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Category: Automotive

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest Auto and Car news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Unicom launches trial of Nokia VSR

    Unicom launches trial of Nokia VSR

    China Unicom has launched a live trial of Nokia’s Virtualized Services Router for around 5,000 residential broadband subscribers.

    The trial in the province of Shandong involves the delivery of residential broadband over an agile network based on virtualized network functions.

    China Unicom is using Nokia VSR as a virtualized broadband network gateway (BNG) for residential subscriber management functions.

    The operator plans to migrate massive BNG services to the virtualized platform as part of an initiative to transform its metro server edge.

    China Unicom plans to extend the trial to other parts of the network over the next two years as it moves to the next phase of the trial, which will incorporate the delivery of IPTV services.

    “We are proud to be a part of China Unicom’s initiative to evolve its metro edge to a cloud-centric architecture,” Nokia head of IP routing and packet core Sri Reddy said.

    “The Nokia VSR provides delivery of broad and rich virtualized IP edge applications with superior performance and enhanced scalability. Upon completion of this network transformation project, China Unicom will ensure increased operational efficiency and deliver a superior customer experience for its subscribers.”

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  • Apple self-driving car testing plan gives clues to tech program

    Apple self-driving car testing plan gives clues to tech program

    Apple Inc outlined a plan to train operators of self-driving cars in documents submitted to California regulators earlier this month, the latest clues to the company’s autonomous vehicle technology aspirations.

    Apple was granted a permit to test self-driving cars on April 14 by the California Department of Motor Vehicles but the company has never said anything about its plan.

    The state released 41 pages of Apple application documents to Reuters that give some clues about the company’s highly secret self-driving effort, which it has never openly acknowledged.

    The iPhone maker joins a long list of carmakers, start-ups and technology rivals, including Alphabet’s Waymo, that are testing cars on state roads. Apple is looking for new hit products and autonomous car technology is expected to revolutionize the traditional auto industry.

    As part of the application, Apple included a 10-page training plan that appeared to be related to operators taking back manual control of the car during automated driving exercises of the system, which it calls a development platform.

    Apple declined comment beyond the filing.

    The plan includes a document called “Automated System: Development Platform Specific Training Overview” whose objective is “to train safety drivers in various automated driving conditions.”

    “Development platform will be controlled electronically (e.g. joystick) and safety drivers must be ready to intervene and take control,” the document reads.

    The document highlights different scenarios to be tested, from high speed driving and tight U-turns to lane changes.

    One letter sent from Apple to the state Department of Motor Vehicles noted that Apple’s development platform “will have the ability to capture and store relevant data before a collision occurs.”

    The document does not include detail on how Apple’s self-driving platform actually works or other technical details. It also does not say what kind of sensors are found on Apple’s three permitted vehicles, all 2015 Lexus model RX450h.

    The permit does not necessarily mean that Apple itself is building a full car. Apple could instead be designing a self-driving platform that can be integrated into other manufacturer’s cars.

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  • New BMW M4 CS revealed

    New BMW M4 CS revealed

    High-performance coupe gets more power to level the 0-100kph time with the two-door Audi RS5 and Mercedes-AMG C63 S. Thanks to an improving competition, BMW has made a fourth version of the M4 called CS (Club Sport) following the regular model, Competition Package and GTS.

    As seen in these first official pictures, the M4 CS highlights some sporty details like front splitter and rear spoiler made from carbonfibre. Inside, there’s a steering wheel clad with Alcantara and the handles on the slimmed-down door panels have been replaced with loops.

    BMW has tweaked the 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline-six engine to 460hp and 600Nm for the M4 CS. That’s 10hp and 50Nm more than in the M4 Competition Package.

    As a result, the M4 CS goes from 0-100kph in 3.9sec – a tenth of a second quicker than the M4 Competition Package. And because the M4 CS comes with the M Driver’s pack as standard, the electronically limited top speed has been raised from 250kph to 280kph.

    Speaking of the acceleration time, the M4 CS is now level with Audi’s latest RS5 Coupe and Mercedes-AMG C63 S Coupe.

    The M4 GTS is faster with a 3.8sec time. However, BMW’s intention with the M4 CS is to create a go-faster model suited for public roads; the M4 GTS has been developed with the race track in mind.

