CIMB Group Holdings Berhad and PLUS Malaysia Berhad have announced that they have recently come to an agreement to provide additional payment options to users of PLUS expressways across the country. These enhanced toll payment services will be facilitated by Touch n’ Go Sdn Bhd (52% owned by CIMB) through the TnG RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag.
Apparently, this agreement resolves the dispute a year ago when PLUS began to introduce its own RFID tag for electronic toll payments. CIMB took legal action to stop PLUS from having its own toll collection system.
Starting with PLUS expressways, the recent agreement promises a seamless experience with more options for toll payment anchored on the concept of Open Payments and will give highway users the choice to link their TnG RFID tags to any of their bank accounts, credit cards, debit cards or the TnG e-wallet.
TnG RFID services will be available in 10 open system toll plazas at PLUS expressways by January 1, 2020, extending to for all 83 closed system toll plazas on PLUS expressways by April 1, 2020. RFID transactions will be real-time and highway users will receive immediate notification of their balance.
Open system toll plazas are defined as a system where the toll fare is a fixed rate based on vehicle class. Closed system highways charge according to the vehicle class and distance travelled, with the toll to be paid when the vehicle exits the highway.
TnG RFID services have been available in pilot-mode at selected expressways nationwide since the beginning of 2019. Currently, there are over 700,000 RFID tags installed on and these tags are currently linked to the TnG e-wallet as a source of funds. The TnG RFID initiative is the first step of a masterplan aimed at reducing congestion on Malaysian expressways.
The scheme is being coordinated and devised in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Works and Malaysian Highway Authority and there will be absolutely no disruption to the current card, SmartTAG or PayDirect services.
It is the intent of CIMB and TnG to roll-out the Open Payments facility to all toll highway concessionaires across Malaysia in the future. Over time, this RFID-driven payment mode is expected to replace the TnG card that has been the defacto mode of payment for toll transactions across the country.
“It has been a key belief at PLUS that giving our customers more options to pay is an important aspect in enhancing their road journeys, so this is a key consideration when working with our partners. We are pleased that Open Payment options will soon be available to toll highway customers, in line with the needs of our customers who look forward to more convenience,” said Datuk Azman Ismail, Managing Director of PLUS.
“We are delighted that CIMB is aligned on this ambition to partner with us to lead in making it a seamless journey on our highways with the democratisation of toll payments where over time, other mode of payment can be considered, thus ensuring the toll industry is always relevant with market practices,” he added.
On the issue of reloading booths no longer being available at toll plazas, Datuk Azman said PLUS is aware of the unhappiness from some highway users and is working to resolve the issues but needs some time to do so. In the meantime, he urged motorists, for safety reasons, not to get out of their vehicles if they are unable to pass through because their TnG card has insufficient balance. “Press the intercom button and a PLUS customer service officer will come to assist you,” he advised.
According to recent research done by UK’s Young Driver, the country’s driver lessons provider, an average time that motorists need to become a ‘good driver’ after having obtained their new licenses is around 60 weeks. That’s 15 months of road experience behind the wheel to gain an acceptable level of skills, confidence, and experience. (more…)
Volvo Car Malaysia has officially launched the latest Volvo 3S centre and showroom over in Ipoh, Perak last weekend. Aimed to provide customers in the region with greater access to the brand and services, the new showroom is being operated by their dealer-partner, iRoll Ipoh Sdn Bhd. (more…)
Even in standard form in the showroom, the Renault Captur stands out from the typical compact crossover SUVs with its chic styling. Now, for those who want still more distinctiveness, TC Euro Cars (TCEC) has prepared a limited number of units as special editions of the Captur.
While having most of the specifications and Easy Life feature of the standard version, the Special Edition Captur Trophy, as it is known, gets some exclusive additions. The Vibrant Orange Trophy exterior colour, inspired by colour cues from the new signature Orange Tonic colour of the latest Megane R.S. (below left) is one of them.
There’s also a sporty front and rear bumper spoiler in gunmetal colour, 3D chequered flag decals and, for added convenience, a powered tailgate which automatically opens when a foot is placed under the rear bumper.
No extra cost to be a bit more exclusive
The Captur Trophy is available at no extra cost from the standard version so it goes for RM107,980 (on-the-road inclusive of SST, without insurance, for Peninsular Malaysia and private individual registration only). This means that it’s a really great deal which you don’t want to miss and you have to act quickly as there are only limited units.
Additionally, 5 lucky customers who purchase a brand-new Captur Trophy will get the chance to take the all-new Renault Megane R.S. home for one month. This offer aims to encourage an appreciation amongst customers for Renault’s range of products and offerings.
Also available on Renault Subscription
The Captur Trophy is also available on Renault Subscription. Under the Fixed Plan, customers pay from RM1,499 monthly for the 2-year subscription package and RM1,699 monthly for the 1-year plan. These monthly fees are inclusive of roadtax, insurance premiums and regular maintenance fees.
There is also the Switch Prime Plan where customers can enjoy the Captur Trophy as their everyday vehicle – in addition to a total of 4 months of access to the Renault family of models such as the Megane R.S. and Koleos SUV.
