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Tag: Auto

  • Lamborghini Huracan Evo Spyder Launch Date Announced

    Lamborghini Huracan Evo Spyder Launch Date Announced

    After launching the Lamborghini Huracan Evo coupe earlier this year in February, the Italian marque is now ready to bring in its convertible version – the Huracan Evo Spyder. The new drop-top Hurcan Evo is slated to be launched in India on October 10, with the inauguration of Lamborghini’s new showroom in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Compared to the regular coupe version, the convertible Huracan Evo is 120 kg heavier and comes with an electro-hydraulic roof-folding mechanism that can lower the soft-top in 17 seconds at speeds of up to 50 kmph.

    The Lamborghini Huracan Evo Spyder comes with a familiar design with an 8.4-inch capacitive touchscreen infotainment system

    Visually, the Lamborghini Huracan Evo is identical to the coupe version of the car, save for body-coloured bumpers instead of black ones, and blacked-out A-pillars. At the rear, this too comes with the new ducktail spoiler balanckt downforce and drag on the two-door, while the underbody has been revised to make it more slippery and aerodynamic friendly. The cabin, at the same time, comes with a familiar design with an 8.4-inch capacitive touchscreen infotainment system that offers controls for a bunch of in-car function like climate control, cell-phone connectivity and much more. The system also gets Apple CarPlay along with voice command system and a dual-camera telemetry system with a high-capacity hard disk as part of the features package.

    The Lamborghini Huracan Evo Spyder gets the same 5.2-litre V10 motor that powers the coupe version

    Powering the new Lamborghini Huracan Evo is the same 5.2-litre V10 motor that powers the coupe version. In fact, the engine is tuned to churn out the same 631 bhp at 8,000 rpm and develop the same peak torque of 600 Nm at 6,500 rpm. The engine comes mated to a 7-speed Lamborghini Doppia Frizione (LDF) dual-clutch transmission and comes with an all-wheel-drive system. The Huracan Evo goes from 0-100 kmph in 3.1 seconds, that is 0.2 seconds slower than the coupe version, and 0-200 kmph is achieved in 9.3 seconds, and that is 0.3 seconds slower than the coupe version. However, the top speed is the same 325 kmph.

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  • Tesla Automated Parking Problems Seen Liability Of App ‘Driver’ For Now

    Tesla Automated Parking Problems Seen Liability Of App ‘Driver’ For Now

    Tesla Inc owners summoning their driverless cars in parking lots are likely liable for crashes, lawyers said after a series of internet videos showed problems with cars running new software.

    If the accidents pile up, though, Tesla itself is sure to be brought into a legal fight, insurance industry experts said.

    The incidents highlight a shifting landscape for long-held assumptions about auto insurance and accident blame as more car manufacturers offer features that can automate parallel parking, avoid collisions, and take over steering during traffic, among other things.

    A Tesla software update last week added a so-called Smart Summon feature for some customers. When the car is within 200 feet and in their line of sight, they can use a phone app to summon the vehicle in a parking lot. Users start the car by holding down a button and stop the car by releasing it, Tesla said in instructions, warning users to be careful.

    U.S. regulators are looking into parking lot crashes involving Tesla cars driving themselves to their owners, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Wednesday.

    “This was an interesting one to explain to my insurance,” wrote one user in YouTube and Twitter video posts of a Tesla scraping against a garage door frame while exiting in summon mode. “Silly feature cost me time and money.”

    Tesla did not respond to a request for comment but Chief Executive Elon Musk on Wednesday tweeted that there were more than 550,000 Smart Summon uses in the first few days.

    Insurance claims for such incidents will go through the car owner’s traditional auto coverage, said Jennifer Dukarski, a lawyer in Ann Arbor, Michigan, who represents automotive suppliers in disputes about safety and autonomous car technology.

    “But as the number of incidents build, you’ll find someone who will entertain a class action [lawsuit] dealing with a product defect,” Dukarski said.

    Automated features also raise the question of whether the owner or the auto manufacturer is at fault when accidents occur.

    “The rationale for the owner being responsible is that the laws have not caught up to autonomous vehicles,” said Keith McKenna, an insurance lawyer in New York who represents corporate policyholders.

    If fully-automated cars someday becomes the norm, liability will shift to manufacturers and their insurance, McKenna said.