    That’s one reason why the M4 CS still has rear seats and omits the roll-cage fitted in the two-seat M4 GTS. BMW says the M4 CS’s 7min 38sec lap time around the Nurburgring falls in between the M4 Competition Package and M4 GTS.

    According to BMW, the exhaust sound in the M4 CS can be adjusted by a mode selector. As well, drifts can be made easier in the M4 CS thanks to the M Dynamic diff being modified to allow greater wheel slip.

    Standard in the M4 CS is seven-speed dual-clutch automatic with paddle-shift, M adaptive suspension and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres. Carbon-ceramic brakes, however, are optional.

    The M4 CS will only be built in limited numbers and is expected to command a slight premium over the lesser M4s at just over 10 million baht.

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  • 2017 Mercedes-Benz S-Class facelift includes new engines

    2017 Mercedes-Benz S-Class facelift includes new engines

    Flagship saloon receives mandatory mid-life design tweaks and new inline-six and eight-cylinder engines.  The Mercedes-Benz S-class you see here in official pictures is a mid-life refresh of the current generation that’s currently making its debut at the Shanghai motor show.

    Stuttgart’s flagship saloon gets a more prominent face thanks to more accentuated air vents in the bumper. The interior has also been updated with new materials and sportier-looking steering wheel for AMG-trimmed models.

    Mercedes-Benz usually showcases its latest technologies in the S-class before letting them filter down into other models. And while the S-class can already do many things in a semi-autonomous manners, it has raised the bar of its so-called Distronic Active Proximity Control and Active Steering Assist systems.

    Apart from being able to automatically accelerate and brake within speed limits, the S-class can also self-steer for half-a-minute. These features are probably the most advanced driver-assist technologies available so far in a production-ready vehicle.

    After using V6 engines for many years, Mercedes-Benz has returned with a straight-six petrol and diesel engines. These 3.0-litre motors are said to be developments of the existing 2.0-litre four-pot motors and are hooked up to 48V electrical motor and compressor systems and lithium-ion batteries to help enhance performance, as well as reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

    There are two outputs for the diesel head including 286hp for the S350d and 340hp for S400d. The petrol version gets plug-in ability to allow for 50km of pure electric driving. This particular model is called S560e and replaces the S500e, which had 3.0-litre V6 petrol-electric hybrid.

    On the high performance front, the 455hp 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 seen in the S500 has been superseded by a smaller 468hp 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8, now called S560.

    As the Thai government is now trying to lure carmakers in bringing EV technology to Thailand, Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) will continue to focus purely on plug-in hybrid for the revised S-class when sales start toward the end of this year.

    As reported earlier, this particular hybrid drivetrain will also appear in a performance-oriented version of the E-class Coupe. The rumoured Mercedes-AMG E50 is said to develop over 400hp when petrol power is combined with electricity.

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  • Jaguar F-Type gets four-pot turbo power

    Jaguar F-Type gets four-pot turbo power

    New entry-level sports car may not match the performance credentials of the Porsche Cayman on paper but is set to be significantly cheaper in price in Thai showrooms.

    The Jaguar F-Type Coupe you see here in official pictures is the new entry-level model powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol-turbo engine. This new motor is also available in the Convertible version.

    For the sake of differentiation, this particular F-Type gets a single exhaust pipe mounted centrally behind where you can also find a new diffuser design. The 3.0 V6 models get two tailpipes, while the 5.0 V8 receives four of them.

    And since the F-Type is now three years old in its current generation, Jaguar has given new mag wheels and slightly massaged the front end with new LED lights and bumper.

    What’s the power like?

    Jaguar has taken its new Ingenium four-pot engine from other models and tuned it to 300hp – between 50-100hp more than in other applications. Maximum torque is rated at 400Nm attained at 1,500rpm. Drive in this F-Type goes via eight-speed automatic to just the rear wheels.

    Jaguar claims a 0-100kph time of 5.7sec – 0.4sec slower than the F-Type fitted with 340hp 3.0-litre supercharged V6. However, the four-potter is said to be 16% more fuel efficient while spewing out 163g/km of CO2; the V6 emits 199g/km.

