VOL-9 • ISSUE-5 • FEBRUARY 2019 • `300/-
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INDIA FIRST DRIVE VIDEO
FIRST DRIVE
2019 FORCE GURKHA XTREME
FIRST DRIVE 2019 TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID ELECTRIC
FIRST DRIVE ALL-NEW MARUTI SUZUKI WAGONR
FIRST RIDE DUCATI SCRAMBLER 1100
ELECTRIC VEHICLE SPECIAL (PAGE 36)
EDITOR Punnoose Tharyan (Roy) ptharyan@motownindia.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------News Coordinator - Jisha P Special Correspondent - Aakash Paul Video Editor - Ramesh Kumar Content Manger - Vrinda Desai Digital In-charge Naveen Kumar Web Correspondents - Avdesh Kumar, Seema Paul Photo Journalists - Afsar Baig, Neeraj Panwar ---------------------------------------------------------------------For Editorial contact editorial@motownindia.com, editorial.motown@gmail.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------FOR MARKETING & SALES CONTACT Head-Operations - Jisha P jisha@motownindia.com, +91-9958125645 advertising@motownindia.com, advertising.motown@gmail.com /+91-9811097399 ---------------------------------------------------------------------FOR ACCOUNTS CONTACT Ankit Sharma, ankit@motownindia.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------FOR CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTION CONTACT subscription@motownindia.com / +91-9958125645 ----------------------------------------------------------------------Office Executive Ravinder ----------------------------------------------------------------------EDITORIAL DELHI OFFICE 145 B/9, First Floor, Kishangarh, Next to United Free Church, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110070 ----------------------------------------------------------------------EDITORIAL CONTENT The publisher makes every effort to ensure that the contents in the magazine are correct. However, he can accept no responsibility for any effects from errors or omissions. Any unauthorised reproduction of Motown India content is strictly forbidden. ---------------------------------------------------------------------Motown India is owned by Motown Publications Private Limited and published from 4058 / D-4, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi-110070. Motown India magazine is printed at Geetanjali Printers, H-1536,
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P. THARYAN (ROY) have always admired vehicles meant for real off-roading. The 2019 Force Gurkha Xtreme is one such vehicle that is meant for some hard core off-roading. We were thoroughly impressed by its capabilities on some very difficult terrains. The vehicle comes with differential locks for both front and rear wheels. With hardly any
electronics to boot, this vehicle is aimed at all those who love off-roading. Besides the Force Gurkha, we have also reviewed the new Toyota Camry Hybrid Electric and the new Maruti Suzuki WagonR. The February 2019 issue of Motown India carries a special report on electric vehicles industry. An exhaustive report on the CES 2019 also contains news from various global companies that have come out with innovative products on the technology front.
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----------------------------------------------------------------------This issue of Motown India magazine contains 72 pages including both covers. ----------------------------------------------------------------------EDITORIAL ADVISORS Alexander .T & Annie Jacob
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FEBRUARY 2019 | MOTOWN INDIA | 3
CONTE NTS VOL 9 | ISSUE 5 | FEBRUARY 2019
6
12
CAR NEWS: Mercedes-Benz
BIKE NEWS: Honda CB300R motorcycle to be priced below `2.5 lakh
in India brings in Luxury MultiPurpose Vehicle- V-Class
16
20
WHEELZ & ROADZ: 2019 Toyota Camry Hybrid Electric
28
32
WHEELZ & ROADZ: All New Maruti Suzuki WagonR
WHEELZ & ROADZ: Ducati Scrambler 1100
36
44
B2B NEWS: An Electric Dream or
TECHNOLOGY: CES 2019 concludes on turbo-charged note for automotive industry
4 | MOTOWN INDIA | FEBRUARY 2019
what are those?
24
WHEELZ & ROADZ: 2019 Force Gurkha Xtreme
an Electric Nightmare?
FEATURES: Rear seat seatbelts,
70 CV NEWS: Mahindra launches
Furio truck at `17.45 lakh onward
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CAR NEWS
Mercedes-Benz India brings in Luxury Multi - Purpose Vehicle V-Class at `68.40 lakh onward Mercedes-Benz India has launched the Luxury MultiPurpose Vehicle- V-Class. The V-Class will target the multi- purpose vehicle segment which has a potential demand. The V-Class will be available in both the 6 and 7 seater long-wheelbase (Exclusive) and extra-long-wheelbase (Expression) variants. The exshowroom price of the V-Class Expression starts at Rs 68.40 lakh and the V-Class Exclusive starts at Rs 81.90 lakh (All prices ex-showroom India). Continuing Mercedes-Benz’s BS VI transition efforts, the V 220d will be available in a 2 litre BS VI compliant diesel engine. The 2143 cc produces 380 Nm of peak torque and the does 0-100km in 10.9s. Made in Spain, this luxury multi-purpose vehicle is sold in more than 90 countries. Incidentally, the year 2019 marks 25 years of MercedesBenz in India. The Star Ease maintenance packages for the V 220 d starts at Rs.1,48,700
for 2 year/30,000 kms. The V-Class was launched in the Indian market by Martin Schwenk, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India in Mumbai.
INDIA SPEC V-CLASS: Two body styles: • Long Wheelbase: Wheelbase 3200 mm | Length – 5140 mm • Extra Long Wheelbase: Wheelbase - 3430 mm | Length – 5370 mm Key features of the Exclusive line (6 seater): • 17-inch alloys • Table package • Rear window opening with parcel shelf and shopping crates • Comfort seats in nappa leather – Silk beige, Marron and Black • AGILITY CONTROL suspension with selective damping system • Multifunction steering wheel
6 | MOTOWN INDIA | FEBRUARY 2019
in nappa leather • Ambient Lighting • 360 degree reversing camera with Active Park Assist • Electric Sliding Doors • High-Performance LED headlamps with Intelligent Light System Key features of the Expressive Line (7 seater): • 16-inch alloys • Comfort Suspension • Multifunction steering wheel • 230 mm longer wheelbase and length (more boot space) • Attention Assist PRE SAFE® • Leather Lugano Black
• Reversing Camera • Dynamic LED headlamps with Intelligent Light System Convenience features: • THERMOTRONIC 2 Zone Automatic AC | Rear AC control units • Touchpad with handwriting recognition • Grab handles for ease of entry Safety features: • 6 airbags | Attention Assist | Active Parking Assist with 360 degree camera|PRE-SAFE® The V-Class is produced at the Mercedes-Benz Vitoria plant in the Spanish Basque Country, where it contributes to ensuring that production runs at full capacity.
(optional) • Matt anthracite wave-look trim (Optional) • Sports Pedal (Optional) • Leather Steering wheel (Optional)
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CAR NEWS
First sketches of the Skoda Kamiq revealed Skoda has offered a first glimpse of the new Skoda Kamiq with two exclusive design sketches. With its powerful, rugged looks, the city SUV continues the Czech carmaker’s successful SUV design language and adds some new highlights, including split headlight with daytime running lights above – a first for Skoda. The world premiere of the new Skoda Kamiq takes place from March 5 to 17, 2019 at the Geneva Motor Show.
highlight at the front is the new two-part LED headlamp design – a first for Skoda – with the daytime running light strips positioned above the main headlights. In addition, the Kamiq is the first Skoda to have dynamic indicators at the front and rear. The headlamp lenses with crystalline effects and LED units enhance the car’s premium appeal.
At the front, the powerful and confident appearance of the new Skoda Kamiq city SUV is defined by a wide, upright radiator grille, which comes with double slats, a typical feature for the Skoda SUV design, and picks up the distinctively sculpted lines of the bonnet above. The striking tornado line visually elongates the vehicle and harmonizes perfectly with the dynamic roofline. The robust silver-coloured front spoiler underscores the model’s off-road looks. A
Oliver Stefani, Skoda Chief Designer said: “In our new Kamiq city SUV we’ve implemented a completely new headlamp configuration. The two-part headlamps with
daytime running lights above are a first for Skoda. They give the Kamiq a unique appearance and represent another interpretation of our successful SUV design language.” The tall, muscular bonnet is an important part of the
side view. The extra ground clearance, large wheels and diffuser underscore the powerful appeal of the Skoda Kamiq. Balanced proportions, clear surfaces and a modern yet timeless design maximise the model’s dynamic, sporty looks. The eye-catching and clearly defined rear demonstrates a re-interpretation of Skoda’s classic C-shaped taillight design, and features crystalline shapes similar to the front. The Skoda Kamiq is the first SUV in Europe bearing the Skoda lettering in the middle of the tailgate instead of the familiar Skoda logo.
JLR launches 2019 Discovery Sport Landmark Edition Jaguar Land Rover India announced the launch of Model Year 2019 Discovery Sport Landmark Edition. The Landmark Edition is powered by the 2.0 l Ingenium Diesel, which delivers 177hp output. The Discovery Sport Landmark Edition is available in three colours: Narvik Black, Corris Grey and Yulong White, all crowned with a Carpathian Grey contrast roof. It features a sporty and dynamic front bumper, with Graphite Atlas exterior accents and 45.72 cm (18) 5 Split Spoke 511 wheels in gloss dark grey. The vehicle’s interiors receive further aesthetic emphasis by Ebony grained leather seats and an Ebony headliner, complemented by dark grey aluminium finishers around the centre stack.
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FEBRUARY 2019 | MOTOWN INDIA | 7
CAR NEWS
Mahindra Marazzo introduces 8-seater in top-end M8 variant Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd has introduced an 8-seater option in the top-end M8 variant of its recentlylaunched Marazzo.
The M8 variant offers many top-ofthe-line features including a 7-inch touch screen infotainment system with Capsense & Haptics technology, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a reverse parking camera with dynamic guidelines, 17-inch alloy wheels, Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs), faux leather seats and window-mounted sunshades for second-row passengers. The M8 8-seater will be priced at Rs.
8,000 more than the M8 7-seater.
According to Veejay Nakra, Chief of Sales and Marketing – Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., “The globally engineered Marazzo has generated a lot of interest among buyers. This is due to its unique architecture that offers the best of both worlds in the form of car-like ride and handling coupled with the toughness and stability of a body-onframe construction. The inclusion of the 8-seater option on the top-end M8 variant will further widen the Marazzo’s appeal.”
Andhra Pradesh Police inducts Mahindra TUV300 vehicles in fleet The Andhra Pradesh Government has inducted a fleet of TUV300 SUVs in their fleet. Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh recently flagged off Mahindra TUV300 vehicles from IGM Stadium, Vijayawada. These TUV300s are part of the 242 TUV300 vehicles that have been recently inducted into the Andhra Pradesh Police fleet. The Mahindra TUV300 vehicles are the newest addition to the patrolling vehicle fleet of Andhra Pradesh Police. The TUV300 is an ideal SUV for AP Police, which offers them the ability to drive through all kinds of roads, while offering spacious seating for seven people. The TUV300 strong build and powerful mHAWK100 engine fit perfectly with the requirements of AP Police. With multiple police forces, including those from Mumbai, Rajasthan, Kerala, Arunachal Pradesh and others, now inducting the TUV300 in their respective fleets, it is fast becoming a preferred choice for the Indian police.
Mahindra opens bookings for XUV300; Launch in Feb 2019 Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M) has announced that bookings for the XUV300, its stylish new compact SUV model would begin at Mahindra dealerships across India. The XUV300 will be launched in February 2019. The XUV300 will offer an exciting cheetah-inspired design, ‘fun-to-drive’ performance, first-in-class hi-tech features, best-in-class safety and class-defining interiors. The XUV300‘s headlamps integrate with the fog lamps forming a Cheetah-like tear-duct, while the pronounced wheel arches are inspired from the muscular haunches of the Cheetah. It comes with modern grille, sculpted bonnet, pronounced shoulder and body lines, along with its elevated stance. It has dual LED DRLs and bold LED tail lamps. The XUV300 will come with both petrol and diesel engine options. The 1.5L diesel engine will produce 300Nm of peak torque while the 1.2 litre petrol engine will produce 200Nm. The XUV300 will be the first compact SUV to offer seven airbags, including a knee airbag for the driver, ensuring complete safety for all the occupants. The XUV300 will also offer disc brakes on all 4 wheels as standard on all variants. Segment-first features will include dual-zone fully automatic climate control & front parking sensors. The XUV300 will offer best-inclass width and the longest wheelbase creating ample space inside its cabin to comfortably seat 5 adults. The XUV300 will have premium leatherette seats, stylish dual-tone dashboard and an electric sunroof. The XUV300 will be available in 3 variants – W4, W6 & W8.
8 | MOTOWN INDIA | FEBRUARY 2019
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CAR NEWS
All-New Maruti Suzuki WagonR launched at `4,19,000 onward Maruti Suzuki India launched the 3rd generation WagonR at a starting price of Rs 4,19,000 ex-showroom, Delhi. In addition to the existing 1.0 L engine, the Big New WagonR comes with a bigger 1.2 L engine. The Big New WagonR will come with a next generation infotainment system and an advanced K-series engine. (First Drive Report on Page 28)
VARIANT
1.2 LITRE
VARIANT
1.0 LITRE
VXi
`4,89,000
LXi
`4,19,000
ZXi
`5,22,000
VXi
`4,69,000
VXi AGS
`5,36,000
VXi AGS
`5,16,000
ZXi AGS
`5,69,000
Prices ex-showroom Delhi
2019 Maruti Suzuki Baleno facelift launched at `5.45 lakh
MG Motor India SUV is named Hector; Launch in mid 2019
MG (Morris Garages) Motor India has named their soon to be launched SUVHector. The SUV will be launched in the middle of this year. By the looks of it, the SUV looks strong with neat design lines. The LED DRLS with indicator lights look impressive. It seems that the vehicle has been tested extensively in India. The short video of the vehicle released by the company apparently being tested at 6725 feet in cold climes of Keylong in Himachal Pradesh shows a glimpse of the vehicle at high speeds on some now covered winding roads of the region. Keylong is the administrative centre of the Lahaul and Spiti district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The name Hector draws inspiration from the noble qualities of the Trojan warrior hero – Prince Hector of Troy. Remember the movie “Troy” with Eric Bana playing the role of Hector? Hector stands for everything Strong, Bold yet Trustworthy and Dependable. There is also a deeper connection to its engineering and heroic references, as the name seeks to demonstrate the design influence of these values, as exhibited by the geometrical cuts and design of the MG SUV.
Maruti Suzuki India Limited has unveiled the Baleno with a new and bolder look with 6 new colour options. The petrol manual variant starts at Rs 5.45 lakh, petrol CVT at Rs 7.48 and the diesel manual at 6.6 lakh (all prices are ex-showroom Delhi). The new Baleno features minor exterior changes including a new grille with 3D and precision cut smoked 16-inches alloy wheels. The interiors have also received an update, the biggest of which is the next generation ‘Smartplay Studio’ infotainment system. The new seat fabric and black and navy blue dual-tone interiors enhance the premium-ness. The new 7-inches touch infotainment system combines smartphone, vehicle and cloud-based services to offer a delightful driving experience. Its interface is vibrant and customizable. In addition to listening to your favourite music, you can surf news, get the latest weather updates and also locate eateries around you. The rear parking camera integration, navigation with live traffic and vehicle information and alerts on the screen further add to the driving convenience.
2019 MARUTI SUZUKI BALENO PRICES Petrol (MT)
Hector also pays homage to great British engineering tradition, as a nod to the Royal Hector biplane, used by the Royal Air Force in the 1930s. MG Hector will go into production in Q2 2019 at the company’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Halol, Gujarat. With over 75% localisation levels to begin with the company aims to enter the growing premium SUV segment with a best-in-class offering that sets a new benchmark in its segment.
10 | MOTOWN INDIA | FEBRUARY 2019
Petrol (CVT)
Diesel (MT)
Sigma
` 5.45 lakh
` 6.60 lakh
Delta
` 6.16 lakh
` 7.48 lakh
` 7.31 lakh
Zeta
` 6.84 lakh
` 8.16 lakh
` 7.99 lakh
Alpha
` 7.45 lakh
` 8.77 lakh
` 8.60 lakh
Prices ex-showroom Delhi
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CAR NEWS
Tata Harrier launched at `12.69 lakh onward Tata Motors had launched the SUV Tata Harrier for a starting price of Rs 12.69 lakh (ex-showroom). Tata Harrier is powered by a Kryotec 2.0 L (1956cc) Turbocharged diesel engine which gives a maximum power of 138hp@3750rpm and a maximum torque of 350Nm@1750-2500rpm. The car comes with 6 Speed Manual transmission. The SUV comes in four variants - XE, XM, XT, XZ. The car comes with an Independent, Lower Wishbone, McPherson Strut with Coil Spring & Anti Roll Bar suspension at the front and Semi independent Twist blade with Panhard Rod & Coil Spring at the rear. The SUV has a ground clearance of 205mm and a wheelbase of 2741mm. It has boot space of 425 litres that goes up to 810 litres when the rear seats are folded. The fuel tank capacity of this vehicle is 50 litres. The prices of the same are given below:
VARIANTS
PRICE
VARIANTS
PRICE
XE
`. 12.69 Lakh
XT
`. 14.95 Lakh
XM
`. 13.75 Lakh
XZ
`. 16.25 Lakh Prices ex-showroom Delhi
2019 Nissan Kicks launched at `9.55 lakh onward Nissan India has launched the new Nissan Kicks at a starting price of Rs 9.55 lakh. The new Nissan Kicks is built on the Renault Duster platform. It comes with a petrol engine as well as a new 1461cc K9K dCi diesel engine. The SUV offers a host of globally established design features such as a Floating Roof Design, Stylish Roof Rail, Signature LED Daytime Running Lights, Shark Fin Antenna, Front Fog Lamps and Door Mounted ORVM with Indicators. The bold V-motion grille is a signature motif in Nissan’s design language, and the uniquely designed headlamps and iconic boomerang-shaped LED signature lamp tail lights add to the New Kicks’ distinctive presence.