    The technology is not sophisticated enough to be deemed “driverless” under California’s motor vehicle rules, the California Department of Motor Vehicles said, essentially leaving the app user outside of the car responsible for accidents.

    Still, limitations to the app and other features make Tesla more responsible when accidents occur, said Mike Morgan, a Florida personal injury lawyer. His firm sued Tesla last year on behalf of a client who blames Tesla for his car crashing into a disabled vehicle.

    “You are still responsible for your car and must monitor it and its surroundings at all times and be within your line of sight because it may not detect all obstacles,” Tesla said in instructions for the new feature.

    But it may be too late to avoid a crash when a user attempts to stop the car, Morgan said.

    “These vehicles provide a false sense of human control,” Morgan said.

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  • Toyota, Mahindra Decide To Stop Usage Of Single Use Plastic

    Toyota, Mahindra Decide To Stop Usage Of Single Use Plastic

    Over time cars and car companies have been blamed of contaminating the environment. Be it emission, exhausting fossil fuel or adding up to the noise pollution, cars have been the soft target to point the finger on. That said, the situation need not remain the same always. While carmakers are adhering to the government’s upcoming emission standards, fuel efficiency norms and electrification targets in a bid to curb pollution, some are also taking steps to refine their production methods. Automakers like Toyota and Mahindra have decided to eliminate the use of single-use plastic in their manufacturing process.

    As part of the six challenges to be achieved by 2050, Toyota is trying to establish a recycling-based society and systems. The move ensures zero waste directly to landfills and achieves recyclability of 96 percent, at its operating plant at Bidadi, Karnataka and also helps in reducing45per cent of the plastic footprint. Commenting on the initiative Masakazu Yoshimura, Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “Keeping in-line with our global Toyota Environment Challenge 2050 and aligned with honorable Prime Minister’s nationwide campaign to limit the consumption of single-use plastic, we have proactively implemented several initiatives encouraging our stakeholders to reduce, recycle and reuse, as a step towards a better tomorrow.”

    Mahindra’s initiative could also be extended in Ford’s Chennai and Sanand plant following their recent JV.

    Along with Toyota, even Mahindra has taken steps in this direction. Pawan Goenka, Managing Director, Mahindra & Mahindra put out in a tweet today that all 15 manufacturing plants of Mahindra & Mahundra have committed to stop using single use plastic latest by the end of this year. The move is crucial, even much so at a time when Mahindra has partnered with Ford in its India operations. It will have 51 per cent ownership in its India business, in-turn taking the charge of its Chennai and Sanand manufacturing plants which means we can hope the initiative being extended to even these plants by the day.

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  • Tesla Announces Record Deliveries Of 97,000 Cars In Q3

    Tesla Announces Record Deliveries Of 97,000 Cars In Q3

    Electric car manufacturer Tesla has delivered approximately 97,000 cars around the world in the third quarter of 2019, falling short of the 100,000 milestone the company had hoped for.

    “We achieved record net orders in Q3 and are entering Q4 with an increase in our order backlog. As was also the case in Q2, nearly all of our Model 3 orders were received from customers who did not previously hold a reservation, solidifying the transition to generating strong organic demand,” the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

    During the last quarter the company managed to deliver 95,200 vehicles to customers across the globe, which broke a record the company set in the fourth quarter of last year.

    Earlier, in an e-mail sent to employees Musk said that the company has a chance to deliver at least 100,000 vehicles this quarter. “We have a shot at achieving our first 100,000 vehicle delivery quarter, which is an incredibly exciting milestone for our company!” Musk said.

    In addition, Tesla is buying DeepScale, a California-based small artificial intelligence (AI) start-up, to improve its Autopilot driver assistance system. The acquisition could help Tesla fill the talent gap in the autopilot group.

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  • Ford Self-Driving Cars To Launch In Austin In 2021

    Ford Self-Driving Cars To Launch In Austin In 2021

    Ford Motor said on Wednesday it will add Austin, Texas, to the shortlist of cities where it plans to launch a commercial transportation service using automated vehicles in 2021.

    The U.S. automaker previously said it would begin transporting people and goods in automated vehicles in Miami and Washington.