    Although the acceleration time may by slightly slower, the four-pot F-Type may have the chance of being more agile to drive because Jaguar says it is 52kg lighter than the V6. But what also remains to be seen is whether the engine noise would be as tuneful as the V6.

    How does it fare against the Cayman?

    The Porsche Cayman comes with 300hp 2.0-litre flat-four turbo-petrol engine, seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and a quicker 4.9sec (4.7sec with launch control) acceleration time.

    But the Cayman already costs one million baht more than the 7.99 million baht F-Type V6. This means than the F-Type in 300hp suit should be priced even lower than that level when sales start later this year, although punters must be content with the inferior on-paper performance figures the front-engined Jag concedes to the mid-engined Porsche.

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  • VW brand recovery helps to power Volkswagen profit rise

    VW brand recovery helps to power Volkswagen profit rise

    Volkswagen reported a 28 percent jump in first-quarter operating profit, helped by a return to earnings growth at its core VW brand which has struggled to recover from the German carmaker’s diesel emissions scandal.

    Group operating profit came to 4.4 billion euros ($4.7 billion) in the three months to the end of March, compared with 3.4 billion in the year-earlier period, Volkswagen said on Tuesday as it published key financial figures ahead of schedule.

    Although the group has bounced back from the scandal and overtook Japan’s Toyota (7203.T) last year to become the world’s biggest selling carmaker, analysts view a turnaround at the VW brand as key to its prospects.

    Volkswagen said on Tuesday that first-quarter operating earnings at the VW brand came to around 900 million euros, up from 73 million in the year-earlier period.

    “Causal factors for the Volkswagen Brand result include the success of new model introductions, particularly the Tiguan, and a strong financial performance in the West European market,” Volkswagen said in a statement.

    “Optimized fixed costs also positively affected the result,” it added.

    DZ Bank analyst Michael Punzet, who has a “hold” recommendation on VW’s stock, said he had expected the brand’s operating profit to come to around 500 million euros.

    Volkswagen said its other brands, which include Audi and Skoda, also contributed to the good performance but did not provide details. E

    It said it still expected to report a full-year group return on sales of between 6 and 7 percent this year.

    “If Q2 continues to do well, we expect VW to increase its full-year guidance in summer,” said Evercore ISI analyst Arndt Ellinghorst, who had expected first-quarter group operating profit of around 3.8 billion euros.

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  • Tesla to recall 53,000 cars over parking brake issue

    Tesla to recall 53,000 cars over parking brake issue

    Tesla Inc said on Thursday it would recall 53,000 of its Model S and Model X cars globally to fix a parking brake issue.

    Shares of the U.S. luxury electric car maker were down nearly 1 percent at $302.77 in afternoon trading, following its biggest ever recall. (bit.ly/2ovjTzb)

    Tesla’s total production for 2016 was 83,922 vehicles and included both Model S and Model X.

    “The electric parking brakes installed on Model S and Model X vehicles built between February and October 2016 may contain a small gear that could have been manufactured improperly by our third-party supplier,” Tesla said in a statement on its website.

    The car maker said there had been no accidents or injuries due to the issue.

    Tesla said less than 5 percent of the vehicles being recalled may be affected and it would take less than 45 minutes to replace the brakes.

    The company also said it would send an official recall notice to its customers.

    Tesla, led by entrepreneur Elon Musk, had said last year it would recall 2,700 Model X sport utility vehicles in the United States due to a faulty locking hinge in third-row seats.

    The company said on Thursday it was working with Italian supplier Freni Brembo to get the replacement parts.

    Brembo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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  • Honda to invest $124 mn to advance vehicle innovation

    Honda to invest $124 mn to advance vehicle innovation

    Japanese automobile manufacturer Honda is going to invest $124 million (approx Rs 802 crore) to establish a multifunctional aeroacoustic wind tunnel facility to advance vehicle innovation and enhance the world-class testing facilities at the Transportation Research Center (TRC), in East Liberty, Ohio.

    The groundbreaking is slated for the late summer of 2017, informed the automaker in a statement.

    “This new facility will further enhance our ability to efficiently create products of the highest quality for our customers,” said Frank Paluch, president of Honda R&D Americas.