2019 NISSAN KICKS PRICES Introductory prices (all India)
Petrol (Rs)
Diesel (Rs)
XL
`9,55,000
`10,85,000
XV
`10,95,000
`12,49,000
XV Premium
-
`13,65,000
XV Premium +
-
`14,65,000 Prices ex-showroom Delhi
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New Honda City ZX MT (Petrol) variant launched at `12,75,000 Honda Cars India Ltd. (HCIL) has introduced a new ZX MT (Petrol) grade of its premium mid-size sedan Honda City. The price of the Honda City ZX MT (Petrol) is Rs 12,75000 (ex-Showroom Delhi). The City line-up has also been enriched with two new exterior colours and standard application of Rear Parking Sensors. Honda City will now come in two new colours of Radiant Red Metallic and Lunar Silver Metallic across the line-up. The introduction of new ZX MT (Petrol) grade is in response to high demand for top spec Petrol variant in manual transmission from City buyers. KEY FEATURES OF NEW GRADE - ZX MT (PETROL) • 6 Airbags - Dual SRS Airbags for Driver & Front Passenger, Front Side & Side Curtain Airbags • LED package - Integrated LED Daytime Running Lamp, AdvancedInline LED headlamps, LED fog lamps, LED RearCombi Lamps, LED license plate lamps, Trunk Lid Spoiler with LED • Electric Sunroof with One-Touch Open/Close Function with Auto-reverse • R16 Diamond-Cut & Finished Multi-Spoke Alloy Wheels • Advanced 17.7 cm touchscreen infotainment system Digipad • Automatic Headlights • Headlamp AutoOff Timer • Automatic RainSensing Wipers
FEBRUARY 2019 | MOTOWN INDIA | 11
BIKE NEWS
New Neo Sports Café inspired CB300R motorcycle to be priced below `2.5 lakh Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. confirmed the Japan crafted Neo Sports Café inspired– Honda CB300R for India. The CB300R will be available for sale through the Completely Knocked Down (CKD) route for the Indian market and will be priced below Rs 2.5 lakh. The Neo Sports Café is an embodiment of a harmonious blend of the retro elements with ultra-modern styling. The CB300R is the lightest motorcycle in its category and is powered by a 286cc DOHC 4valve liquid cooled single cylinder engine. The CB300R’s frame is constructed with tubular and pressed steel the swing arm is manufactured from steel plate, irregularly shaped in cross section, giving it a bespoke minimalistic look. The single rear shock with 7 step adjustable, tapered handlebars with a 40 degree turning angle ensure the rider gets great feedback and a small turning radius making it an absolute performer in tricky traffic. The bike has a new designed exhaust pipes based on Neo Sports Café DNA style. The interior has a 2-room structure, providing powerful and aggressive engine sound, as well as increasing the efficiency of the acceleration response. Controlling the performance with 41mm Light-weight inverted front forks helps to increase excellent balance in all road conditions. In addition, there are 296 mm disc brakes on the front of the radial mount, 4-pot calipers with ABS G-Sensor at the same level as on the racetrack. The high specification system gets an innovative IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) to give precise front to rear distribution of ABS operation depending on the vehicle posture controlling the Roll, Pitch, Yaw of the Motorcycle - simply put a braking system which keeps the rider in complete control, even during sudden brake application. The console with a minimalistic design is positioned perfectly to take a quick glance down at all the information – working eloquently during night or day. Full LED lighting – including indicators – ensure no path is dark for the rider to navigate through. The bike has a round shape thin LED headlight with a built-in signature horseshoe-shaped light guide. The CB300R will be available in two colors i.e Matte Axis Gray Metallic and Candy Chromosphere Red. The bookings can be done at select Honda 2Wheeler dealerships across India for Rs. 5000 only.
12 | MOTOWN INDIA | FEBRUARY 2019
2019 Suzuki V-Strom 650XT launched at `7.46 lakh
Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt. Ltd. has launched Suzuki V-Strom 650XT at Rs 7.46 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The refreshed Suzuki V-Strom 650XT ABS now comes in new stirring graphic, as well as with additional features of hazard lights and side reflectors, adding to the motorcycle’s touring capabilities. This Suzuki V-Storm 650XT is available in 2 colour schemes - Champion Yellow No.2 and Pearl Glacier White. The 2019 Suzuki V-Strom 650XT ABS is equipped with four stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC with 645cc displacement, 90° V-twin engine, making it an ideal and an attractive option for anyone seeking a perfect middleweight adventure bike. It is equipped with fuel-injection technology that churns out an improved performance. The lightweight Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) offers a controlled grip on the road and trustworthy braking performance in extreme conditions. The three-mode traction control system (2 Mode + OFF Mode), that ensures superior control over the engine which is effective in difficult road conditions helping prevent rear wheel spin further adds to the riding confidence.
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BIKE NEWS
Yamaha updates motorcycle range with ABS, launches FZ FI and FZS FI Version 3.0 India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd has begun 2019 by launching ABS equipped models for a number of their motorcycles. Leading the pack was the new FZ FI and FZ-S FI Version 3.0, which get single channel ABS. Along with these, Yamaha also launched their FZ 25, Fazer 25 and R15 Version 3.0 with dual channel ABS. The new Yamaha FZ FI and FZS FI Version 3.0 come equipped with Bosh single channel ABS and sport new and muscular looks. There is a new LED headlamp, inspire by the FZ 25 that has separate high and low beam units. The FZ FI ABS costs Rs 95,000 (ex-showroom Delhi) while the FZS FI ABS cost Rs 97,000 (ex-showroom Delhi). The FI variant gets a chrome air intake and engine shield. The engine is the same 149cc air cooled, single cylinder that produces 13hp@8000rpm and 12.8Nm of peak torque at 6000rpm. The engine comes mated to a 5-speed transmission and there is a fat 140/7017 inch tyre at the rear. For the ease of riders, there is an LCD instrument panel. The FZ 25 ABS version costs Rs 1.33 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) and the Fazer 25 costs Rs 1.43 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Both bikes produce 20.6hp and 20 Nm of peak torque. The 249cc fuel injected, single cylinder motor comes mated to a 5-speed transmission. You get a rear disc brake and dual channel ABS. The Fazer 25 comes in Dark Matte Blue and Metallic Black colours while the FZ 25 comes in Dark Matte Blue, Matte Black and Cyan Blue. Yamaha also showcased their YZF-R15 Version 3.0 which now comes with dual channel ABS and costs Rs 1.39 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) along with a Darknight colour option which takes the cost up to Rs 1.41 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).
Yamaha introduces Dual Channel ABS for YZF-R15 V3.0 India Yamaha Motor (IYM) Pvt Ltd. has introduced dual channel ABS enabled YZF-R15 Version 3.0 in India. Yamaha YZF-R15 Version 3.0 was launched at the Auto Expo 2018. The motorcycle will hit the Indian roads with an all new Darknight colour along with Thunder Grey and Racing Blue while retaining all of its original features like VVA technology and A&S Clutch along with a dual channel ABS. The Darknight coloured YZF-R15 Version 3.0 ABS will cost Rs. 141,000/- while the Racing Blue and Thunder Grey coloured motorcycles will cost Rs 139,000/- (ex-showroom Delhi). The dual channel ‘Antilock Braking System’ (ABS) technology comes with adjustable fluid pressure which will further be reliable to ensure immediate braking on slippery roads. It is armed with a 155 cc engine with high compression ratio resulting in maximum 19hp@10000rpm delivering a torque of 14.7Nm@8500rpm.
Kawasaki all-new Ninja ZX-6R introductory price at `10,49,000 India Kawasaki Motors Pvt. Ltd has announced the introductory price of the all-new Ninja ZX-6R. The motorcycle has been priced at Rs. 10,49,000 (ex-Showroom). A significant change in the price is imminent. Customers who pre-booked the bike will start getting deliveries from February 2019 onwards. The Ninja ZX-6R features high-grade technological features like KIBS (Kawasaki Intelligent anti-lock Brake System), KTRC (Kawasaki Traction Control), Twin LED headlamps, LED taillight, KQS (Kawasaki Quick Shifter) and the silencer with a sporty look. The high-grade instrumentation has newly added features in fuel gauge and remaining range function. Apart from this, it has also a large analogue tachometer flanked by warning lamps on one side, a gear position indicator and multi-function LCD screen on the other. Bridgestone’s latest sport tyres Battlax Hypersport S22 contribute to lighter handling, while offering superior grip in both dry and wet conditions, which translates to greater rider confidence and enjoyment. Like the Ninja ZX-10R, the Ninja ZX-6R will be assembled in India as a single-seater motorcycle.
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FEBRUARY 2019 | MOTOWN INDIA | 13
BIKE NEWS
Motoroyale Kinetic slashes price of SWM Superdual 650 motorcycle Motoroyale, the country’s only multi-brand superbikes venture by the Kinetic Group, has slashed the price of the SWM Superdual 650. The Italian brand SWM was launched by Motoroyale in October 2018. The price of the bike has been revised to Rs 6.50 lakh, ex showroom from Rs 7.30 lakh. This special offer is for the first 250 customers or until March 31, 2019. Motoroyale launched MV Agusta in 2016 followed by Norton Joint Venture announcement in November 2017. Motoroyale brands include MV Agusta, Norton, Hyosung and FB Mondial. The Superdual 650 has been touted as the country’s most effective motorcycle in the adventure segment, with unmatched capabilities in both, on road & off road categories.
Okinawa’s intelligent scooter, i-Praise unveiled for `1.15 lakh
eBikeGo to manufacture and rent out Garvit e-scooters in Capital
Okinawa Scooters is set to launch its newest e-scooter, the i-Praise in the Indian market for Rs 1.15 lakh (ex-showroom). The i-Praise has already received 450 bookings in its pre-launch phase and will be available in glossy red black, glossy golden black and glossy silver black. Deemed as ‘The Intelligent Scooter’, it comes with features like geo fencing, virtual speed limiter, GPS, maintenance reminder and more. Okinawa’s i-Praise boasts of several features including a detachable lithium-ion battery. The battery used in i-Praise requires only a 5A power socket, making it possible to recharge even in areas with inadequate public infrastructure for EVs. The e-scooter will have a range of 160-180 km/charge and a reasonable charging time of 2-3 hours and is going to weigh 30-40% less than many of the other EVs in its category.
Electric vehicles are slowly making inroads into Indian cities, the latest being the launch of Garvit electric two wheelers in New Delhi. “Garvit eBikes is the manufacturer of electric scooters and eBikeGo along with Garvit is manufacturing its own scooters after raising first round of seed investment and very soon will be using the scooters which will be manufactured as we are also waiting for the approval. The brand name of the manufacturer is Garvit and they are manufactured in Lucknow,” disclosed Dr. Irfan Khan, Founder of eBikeGo to a questionnaire from Motown India. The e-scooters were launched in the Capital in the presence of Sanjay Singh, Special Commissioner of Police, New Delhi who was the Chief Guest. Khan aims to expand his company’s operations pan India. Garvit electric two wheelers use lithium ion (Lion) batteries which are completely biodegradable and helps in decreasing the accumulation of hazardous electronic waste. Since the cost of running is as minimal as 20 paisa/km for an average speed of 80kmph, eBikeGo will be offering rentals starting with a minimum amount of Rs.20/- for 30 minutes, disclosed Khan.
14 | MOTOWN INDIA | FEBRUARY 2019
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FEATURES
Rear seat seatbelts,
what are those? Report: Motown India Bureau
W
e, at Motown India, love safety as much as we love the vehicles that we drive. Sadly, the people of our country, many of who claim to be auto enthusiasts, are not so keen on the safety aspects. The state of safety on Indian roads and our careless attitude towards following traffic rules is shocking, but more shocking facts are some of the figures released in a recent report. The Rear Seat Belt Usage and Child Road Safety in India study, conducted by research firm MDRA for Nissan India and SaveLIFE Foundation, covered 11 Indian cities and recorded responses through 6,306 face-to –face interviews, 100 in-depth interviews, two focused group discussions and on-site observations to gauge compliance of CBSE School Bus guidelines as well as usage of rear seat belts. The report brings out many grim
facts about safety on roads in our country. Road crashes are the leading cause of death amongst people between the age group of 5-29 years. In 2017, 25 children below the age of 18 were killed on Indian roads every day. While most people seated in the front row of a car do wear seatbelts, a very small fraction of people wears seatbelts in the second row. In 2017 alone, 26,896 people died due to not using rear seat belts. While we do have laws in India mandating the use of seat seatbelts for the driver and co passenger as well for those at the rear to wear them, not many in the country do so. According to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989 Rule 138, it is mandatory for the driver and the person seated in the front seat as well as the “persons occupying front facing rear seats, as the case may be, wear the seat belts while the vehicle is in motion”. Around 91pc people reported
that they have never been stopped by police for breaking that law. Only 7pc people said that they use rear seat belts while a shocking 27.7pc people were not even aware that there is a law that mandates use of seat belts in the second row of cars. However, none of these metrics are as shocking as the almost 1/4th of the people not even being aware of the existence of rear seat seatbelts in cars! It is sad to know these facts as all of cars being manufactured today come with seatbelts for all rear seat occupants. Some people even had the misconception that rear seatbelts do not improve safety. According to World Health Organization (WHO), usage of rear seat belts reduces risk of death by 25pc and injuries by 75pc in case of an accident. The problem also extends to school buses, which for many parents is the preferred mode of transport for their child. Observe
any school bus passing by on the road and the chances are extremely high that you will find the kids sitting on seats without any seatbelt. Same is reflected in MDRA’s report which states that only 10pc school buses have seatbelts for children. The government should take steps in spreading awareness regarding the law and the traffic police should enforce the same more diligently. It is a known fact that getting your driver’s licenses in India is very easy and there aren’t any proper methods of teaching the people how they should behave when they are riding or driving on the road. There are many driving schools in our country, the biggest one of them being the Maruti Suzuki’s Institute of Driving and Traffic Research. Institutes like IDTR have highly trained professionals who teach people the correct way of driving on roads using classroom learning and practical training in a closed course, with highly advanced real-time imaging and
Only 7pc people said that they use rear seat belts while a shocking 27.7pc people were not even aware that there is a law that mandates use of seat belts in the second row of cars. However, none of these metrics are as shocking as the almost 1/4th of the people not even being aware of the existence of rear seat seatbelts in cars!
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FEATURES
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FEBRUARY 2019 | MOTOWN INDIA | 17
FEATURES results being available to the driver, to analyse and correct their faults. This is not a very expensive process to go through and yet 41pc adolescents admit to have learnt driving from their parents or relatives. Learning this way not only puts people’s life in danger but also means that the learner will not be acquainted with most of the important laws of the land.
record details related to an accident. This data can then be analyzed without much delay in order to counter such issues in the future. On top of this, every car manufactured after July 1, 2019 will have to come with front seat belt reminders. Gadkari also felt that road safety is not a political subject and they need the cooperation of
media and educational institutions to spread awareness and impart knowledge relating to the subject. While it is true that the survey reflected the nonchalant behavior of the people of our country towards road safety and rules, is it right to expect OEMs to keep packing
Though they say charity begins at home, such is not the case with the law enforcers when it comes to following traffic rules. Leaving the matter of vigilant law enforcement aside, these people of authority are often times spotted riding motorcycles without helmet or driving around without putting on seat belts. The same can also be said for other public figures. Even in most of the movies that we see, the hero seldom pays heed to rules of the land in favour of looking cool. But all is not lost. The government is trying to rectify as many problems as they can. According to Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, an investment of Rs 20,000 Cr is being made to improve roads and infrastructure. It was mentioned in the report that 43.8pc parents cited bad infrastructure as the cause of concern for safety of children on road. The roads we encounter daily are riddled with potholes, there aren’t enough foot over bridges or underground crossings for people to cross the road. Rainy season only makes things worse with traffic lights giving up and roads being filled with water which leads to dangerous situation for those driving. Water clogging on roads can hide potholes and lead to accidents for people who casually walk or drive over them. In many areas walking along the road means walking on the road as the footpaths are often illegally occupied by shops or stalls. It is rare to see any action being taken against these people who encroach on land that was meant for walking. There are also plans to develop an app which can be used by the police to
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FEATURES seat belt reminders if we tend to just buckle the belt and sit on top of it? Is it right to expect the government to keep making new laws for our safety when we tend to break them anyway? Is it right to call ourselves mature adults and auto enthusiasts if we need someone else to impose laws on us that save our own lives? If you look at the survey then you will realise that while 80.8pc of parents want a law that mandates use of child helmet while most of them would not use a child helmet till there is a law in place. Once again, even though 64.3pc parents feel that Indian roads are unsafe for children, 33.3pc parents
admit to have not taken any action when they caught their underage child driving. Around 89.7pc adolescents said that their parents knew that they drive vehicles despite being underage and not having a license. Saying that this survey was conducted on a crowd that was hugely made of people who did not have access to education might be a thought that might cross your mind, but that is far from the truth. Only 1.4pc of the adults/parents, 2.4pc drivers were illiterate while there was no child in this survey that had not received education of any kind. While most of the modern cars come with
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ISOFIX mounts for child seats, it is sad to know that 75.7pc people are not aware of child restraint systems. Only 3.5pc people used CRS. We love our kids so much that we prefer holding them in our lap even when we are seated in the front passenger seat. In our previous reports we have talked about how your love can actually be fatal for your child in case of a crash. It is high time that we realised the danger that we put ourselves and our loved ones in, every time we commute on roads. Let us not wait around for someone else to state the obvious for us. It is time that we ‘buckle up’ and made commuting safe.
