWS announced at CES a partnership with BlackBerry to develop a new software platform for connected vehicles.


60,000 Perodua Myvis booked, 28,000 units delivered

                PETALING JAYA: Perodua has to date delivered 28,000 Myvis – nearly half of the 60,000 orders collected so far – as the compact carmaker further increases production of the popular hatchback.

Perodua Sales Sdn Bhd managing director Datuk Dr Zahari Husin said customers who have made their Myvi bookings now will receive their cars before the Raya holidays.

To date, Perodua has fulfilled all new Myvi orders made in 2017.

READ MORE:
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Dr Zahari said that based on the strong demand for Perodua’s latest offering and its other models, the company estimates its market share for February to surpass 41% with 17,100 vehicles sold against an estimated 41,100-unit Total Industry Volume (TIV).

Making up the 17,100 units were 6,500 Myvis, 5,000 Axias, 3,700 Bezzas and 1,900 Alzas.

On a year-on- year basis, Perodua’s sales performance improved by 13.1% to 34,800 units against 30,800 vehicles sold in the first two months of 2017.

Perodua targets to sell 209,000 units this year – a 2% increase from the 204,900 units sold in 2017.