    “It will be integral to our aerodynamic and aeroacoustic R&D activity, which spans from advanced research and computer simulation, through scale-model and full vehicle development, to production vehicle performance assurance. And all of this is being done right here in the US.”

    “This innovative and industry leading asset provides us with another distinct reason for our customers to take advantage of the world-class testing facilities we have in Ohio at TRC,” said Mark-Tami Hotta, president and CEO of the Transportation Research Center.

    The aeroacoustic wind tunnel facility will have space for four secure and confidential customer bays, providing the opportunity for use by customers other than Honda.

    The advanced acoustic design will drive the next generation of wind noise reduction by utilising a strategic system of microphones and cameras set up to measure and identify potential noise issues on both the exterior and interior of a vehicle during the development stage, added the company.

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  • Honda to launch all-electric battery car in China next year

    Honda to launch all-electric battery car in China next year

    Japan’s Honda Motor will launch an all-electric battery car in China next year as demand for plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) expands in the world’s largest automobile market, a senior company executive said.

    Yasuhide Mizuno, Honda’s China chief, told reporters on the sidelines of the Shanghai auto show on Wednesday the automaker was “expediting” the development of the EV. He said he expects the car to arrive in showrooms before the end of next year.

    Mizuno added that plug-in hybrid models would likely follow, but did not say when that car might hit the market in China.

    Carmakers in China are scrambling to develop and sell so-called new energy vehicles (NEVs) in anticipation of tougher new rules expected to be implemented as early as next year.

    Those rules will likely require companies to generate as much as eight percent of their China sales with plug-in cars, either fully-electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles.

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  • Daimler says yet to choose semiconductor partner for autonomous cars

    Daimler says yet to choose semiconductor partner for autonomous cars

    German automaker Daimler has yet to select a semiconductor provider for its autonomous cars’ development partnership with supplier Robert Bosch, Mercedes-Benz research and development chief Ola Kaellenius said on Wednesday.

    Earlier this month, Daimler and Bosch announced a strategic partnership to develop self-driving cars.

    “We have not selected the computing supplier, and there are several capable options in the market,” Kaellenius told reporters at a roundtable discussion at the Shanghai Motor Show.

    “We are working with several partners in pre-development. What we see being available in the coming years looks very promising,” he said.

    Semiconductor manufacturers including Intel , Nvidia, and Qualcomm have started expanding their automotive product offerings in recent months as self-driving cars drive an “arms race” among suppliers.

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  • Vietnam’s car imports jump 34 pct y/y in Q1 on tax cuts

    Vietnam’s car imports jump 34 pct y/y in Q1 on tax cuts

    Vietnam’s car imports have risen a staggering 34.4 percent from a year ago to 26,500 units, with more than half of them coming from low-tariff markets in Southeast Asia, customs figures show.

    The car import value in the first quarter edged up just 1 percent from the same period last year to $488 million, data from the General Customs Department showed.

    Cars from Southeast Asian countries totaled 14,460 units, accounting for 55 percent of the quarterly import volume and which jumped 67.6 percent from a year ago, the data show. The import from Indonesia increased five-fold.

    The strong purchase was fueled by large tariff cuts from major markets like Indonesia and Thailand, citing several importers. The import tariffs on cars from ASEAN countries have been cut to 30 percent as of January 2017, from 40 percent last year, before being fully removed in 2018.

    The tax cuts have helped reduce the retail price in Vietnam by 6-7 percent, the businesses said.

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  • Osram eyes acquisitions of up to $530 million

    Osram eyes acquisitions of up to $530 million

    German lighting company Osram is on the lookout for acquisitions worth up to 500 million euros ($530 million), although there are no specific plans for a deal as yet, its finance chief told Retail News.

    Osram wants to strengthen the areas of electronics and software within its automotive lighting unit and is looking for acquisition targets or partners, Ingo Bank told Boersen-Zeitung in an interview published on Saturday.

    Acquisitions for its Opto semiconductors unit would also be attractive if they opened up access to markets, he said.

    Osram has funds available after the sale of lamps division LEDvance, which brought in gross proceeds of about 500 million euros, and thanks to its strong balance sheet, Bank said.