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2019 FORCE GURKHA XTREME 4X4
REAL BEAST Report: P. Tharyan; Photography: Afsar Baig & & Neeraj Panwar
S P EC I F ICATIO NS ENGINE 2149cc , 4 Cylinder, Inline, TCIC Common Rail, Diesel Engine, 16 valve DOHC TRANSMISSION G 32/5 Synchromesh with Dual Mass Flywheel, Overdrive 5 Forward, 1 Reverse (Manual)
POWER 140hp@3800rpm TORQUE 321Nm@1600-2400rpm TYRES 215/60 R17 PRICE `12.99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi)
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“ The new FORCE GURKHA XTREME 4X4 from Force Motors is a true definition of a real beast. It may have a bland cabin but when it comes to its engine, transmission, transfer box, suspension and build, it’s every off-roader’s dream come true. Mind you, this vehicle is not for those who love to be pampered by a host of electronic buttons and up market upholstery. Off-roaders as well as the entire defence forces in the country will find this vehicle a real value for money.”
T
he new Force Gurkha Xtreme 4x4 from Force Motors is a true definition of a real beast. It may have a bland cabin but when it comes to its engine, transmission, transfer box, suspension and build, it’s every off-roader’s dream come true. Mind you, this vehicle is not for those who love to be pampered by a host of electronic buttons and up market upholstery. Off-roaders as well as the entire defence forces in the country will find this vehicle a real value for money.
EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR The Gurkha is styled on the lines of legendary Mercedes-Benz G Wagon. The exterior of the vehicle has undergone a facelift with a bold new front facia, bonnet mounted LED indicators, new front, and rear steel bumpers. And what comes standard in this Gurkha Xtreme are the signature chrome finish air intake snorkel for deep water wading, muscular side cladding, new attractive bold graphics, clear lens headlamps, front fog lamps, large ORVMs, sturdy and full-length slip resistant footboards, and increased width all-terrain tubeless tyres. The vehicle that we drove had Maxxis off road tyres which make the vehicle even better and masculine. As for the interior, it’s very plain Jane with just the basics. The seats are very comfortable. The doors do not have any storage within its inner panels. But there are few storage spaces on the floor console. The switches and gauges look dated and the gear lever, the 4-wheel
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lever and the two diff lock levers are not the least attractive to look at. But it’s only when you get to drive the vehicle that you realise that this vehicle has the heart of a beast and moves like one too!
PERFORMANCE The 2019 Force Gurkha Xtreme 4x4 is a fairy tale come true for the off roaders. The Gurkha Xtreme with a high strength C-in-C chassis is powered by the Mercedes-Benz sourced OM 611 derived common rail diesel engine. It is the same engine that the company had raced for three years at the tough Rain Forest Challenge in 2014, 2015 and 2016. This engine develops 140 hp and 321 Nm of peak torque with dual mass flywheel that ensures excellent drivability and low NVH. Sumeer Tandon, a successful textile businessman has influenced the making of this vehicle. Sumeer’s tech savvy mind has ensured that the vehicle is not wanting when it comes to performance. He says the engine is very light, has got aluminium heads and very light parts imported from Mercedes. The torque curve is almost flat. The beautiful redline is at 4100rpm. Usually the best of diesel engines redline at 3800rpm. The peak torque is limited to meet the emission norms. To handle this high torque, the company has fitted a new gearbox that goes by the name G32. This is also a Mercedes derived gearbox that is compatible with the dual mass flywheel. This ensures that the vibrations are controlled and the ride is smooth. The lower end torque harmonics
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are not transferred to the body shell. And now to get a very smoother ride with one additional feature it has from the RFC Gurkha, it is the Divgy Warner transfer case. All the leading SUV makers in India go to Warner to buy their transfer cases. Warner has two types of transfer cases. One is selectable four-wheel drive; the other is all-wheel drive. The all wheel has a central differential. It does not have a two-wheel / four-wheel option. Differential takes care of the speeds between the wheels. But between the two axles, there is again a small differential into the gear box. A Divgy base manual model that the Xtreme has, typically meets the army specs. Army needs a manual selectable one because they do not want their four-
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wheel drive to be kicked in always. There is a lot of wastage of fuel. Since the rear axles of Force vehicles were always known for their proven qualities, the front axle has been developed with the same technology as of the rear, using the German Steyr technology. Something very interesting about the vehicle is that it also comes with a virtual lift in order to raise the height of the vehicle. It is primarily to accommodate larger tyres for those keen to do so. It is, to put it correctly, ready for an off roader to use immediately. Even if bigger tyres are put in, you do not disturb the mechanicals. Now it has also become mandatory in the country with the recent Supreme
Court ruling, you cannot go against the CMVR or Central Motor Vehicles Rules and disturb the mechanicals or suspension of the vehicle. In short, no modifications of any kind can be carried out in a vehicle that you buy. In such a scenario, the Force Gurkha Xtreme is like a dream come true for the off roaders. By putting the lifts at the OEM level, the Force Xtreme has done a great
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service to the off roading community. They can simply go ahead and put in larger tyres without disturbing the suspension set up or flouting the CMVR norms. Competition vehicles in this price range are no match to the Gurkha Xtreme. One of the popular models from across the stable does not have a rigid front axle. Nor does it have coil spring suspension. This vehicle has springs in front and rear making ride quality top notch. The Force Gurkha Xtreme has a live rigid front axle. It is proven for off road abilities and definitely for defence. The new Gurkha Xtreme also has provision to fit hub locks on the front axles that helps saving fuel as well as reducing stress on the drivetrain while in 2WD.
comes with differential lockers both for front and rear. This feature will come very handy if your vehicle is really beached. Essentially, what diff locks offer is something which goes much beyond the purview of the four wheel drive. While a four-wheel drive brings out a vehicle from sticky situations, it become helpless in cases of extreme situations where you lose traction on both the axles. That’s where diff locks come to your help and pull out the vehicle free. Situations beyond the scope of diff locks can then only be tackled with the help of a winch.
moment you are out of a sticky situation or it can lead to a lot of damage to your vehicle. Moreover, deploying the front diff lock needs to be done with great care and the front wheel needs to be kept pointed straight. Again, once the use of the diff locks is over, they immediately need to be unlocked. Another interesting feature of this driveline is that it has inbuilt crawl and hill descent control. In 4L mode the vehicle can crawl up a steep hill with the rpm holding steady at
1000+ level. Also, while coming down a steep hill, you need not use brakes; it can come down gently in the 4L brake. Of course, on city roads and plain surfaces, one should drive on two wheel drive to get better fuel efficiency. What is of concern is that the new Force Gurkha Xtreme does not come with airbags, nor does it have ABS. The mandatory norms for these will kick in soon in India and then Force Motors has to reengineer the Xtreme and ensure that it still remains an off roader’s dream.
Mind you, diff locks have to be unlocked the
The new Force Xtreme
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2019 TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID ELECTRIC
THE FUTURE IS HERE Report: P. Tharyan; Photography: Afsar Baig
SP EC I FICATIO NS ENGINE 2487cc, 4 Cylinders, Gasoline-
Hybrid
TRANSMISSION 6-speed, CVT
(Continuously Variable Transmission) Sequential Shift with Paddles
POWER 176hp@5700rpm TORQUE 221Nm@3600-5200rpm TYRES 235/45R18 PRICE 36.95 lakh (Ex-Showroom Delhi)
A
ll those out there who feel that India will be riding a great electric vehicle dream can actually suck their thumbs. And I am serious about it. If at all we can get close to the great electric vehicle dream, it has to be through the hybrid route. Hybrids are of two kinds, mild and hard. Hard hybrids offer a lot of value and the all-new up market Toyota Camry Hybrid electric is the right example of a perfect hard hybrid. Typically
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for every 1000km you drive in this vehicle around 500 odd kms are run using electric power. The new Toyota Camry Hybrid is built on the Toyota New Global Architecture platform and powered by the 4th generation hybrid electric engine. The new Toyota Camry Hybrid is a self charging electric vehicle.
EXTERIOR DESIGN AND FEATURES This new Toyota Camry is very sleek and good looking. Starting with the smartly
designed front grille to the LED headlamps, this one is a stunner. The headlamps are dusk sensing LED projector headlamps with auto leveling. Then there are LED DRLs and follow me home function. The front fog lamps too are LED. The rear of the vehicle too is well designed with a combination lamp that comes with LED brake lights. There is also a rear fog lamp. The car is fitted with 18 inches multi
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“ If at all we can get close to the great electric vehicle dream, it has to be through the hybrid route. Hybrids are of two kinds, mild and hard. Hard hybrids offer a lot of value and the all-new up market TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID ELECTRIC is the right example of a perfect hard hybrid. Typically for every 1000km you drive in this vehicle around 500 odd kms are run using electric power. ”
spoke alloy wheels. The ORVMs or the Outside Rear View Mirrors are electrically adjusted and come with turn indicators. There are memory settings for these ORVMs which are hydrophilic in nature. Hydrophilic means having a tendency to mix with, dissolve in, or be wetted by water. This implies that when rain droplets fall on the mirrors, they do not accumulate on the glass thereby hindering the view. The car also has rain sensing wipers.
INTERIOR DESIGN AND FEATURES Step inside and you are treated to class leading interiors. The upholstery is in beige leather. It’s soft too. The cabin is roomy and there are metallic accents and onyx garnish on the dashboard and gear shifter. The car comes with tilt and slide moonroof. These are anti pinch, hence safe for those sticking their heads and hands out of the moonroof. You have a smart entry
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system with start/stop button. Power windows come with jam protection. The car has an electronic parking brake. Other features include electrochromic inside rear view mirror, rear window defogger with timer and front and rear reading lamps mounted on the roofline. Both the driver and front passenger seats come with 10-way power adjust. The driver seat gets lumbar support and memory settings. There is ample storage on the inside panel of the doors as well under the front arm rest and on the floor console area. There is memory setting for the steering wheel also. The steering wheel is power tilt and telescopic. It has audio, MID, telephone and cruise control switched mounted on them.
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The infotainment system offers clear audio with 9 speakers with Clari Fi technology from JBL Audio System. Then there are the usual navigation, DVD, radio, USB, Aux in, blue tooth and car infotainment system. It is a touch screen navigation on an 8 inches multimedia screen with intuitive pinch and zoom navigation. The driver can make use of the 10 inches Head Up Display that is in the car. Other features include cruise control and an ECO meter. For someone buying a Camry, it can be assumed that the person will be chauffeur driven most of the time. For that, Toyota is offering a range of
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comfort features. The seats at the back come with power recline and there is access to the trunk from the rear. There is an easy access function on the passenger seat shoulder.
output of 118.35hp and a peak torque of 204.1Nm. The engine is mated to 6- speed continuously variable transmission (CVT) sequential shift with paddle shifters.
The arm rest for the rear passenger is much more than a simple arm rest. It has touch control switches for audio, reclining the seat, rear windscreen sun shade and the AC temperature setting. Blower speed however cannot be operated from the rear. The rear door sunshades are manually operated. The rear passengers have access to two charging ports of 12 V.
For getting out quietly from your closed parking one can activate the EV button. The car moves on electric power, provided the lithium ion batteries are charged. In the Drive mode once can choose Eco, Normal or Sport mode. While in the eco mode and normal mode the acceleration is very controlled while in the sport mode it gets aggressive and you can also feel lot more steering feedback coming through. The option of paddle shifters allows you to choose your own aggressive style of driving.
PERFORMANCE & SAFETY This hybrid car has two engines- one that is fuel run and the other that is self-charging electric. Both work in harmony. The all-new Toyota Camry Hybrid vehicle is powered by a 2.5 litre, 4-cylinder gasoline hybrid dynamic force engine. The engine produces a peak power of around 176hp@5700rpm and a peak torque of 221Nm@3600-5200rpm. The hybrid system motor delivers a maximum
The new Toyota Camry Hybrid Electric can run on its electric motor alone. When the battery runs low, excess power from the engine charges it back again. Plus the action of braking recycles energy to charge the battery.
absorbing body, has standard 9 airbags the inbuilt safety features like Vehicle Stability Control, Traction Control, Anti-Lock Brake System, Electronic Brake Force Distribution and Brake Assist. Then there is the rear view camera with sensors. It has e-parking brake and brake hold function. The latter makes driving in city condition much easier.
VERDICT The new Toyota Camry Hybrid Electric is a fun car to drive on smooth tarmac. It is planted to the road and is very stable with impressive NVH levels. It offers great ride quality and handling with a suspension that soaks in the bumps. All in all, this hybrid car perfectly utilises to its advantage the practical essence of a proven petrol engine and an electric motor that gets its feed from lithium ion batteries. There are loads of comfort and convenience features in this car. It scores high on the safety features too.
The car is a safe with an impact
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ALL-NEW MARUTI SUZUKI WAGONR
TALL, TRENDY & TOUGH Report: P. Tharyan; Photography: Afsar Baig
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SP EC I F I C ATIO NS ENGINE 1197cc, 4 cylinder, K series TRANSMISSION 5 speed manual POWER 82hp@6000rpm TORQUE 113Nm@4200rpm FUEL EFFICIENCY 21.5 kmpl TYRES 165/70R14 PRICE 5.22 lakh
(Ex-Showroom Delhi)
M
aruti Suzuki India has launched the 3rd generation WagonR with a bigger 1.2 L K series engine. The WagonR from Maruti Suzuki was always a tall boy that appealed to a cross section of people in India. They say the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Since its debut in 1999, the WagonR has sold over 2.2 million units and it has been a first car for nearly half of them. It features among the top 5 best-selling cars in India for nearly two decades. We got to drive the top end ZXi variant of the 1.2 litre model that comes with a manual transmission. The automatic AGS technology is offered in both the 1 litre and 1.2 litre models of the new WagonR.
and fog lamps. The side profile gets all smart with its flared wheel arches. The new WagonR gets electrical retractable and adjustable ORVMs with side indicators, roof antenna, full wheel caps, rear wiper and washer. The B and C pillar black out tape, body coloured door handles, body coloured bumpers and body coloured ORVMs enhances the looks of the vehicle. The rear too is now a little more attractive, especially with the vertical tail lamps. The top end could have done with standard alloy wheels.
INTERIOR DESIGN AND FEATURES Since the new WagonR has been built on the 5th generation HEARTECT platform, it has resulted into several safety related enhancements and space.
EXTERIOR DESIGN AND FEATURES What I like about the new WagonR is the fact that the company has retained the tall boy looks that have always excited its customers. But now they have fine tuned the looks to make it appear as a stylish family car that can appeal to the young and not so young alike. The exterior design now looks robust and appealing with a modern architectural grille. Then there are the dual-split headlamps
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Compared to its predecessor, this one has a 35mm increase in wheelbase (resulting in more front and rear row space), 140mm increase in front width and 150mm width increase at the rear. This model gets remote keyless entry and dual tone interiors. The cabin is spacious. Then there is an ‘X’ themed instrument panel with 3-D Cross section. You get a floating dashboard and smart instrument cluster. There are multi-finish accentuated AC Vents. What a customer wants in India is lots of storage space in a car. The company has offered that in plenty with bottle and magazine holders. There are bottle holders on all four doors and the floor console. The co passenger side front seat gets an under tray and rear back pocket. There are seatbelt pre-tensioner and force limiter for the driver and co passenger. There is also a seat belt reminder with buzzer for these two.
quite large. USB slots for rear passengers could have been an added advantage, especially now that we live in an age where children are obsessed with their electronic gadgets. Rear AC vents too would have been a good addition. The Instrument cluster meter theme is white, with features like low fuel warning, digital tachometer, gear shift indicator and indicators for fuel consumption, distance to empty, headlamp on warning, door ajar warning, etc. To make driving easy, you get day-night
adjustable inside rear view mirror. Other features include steering wheel garnish, silver inside door handles, driver side sun visor with ticket holder, front passenger side vanity mirror sun visor, rear defogger, accessory sockets for front row with storage space, power windows on all four, and
driver side auto down function, AC and heater, You get tilt adjustable steering wheel and steering mounted audio and calling controls. To ensure that the new generation customers stay connected in this car, the
The 2nd row seats have a 60:40 split which ensures that you can increase the boot space accordingly from the level of 341 litres. The boot space by itself is
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new WagonR comes with next generation SmartPlay Studio Infotainment system. The SmartPlay Studio is a seven inches touch infotainment system that combines smartphone, vehicle and cloudbased services. In addition to listening to your favourite music, you can surf news, get the latest weather updates and also locate eateries around you. The infotainment system is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible.
SAFETY AND PERFORMANCE If you think that this new WagonR is a tall boy meant for some simple road driving, then you are completely wrong. I pushed this new machine on some very rough patches and it came out with flying colours. Since this new machine gives you 113Nm of peak torque and
an 82hp of peak power, it’s no pushover. To top it, it also gives a decent fuel efficiency of 21.5 km/l, which is nearly 10% higher than the outgoing model. Features like speed alarm system, security alarm, rear parking sensors, central locking, child proof rear door lock, are good enough to make this an ideal family car. Coming to the drive, the 1.2 litre engine performs well with very good acceleration and though I do not recommend driving beyond speed limits, I pushed it hard and realised that it travelled at high speeds without any wobble or any discomfort. The vehicle was planted to the road and body roll was too minimal to even fret about. The suspension has been tuned well for a comfortable ride. Ride handling is decent to say the least.
Since it’s built on the 5th generation HEARTECT platform, it increases safety of occupants through effective absorption of impact and dispersion of crash energy and assures stability. Use of 40% high tensile steel provides better strength, safety, rigidity and NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) performance. Safety features including Driver airbag, ABS (antilock braking system) with EBD (electronic brake force distribution), front seat belts reminder, speed alert system and rear parking sensors are standard across variants. The all-new WagonR meets all applicable regulations including
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offset, side crash and pedestrian safety norms.