    Ford’s self-driving system, now being tested in Fusion Hybrid sedans, is being jointly developed with Argo AI, a Pittsburgh-based startup in which Ford and Volkswagen AG together hold a majority stake.

    Sherif Marakby, chief executive of Ford Autonomous Vehicles, said Ford plans to launch the commercial transportation service in 2021 in a purpose-built hybrid vehicle that can be equipped to carry either people or goods.

    Peter Rander, president of Argo AI, said development teams soon will be manually driving the Fusion test vehicles in Austin, mapping the city streets and assessing driver and pedestrian behaviors ahead of the commercial launch.

    Alphabet Inc’s Waymo last year introduced an automated ride service with human attendants in Phoenix, using specially outfitted Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans it buys from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

    General Motors Co’s Cruise Automation said in July it planned to delay commercial deployment of automated vehicles in San Francisco beyond its initial target of 2019 because more testing was required.

  • Skoda Dealerships Get A New Corporate Identity Theme Across India

    Skoda Dealerships Get A New Corporate Identity Theme Across India

    Skoda Auto India has redesigned and rebranded its entire dealership and service network across 53 cities in India. All 63 dealerships and 61 service stations have been designed according to the new corporate identity and design (CICD) theme. The rebranding is in line with Volkswagen Group’s India 2.0 project and all dealership will get the corporate architecture and functional interiors design concept in a bid to enhance and simplify the customer experience. Skoda along with its dealer partners has invested ₹ 1200 million in India for rebranding its dealerships.

    Zac Hollis, Director – Sales, Service and Marketing at Skoda Auto India said, “Skoda has successfully rebranded its entire network of dealership facilities with a Fresh, Modern, and ‘Simply Clever’ layout that elevates the presentation of the brand and is an important cornerstone of the Skoda led ‘INDIA 2.0’ project. Through our redesigned dealership network we are focusing on strengthening the brand in India while working closely with our channel partners to guarantee sustainability. The transformation of our sales and service facilities envisioned to provide enhanced customer experience, is rated positively by our customers, dealer partners, and sales and service personnel.”

    Skoda is leading the charge for the project India 2.0 which aims at local development and better positioning of the brands (both Volkswagen Passenger Cars and Skoda Auto India) in India. Apart from revamping its dealerships, both companies will also hire local staff in every demography who have a better understanding of the regional culture and are fluent in local language. Moreover, India will see a slew of indigenously developed Skoda and VW model in future which will be based on the MQB AO platform.

  • Tata Motors Ranked 31 In Forbes’ World’s Best Regarded Companies 2019 List

    Tata Motors Ranked 31 In Forbes’ World’s Best Regarded Companies 2019 List

    Tata Motors has recently bagged the 31st spot on Forbes’ World’s Best Regarded Companies 2019 list. The home-grown automaker has been ranked 31 out of the 2000 companies from across the globe, taking a major leap from its 70th position from last year’s list. Furthermore, out of the 16 other Indian Companies in Forbes’ global list, Tata Motors has also emerged amongst the top five ranked global automobile manufacturers. In fact, in addition to Tata Motors, other companies from Tata Group that have been featured on the Forbes list include Tata Consulting Services and Tata Steel.

    The selection process for the Best Regarded Companies involve evaluating over 15,000 survey participants from more than 50 countries. These global companies are then assessed based on several parameters like – trustworthiness, social conduct, company as an employer and performance of the product or service.

    Commenting on being features in the Forbes’ list, Guenter Butschek, CEO & MD, Tata Motors Limited said, “We are delighted to have been featured on the Forbes World’s Best Regarded Companies 2019 List. Being in the top 50, from a total of 2000 and raising the India flag high with 5th rank across the global automobile industry is indeed a great feeling. It is a testament to the aspirational work that Tata Motors has been consistently doing on the business front while holding up the Tata Group’s ethos. We are very happy to have our efforts validated and we are further encouraged to keep the momentum going and create new benchmarks.”

  • Maserati’s First Electrified Model To Roll Out In 2020

    Maserati’s First Electrified Model To Roll Out In 2020

    The electric vehicle segment is catching the attention of premium carmakers globally. It’s been quite some time now that the German trio- Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi have introduced their electric vehicles or concepts and other carmakers are joining the fray. Just a day after Volvo announced its first fully electric vehicle- the XC40 Electric, Maserati has shared plans about its electrified products. In line with Fiat Chrysler Automobile (FCA) group’s 5 Billion Euro investment in Italy, Maserati has announced plans for electrification and autonomous driving technologies.