“Whilst many appreciate the striking design and current two-tone colour scheme on the Captur, we boost the Captur’s allure further with a whole new sporty look. Taking inspiration from the Megane R.S., the Limited Edition Captur Trophy delivers a new level of sports appeal. Coupled with the experience of the Renault Megane R.S. for one month, we have drastically turned-up the sports appeal for the Captur Trophy,” said Wong Hoe Mun, CEO of TC Euro Cars.
1.8-litre performance
The Limited Edition Captur Trophy has the same upgraded EURO 6-compliant turbocharged TCe 120 petrol engine with a start-stop function that delivers the performance and acceleration comparable to a normally-aspirated 1.8-litre engine. Mated to the 6-speed Efficient Dual Clutch (EDC) transmission, the engine offers peak torque of 205 Nm from as low as 2000 rpm and can travel up to 16.9 kms/litre, it is claimed. An ECO Mode contributes to up to 10% additional fuel savings.
Easy Life ownership experience
Renault firmly believes that the concept of ‘Easy Life’ should be experienced across all its products and throughout the customer’s ownership experience. To this end, all Capturs, including the Captur Trophy, also come with the Renault Honour trade-in programme. Through this programme for vehicles distributed by TCEC, customers will enjoy a guaranteed future value should they choose to trade-in their Captur for any new Renault model in the future. This is assurance that Renault is addressing depreciation concerns, especially in the first few years where the depreciation is the greatest.
The Renault Honour programme is available for a limited time only and customers are encouraged to confirm their participation as soon as they can.
There are 21 authorised service centres nationwide to look after Renault vehicles.
For more information on the Limited Edition Captur Trophy and other Renault models and services in Malaysia or to locate a showroom, visit www.renault.com.my.
PETRONAS Lubricants International (PLI), the global lubricants manufacturing and marketing arm of PETRONAS, recently organized the inaugural Electric Vehicle (EV) Fluids Symposium at its Global Research and Technology (R&T) Centre in Turin, Italy.
“The EV Fluids Symposium is our next initiative to work together, deliberate possibilities and set a shared agenda towards a cleaner future.”
PLI Managing Director and Group CEO, Giuseppe D’Arrigo.
Giuseppe D’Arrigo, PLI Managing Director & Group CEO
Attended by more than 120 participants, the one-day event drew industry-leading experts from across the world to discuss and feature EV innovations that support a cleaner, energy-efficient and more sustainable e-mobility future. It provides a platform for these experts to share future EV technology trends, their market relevance and the role of fluids in the evolution of e-transmission and battery technologies.
In addition, the EV Fluids Symposium aimed to encourage discussions on managing the climate challenge by harnessing EV technological developments and operational discipline.
Datò Sri Syed Zainal, Vice-President Downstream Marketing PETRONAS and Chairman of PLI, also spoke at the symposium.
“At PLI, we’ve pledged to double our investments and dedicate 75% of our R&T expenditure in projects that contribute to reducing CO2 emissions. PLI’s venture into the EV market that was announced earlier this year through PETRONAS iona range of e-fluids reinforces our commitment to the development and deployment of fluid technology. The EV Fluids Symposium is our next initiative to work together, deliberate possibilities and set a shared agenda towards a cleaner future,” said PLI Managing Director and Group CEO, Giuseppe D’Arrigo.
During the symposium, PLI also shared the findings of the industry’s first global study in EV Technology and Fluids focusing on Electric Drive Units and Batteries. The study, carried out in collaboration with FEV Consulting, concluded that innovation is crucial in advancing EV performance and durability, and continued improvement is needed to promote increased adoption rates of electric transportation by consumers.
Although EVs may not have internal combustion engines requiring lubrication and protection, the electric powertrains still require various fluids to optimise performance and efficiency. For this reason, PETRONAS has developed a new generation of e-fluids for electric vehicles.
Commenting on the state of the industry, Electric Vehicle Outlook Founder & Event Host, Roger Atkins said: “Change is a challenge, and with the rapid integration of electric vehicles into the global mobility eco-system, that challenge is being met with unprecedented and active collaboration between manufacturers, academia, and the world’s smartest engineering teams. I am encouraged to see the focus and ambition here at the EV Fluids Symposium. The twin imperatives of climate change and air quality can only be tackled by truly maximizing the efficiency of our planet’s mobility machines, amongst others.”
At the PETRONAS Global R&T Centre, attendees had the opportunity to tour the product development laboratory and mechanical testing facilities to understand the experimental work that goes into developing PETRONAS e-fluids.
Attendees touring the PETRONAS Global R&T Central lab.
Since the introduction of PETRONAS Carbon Commitments in 2012, the company has decreased its monitored carbon footprint by 13% from 2017, which is a cumulative 12 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions reduction. PETRONAS is also collaborating with Daimler Automotive in green projects towards low-carbon fuel and vehicle emissions control.
More recently, the efforts of Malaysian national oil corporation towards a sustainable future included the establishment of PETRONAS Carbon Commitments Guidelines and a New Energy unit to enhance capabilities in the renewables sphere.