VERDICT The all-new Maruti Suzuki WagonR will win several hearts from die-hard WagonR fans. First and foremost, the company has retained the tall boy design which by itself is a commendable thing. Along with that, they have also made it stylish both from the outside as well as from the inside. A lot of comfort and convenience have been added and the cherry on the cake is the new 1.2 litre engine.
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DUCATI SCRAMBLER 1100
BREAKING AWAY Report: Aakash S Paul; Photography: Afsar Baig
C
onventionally scramblers were lightweight motorcycles that were fashioned in a way that they could take on both roads and rough terrains seamlessly. But that was ages ago and now we are surrounded by concrete towers all around. Thus, the new iteration of scramblers only resembles the scramblers of the golden days in terms of looks and pack in a few off-road worthy features. So when I received the new Ducati Scrambler 1100, I wanted to find out how much of the original DNA had still crept its way into the blood of this modern roadster.
DESIGN AND STYLING The new Scrambler 1100 comes in three variants – Standard, Special and Sport. The Scrambler 1100 can be mistaken for its 800cc sibling on a casual glance but a closer look reveals some defining features. The headlamp has an X-shape design with LED DRLs lining the circumference of the circular unit. The 15L fuel tank has a teardrop design and our Sport variant came with two orange strips on the fuel tank. These nicely contrast the matte black like finish of the bike. The 1100 on the whole is slightly longer, wider and chunkier than the smaller one. The handlebar is nice and wide and the seating position is upright. The foot pegs have a neutral position but they are placed a bit too far out from the bike which can take a little while to get used to. The new instrument panel is completely digital but is not a full colour unit which might go well with the retro theme but it can feel rudimentary at times. The display shows you your speed, rpm, fuel level, range, two trip meters, time, current gear, side stand indicator and your riding mode. You can navigate through the menu using a switch on the left side of the handle bar. Just below that is the indicator switch which also acts as an OK button. While this is not my favourite navigation environment (traditionally I have not liked Ducati’s menu navigation much) and since the functions are few, you can
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WHEELZ & ROADZ A driving experience
get the hang of it.
ENGINE AND PERFORMANCE The 1079cc L-twin motor is a lot of fun. The 86hp and 88Nm torque might not be chart topping figures but they add plenty of character to the bike and give it enough low-end grunt to cruise on highways and even take bike for mild off-roading. You can climb to triple digit speeds without much issue and in a very short time. Very high speeds are not recommended on this bike because there is no shelter from the wind blast and holding on to the bike becomes progressively more difficult with increase in speeds above 120kmph. The three riding modes – City, Highway and Active are actually a good addition. The bike unleashes its full fury in Active but you can also make the bike more city friendly in the appropriately named City mode. Doing so reduces the jumpiness of the throttle and you do not have to work as hard to keep this black panther from pouncing when stuck in office hour rush. We rode the Scrambler 1100 on the highways for a good while and that is when I discovered that while the seat is long enough to accommodate two people, the cushion is not the softest and long journeys can become a tad uncomfortable. I managed to extract a mileage of 20kmpl from the bike on highways. In the city that figure can easily drop to 15-16kmpl. The Sport version of the Scrambler 1100 comes with Ohlins suspension setup. A 48mm inverted fork at the front and a monoshock for the rear. Both can be tuned to the user’s liking but in the stock state they are a bit too stiff to soak anything other than the occasional crack and bump on city roads. Due to the lack of a faring, the heat from the monstrous engine lashes on your legs when you are stationary in traffic. But to its credit, when you do start moving, the heat is pushed back and you only feel some of it on the underside of your thighs. Our unit came with a Termignoni exhaust that did produce a throaty rumble. As stock you still get twin exhaust, one on each side. This bike scores great points when it comes to braking and
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safety. It has the rider covered with twin disc brakes at the front, one in the rear, traction control, ABS and cornering ABS (which is standard in the Sport variant).
1
OFF ROAD PERFORMANCE As mentioned earlier, I did want to test the off-road capabilities of the Scrambler 1100, so I took it off for a jungle ride. First off, we do not encourage anyone to take this bike for extreme off-roading as it is not built for that and we did it with extreme caution and on known grounds. Despite Ducati making this Scrambler more for road use, I was surprised to see how capable it was on a narrow gravel track through the jungle. The fat tyres at the back and front relayed a lot of confidence. They only get better on roads and if you manage to find some sweet corners then you are bound to have a great time. The bike even managed to wade through some waterways without stalling, thanks to the high mounted muffler. The only wrinkle in this experience was the harsh response from the suspension which makes you feel every pebble that you trample.
VERDICT The Ducati Scrambler 1100 manages to take bits from conventional scramblers and road bikes to turn into something that might not be a fully committed offroader but one that does not shy away from a dirt trail either. Compared to the Scrambler 800, the 1100 is bigger and better in almost every aspect. The Sport variant that we rode comes at a cost of Rs 11.42 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) and is not exactly cheap like the other Ducatis. You need to have very specific requirements if you wish to opt for this one. But once you do, there are loads of fun and adventure awaiting you.
S P EC IFICATIO N S ENGINE 1079cc L-Twin, Desmodromic distribution, 2 valves per cylinder, air cooled TRANSMISSION 6 Speed POWER 86hp@7,500rpm TORQUE 88Nm@4,750rpm TYRES Front:120/70 ZR-18 Rear: 180/55 ZR-17
PRICE 11.42 lakh (Ex-Showroom Delhi)
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WHEELZ & ROADZ
A driving experience
Picture 1 & 2 courtesy: Parwat Singh
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ELECTRIC VEHICLE SPECIAL
An Electric Dream or an Electric Nightmare? Report: P. Tharyan
L
et’s check out some basic facts before we go any further. Fact1: It was in 1947 that India got its Independence. Fact2: At 10 pm on April 28, 2018 Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that Leisang in Manipur had become “powered and empowered” as the last village in India to be electrified. Fact3: According to reports, there are over one lakh e-rickshaws plying on the roads of Delhi and only one-fourth of them are registered, despite a subsidy scheme of the government. Organised theft of power in Delhi for charging of e-rickshaws has assumed serious proportions with discom sources putting the annual losses due to it at nearly Rs 150 crore. There are three power distribution companies -- BYPL and BRPL of BSES and Tata Power Delhi Distribution (TPDDL) -- that supply electricity to the national capital. Fact4: Hybrid cars are taxed at 43 percent (including cess) as compared to electric cars that are taxed at 12pc. ICE vehicles are also taxed at 43pc. Fact5: All identified 2.5 cr unelectrifed households in the country to be energised by March 2019, says Finance Minister in his Budget speech in 2019. There are many more such facts, some constructive, some not so constructive. Will bringing in pure electric vehicles end the misery of a globe threatened by increasing pollution, global warming and climate changes? And can India emulate the rich countries in their ways to promote the use of pure electric vehicles? Arguments are flying thick and fast among experts in the automobile industry. While some say it’s doable, others feel that if India were to pursue only a pure electric vehicle dream without being careful, it would be
“ ... others feel that if India were to pursue only a PURE ELECTRIC VEHICLE DREAM without being careful, it would be like committing hara-kiri.”
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ELECTRIC VEHICLE SPECIAL
like committing hara-kiri.
“ Catch 22s are plenty
In a country where uninterrupted and good quality electricity is missing even in some of the major cities and electricity transmission losses as a result of power theft is commonplace even in affluent localities, how, pray, can we think of setting up charging stations across the country? While one set of experts argue that an electric vehicle (EV) dream has to be pursued with vigour in India, another set simply states that the transition to adopt an EV route is pockmarked with several catch 22 situations and that we need to handle this transition very carefully. They say the big ‘Make in India’ dream will be shattered and India would have to depend on countries like China for import of lithium ion batteries.
and we need to handle
CATCH 22S ARE PLENTY Dr K Balasubramanian, Distinguished Scientist & Director, Nonferrous Materials Technology Development Centre (NFTDC), a registered autonomous R&D institution under the aegis of Department of Mines, Government of India states that, “Catch 22s are plenty and we need to handle
this transition carefully, says Dr. K Balasubramanian”
this transition carefully”. The noted scientist noted that in India today the ICE based conventional mobility space is dominated by a manufacturing sector that is very matured at all levels, from OEMs to tiers 1,2 and 3. This sector is a large contributor to GDP, with minimal import content, while exports are significant resulting in large foreign exchange earned. Also Chinese imports are virtually absent in the Indian automobile manufacturing sector which employs approximately 30 million people. Make in India is a very strong factor in this sector. Pointing out that for the current set of ICE vehicles to ply, the country’s dependence on oil import will continue but on the other
expenses (opex). Capex or the initial ownership of an electric vehicle, especially a four wheeler will be very high, because of the dependence on expensive Li-ion batteries, as well as the motor and controller which would need to be imported. Currently, the Indian manufacturing cost for these are not cost competitive.
hand auto components made in India are cost effective and can compete internationally. Switching on to pure electric vehicles would mean that there would be dependence on countries like China for import of batteries. The battery cost is humungous, he argued. Incidentally, the battery cost would be as much as 75per cent of the cost of the vehicle. He said he does not see a Make in India for electric vehicles, except some kit assembly.
Keeping in mind the current road infrastructure, traffic congestion and the distances travelled by different mode of transportation, Dr Balasubramanian felt that it would, despite several shortcomings, make sense to push the electric dream in the space of public fleet, two wheelers and three wheelers. The manufacturing of motors and controllers can be ramped up and charging infrastructure is doable for running this class of vehicles.
Dr Balasubramanian opined that the Indian government has to consider the capital expenditure (capex) vis a vis the operating
Unlike India, countries like China, Japan, US and countries in Europe are already ready with their electric vehicle strategies. The OEMs are getting ready for 2020-2030 complete switch to electric vehicles for which the manufacturing base has started getting
T5 Twin Engine Lithium ion battery exposed interior view.Picture for representation purpose only. Courtesy: Volvo Car Group
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developed from 2000 onward. The OEMs in these countries are already diversified into Li-ion battery manufacturing with a vast charging infrastructure ready and functioning. Even these developed countries unfortunately do not have an India specific solution ready, nor do they see it as their priority. China and Japan have solutions for electric two wheeler space but they are not yet adapted to Indian market, he emphasised. The NFTC scientist asked what kind of a shock did India want, a capex shock or a fossil fuel shock. Importing expensive Li-ion batteries would cost huge (as much as Rs 5 to 6 lakh in a 4 wheeler car) but the running cost of vehicles would be very low. In the case of fossil fuel while the cost of fuel is around Rs 72 per litre, the cost per km would be around Rs 72/16km, translating to Rs 4.5/km for the IC engine car. Because the car travels a lot more than two and three wheelers and buses (50 to 150km per day), it would make a lot of sense for the latter to be the first ones for transition, he said. To ensure that a car can run at least a 100km, not only would the car have to be packed with a lot of Li-ion batteries, but the government would have to also ensure charging points across the country at decent intervals. Since the cost differential is Rs 6 lakh versus zero (in case of ICE), the range is 100km versus 400km and fuel cost is Rs 2km (EV) versus Rs 4.5km per km (ICE), the only way to get a win, win situation is through the Plug In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Route (PHEV) and hard hybrids, he argued. The challenges for pure electric vehicles run on Li-ion batteries
“ Sustainable mobility is not just about replacing fossil fuel-powered vehicles with modes of transportation propelled by electricity. It requires a drastic reduction in the number of personal vehicles in the country in favour of public transport. .”
alone is the huge costs it incurs and the low range of travel it delivers. The reduction of cost differential by subsidy only encourages import of batteries and loss of foreign exchange, Dr Balasubramanian argued. Capping his arguments, he pointed out that in future all electric vehicle technologies are relevant but separate mobility zones will emerge. The Electric Vehicle zone will comprise primarily of home delivery vehicles, short distance commuter and personal mobility. The HEV/PHV zone will comprise passenger cars, while the Fuel Cell Vehicle zone will comprise shuttle bus, passenger cars, home delivery truck and full size trucks.
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ELECTRIC MOBILITY WITH EMPHASIS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT In a report titled “Use of electric vehicles to transform mass transportation in India” compiled by Vivek Ogra, Partner, Government & Public Sector, PwC, the author has mentioned that sustainable mobility is not just about replacing fossil fuelpowered vehicles with modes of transportation propelled by electricity. It requires a drastic reduction in the number of personal vehicles in the country in favour of public transport. It is all about a shift in cultural thinking, coupled with the global technical revolution around e-Thinking in transport systems. The transportation sector is
one of the major contributors to CO2 emissions. With rapid urbanisation in developing economies such as India and China, CO2 emission by urban transport is increasing rapidly. Hence, there is an onus on these economies to act immediately and combat climate change through constant focus on innovation in industry and infrastructure, and by building sustainable smart cities. According to the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan 2020 report, the Indian automobile market is ruled by two wheelers, which account for 75% of the total number of vehicles sold in the country. And the passenger car segment is dominated by the small
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ELECTRIC VEHICLE SPECIAL
car segment and there is an increased likelihood for numbers to go up significantly by 2030. Although India has been witnessing an increase in its sale of vehicles year on year, automobile ownership in the country still remains low, with only 18 cars per 1,000 citizens, compared to nearly 69 in China and 786 in the US. This indicates that a major section of Indians do not own vehicles and are dependent on shared or public means of mobility. The share of public transport buses has declined, which has necessitated a revamp of the public transport system in the country. With National
Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) 2020 and FAME scheme launched by the Central Government to boost the manufacture of hybrid and electric vehicles in India, the nation aims to achieve production of seven million electric vehicles by 2020. With government schemes and Smart City projects providing a catalytic base and fostering the growing EV presence, the future looks promising. At the current rate, with the incremental changes introduced and the formulation of policies and standards on emissions, the inflection point is expected to be achieved by 2050, wherein 90% of vehicles will be electric and
only 10% traditional. The 5 mega trends which are expected to disrupt the economy, business and society include; rapid urbanization, shift in global economic power, climate change & resource scarcity, demographic and social change and technological breakthroughs. As the forces unleashed by the five mega trends interact, the twin imperatives of mobility of electric vehicles and public transportation throws up exciting options for a resolution of associated challenges; Key areas of focus would include; Charging Infrastructure, Para-transit, Urban Planning,
Utilization of vehicles, Connected Mobility and Form Factor Innovation. According to Vivek Ogra, With the scale of pollution in India and alarming projections of worsening climatic conditions in the future, the only way to move forward in our quest to achieve environmental sustainability and clean air to breathe is to rapidly move towards electric mobility. While the benefits of electric vehicles are obvious, their adoption rate is minimal in India. Therefore, to push the e-Mobility initiative, the Government needs to provide adequate incentives for adoption of electric vehicles. This will lead to cities seeing a surge in the demand for power.
Battery Swapping: Sustainable solution for the EV ecosystem India has ambitious plans of achieving 100 percent electrification of mobility by 2030. However there are multiple challenges that lay ahead in this course. Currently the EV adoption in India is about 0.5 percent. EV adoption is strongest in the 2 wheeler and 3 wheeler segments. There can’t be a better saying than “infrastructure should precede innovation” in this race. As India is gearing up for this disruptive race, there is no doubt that focus has to be on the charging infrastructure. India is a price sensitive market. The initial acquisition costs of EVs largely hindered the growth of this market initially. We have seen that battery performance has been
anxiety. Tackling this fear while balancing the cost and performance of the vehicle will be the only winning strategy in fuelling the growth of the EV market.
“ EV adoption is strongest in the 2 wheeler and 3 wheeler segments... As India is gearing up for this disruptive race, there is no doubt that focus has to be on the charging infrastructure.” increasing on an average of 8% year on year. We are also seeing a decline in the prices
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in a similar manner. However, it is impossible to avoid the concerns regarding range
Battery swapping is indisputably one such game changing strategy that can address these concerns. Even with the best charging infrastructure, it would be nearly impossible to service at this scale and with the exponential growth expected in this sector in the coming years. This is mainly since the current batteries or charging technology available will still need about 1-2 hours of charging for at least 100 km range. Anyone in India is well aware of the waiting times at a
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ELECTRIC VEHICLE SPECIAL
CNG station or even some of the fuel refilling stations. Unless the charging time can be reduced to under 5 minutes to mimic the traditional fuel pumps, this will lead to added chaos and decline of the EV adoption. Battery swapping stations will enable the user to exchange his used battery with a fully charged battery in less than 2 minutes if it’s a small vehicle. Swapping time can go up to 5 minutes for a commercial Bus / heavy vehicle. The user will be charged for the depleted charge in the used battery. However, careful planning and execution is necessary to avoid pitfalls. According to media reports, Lithion Power plans to invest $1 billion to create a battery swap ecosystem for electric vehicles in India. The company will focus on the two-wheelers and three-wheelers segment for the coming years. There are some concerns that need to be addressed. Standardization of battery
platforms is one of the fundamental change required across the different vehicles. Keeping in mind that onesize-fits-all approach may not be the solution. However, achieving this maybe an uphill task. Consider it like the AA or AAA batteries that we use in our day to day life. They go into a standard slot in a device regardless of the manufacturer or electronic device. This is challenging and questionable as most OEMs would want to hold on to their battery expertise as proprietary technology. However it is just a matter of time before most OEMs realize that in the absence of proper public infrastructure, decentralized models like battery swapping will only work to their advantage in more people buying their EVs. Another major hurdle is regarding the battery ownership. Unless the mindset surrounding this question changes, battery swapping technology may take time to catch up. Another concern
is regarding the battery performance degradation over time (multiple charging cycles) as it reduces the range attainable with each charge. In a battery swap system there will be batteries with different energy storage capacities in the swapping station, mainly due to degradation. Quite naturally the question arises as to what measures would be adopted to ensure that every battery will be having identical performance. This question is also relevant as most companies will be chasing a pay per use model for revenue generation. It is inevitable that alternate battery technologies will emerge to complement this system. To make sure the demand and supply of the batteries are balanced, the swapping stations need to maintain an inventory of at least thrice the number of batteries than the number of vehicles on road. Given the cost of the batteries maintaining such inventory would be huge financial challenge.