    The company has said that all Maserati new models will be made completely in Italy and will be powered by hybrid and battery electric powertrains offering unique driving modes, extended driving range and ultra-fast charging Capabilities. Moreover, all new Maserati cars, including updated models, will feature a range of autonomous driving capabilities like the Maserati Level 3 Highway Assist which enables the car to be driven with hands off the steering wheel, it can maneuver in and out of lanes and can bring the vehicle to a halt at the side of the road just in case the driver is unable to take control.

    Maserati will introduce its first electrified model in 2020 which will be a Maserati Ghibli Hybrid. It will be manufactured at the Modena plant where the company is significantly upgrading the production line along with investing 800 Million Euros for a new production line. The first pre-production cars are expected to be rolled off by 2021. The company will also manufacture the all-new Gran Turismo and Gran Cabrio in Turin where FCA is investing another 800 Million Euros. Between 2019 and 2021, FCA will be developing 13 new or significantly updated models and electrified versions of 12 models including Maserati and Alfa Romeo cars.

  • Vietnam Car imports plummet in August

    Vietnam Car imports plummet in August

    Vietnam imported around 9,000 completely built-up cars in August, down from the average of 12,500 in the previous seven months.

    The imports cost $174 million, according to the General Statistics Office.

    Imports dropped sharply in August because it coincides with the seventh lunar month, traditionally called the “ghost month” in which locals avoid buying new things to avoid bad luck, said car dealerships.

    Vietnam imported over 96,000 CBU units worth a total of $2.1 billion in the first eight months of this year.

    This represents an increase of 320 percent in volume and 300 percent in value from the same period last year, when the government issued a decree with tougher conditions, requiring importers to provide certain certificates to ensure quality and countries of origin.

    Vietnam imported 72,650 cars last year, down nearly 20 percent over 2017, according to Vietnam Customs. But their value exceeded $1.64 billion, up 21 percent.

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  • Audi recalls imported cars with brake faults

    Audi recalls imported cars with brake faults

    Audi Vietnam has announced a recall program to inspect and replace faulty main brake cylinders on 21 Audi Q5 crossovers.

    Distributors of the German car in Vietnam will recall the Audi Q5 Sport 2.0 TFSI Quattro and Q5 Design 2.0 TFSI Quattro models, made between July 2018 and March 2019 and imported as completely built units (CBU) into Vietnam.

    Due to an error in making the main hydraulic brake cylinder, brake oil could leak after prolonged use, damaging the brake system and increasing accident risks, said Vietnam Register, the agency under the Ministry of Transport that is in charge of registering vehicles, in a statement.

    However, Audi said the emergency braking function of the vehicles’ electronic parking brakes is not affected, and that so far, Audi has not recorded any accident related to the above problem.

    The recall and inspection program will take place until June 10, 2020.

    Audi opened its first dealership in Ho Chi Minh City in 2008, and now possesses three dealerships, the other two in Hanoi and Da Nang.

  • Daimler Says To Pay 870 Million Euro Fine Over Diesel Recalls

    Daimler Says To Pay 870 Million Euro Fine Over Diesel Recalls

    Daimler says to pay 870 mn euro fine over diesel recalls

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  • Nokian Tyres Says High Inventories In Europe To Hurt H2 Sales

    Nokian Tyres Says High Inventories In Europe To Hurt H2 Sales

    European distributors are holding back from buying costly winter tyres due to high inventories, Finland’s Nokian Tyres said on Thursday, adding it saw weakness in its Russian market too.

    “We expect short-term weakness in sales volume throughout Central Europe to continue during the remainder of the year,” Chief Executive Hille Korhonen told an investor call.

    Korhonen said summer tyre inventories in Central Europe were higher than normal, leading distributors to hold back on stocking winter tyres.

    “So it seems that the order intake is slower compared to many, many years and they will be ordering goods closer to the season,” Korhonen said, adding oversupply was putting pressure on prices.

    Korhonen said the company’s view on the Russian market had worsened through the year.