    “We have a lot of firepower and the ability to act. However, we will not be making the error of buying for the sake of it,” the paper quoted him as saying.

  • Tianjin FAW Xiali Auto expects Q1 net loss to widen

    Tianjin FAW Xiali Auto expects Q1 net loss to widen

    Tianjin Faw Xiali Automobile Says it expects Q1 net loss to widen to 240-290 million yuan from 166.9 million yuan ($24.24 million) year ago.

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  • Apple receives permit in California to test self-driving cars

    Apple receives permit in California to test self-driving cars

    Apple Inc has secured a permit to test autonomous vehicles in California, fuelling speculation that it is working on self-driving car technology in a crowded arena of companies hoping to offer those cars to the masses.

    The permit allows it to conduct test drives in three vehicles with six drivers, the state Department of Motor Vehicles said on Friday. The vehicles are all 2015 Lexus RX450h, according to the DMV.

    Although it has never openly acknowledged it is looking into building an electric car, Apple has recruited dozens of auto experts in recent years, and the permit pulls the curtain back a bit on any possible plan.

    “This does confirm what’s long been rumored: that Apple is at least toying with the idea of getting into the autonomous game in some capacity,” said Chris Theodore, president of consultancy Theodore & Associates, and a former vice president at Ford Motor and Chrysler.

    The permit does not mean Apple is definitely building a car. “This is not necessarily automobiles as initially rumored, but software or possibly hardware associated with autonomous technology,” Theodore said.

    An Apple spokesman declined to comment directly on the filing, pointing back to a statement the company made in November when it wrote to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on the subject of regulating self-driving vehicles.

    “The company is investing heavily in the study of machine learning and automation, and is excited about the potential of automated systems in many areas, including transportation,” Apple’s director of product integrity, Steve Kenner, wrote in that five-page letter.

    Apple executives have been coy about their interest in cars. Chief Executive Tim Cook has suggested that Apple wants to move beyond integration of Apple smartphones into vehicle infotainment systems.

    Apple joins a growing list of traditional carmakers, technology companies, and small start ups to test drive cars in California – all vying to be the first to have commercially viable vehicles on the roads.

    Companies that have been issued permits also include Alphabet Google unit, Ford Motor, Volkswagen AG, Daimler AG, Tesla Motors and General Motors.

    Many companies have said the first cars will launch in 2020 but some experts believe it may take much longer due to regulatory challenges.

  • Volkswagen to build new SUV

    Volkswagen to build new SUV

    Volkswagen AG plans to build another new sport utility vehicle at its Chattanooga, Tennessee, plant as demand surges for larger vehicles, the German company’s top U.S. executive said on Wednesday.

    VW Group of America Chief Executive Officer Hinrich Woebcken told reporters at the New York auto show that the automaker planned to build a five-seat SUV in Tennessee, but he declined to say when production would begin. The news follows VW’s 2014 announcement that the company would spent $900 million to build a new SUV in Tennessee.

    VW, the largest automaker worldwide by sales, will start selling its new seven-seat VW Atlas SUV next month.

    Woebcken said VW was shifting focus in the United States from a mainly car brand to a “family friendly” automaker offering larger, U.S.-built SUVs.

    At the show, major automakers said they expected the popularity of SUVs to increase in the United States. SUVs’ share of U.S. vehicle sales rose to nearly 40 percent in 2016 from 32.6 percent in 2014.

    Woebcken would not say whether VW would add additional workers in Tennessee to build the new SUV.

    VW will sell four separate SUVs in the United States later this year, a figure that does not include the new one.

    The company said on Tuesday that it would continue selling the current Tiguan as the “Tiguan Limited” for several years even as it plans to offer a completely new, larger version later this year. The company also announced it was offering an industry-leading six-year, 72,000 mile warranty on its new SUVs.

    As part of its diesel emissions settlement, Volkswagen has agreed to add at least three additional electric vehicles, including an SUV, in California by 2020 and must sell an average of 5,000 electric vehicles annually there through 2025.

    Woebcken said he hopes that decision will help boost the company’s image in the United States. VW has agreed to spend up to $25 billion to buy back vehicles and resolve claims from U.S. regulators, dealers, owners and states.

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