While the EV community maybe divided on opinions regarding a viable method to charge EVs, there is no doubt that battery swapping is a front runner in providing a convenient, cost-effective and scalable solution in the current scenario. Many companies are working on the best approach for rolling out battery swapping stations, and this would be a good turning point for more sustainable and optimised electric mobility future for the country.
(Article authored by Akshay Singhal, CEO & Founder, Log 9 Materials)
FAME II aims to step up research, innovation in EV segment The Government will soon roll out second phase of the FAME India scheme. “We are now very soon going to launch the second phase of (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles), this is a consortia approach that we are putting along with the Department of Heavy Industries and Department of Science and Technology,” said Dr Arbinda Mitra, scientific secretary, Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor to Government of India in inaugural address at ASSOCHAM Auto Forum. Dr Mitra also informed that in the FAME II mission, the government as of now is going to allocate Rs
350 crore to have a concerted investment in research and innovation addressing three components that are very important for India viz., 1. Development of battery and its components; 2. Development of motors using rare-earth magnate materials and 3. Development of electronic control systems, technologies and know-how which together could be put as power electronics.
Picture for representation purpose only. Courtesy: Audi
He said that government was totally cognisant of the fact no industry has the capability or also the intent to put in the risk capital required to make this happen. “Therefore the government is also thinking of creating a risk-capital
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ELECTRIC VEHICLE SPECIAL
that can go along with this and working on a consortia mode putting together the industry, academia, start-up enterprises to connect and look at each of these problems in a holistic manner,” he said. Dr Mitra added, “We have to also look at huge amount of international collaborations required to leapfrog in this area of research and innovation.” Urging the industry stakeholders he said, “You will have to look at investing in research as a part of your enterprise, it cannot be something that you can put under the carpet otherwise we would be again, may be after five years down the line, importing the whole stuff from China or somewhere else.” Stating that around 20-25 per cent of air pollution in large cities comes from automobiles, he said there is a need to see that its effect on health and economy is going to be very negative. “Therefore, electric vehicles or cleaner form of mobility has to come as the way forward.” He informed, “In the office of Principal Scientific Advisor we are now setting up a committee that could look into the future of mobility, what are the futuristic technologies that we need to address together both in terms of personal as well as public mobility which the country needs to gear up in the future.” Dr Mitra also said that India needs to look at the research, development and innovation route to make e-vehicles economically viable today itself. “We cannot wait for five years, the R&D part of this needs to be focussed in a way through a very close public-private partnership (PPP) to see effectively where we could work together to create a strategy for ourselves,” he said.
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BorgWarner eAxle “iDM” takes electric propulsion to a new level BorgWarner’s drive modules simplify the design of future pure electric drives significantly, and it is predicted that they will continue to do so in the years to come. While the forerunner – the electric drive module (eDM) – has already entered serial production, the fully integrated drive module (iDM) featuring specially developed power electronics is expected to follow as the next logical step. The product family is available in three different versions (iDM XS, iDM S, iDM M) and is easy to integrate either at the front or the rear axle of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles depending on the architecture and the application. Alongside pure electric vehicles, BorgWarner’s solution is also suitable for P4 hybrid vehicles, where the motor is located at the rear axle of the front-wheel-drive vehicle. The solution integrates highly efficient power electronics with an advanced transmission system and industry-leading drive motor technology featuring BorgWarner’s efficient bar wound stator solution to form a scalable compact package. “With the iDM, BorgWarner delivers a product family of highly integrated propulsion solutions to drive our customers’ hybrid and electric vehicles. At the same time, we are strengthening our position as the supplier of choice for hybrid and pure electric propulsion solutions,” said Dr. Stefan Demmerle, President and General Manager, BorgWarner PowerDrive Systems.
complexity and minimum losses. In addition, it offers full software functionality with an option for the high-level control of vehicle dynamics and energy management. The software architecture meets current market requirements and is easy to adapt to common platforms like AUTOSAR as well as allowing safety aspects such as ASIL D to be realized. To handle the increasing volume of data exchange within modern vehicle systems, BorgWarner’s state-of-the-art power electronics can be used with a CAN or a CAN FD bus. In general, the key benefits of the iDM include its scalable and modular architecture and the wide range of gear ratios and electric motor sizes available, making it flexibly adaptable to customer demands. Operating at 250 to 450 volts of direct current (VDC), the iDM has exceptional torque and power densities ranging from 90 kW to 160 kW and 2,500 Nm to 3,800 Nm. The advanced transmission technology offers smooth and quiet operation and the patented bar wound stator motor technology delivers exceptional performance with superior noise, vibration and harshness characteristics. All components used in the iDM module are part of BorgWarner’s portfolio of proven technologies and are also available as stand-alone solutions. BorgWarner continues to drive innovation and expand its position as a key partner for global OEMs.
“We deliver key elements for electric vehicles: the electric motor, the transmission, the power electronics and the thermal management system. Our comprehensive portfolio makes us a product leader in clean technology solutions and a strong partner for automakers worldwide as they move toward a cleaner and more environmentally friendly future,” he added. The latest component of the iDM – the integrated, specially developed power electronics – allows a small package, low
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ELECTRIC VEHICLE SPECIAL
Jaitley inaugurates electric vehicle charging station in North Block; Hands over 15 EVs Marking the adoption of e-mobility, the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India has signed an agreement with Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), an entity under Ministry of Power for deployment of 15 Electric Vehicles for their officers. Also, 28 charging points (24 Slow charging points, 4 Fast Charging Points) have been installed at North Block for charging these vehicles. The signing ceremony took place in the presence of Arun Jaitley, Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs; R.K. Singh, Minister of State (IC)
Power and New & Renewable Energy; Ajay Bhushan Pandey, Secretary, Department of Revenue; Ajay Narayan Jha, Finance Secretary & Secretary (Expenditure); Subhash Chandra Garg, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs; and Ajay Bhalla, Secretary, Ministry of Power. Jaitley also flagged of EVs at the North Block. With this development, the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance begins its transition towards a reduced carbon footprint and a more environmentally sustainable future. It also marks its participation in India’s e-mobility
goal of 30 percent fleet electrification by 2030. Several stakeholders across the nation are already implementing many initiatives to support electric mobility with more expected to join the effort. The Department of Expenditure has also issued an office memorandum for all the government offices in Delhi/NCR to switch to electric vehicles. Adoption of electric vehicles will reduce dependence on oil
Magenta Power announces “ChargeGrid Pro” AC Charger Series Magenta Power, a pioneer in renewable energy solutions and EV charging infrastructure space in India, adds another feather to its cap being the first in India to launch an end to end AC charging platform for electric vehicles under the “ChargeGrid Pro” series. The new ChargeGrid Pro series is an innovative solution to the EV charging infrastructural problems in India. The solution combines for easy installation and simple commission, designed to suit Indian power conditions. In sync with the recent announcement, the power ministry issued guidelines for charging infrastructure under which based on the occupancy pattern and the total parking
provisions in the premises of the various building types, charging infrastructures shall be provided only for electric vehicles, which is 20% of all ‘vehicle holding capacity’ at the premise. The ChargeGrid Pro Community AC Charger is aligned to the new guidelines, bringing simple solution to the EV charging problems.
Community AC Charger made specifically for residential societies is the first product to be launched from the ChargeGrid Pro series. The ChargeGrid AC Charger is light-weight and compact with maximum efficiency and superior power density.
The ChargeGrid Pro series comes integrated with state of the art technology; wireless monitoring and data logging all enabled via ChargeGrid’s online and mobile platform. With no dedicated manpower for operations or collections; one parking lot can serve multiple users.
imports and promote power capacity addition in India thereby enhancing energy security of the country. It will further reduce GHG emissions from the transport sector and also reduce the impact of pollution level in the cities.
Delhi NCR to have India’s first ever 100% electric smart cab fleet BluSmart Gensol Mobility, part of smart technology driven Gensol group, has launched India’s first ever 100 percent smart electric fleet BluSmart in New Delhi and the national capital region, to usher in an era of smart urban electric mobility for consumers and also improve the quality of life in the country’s pollution rid towns and cities. The company has invested over Rs 50 crore as capital expenditure and is setting up a massive charging infrastructure of 65 stations, with each having up to 20 charging points, across the NCR, thus ensuring assured charge to the vehicle having access to a charging point in 5 km radius. In the first phase, 70 Blu-Smart cabs will be available in Noida, Greater Noida, Gurugram, Aerocity as of now.
This ChargeGrid Pro
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TECHNOLOGY
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TECHNOLOGY
CES 2019 concludes on turbo-charged note for automotive industry CES, the world’s biggest consumer technology show held in Las Vegas, USA from January 8 to 11, 2019 once again saw a huge participation from automobile companies showcasing their technologically savvy products. The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for 50 years — the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace. CES is owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). With more than 4,500 exhibiting companies and exhibit space of more than 2.9 million net square feet, CES 2019 welcomed the world’s biggest companies in addition to hosting more than 1,200 startups at the Eureka Park Marketplace. More than 188,000 industry professionals, including more than 63,000 from outside the U.S., convened in Las Vegas to drive the ever-evolving global technology industry forward. CES is the only show where the entire 5G ecosystem – the backbone for transportation, virtual reality, sports technology and digital health – comes together. CES 2019 was a turbo-charged mobility show, with 11 of the world’s leading car manufacturers highlighting the future of transportation – including an air taxi from Bell Helicopter and an electric motorcycle from HarleyDavidson. Self-driving technology will save lives, enable greater accessibility and improve productivity. Here are some of the technologies pertaining to the automotive industry that were showcased at the CES 2019:
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TECHNOLOGY
AEV Robotics announces the modular vehicle system at CES 2019 After working in secret for more than three years, AEV Robotics is now ready to showcase their modular vehicle system (MVS) on the international stage. The United Nations predicts that 68% of the world’s population will live in urban areas by 2050, which would equate to more than 6.5 billion people. AEV Robotics CEO, Julian Broadbent, believes there is
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an urgent need to rethink the way we move people, deliver goods and address on demand markets in cities. “Instead of adding technology to upgrade traditional cars, we’ve started from a clean sheet and built a completely new vehicle, ”
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TECHNOLOGY
Broadbent said. The foundation of every MVS is a robotic base. Digitally controlled via a programmable interface, each base is lightweight, electric, four wheel steer and multidirectional. Connected with the robotic base are functional pods. The pods are engineered to meet the needs of businesses, city planners and fleet managers. They can be selected from an existing range, or designed to specific requirements.
PlusAI demos Level 4 Autonomous Driving Truck Technology
AEV Robotics will offer developer level access to the programmable interface in 2019. This will support service providers to open new markets, commercialize leading edge technology and drive social change in cities. PlusAI, Inc., a leading global self-driving company focused on enabling large-scale autonomous commercial trucking fleets, showcased its full-stack L4 autonomous truck technology at CES 2019. PlusAI also demonstrated the technology with an International LT Series tractor on a nearby Las Vegas truck route during the show. The International LT Series, equipped with PlusAI’s L4 autonomous driving technology, can automatically navigate major routes from hub to hub. PlusAI’s precision positioning and control system integrates deep learning visual algorithms, using advanced lane detection, LiDAR (laser detection and measurement), SLAM (instant positioning and map building) and other technology solutions. Founded in 2016 in Silicon Valley, PlusAI was one of the first companies to obtain an autonomous driving test license from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in early 2017. For the past two years, PlusAI has built its market leadership in self-driving technology to power autonomous commercial trucking fleets for its OEM partners and prospects. “Thanks to the convergence of machine learning and artificial intelligence, big
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data, mobility, and advanced sensors, the autonomous revolution is on the horizon. Autonomous trucks are one of the best applications for autonomous driving in the near term, and this application is close to becoming a reality,” said Dr. David Liu, founder and CEO of PlusAI, adding that, “Through our strong strategic partnerships with large truck OEMs and transportation providers globally, PlusAI is leading the market by changing the future of the logistics and transportation industry.” Applying autonomous driving technology to trucking will generate a multi-trilliondollar economic impact, significant enough to reshape the transportation industry and its ecosystems. PlusAI is committed to making commercial freight transportation safer, more efficient and less expensive for its customers. With its corporate headquarters in Cupertino and R&D centers in both Silicon Valley and China, PlusAI consists of worldclass engineers that are equipped with a strong strategic vision, as well as rich experiences in technology innovation and commercialisation. PlusAI was founded in 2016 in Silicon Valley by David Liu and Hao Zheng, who were classmates at Stanford twenty years ago.
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Audi turns car into a virtual reality experience platform at CES Audi redefined in-car entertainment at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. In the future, backseat passengers will be able to experience movies, video games, and interactive content even more realistically using virtual reality glasses.
The technology adopts virtual content to the movements of a vehicle in real time: If the car drives through a right turn, the spaceship in the experience does the same, for example. Through a subsidiary, Audi Electronics Venture GmbH, Audi has co-founded a start-up company, holoride GmbH, which
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will commercialise this new form of entertainment via an open platform that will be made available to all carmakers and content developers in the future. Audi demonstrated the immersive futuristic technology with “Marvel’s Avengers: Rocket’s Rescue Run,” an in-car VR experience for backseat passengers being brought to life by Disney Games and Interactive Experiences. Wearing VR glasses, the passenger in an Audi e-tron is transported into a fantastical depiction of
outer space: The Audi e-tron now functions as the ship manned by the Guardians of the Galaxy, as the passenger makes their way through an asteroid field together with Rocket, a character that will appear in Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame in spring 2019. Every movement of the car is reflected in the experience in real time. If the car turns a tight corner, the player curves around an opposing spaceship in virtual reality. If the Audi e-tron accelerates, the ship in the experience does the same.
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Bell unveils full-scale design of Air Taxi at CES 2019 Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company, revealed the configuration and fullscale vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) air taxi vehicle during CES 2019. The air taxi, named Bell Nexus, is powered by a hybrid-electric propulsion system and features Bell’s signature powered lift concept incorporating six tilting ducted fans that are designed to safely and efficiently redefine air travel. As space at the ground level becomes limited, the need to solve transportation challenges in the vertical dimension is important– and that’s where Bell’s on-demand mobility vision takes hold. The industry has anticipated the reveal of the air taxi for some time. “We believe the design, taken with our strategic approach to build this infrastructure, will lead to the successful deployment of the Bell Nexus to the world”, said Mitch Snyder,
President and CEO, Bell. Team Nexus, consisting of Bell, Safran, EPS, Thales, Moog and Garmin, are collaborating on Bell’s VTOL aircraft and on-demand mobility solutions. Bell will lead the design, development and production of the VTOL systems. Safran will provide the hybrid propulsion and drive systems, EPS will provide the energy storage systems, Thales will
provide the Flight Control Computer (FCC) hardware and software, Moog will develop the flight control actuation systems and Garmin will integrate the avionics and the vehicle management computer (VMC).
AUTONOMOUS POD TRANSPORT (APT) Alongside the debut of Bell Nexus, Bell featured the Autonomous Pod Transport (APT) – an exciting new venture for Bell. The APT family varies in payload capability that can serve many mission sets from medical, law enforcement, offshore missions and on-demand delivery services.
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BMW Group presents vision of intelligent connectivity At the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas from January 8 – 11, 2019, the BMW Group presented its vision of intelligent connectivity to the public, highlighting the potential for future individual mobility. The focal point of the company’s CES showcase was the BMW Vision iNEXT, which looks ahead to the future of driving pleasure, and the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, which, as an onboard expert and the soul of the BMW, constitutes the central element for interaction between the driver, their vehicle, and their digital world. The BMW Vision iNEXT formed the optical highlight of the exhibition stand, which also showcased the interior design principle “My Favorite Space” with harmonious, natural surfaces and technology that is kept discreetly out of sight. A sophisticated mixed-reality installation also provided a virtual impression of
the future driving experience promised by the BMW Vision iNEXT.
INNOVATIVE EXPERIENCES: BMW R 1200 GS AS SELFRIDING MOTORCYCLE; BMW X7 TACKLES OFF-ROAD COURSE In the exhibition center’s outdoor areas, BMW and BMW Motorrad offered two completely different, but uniquely fascinating experiences. To showcase the BMW Group’s high level of expertise in automated driving, BMW Motorrad presented a spectacular test and research vehicle at the CES 2019. The self-riding BMW R 1200 GS is able to start, accelerate, perform cornering maneuvers, slow down, and come to a stop – all by
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itself. Development of this test vehicle will provide valuable insights into riding dynamics, which can then be used to help the rider recognise dangerous situations and master difficult driving maneuvers. In this way, the self-riding motorcycle, with its comprehensive understanding of ideal lines and perfect cornering, correct braking point, and traction-optimised acceleration, can
help the driver constantly improve their skills. Just a few weeks after the world premiere of the BMW X7 in Los Angeles, CES 2019 visitors had their very first chance to ride in the youngest member of the BMW X family. Visitors were able to experience the exclusivity and spaciousness of this luxury model with an exciting ride on a demanding off-road course.