    “There is increasing uncertainty in the Russian market and my meetings with all key distributors in Russia earlier this month confirmed the weakness,” Korhonen said.

    Shares in Nokian were 3% lower in late trading.

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  • Toyota To Expand Sao Paulo Plant

    Toyota To Expand Sao Paulo Plant

    Toyota Motor announced a 1 billion reais ($243.29 million) expansion at a plant in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, joining Volkswagen and General Motors in new investments in the region. Toyota said the funding would allow the Sorocaba plant, which builds the Etios and Yaris sedan models, to produce a new vehicle model. It did not provide details on the new model.

    Sao Paulo state has long been the heart of Brazil’s auto industry, which is, in turn, the largest in South America, but it had recently been losing steam against aggressive incentives offered by other states to lure manufacturers. Ford announced plans in February to shut down and sell one its oldest Sao Paulo plants.

    Sao Paulo Governor Joao Doria has fought back to keep manufacturing jobs in the state, devising a tax incentive program to give automakers a 25% reduction in value-added taxes as long as they invested at least 1 billion reais and created 400 new jobs.

    Toyota, however, said the Sorocaba expansion will create only 300 jobs. The company, which has two other plants in Brazil, did not immediately respond to a question about whether this would still allow it to benefit from the tax incentives.

    “During the last decade, which involved challenging times for the economy and the auto industry, Toyota remained faithful in its commitment … growing in a sustainable way,” Rafael Chang, who heads Toyota in Brazil, said in a statement.

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  • Uber Awaits Renewal Decision On Vital London License

    Uber Awaits Renewal Decision On Vital London License

    Uber is still waiting to see whether its license in London, which expires on Wednesday, will be renewed as the regulator, which previously stripped the taxi app of its right to operate in the city, remains tight-lipped about the decision. Transport for London rejected the Silicon Valley company’s license renewal request in 2017 due to failings it said it found in its approach to reporting serious criminal offenses and driver background checks, prompting legal action.

    A judge in 2018 then granted Uber a probationary 15-month license, which expires on Sept. 25, after the company had made several changes to its business model in London, the firm’s most important European market.

    A question put to London Mayor Sadiq Khan from a member of the city’s assembly about the license renewal is still awaiting a reply according to an entry on the London Authority’s website from earlier this week.

    TfL said it does not comment on individual license applications. Uber declined to comment on Friday. Among its options are giving Uber a maximum five-year license, a shorter one, or stripping the firm of its ability to operate, almost certainly prompting an appeals process during which the app would still be able to take rides, as in 2017.

    Benjamin Black, Co-Head of Internet Equity Research at analysts Evercore ISI, told Reuters he thought the firm would retain its ability to operate in London, one of its top five global markets.

    “If they lost the London license, that would be a major blow… but we just don’t see it happening,” he said.

    “Is there going to be another 15-18 month renewal or is it going to be five years? Judging by (ride-sharing firm) Ola coming in and getting a 15-month license, I think they’re going to be on the shorter cycles.”

    The 2017 license loss came just weeks after Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi took over and became a test of his ability to assuage regulator concerns as the app faced disputes with taxi firms and the authorities in different markets.Mayor Khan was critical of Uber just weeks ago and said companies must play by the rules.

    “You will know my track record which is standing up to the big boys, and they are boys, and make sure everyone plays by the rules,” he told listeners to a phone-in on LBC radio. “I don’t care how many lawyers you employ or how big your PR budget.”

  • BMW CFO Wants To Cut 5,000-6,000 Jobs By 2022

    BMW CFO Wants To Cut 5,000-6,000 Jobs By 2022

    BMW’s finance chief Nicolas Peter wants to cut between 5,000 and 6,000 jobs by 2022, mostly at the carmaker’s Munich headquarters, a German magazine reported on Thursday.

    Manager Magazin also said that Ilka Horstmeier was a favourite to head human resources, while Milan Nedeljkovic would take over as head of production.

    BMW, which declined to comment, has been undergoing a shakeup of top managers.

    In August, Oliver Zipse succeeded Harald Krueger to became chief executive officer, leaving vacant the production role he had overseen.

    On Wednesday, BMW announced that Milagros Caina Carreiro-Andree, the board member in charge of human resources, would not seek a new term, citing personal reasons.

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