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Byton unveils a closer look at the M-Byte SUV production model Byton, the premium intelligent electric vehicle brand, revealed new details about its first production model, the M-Byte SUV, at the CES 2019. Positioned as the next generation smart device, Byton is designed for the future of autonomous driving when the automobile will become a mobile digital lounge. Byton aims to create a premium brand rooted in China which has a global reach. Its global headquarters, intelligent manufacturing base and R&D center are located in Nanjing, China, while its North American headquarters, devoted to intelligent car experience, autonomous driving, whole vehicle integration and other cutting-edge technologies, is based in the Silicon Valley. The company’s vehicle concept and design centre is located in Munich, Germany. “Byton’s M-Byte represents the transformation of the traditional car into a nextgeneration smart device for every user,” said Dr. Carsten Breitfeld, CEO and Co-founder of Byton. “We achieve this through the combination our state-of-the-art EV platform and our proprietary Byton Life digital ecosystem,” he said. A digital cockpit that improves the in-car experience, Byton’s Shared Experience Display (SED) remains the world’s largest in-car display for a production
seats on the production model, enabling the front passenger to control the SED and enjoy the same interactive experience as the driver. • Rear passengers have access to independent rearseat entertainment screens that also share content with the SED.
automobile. It displays vehicle and driving information and offers various content options in an intuitive way. The position of the display has been carefully developed and tested to not affect driver line-of sight and can automatically adjust brightness according to changes in ambient lighting to avoid further distraction. In addition, the SED will meet automotive safety standards as well as crash standards in all target markets. The production Byton M-Byte’s user-interface and user experience (UI/UX) hardware will feature abundant shared and private screen space to capture and display a wide array of digital content – navigation, music, videos, photos, files, contacts, and more – intuitively and safely to users in any seat: • The Shared Experience Display is a 48-inch-wide curved display with three areas for content. In full
screen mode of SED, the user can interact with the SED via both, a 7-inch Driver Tablet and an 8-inch Touch Pad. The SED is not a touch device itself. • The 7-inch Driver Tablet pioneered by Byton will be at the centre of the steering wheel just above the full-size driver airbag, serving as one of the main interfaces for the driver to configure the vehicle and interact with the SED. • An 8-inch Byton Touch Pad has been added between the driver and the front passenger
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• The front seats can be rotated inward 12 degrees, to create a space that is more convenient for passengers in the car to interact and communicate with each other when not in motion. • The dashboard features a new wraparound design with air conditioning vents, gear selector, and other hard buttons located in the center along with a driver monitoring system to ensure safety during assisted-driving modes. • Multiple interaction modes with the vehicle will be offered including touch control, voice control, physical buttons, and gesture control.
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Continental robots show their delivery prowess
Technology company, Continental exhibited how a driverless vehicle could be used to stage and deploy delivery robots, taking packages all the way to the consumer – even when they’re not able to physically receive them. The seamless integration of a driverless vehicle – in this case, the Continental Urban Mobility Experience (CUbE) – and a delivery robot present a more effective and efficient distribution of goods. Driverless vehicles like the CUbE, Continental’s autonomous electrified development platform, are generally considered as a solution for urban “first or last mile” mobility. This type of vehicle – often
referred to as a robo-taxi or pod – will be a part of the seamless mobility value chain. The purpose of these vehicles will be extended to goods delivery to further utilise the available transport capacity and reduce idle times. Market estimations show that the need to transport goods will even outpace the strongly growing need for people transport in densely populated areas. With expertise in scalable technologies and solutions like sensors, environment perception and modelling, localisation, positioning, situation analysis, decision making and mechatronic actuators, Continental has the solutions
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and know-how to address this need. “With the help of robot delivery, Continental’s vision for seamless mobility can extend right to your doorstep. Our vision of cascaded robot delivery leverages a driverless vehicle to carry delivery robots, creating an efficient transport team,” said Ralph Lauxmann, Head of Systems & Technology, Chassis & Safety division, Continental. “Both are electrified, both are autonomous and, in principle, both can be based on the same scalable technology portfolio. These synergies create an exciting potential for holistic delivery concepts using similar
solutions for different platforms. Beyond this technology foundation, it’s reasonable to expect a whole value chain to develop in this area,” said Lauxmann.
URBAN DELIVERY CAN USE SYNERGIES FROM AUTOMATED DRIVING Goods and parcel delivery to residential areas is a growing and dynamic market, driven by e-commerce sales that are increasing every year. With the growth of this segment, delivery cost per hour is gaining importance. This positions last mile and delivery services as a differentiator. Automated goods delivery is forecasted to provide an answer for up to 80 percent
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TECHNOLOGY
of all business-to-consumer deliveries, according to multiple research sources. Continental views automated goods delivery as an integral part of future urban mobility as an addition to conventional goods delivery. Driverless vehicles like the CUbE can carry one or multiple delivery robots and deploy them to handle the last yards of the goods and parcel delivery logistics chain. “Industrialising the automation of goods delivery requires reliable, robust, high-performing and best-cost technology – a mix perfectly reflected in the automotive equivalent of automation. It is this very profile of expertise that has made Continental one of the industry-
leading suppliers of advanced driver assistance systems and vehicle automation,” Lauxmann said. With existing delivery robots serving as a development platform, Continental is ready to transfer and scale automotive technology to meet robot manufacturers’ requirements. “The challenges to a delivery robot parallel what we already solve for in automated vehicles,” said Jeremy McClain, Director of Systems & Technology, Continental North America, adding that “Plus, delivery robots will require technology that is just as advanced and robust as our automotive solutions.” With the ever-increasing popularity of online shopping and the growth
transport.
of megacities, unique solutions for package delivery will be needed. Driverless vehicles combined with delivery robots could be the perfect answer.
SEAMLESS MOBILITY FOR SMART CITIES Driverless vehicles will represent a very important element in the Smart Cities of the future. They are considered by many experts as a key element of future mobility concepts to solve the challenges of urbanization. A driverless vehicle can be in use almost 24/7. Innovative city planners see driverless vehicles as a valuable addition to public mass transport by eliminating the need for a privately owned car to get to the nearest point of access to other means of
“There will be peaks in demand for driverless vehicles during the day. To make use of driverless vehicles outside those peak ‘rush’ hours is where robot-delivery comes in,” said McClain. “We see great potential in our automotive technology to support robotics companies in developing autonomous delivery robots as an additional use case for driverless vehicles,” he added. Since many deliveries are made during the day, when many people are working, at school or otherwise occupied, the robo-taxi’s off-peak hours could be perfectly utilized for such delivery trips when combined with delivery robots such as this.
Harley-Davidson debuts new concepts and Livewire motorcycle Motorcycle manufacturer, Harley-Davidson revealed two new concept electric two-wheelers and announced pricing and pre-order availability for LiveWire, its first electric production motorcycle, at CES 2019. The 2020 LiveWire is now available for US dealer pre-order with deliveries expected this fall and select global markets announced at a later date. The LiveWire represents the future of Harley-Davidson, bringing high-performance electric propulsion, evocative design, and cellular connectivity to today’s rider. The first of a new electric portfolio of motorcycles that
provides an all new two-wheel experience, LiveWire delivers thrilling acceleration, agile handling, premium materials and finishes, and a full suite of electronic rider aids and interfaces for a completely connected experience. The performance of the LiveWire motorcycle will deliver an exhilarating ride for seasoned motorcyclists, while its clutchfree design also makes the experience for new riders easier than ever. Harley-Davidson also debuted two additional, electrified future concepts that further explore the potential of urban mobility. In keeping with LiveWire, both concepts bring Harley-Davidson’s
expertise in expressive twowheeled experiences and push boundaries in design and technology. These motorcycles are a significant part of the More Roads to HarleyDavidson plan to accelerate building the next generation of riders through new products in additional motorcycle segments, broader access and a commitment to strengthen dealers globally. “We’re at a
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historic juncture in the evolution of mobility, and Harley-Davidson is at the forefront,” said Matt Levatich, Harley-Davidson’s President and CEO. “Innovation that moves the body and soul has always been at the heart of our brand, and this next chapter in our history is about creating products and opportunities for existing and aspiring riders of all ages and walks of life,” he added.
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Honda creates new categories of technology free society through safe and smooth traffic flow using connected car technologies. Inspired by nature, Honda R&D developed this unique SAFE SWARM concept with the goal of enabling vehicles to wirelessly communicate and move fluidly and
Honda showcased a variety of mobility, robotics, energy management, and connected concepts at CES 2019 that have the potential to create a cleaner, safer, and more convenient world. The company featured demonstrations of in-vehicle connected services in the all-new 2019 Honda Passport, and provided a first look at real-world testing of the off-road Honda Autonomous Work Vehicle, a new category of vehicle dreamed up by Honda engineers. Honda Innovations, the Silicon Valley arm of Honda R&D, will debut new collaborations with startups and major brand partners through its open innovation programmes, Honda Developer Studio and Honda Xcelerator. Both serve as catalysts to discover and experiment with new technologies and concepts,
further emphasizing Honda’s commitment to open innovation.
HONDA FEATURED THE FOLLOWING TECHNOLOGY PROTOTYPES AND CONCEPTS: Honda Autonomous Work Vehicle: Increasing work efficiency Honda showed real-world testing scenarios of the Honda Autonomous Work Vehicle, a prototype off-road vehicle that is a combination of Honda’s all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and emerging advanced autonomous technology. It was designed by Honda R&D Americas to bring efficiencies and increased safety to public, commercial, and consumer enterprises, such as construction, agriculture, search and rescue and firefighting. The Autonomous Work Vehicle
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is based on Honda’s proven ATV chassis, which has a 30-year history of accessing hard-to-reach locations with its rugged four-wheel drive system. The vehicle features GPS and sensorbased autonomy capable of guiding the unit in almost any environment; a rail accessory mount system for limitless accessories and attachments; and onboard power plug-ins.
SAFE SWARM : Creating a safer driving experience SAFE SWARM is a concept that demonstrates Honda’s dream to realise a collision-
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TECHNOLOGY
efficiently without a collision like a school of fish. Using Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) technology, Honda SAFE SWARM allows vehicles to communicate with surrounding vehicles and share key information such as location and speed. With this information, along with the sensor suite on the vehicle, the driver or automated vehicle systems can determine the safest course of action in merging with traffic or avoiding a road hazard. Ultimately, Honda believes that connecting all road users will create a safer transportation environment, mitigating and eventually eliminating all traffic fatalities. Honda’s SAFE SWARM concept can improve traffic flow by taking information from vehicles ahead to prevent potential traffic snarls, take
early braking action to help avoid a wave of emergency braking, or to change lanes if needed. It does this through an on-board system with V2X communication, as well as the existing sensors on the vehicle and even sensors in the infrastructure. After introducing the SAFE SWARM concept at CES 2017, Honda has been conducting closed course testing and will next evaluate the concept in a real-world environment on the 33 Smart Mobility Corridor in Ohio, planned to become the longest stretch of continuously connected vehicle-toinfrastructure roadway in the world.
Robotics: Enhancing people’s lives Honda is developing a variety of
robotics technologies to carry out its vision of a future where robotics devices support people and enhance human potential. The Honda P.A.T.H. (Predicting Action of the Human) Bot is a robot specialised in moving smoothly around public places without interfering with people. Equipped with artificial intelligence, Honda P.A.T.H. Bot uses an onboard camera and sensors to identify its location and recognize its surroundings, allowing it to move from one destination to the next while avoiding obstacles and selecting the optimal route. Honda is seeking P.A.T.H. Bot field demonstration testing partners.
Wireless Vehicle-toGrid: Reducing CO2 while creating new customer value
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Honda debuted its Wireless Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G), a bidirectional energy management system that has the potential to reduce CO2 and create new value for customers. The growing popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) has the potential to strain the power grid, leading to the increased use of nonrenewable energy sources to meet demand, which will result in greater carbon emissions. Recognizing that batteries in vehicles also can be used as storage to help balance supply and demand, Honda EV owners will be able to participate in the V2G program and receive compensation from utility operators who benefit from the use of Honda EVs to balance the grid’s energy supply. Unlike charging with a conventional charging cable, the system enables noncontact charging and discharging of an EV by parking on a charging pad, which makes the charging experience more convenient for customers. Honda has developed this Wireless Vehicle-to-Grid with WiTricity, the industry pioneer in wireless power transfer over distance. The Honda Wireless Vehicle-toGrid can help eliminate the gap between supply and demand of electricity by charging EVs when power generation is greater than power consumption, and by discharging electricity from EVs to the power grid when consumption is greater than generation. To put this system in practical use, Honda is interested in collaborating with energy-related companies, including aggregators and electric companies.
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Hyundai technology to assist hearing-impaired drivers Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) revealed a new innovative technology that assists hearing-impaired drivers. Hearing-impaired drivers are dependent mainly on their sight and touch senses. HMG created a way of communication for hearing impaired people that incorporates both internal and external sounds through tactile and visual means, thereby expanding freedom of mobility to all drivers regardless of their physical limitations. The technology utilises artificial intelligence to analyse the external sound patterns and employs two separate driving assist systems that work together simultaneously – the Audio-Visual Conversion (AVC) and Audio-Tactile Conversion
to drivers with impaired hearing. Starting with an open invitation, stories were sent in by people from all over the country, and HMG chose Daeho Lee, as Seoul’s first ever, designated hearing-impaired taxi driver to showcase the driving assist technology. (ATC), to help hearing-impaired drivers who have an acute, highly developed sense of touch and attuned visual capabilities. The AVC allows for safer driving, by enabling communication with the external environment through visual portrayals of sound patterns, such as warning sounds of emergency vehicles, as pictograms on the head-up display (HUD). The steering wheel is also equipped
with multi-colored LEDs which indicate navigational information while driving. The ATC transfers the sound data into vibrations through the steering wheel, notifying the driver of information about external environments such as distance from obstacles. HMG, demonstrating the technology, revealed a campaign video called ‘Quiet Taxi’ that aspires to give hope
Lee, a hearing-impaired father of two children who recently began a new career as a taxi driver, had difficulties with hearing and had to rely mainly on his sight. Problems arose with other drivers on the road when he could not hear the horns or sirens of surrounding vehicles. Additionally, he needed to constantly rely on his vision, which caused fatigue at a rate many times that of the average driver.
Hyundai Mobis lights path to avoid accidents involving autonomous vehicles Hyundai Mobis showcased the latest Communication Lighting concept at CES 2019. Communication Lighting uses an “Indicating Lighting Zone” to indicate when an autonomous vehicle is operating in selfdriving mode. The concept also includes a “Communication Lighting Zone” that uses LED, digital boards, headlamp projection and sound to communicate with nearby pedestrians and vehicles during various driving scenariosensuring safer cohabitation. Autonomous vehicles
outfitted with Communication Lighting can detect a pedestrian from more than 450 feet away. Upon detection, headlamps begin projecting a bright red warning symbol indicating that it is unsafe to motion across the self-driving vehicle. In addition to the Communication Lighting Experience Zone, Hyundai Mobis’ new technologies in autonomous driving, Infotainment System and eco-friendly solutions were on display at the show. When the vehicle reaches a complete stop, headlamps
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project a crosswalk symbol onto the ground to indicate to nearby pedestrians that it is safe to proceed. As pedestrians clear the path of the vehicle, LED boards begin signaling when the vehicle is about to resume motion by counting down— similar to traditional crossing signs used today—while showing directional arrows that indicate the direction the vehicle intends to move. Communication Lighting can integrate with Mobis’ Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) enabled Adaptive Drive
Beam (ABD) technology, or AADB—a headlamp innovation announced earlier this year. The integrated solution offers a more responsive self-dimming headlamp due to increased object detection and processing capabilities, with vehicleto-vehicle, and vehicle-topedestrian interaction. As OEMs, suppliers and technology companies race to bring higher levels of autonomy to market, the conversation continues to be centered around the safety, complexity, infrastructure and governance
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TECHNOLOGY
required for full autonomy. Because Communication Lighting is solely focused on using intelligent lighting solutions to save lives the solution could be introduced in new vehicles across OEMs much
more quickly and cost effectively. “Light has been used as a conduit for communication among vehicles and pedestrians for almost as long as the automobile has existed, so we
are excited to lead the evolution of this technology to save lives and offer peace of mind to all that use the road,” said Mirco Goetz, director of lamp engineering, Hyundai Mobis, adding that “Our primary focus
on the safe progression to future mobility will enable our industry to continue the advancement of autonomous vehicle technology, while helping to keep pedestrians and drivers out of harm’s way.”
Hyundai, WayRay unveil next-generation visual technology Hyundai Motor Group, in collaboration with Swiss deep-tech startup company WayRay AG, unveiled the world’s first Holographic Augmented Reality (AR) Navigation System equipped in the Genesis G80 at CES 2019. Hyundai CRADLE, the hub for Hyundai’s open innovation business, decided to strategically invest in WayRay last September in recognition of its leadership in holographic AR technology and its future growth potential. Prior to this initial investment, Hyundai Motor Group had been conducting its own preliminary research on applying holographic technology to vehicles in early 2017 and
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later expanded its commitment to producing quality parts with WayRay. The two parties have continued to develop holographic AR navigation technology in mass-produced vehicles, with long-term road tests in South Korea to minimize system errors. “This demo car is the first step of the proof of concept (PoC), but is an important step towards technology driven innovation,” said Yunseong Hwang, Director of Open Innovation Business Group from Hyundai Motor Group, adding that “Future mobility windshields will be more than just a piece of glass. AR holographic powered glass will serve as a platform to provide new services and open up new in-vehicle experiences.” The biggest advantage of a holographic AR navigation system built into the vehicle is that the stereoscopic image is
displayed on the actual road and appropriately adjusted in accordance with the specific viewing angle of the driver, thereby delivering accurate driving guidance. The driver can enjoy vivid and precise holographic images without wearing a headset. The direction of movement is kept precise through the vehicle speed in real-time, and projecting navigational alerts through the windshield onto the road allows drivers to navigate safely while looking ahead undistracted. Additionally, while conventional head-up display (HUD) units project a reflected image indirectly through an LCD screen mounted on the dashboard, the holographic AR display projects an image through the windshield. WayRay’s display shows not only navigational features — such as lane guidance, destination points, and current
speed — in augmented reality, but also incorporates ADAS features like lane departure warnings and forward collision warnings. The virtual image of 1,310mm x 3,152mm is projected at a distance of 15m from the driver’s eyes; Hyundai Motor Group has refurbished its HUD to fit WayRay’s system and offer the optimized solution to drivers.
as well as road or weather conditions, to be provided in real time.
The two parties will continue to work closely together to expand holographic AR technology to display people, objects, buses, bicycle lanes, and crosswalks, and additionally, further develop advanced ADAS functions such as a rear side warning system and the Highway Driving Assist (HDA) system.
Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors are concentrating their research and development resources on acquiring AR navigation and other related technologies to improve upon and accelerate the next generation of displays and connected vehicles. Not only will this disruptive technology help Hyundai Motor Group achieve its vision of a more integrated and seamless blending of automotive technologies, but also assist in developing other closely related areas of interest such as wearable robots, smart-buildings, smart-cities and a plethora of other exciting possibilities.
In addition, they expect the incorporation of V2X (Vehicle to Everything) technology and connectivity features will allow data such as traffic signals, surrounding vehicle information,
Besides this holographic AR navigation demonstrated at CES 2019, Hyundai Motor exhibited a cocoon-shaped cockpit which allows visitors to get a taste for freedom in mobility.
Hyundai walking car concept is the future of the first responder industry Any first responder will tell you that the first 72 hours following a natural disaster are the most crucial to saving lives. However, often times due to the nature of the disaster (forest fire, earthquake, hurricane, or flood), it can be difficult for searchand-rescue and humanitarian aid missions to reach and get immediate help to those in need. The need for efficient, rapid, resilient transportation for disaster assistance is what led Hyundai to develop the first-ever
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TECHNOLOGY
vehicle with moveable legs. Elevate is the first Ultimate Mobility Vehicle (UMV), blending technology found in electric cars and robots, which allows it to traverse terrain beyond the limitations of even the most capable off-road vehicle. “When a tsunami or earthquake hits, current rescue vehicles can only deliver first responders to the edge of the debris field. They have to go the rest of the way by foot. Elevate can drive to the scene and climb right over flood debris or crumbled concrete,” said John Suh, Vice President and Head of Hyundai CRADLE, adding that, “This technology goes well beyond emergency situations. People living with disabilities worldwide that don’t have access to an ADA ramp could hail an autonomous Hyundai Elevate that could walk up to their front door, level itself, and allow their wheelchair to roll right in. The possibilities are limitless.”
The Elevate concept is based on a modular EV platform with the capability to switch out different bodies for specific situations. The robotic leg architecture has five degrees of freedom plus wheel hub propulsion motors and is enabled by the latest in electric actuator technology. This design is uniquely capable of both mammalian and reptilian walking gaits, allowing it to move in any direction. The legs also fold up into a stowed drive-mode, where power to the joints is cut, and the use of an
integrated passive suspension system maximizes battery efficiency. This allows Elevate to drive at highway speeds just like any other vehicle. But no other can climb a five foot wall, step over a five foot gap, walk over diverse terrain, and achieve a 15 foot wide track width, all while keeping its body and passengers completely level. Further, the combination of wheeled motion with articulating legs provides a new paradigm of mobility by enabling faster walking speeds, unique dynamic driving postures and torsional
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control at the end of each leg. “By combining the power of robotics with Hyundai’s latest EV technology, Elevate has the ability to take people where no car has been before, and redefine our perception of vehicular freedom,” said David Byron, design manager, Sundberg-Ferar, adding that “Imagine a car stranded in a snow ditch just 10 feet off the highway being able to walk or climb over the treacherous terrain, back to the road potentially saving its injured passengers –this is the future of vehicular mobility.”
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iOttie launches revolutionary smartphone car mount iOttie, a leading mobile accessories company, announced its Easy One Touch Connect smartphone car mount featuring Amazon Alexa built-in. A first-of-its-kind product, the mount supports most standard Alexa features and capabilities, including access to more than 70,000 Alexa skills, right from your vehicle. By working with Amazon to develop the Easy One Touch Connect, and incorporating its own patented Easy One Touch mechanism, iOttie has created a functional and intelligent car mount. The Easy One Touch Connect will be available for purchase on Amazon.com and iOttie. com later in the first quarter of 2019. The Easy One Touch Connect from iOttie is one of the first automotive accessories built using the Alexa Mobile Accessory Kit. With access to tens of thousands of Alexa Skills, users can ask Alexa to play music, check the weather, get driving directions, control smart home devices and more, all while enjoying smooth communication via dual high-quality microphones and
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noise-canceling software that filters out ambient road noise. The device also incorporates iOttie’s patented Easy One Touch mechanism, which enables users to easily lock and remove their smartphone with one hand. Thanks to iOttie’s superior shock-absorbing technology, the Easy One Touch Connect offers the stability and security iOttie users have come to know and trust, ensuring smartphones stay locked in place so users can focus on the road.
Magneti Marelli exhibits highly integrated lighting, electronics solutions Magneti Marelli showcased its high-tech offerings at CES 2019 in Las Vegas. The company aims to address the needs of autonomous driving and connectivity with a wide range of smart, streamlined and highly integrated lighting and electronics solutions. Magneti Marelli’s technologies improve communication between the vehicle, its occupants and the surrounding environment, increasing safety. Magneti Marelli’s third generation Smart Corner was unveiled at CES. Smart Corner integrates autonomous sensors into headlamps and tail lamps to provide OEMs with the required functionality for autonomous driving, while maintaining styling aesthetics and world-class lighting performance. It can accommodate any sensor an OEM may choose to deploy, including LiDAR, radar, cameras, or ultrasonics, as well as advanced, LED-based lighting features like adaptive driving beam (ADB) and DLP. Smart Corner provides a 360-degree view around the vehicle with redundancy. Because the sensors are integrated into existing headlamps and tail lamps, an OEM benefits from a fully calibrated, plug-and-play solution, resulting in a simplified manufacturing process that is lower cost and lighter weight than alternatives.
SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATED CONNECTED VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY Inspired by the modular approach of the Smart Corner, Magneti Marelli showcased seamlessly integrated connectivity features in a test vehicle. Technology includes active matrix organic light-emitting diode
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TECHNOLOGY
Mercedes-Benz showcases new technologies
(AMOLED) displays embedded in the front grille and rear applique to communicate intent, autonomous signaling, an interactive virtual assistant, audible alerts, and positional advertising using V2X.
POWERFUL DRIVER MONITORING AND PERCEPTION TECHNOLOGY Booth visitors saw how the company integrates cameras, sensors and perception software to provide driver monitoring functionality. A key feature of Magneti Marelli’s solution is that it requires very little computing power and works without complex hardware. Once a user’s status and mood is determined, the data interfaces with the HMI to dynamically adapt the car’s environment.
HOLISTIC HMI Magneti Marelli also exhibited the seamless integration of multiple displays, controls and feedback to serve the driver by delivering information how, when and where they need it. The company’s latest display technology can augment perception, depth and reality, without tapping into valuable dashboard real estate.
USING LIGHT AS A PERCEPTION AND COMMUNICATION TOOL Drawing on more than 100 years of innovation in advanced lighting solutions, Magneti Marelli is first to market with DLP, the world’s first 1.3 million pixel production headlamp. DLP creates ideal lighting conditions, and can project images onto the road to communicate with drivers and pedestrians.
ADVANCED LIGHTING SOLUTIONS Booth attendees saw a variety of ADB modules that increase visibility for a safer, more comfortable drive. Headlamps equipped with ADB can operate in high beam mode nearly 100% of the time, providing maximum light output. By combining laser and LED light sources, the company’s latest generation laser headlamps have a high beam range of more than 600 meters.
The Mercedes-Benz CLA Coupé celebrated its world premiere at the show. The successor to the premium coupé first unveiled in 2013 boasts an innovative interior with the next evolution of the MBUX, which now recognises control commands through movements. Also new is the Energizing Coach familiar from the B-Class. This service, based on an intelligent algorithm, suggests one of the programmes from the Energizing package according to the situation and individual needs. Its extensively facelifted exterior ensures the new CLA Coupé remains the design icon of the compact segment. Its distinctive forward-angled front end with its long, taut hood and power domes is particularly striking, while the wider track emphasises the sporty and dynamic look.
figures). “The EQC is the Mercedes-Benz among electric vehicles. Soon, we will have many more – we aim for over ten purely electric passenger cars by 2022,” stressed Ola Källenius, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. “This will cover the entire portfolio: from smart to large SUVs. “The future definitely is electric,” Kallenius stated.
TWO ELECTRIFIED US PREMIERES On show for the first time on American soil was the MercedesBenz EQC. The first purely batteryelectric vehicle from the EQ product and technology brand represents an ideal combination of comfort, quality and everyday usability. Both inside and out, the crossover SUV embodies the design language of progressive luxury. The EQC is likewise equipped with the groundbreaking MBUX – Mercedes-Benz User Experience – multimedia system, enhanced with a wide range of EQ-specific content. It also boasts a completely re-engineered powertrain system with a compact electric driveline (eATS) front and rear, giving the EQC the handling characteristics of an all-wheel-drive vehicle and providing it with an electric range of more than 450 km in the NEDC (preliminary
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Also celebrating its US premiere was the Vision URBANETIC – a revolutionary mobility concept that goes way beyond previous notions of autonomous vehicles. Vision URBANETIC removes the division between people moving and goods transportation. The concept lowers traffic volume, takes the pressure off city infrastructures and contributes to a new quality of urban life. The revolutionary vehicle is based on an autonomous, electrically powered driving platform that can carry different, interchangeable bodies for either people moving or goods transportation. As a ride-sharing vehicle, Vision URBANETIC can carry up to twelve passengers, while the cargo module can transport up to ten EPAL pallets.
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TECHNOLOGY
NVIDIA Introduces DRIVE AutoPilot at CES 2019 NVIDIA announced the world’s first commercially available Level 2+ automated driving system, NVIDIA DRIVE AutoPilot, which integrates multiple breakthrough AI technologies that will enable supervised self-driving vehicles to go into production by next year. At CES 2019, leading automotive suppliers Continental and ZF announced Level 2+ self-driving solutions based on NVIDIA DRIVE, with production starting in 2020. As a Level 2+ self-driving solution, NVIDIA DRIVE AutoPilot uniquely provides both worldclass autonomous driving perception and a cockpit rich in AI capabilities. Vehicle manufacturers can use it to bring to market sophisticated automated driving features — as well as intelligent cockpit assistance and visualization capabilities — that far surpass today’s ADAS offerings in performance, functionality and road safety.
NVIDIA Xavier system-ona-chip (SoC) processors and the latest NVIDIA DRIVE Software to process many deep neural networks (DNNs) for perception as well as complete surround camera sensor data from outside the vehicle and inside the cabin. This combination enables full self-driving autopilot capabilities, including highway merge, lane change, lane splits and personal mapping. Inside the cabin, features include driver monitoring, AI copilot capabilities and advanced in-cabin visualization of the vehicle’s computer vision system. DRIVE AutoPilot is part of the open, flexible NVIDIA DRIVE platform, which is being used by hundreds of companies worldwide to build autonomous
vehicle solutions that increase road safety while reducing driver fatigue and stress on long drives or in stop-and-go traffic. The new Level 2+ system complements the NVIDIA DRIVE AGX Pegasus system that provides Level 5 capabilities for robotaxis. DRIVE AutoPilot addresses the limitations of existing Level 2 ADAS systems, which a recent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study showed offer inconsistent vehicle detections and poor ability to stay within lanes on curvy or hilly roads, resulting in a high occurrence of system disengagements where the driver abruptly had to take control. “Lane keeping and adaptive cruise control systems on the market today are simply not
living up to the expectations of consumers,” said Dominique Bonte, vice president of Automotive Research at ABI Research. “The highperformance AI solutions from NVIDIA will deliver more effective active safety and more reliable automated driving systems in the near future, ” Bonte said.
XAVIER SOC: PROCESSING AT 30 TERAOPS A SECOND Central to NVIDIA DRIVE AutoPilot is the Xavier SoC, which delivers 30 trillion operations per second of processing capability. Architected for safety, Xavier has been designed for redundancy and diversity, with six types of processors and 9 billion transistors that enable it to process vast amounts of data in real time.
“A full-featured, Level 2+ system requires significantly more computational horsepower and sophisticated software than what is on the road today,” said Rob Csongor, vice president of Autonomous Machines at NVIDIA, adding that, “NVIDIA DRIVE AutoPilot provides these, making it possible for carmakers to quickly deploy advanced autonomous solutions by 2020 and to scale this solution to higher levels of autonomy faster.” DRIVE AutoPilot integrates for the first time high-performance
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TECHNOLOGY
Panasonic showcases innovative technologies at CES Technology major Panasonic showcased several innovative technologies that support a wide range of mobility and mobility services, including the conceptual model, “SPACe_C” (for Sharing Panasonic Autonomous Connected e-Mobility) which is comprised of a powertrain base and a detachable cabin on top.
NVIDIA INTRODUCES DRIVE AUTOPILOT Xavier is the world’s first automotive-grade processor for autonomous driving and is in production today. Global safety experts have assessed its architecture and development process as suitable for building a safe product. The DRIVE AutoPilot software stack integrates DRIVE AV software for handling challenges outside the vehicle, as well as DRIVE IX software for tasks inside the car. DRIVE AV uses surround sensors for full, 360-degree perception and features highly accurate localization and path-planning capabilities. These enable supervised self-driving on the highway, from on-ramp to offramp. Going beyond basic adaptive cruise control, lane keeping and automatic emergency braking, its surround perception capabilities handle situations where lanes split or merge, and safely perform lane changes. DRIVE AV also includes a diverse and redundant set of advanced DNN technologies that enable the vehicle to perceive a wide range of objects and driving situations, including DriveNet, SignNet, LaneNet, OpenRoadNet
and WaitNet. This sophisticated AI software understands where other vehicles are, reads lane markings, detects pedestrians and cyclists, distinguishes different types of lights and their colors, recognizes traffic signs and understands complex scenes. In addition to providing precise localisation to the world’s HD maps for vehicle positioning on the road, DRIVE AutoPilot offers a new personal mapping feature called “My Route,” which remembers where you have driven and can create a self-driving route even if no HD map is available. Within the vehicle, DRIVE IX intelligent experience software enables occupant monitoring to detect distracted or drowsy drivers and provide alerts, or take corrective action if needed. It is also used to create intelligent user experiences, including the new ability for augmented reality. Displaying a visualization of the surrounding environment sensed by the vehicle, as well as planned route, instills trust in the system.
Panasonic showcased an environmentally conscious, safe and comfortable lifestyle by supporting the mobility of people and things and proposing new ways of utilising mobility.
48V EPOWERTRAIN & SPACE_C The “48v ePowertrain Platform” that Panasonic introduced in CES 2018 has evolved. With the same volume, the new powertrain boasts double the output and will help make compact EVs more lightweight, maximise cabin space, and extend travel distance. SPACe_C, which is comprised of the 48v ePowertrain Platform (drive unit) can be combined with a variety of cabins (interior unit). It provides a solution that expands possibilities for mobility by reducing costs and responding to multiple purposes. SPACe_C is an acronym for Sharing, Pod, Autonomous, Connected, e-Mobility, and Community (concept keywords for small mobility vehicles). The eMobility “SPACe_C” demonstrates how it will serve as a basic infrastructure that connects products
For next-generation user experiences in the vehicle, the AI capabilities of DRIVE IX can also be used to accelerate natural language processing, gaze tracking or gesture recognition.
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TECHNOLOGY
and people, and support people’s lives and revitalise communities. As an example of how this solution may be applied, Panasonic had on display a “SPACe_C eMart” equipped with a refrigerated cabin, which is introducing a solution that can deliver fresh food to consumers’ desired locations. Global demand for EVs is expected to expand rapidly, along with a wide variety of new mobility, which suit various lifestyles and uses in each region. The platform Panasonic developed is an energy-efficient, safe powertrain that features integrated compactness, high efficiency, and flexible scalability. The platform will help reduce costs and lead time for vehicle development by scaling up or down the combination of basic units in accordance with vehicle specifications such as size, speed and torque. The new platform consists of basic units, including a power unit (with an onboard charger, junction box, inverter and DC-to-DC converter) and a motor unit. The output is 18 kW, which is double that of the conventional product (8 kW) for the same volume (output density: two-fold). This has been achieved by reviewing the motor design and cooling structure. The conventional product required parts that consisted of two units to attain the same output. Due to the increased output, the number of units required has been reduced to one, resulting in the reduced size of the platform. The new platform will help further reduce the weight of small EVs, increase cabin space, and extend driving range. The company will offer the new platform to various partners and continue to contribute to the widespread use of EVs and creation of new businesses.
propose new applications for small mobility vehicles in tourist and urban areas, and revitalize communities. The expected use case of SPACe_C is to deliver temperature controlled food, packages for a consumption and online world, serve to educate riders while moving to location, act as a meeting zone for busy professionals, become the next hot retail pop-up store as a delicious food truck to feed hungry travelers or merely for people to utilize to get around town. The vehicle can be separated into upper and lower structures so that it can meet the needs for small mobility vehicles in various regions in the world. The upper structure is a cabin for transporting people and products, and for offering
services. The lower structure is e-Torta, which serves as the basis for small mobility vehicles and includes the 48V ePowertrain platform. e_Torta is a coined word derived from Spanish by adding the Japanese concept of oyagame-kogame (a baby turtle on the shell of a parent turtle).This name is familiar-sounding to Japanese people and brings to mind the image of a parent turtle that carries a baby turtle (i.e., transport of people, products, and services).
“SPACE_L” (LIVING SPACE AUTONOMOUS CABIN) In addition to automotive technologies that contribute to comfort, safety and security, and the environment, Panasonic is combining its technologies developed for lighting, air conditioning, air quality, seats, and various sensors with the expertise and know-how gained through Panasonic Group’s housing business.
SYSTEM SOLUTIONS BROUGHT TO LIFE TO HARLEY-DAVIDSON “LIVEWIRE” SERVICE Harley-Davidson’s first electric motorcycle, LiveWire will be equipped with connected services. Panasonic
SPACe_C is a small mobility vehicle based on a new concept that employs the new platform. It is designed to closely connect people with products and services, support people’s lives,
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TECHNOLOGY
provides the system solution that utilises its telecommunications unit (TCU) and OneConnect, connected service platform. This exhibit gave visitors an overview of Panasonic’s system solution, with examples showing that riders will have access to features like checking their motorcycle’s condition at all times as well as the ability to track the motorcycle in case of theft.
ELECTRIC ASSIST BICYCLES In cooperation with Kent International Inc., Panasonic will begin selling electric assist bicycles in the U.S. in the fiscal year ending in March 2020. Three models especially developed for the U.S. market using Panasonic Cycle Technology’s electric assist bicycle drive unit were on display.
INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SOLUTION Panasonic introduced the V2X platform, “CIRRUS by Panasonic” which will realize a connected mobility world. The CIRRUS by Panasonic platform is an open architecture, enabling a wide range of partners and strategic alliances. Panasonic has recreated a network operation center to demonstrate the proof of concept work Panasonic is currently undertaking together with the Colorado Department of Transport (CDOT).
AUTOMOTIVE CYBERSECURITY Panasonic introduced a security system that can significantly reduce costs of identifying and fixing vulnerabilities. By combining an AI-assisted cyber-attack detection specifically developed for automotive applications, that the system can quickly detect cyber-attacks that are becoming more and more sophisticated, and SIEM, which analyses logs and makes threats visible.
PuduTech debuts Holabot delivery robot at CES 2019 PuduTech, a global leader in delivery robot industry debuted three products at CES 2019 and showed the world consumers the latest progress in delivery robot. With concise design, Holabot features a size of 547x407x673mm, much smaller and more compact than its competitors. It has a simple flat appearance in diverse bright colors with lights on both sides and taillights in the front and rear as well as clean lateral lines presents strong visual impact with futuristic touches. Holabot is equipped with AI speech interaction and facial recognition. It may tell direction of human faces with RGBD camera and elevate its screen to the height at which users feel comfortable to operate it; users can unlock its cabin with facial recognition. In addition, there are automated trays within the cabin that will elevate themselves for users to fetch. In short, Holabot optimises both user experience and delivery security. Embedded with prominent Internet of Things technologies, Holabot is universally applicable and efficient and free from elevator and access control for it may pass turnstiles and take elevators by itself. Based on the module of elevator control and the multi-floor navigation algorithm by PuduTech, the robot may navigate itself to the designated floor, thus meeting demands for multi-floor delivery and upgrading its delivery capacity from one-
floor to multi-floor setting. Holabot is equipped with LiDAR, RGBD camera, ultrasonic sensors etc. Based on PuduTech’s cutting-edge multi-sensor fusion algorithm, SLAM algorithm and perception algorithm, its positioning accuracy can reach centimeter-level. Holabot can also detect obstacles at faster rate so that it can avoid obstacles more efficiently. Holabot can pass through a 0.6m wide aisle and circumvent obstacles quickly, and its maximum speed reaches 2m/s. Its delivery efficiency is greatly improved. PuduTech’s path planning algorithm empowers Holabot to recognise obstacles in the path. Once encountering obstacles, the robot will work out alternative routes and select the optimal one to ensure safe and timely delivery. Multiple sensors as embedded in Pudubot and Gazebot as well as significant upgrade of motion planning make Holabot stand out from its competitive products. Being the third-generation delivery robot, Holabot also supports PuduTech ’s multi-robot dispatch system, which allows for operation of 100 robots at the same time. Holabot can collect path traffic information and share it with other working robots via cloud. Moreover, multiple operating robots can move smoothly in the same or opposite direction or at intersection.
AVIONICS NEXT The company introduced NEXT, a new generation in-flight service platform, as well as a concept passenger seat that supports a comfortable in-flight experience under the theme “Wellness.”
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TECHNOLOGY
Rinspeed presents further advanced “Snap” ecosystem with the “microSNAP”
With the “Snap,” presented at the CES in Las Vegas in early 2018, Swiss powerhouse of ideas Rinspeed for the first time presented a vehicle, where the chassis (“Skateboards“) and bodies (“Pods”) can be swapped out at any time. Rinspeed company head Frank M. Rinderknecht shrunk the “Snap” into the “microSNAP” with the dimensions of a Renault Twizy. And for the first time, Rinspeed demonstrated a fully automated robot station that joins and separates chassis and bodies autonomously. Experts refer to this step in car production where the chassis and the body come together as the mating of an automobile, except here it is not for good, but only for the time of the intended purpose. As far as the Swiss automotive visionary is concerned, the days of large delivery vehicles that serve customers in sequence like pearls on a string over the course of the day are over. Because online business is booming and now includes the fresh food sector as well, the Swiss national believes in small autonomous vehicles that swarm out and bring their goods to the customer without detours and ‘just in time.’ It couldn’t be faster or more simple - even
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refrigerated or heated. However, his vision also includes two-seater ‘robo units‘, which take the shortest route to convey their passengers to their destination efficiently and in comfort. A startup is now on the drawing boards and talks with investors are underway to put the “Snap” on the road. Be it the “Snap” or the “microSNAP,” the basic idea is the same: While the bodies last as long as a car does today, the chassis contain all the components that are subject to wear and aging, such as the computer technology for autonomous driving. “Skateboards” (chassis) and “Pods” (bodies) are only temporary companions for brief periods. Various types of bodies use whatever skateboards are currently available. The skateboards are recycled after a few years, because they will have reached the end of their service life. They thus elegantly avoid an expensive and complicated hardware update.
SolarEdge collaborates with Google to Integrate EV Charging with Google Assistant SolarEdge Technologies, Inc, a global leader in smart energy technology, announced that electric vehicle (EV) consumers can now control SolarEdge’s EV-charging solar inverter using the Google Assistant. SolarEdge is one of the first companies to integrate EV charging with the Google Assistant. This news coincided with Google announcing all of the new Google Assistant features and with the SolarEdge EV charging solar inverter on display in the Google Assistant booth. SolarEdge offers the world’s first EV charging solar inverter, which offers up to six times faster charging than standard Level 1 chargers through its innovative solar boost mode. The smart speaker integration with the Google Assistant makes EV charging simpler for consumers and answers demand for smart energy solutions. Consumers can now tell the Google Assistant to start and stop EV charging. SolarEdge plans to add functionality to the Google Assistant commands, including inquiring about charging status, checking average miles charged in the charging session, and pre-schedule charging.
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TECHNOLOGY
Steer Introduces self-parking technology to Las Vegas
Toyota Research Institute rolls out P4 Automated Driving Test Vehicle at CES Toyota Research Institute (TRI) introduced the TRI-P4 automated driving test vehicle at CES 2019. The P4 is based on the all-new fifth-generation Lexus LS flagship sedan and will be used in TRI’s twotrack Guardian and Chauffeur automated driving system development.
Set against the backdrop of CES 2019, STEER took its Level-4, highly autonomous and cyber-secure parking solution to Las Vegas at Downtown Summerlin. Located just twenty minutes west of the Las Vegas Strip, Downtown Summerlin is a planned vibrant, walkable urban core, within the awardwinning 22,500-acre master planned community of Summerlin developed by The Howard Hughes Corporation. STEER and The Howard Hughes Corporation are already collaborating in Maryland, turning the Merriweather District into the first ever high-density, mixed-use neighborhood to adopt STEER. “At Howard Hughes, we believe growing boldly means embracing new trends in community living,” stated Greg Fitchitt, President, Columbia, The Howard Hughes Corporation, adding that, “Using a technology like STEER’s is the perfect blend to allow us to design high quality community living around enjoyable experiences while off-loading the daily hassles, like finding a parking spot, to modern technology.” In Vegas, consumers saw through a microcosm of real-life scenarios how a STEER enabled car interacts with other cars, pedestrians, obstacles, and more while parking and summoning completely autonomously. Opening up the technology to Howard Hughes residents and retail customers highlights the corporation’s willingness to adapt and incorporate modern technology to attract savvy consumers with cutting-edge amenities at their locations.
The P4 benefits from Lexus’ new generation of chassis and steering control technology, which provides greater agility and allows for more responsive and smoother maneuvers during automated driving. P4 adds two additional cameras to improve situational awareness on the sides and two new imaging sensors one facing forward and one pointed to the rear specifically designed for autonomous vehicles. The imaging sensors feature new chip technology with high dynamic range. The radar system has been optimised to improve the field of view, especially for close range detection around the vehicle
perimeter. The LIDAR sensing system with eight scanning heads carries over from the previous test model, Platform 3.0, and morphs into the new vehicle design. P4 is a much smarter research vehicle than its predecessor. With greater computing power, its systems can operate more machine learning algorithms in parallel for faster learning. It can process sensor inputs faster and react more quickly to the surrounding environment. All computing system power is now drawn from the vehicle’s hybrid battery with the 12v battery now serving only as a backup. The compute box in the trunk, which serves as the “brain” of the automated driving system, has been reimagined. It is now tucked vertically against the rear seat transom, folding down to access the circuitry. This frees up the entire floor of the trunk for hauling cargo.
“Time is the most precious commodity. Anything that saves time or creates more of it for desirable activities is of the utmost value to consumers today. With our automation technology we aim to do exactly that in a profound way,” stated Anuja Sonalker, CEO of STEER. “It will take time before autonomous vehicles are mainstream but autonomous parking has the potential to make a dent much sooner thanks to the bold vision and support of companies like The Howard Hughes Corporation. As more and more sites embrace STEER’s autonomous parking the consumer’s value proposition will exhibit network effects,” stated Sonalker.
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TECHNOLOGY
Impossible Foods’ plant-based meat burger wins top prizes at CES 2019
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TECHNOLOGY
This is not a report pertaining to the automobile world, yet it deserves a mention in the columns of Motown India. Impossible Foods launched its first major product upgrade CES 2019 - and Impossible Burger 2.0 took home the show’s highest honors. Impossible Foods’ nextgeneration, plant-based meat - which rivals ground beef for taste, nutrition and versatility won awards including the “Most Unexpected Product,” “Most Impactful Product” and “Best of the Best.” Editors from the technology blog network Engadget selected the winners, based on world-changing significance, product quality and market demand. In addition, Impossible Burger 2.0 received the “Best Food Tech Award” from Tom’s Guide and the “Top Tech of CES Award” from Digital Trends, which called it a “triumph of food engineering.” The Impossible Burger 2.0 was singled out as the “Best Tech of CES” by Mashable; “The Coolest Stuff From CES” by Digg; and “The Most Exciting New Product at CES” by BRG. The New York Post said Impossible Burger “stole the show,” while Gizmodo called it “stupid delicious.”
THE FUTURE OF FOOD RIGHT NOW The accolades are unprecedented for a startup in a new category. Impossible Burger 2.0 was the first food ever showcased at CES, which features breakthrough technologies from connected
homes to self-driving electric vehicles. Impossible Foods’ scientists are already hard at work on additional improvements. CEO and Founder Dr. Patrick O. Brown said the food tech startup plans to scale up faster than its tech neighbors in California’s Silicon Valley. “Our cycle of innovation can be much faster than that of the electronics industry,” said Brown, a former pediatrician, co-founder of the Public Library of Science and Professor Emeritus at Stanford University, adding that, “As soon as we determine we’ve got something decisively better, something that will accelerate our mission to eliminate the need for animal agriculture, we can launch it. ….” Based in Redwood City, Calif., Impossible Foods uses modern science and technology to create wholesome and nutritious food, restore natural ecosystems and feed a growing population sustainably. The company makes meat directly from plants - with a much smaller environmental footprint than meat from animals.
meat and dairy products directly from plants — with a much smaller environmental footprint than meat from animals. The privately held company was founded in 2011 by Patrick O. Brown, M.D., Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry at Stanford University and a former Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. Investors include Khosla Ventures, Bill Gates, Google Ventures, Horizons Ventures, UBS, Viking Global Investors, Temasek, Sailing Capital, and Open Philanthropy Project.
To satisfy the global demand for meat at a fraction of the environmental impact, Impossible Foods developed a far more sustainable, scalable and affordable way to make meat, without the catastrophic environmental impact of livestock.
Impossible Burger 2.0 debuted Jan. 7 at Border Grill, the award-winning restaurant from Chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger. It’s now available at about 20 of America’s most respected restaurants. Within several weeks, the next-generation Impossible Burger will be available at more than 5,000 restaurants.
Shortly after its founding in 2011, Impossible Foods’ scientists discovered that one molecule — “heme” — is uniquely responsible for the explosion of flavors that result when meat is cooked. Impossible Foods’ scientists genetically engineer and ferment yeast to produce a heme protein naturally found in plants, called soy leghemoglobin. The heme in Impossible Burger is identical to the essential heme humans have been consuming for hundreds of thousands of years in meat — and while the Impossible Burger delivers all the craveable depth of beef, it uses far fewer resources because it’s made from plants, not animals. Based in California’s Silicon Valley, Impossible Foods makes delicious, nutritious
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Starting Feb. 4, the nextgeneration Impossible Burger will be available to all restaurants in the United States through major food distributors. At that point, restaurants will automatically get the new 2.0 recipe when they place their next order; by mid-March nearly all Impossible Foods’ restaurant customers will likely be serving the new recipe. Impossible Burger is also available in more than 100 restaurants in Hong Kong and Macau. The company plans to launch the new recipe in Singapore later this year, with additional markets to come.
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COMMERCIAL VEHICLES
Mahindra launches Furio truck at `17.45 lakh onward Mahindra’s Truck and Bus Division (MTB), a part of the Mahindra Group, announced the commercial launch of the Furio, its brand-new range of Intermediate Commercial Vehicles (ICVs) with a guarantee of ‘More Profit or Truck Back’.
transferrable warranty.
With the company’s entry into the ICV segment, Mahindra & Mahindra is set to become a full range commercial vehicle player. Furio prices start at Rs 17.45 lakh for the Furio12 19ft HSD variant and Rs.18.10 lakh for the Furio14 19ft HSD variant (ex-showroom Pune).
vehicles with the popular ‘Mileage Guarantee’, which subsequently helped double its market share.
Mahindra Furio is the culmination of focused efforts over the past four years from more than 500 Mahindra engineers and 180 suppliers with an investment of Rs. 600 crore. It is notable that earlier MTB had introduced its Blazo range of heavy commercial
The vehicles were launched in the presence of Dr. Pawan Goenka, Managing Director, Rajan Wadhera, President, Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra and Vinod Sahay, CEO, Mahindra Truck and Bus and Construction Equipment Divisions, Mahindra & Mahindra
Ltd. The company claims that the Furio not only offers bestin-class mileage, the highest payload, lowest TCO with rugged aggregates but also ensures best-in-class safety and comfort in a segment which has the maximum highspeed applications among all CV segments in India. It also comes with the first time ever 5 years/ 5 lakhs km free maintenance guarantee (free AMC) and 5 years / 5 lakh km
The Furio is powered by the light weight, low friction MDI Tech engine, with popular FuelSmart technology offering, in a way, 3-engines-in-1 truck. The truck has been rigorously tested for over 30 lakh kms across various terrains in India. The Furio range of trucks will be manufactured at Mahindra’s Chakan facility. The Furio range will be showcased through industry first immersive VR experience to customers, drivers and other stakeholders. The new truck will be supported by the company’s service and spares network comprising over 100 3S dealerships, 184 authorised service centers, 2,900 roadside assistance points, a spares network of 1,600 retail outlets and 37 strategically located Parts Plazas.
Eicher Trucks & Buses introduces AMT in 16T truck category In an industry first move, Eicher Trucks &Buses, part of VE Commercial Vehicles Limited, has introduced the AMT (Automated Manual Transmission) technology in the 16T category with the launch of the Eicher Pro 3016 AMT. This industry first 16 ton GVW AMT truck-The Eicher Pro 3016 AMT is equipped with an Intelligent Shift Control Actuator that automatically performs clutch and shift operations which completely eliminates the need to use
the clutch and shift gears manually. The Pro 3016 AMT comes with Auto and Manual modes along with Transmission drivability features, that is, Power mode for time bound deliveries and Eco mode for Fuel Efficient operations. The biggest advantage of Eicher Pro 3016 AMT is that it comes with additional driving comfort over manual transmission-equipped models. The elimination of a clutch pedal frees drivers from gear-shifting, reduces their stress and fatigue and
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minimises performance gap between skilled and less experienced drivers. Pro 3016 AMT has been equipped to address challenges around driver safety, comfort and protection of cargo, thus ensuring fast and efficient movement of goods. This makes the vehicles apt for variety of applications such as ecommerce, consumer goods, parcel &courier, pharmaceuticals, industrial goods, agriculture produce, poultry and dairy products.
The Pro 3016 AMT trucks are being manufactured in the Eicher Trucks and Buses facility in Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh, where Eicher produces its complete range of 4.9T to 55T commercial vehicles.
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