Click here to read other news and articles on PETRONAS products and activities.
Visit www.mymesra.com.my to know more about PETRONAS products and services in Malaysia.
Bermaz Motor Sdn Bhd has officially announced the official prices for their all-new 2019 Mazda CX-8 here in Malaysia. Opened for booking earlier last October, the pricing for the seven-seater full-size SUV starts from RM176,000 to RM214,000 (basic selling price excluding insurance). (more…)
Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC) has announced that all 19 units of their limited-edition Ford Ranger Splash have been successfully pre-booked ahead of the Lazada 11.11 Shopping Festival on the LazMall’s Ford Official Store. (more…)
The future of world touring car championship is looking brighter than ever as DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters or German Touring Car Masters) promoter, ITR, unveiled their latest conceptual vision in the form of a 1,000hp electric race car that will be powered either by battery or hydrogen fuel cell technology. (more…)
Aiming to reduce accidents, a new law was passed this year which will require all new cars sold across the European Union (EU) from 2022 to have systems that warn drivers of drowsiness and distraction. The law has been deemed necessary as data shows that, in the UK for example, , there have been 4,000 accidents and 150 fatalities caused by driver fatigue since 2015.
DS Automobiles, the premium brand in the PSA Group, is among the first to respond to this new law to fit cars with fatigue alert systems. Its DS Driver Attention Monitoring system helps keep drivers alert and prevents them from falling asleep at the wheel. The advanced technology tracks signs of tiredness and could save around 50 lives a year on UK roads.
Monitoring with infrared cameras
The system, already available on the DS 7 CROSSBACK, combines a pair of infrared cameras focused on the driver with continuous vehicle position monitoring. Futuristic driver-facing cameras, mounted above the steering wheel and at the top of the windscreen, monitor 3 key physical signs of distraction or drowsiness; movement of the eyes, eyelids or neck. If any of these are detected, an audible alert is set off and a warning notice appears on the digital instrumentation display.
At the same time, vehicle position monitoring constantly tracks the car in relation to road markings and warns the driver with an audible alert if there are any sudden or unexpected steering movements.
The combination of these technologies allows the system to comprehensively monitor drivers for the key warning signs of distraction and drowsiness and maximises the window in which a driver can be warned and encouraged to take steps to counter against it.
“Distracted and tired drivers are a serious safety threat on roads across the UK and it is the cause of thousands of accidents a year, with some ending in fatalities. This serious issue can benefit from the latest technologies available, which is why we have made our DS Driver Attention Monitoring technology available across the range on DS 7 CROSSBACK. Coupled with DS Night Vision and DS Active Led Vision, DS Automobiles is able to lead the way on improving the safety on the roads,” said the company’s Head of Product, Vince Clisham.
The action continued for the second day of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival and Toyota Vios Challenge Season 3/Round 2 at Bandar Malaysia, the former TUDM airbase in Sg. Besi, Kuala Lumpur. Given the nature of the track, the more experienced (or braver) racers had wished for rain to gain some advantage but other than a few drops, the track remained dry and hot so strategy was of great importance.
SPORTING CLASS
The best action of the day came from the 3-way battle in the Sporting Class which saw SMS Motorsports’ Haji Sutan Mustaffa Salihin clinching victory ahead of 17-year old Bradley Benedict Anthony of Dream Chaser and Dannies Ng in third position.
Although Bradley Benedict Anthony and Dannies Ng were fighting for second place, Haji Sutan Mustaffa Salihin (No 12) was kept under pressure not to make any mistakes.
Sutan led the race from pole position but was forced to work hard during every one of the 20 laps as he came under tremendous pressure to defend his lead from Bradley, who was determined to get past. Too focused on Sutan, Bradley lost his track position to Dannies momentarily before regaining it 2 laps later when the latter missed a gear.
“It was a tough 20 laps with Bradley and Dannies behind forcing me to be on my toes throughout the 20 laps. I had to be super careful at every corner, trying to visualize what to do next in order to avoid making any mistakes that could have cost me the race victory. Their fight for second position did give me some much needed breathing space but it wasn’t enough to have a comfortable gap ahead,” said the 47-year-old competing in his first season of street racing in the Toyota Vios Challenge.
“The first round in Kuala Terengganu was extremely tough for me. In fact, my blood pressure was borderline high as I was just too nervous!” he revealed. “Although I have been racing for more than 20 years, street racing is something new to me and it is super challenging. It is not easy to fight against younger drivers who are aggressive and talented.”
Like Sutan, Bradley was equally elated as he clinched his first ever podium finish after transitioning from karting to saloon car racing this year. “I am quite satisfied with today’s result. It was a close fight but all three of us finished a clean race,” said the young driver.
SUPER SPORTING CLASS
In the Super Sporting Class for the professionals, Kegani Racing’s Kenny Lee drove to a textbook race after taking off from pole position. He successfully denied veteran Tengku Djan Ley of a second race victory, with Laser Motor Racing’s Mark Darwin finishing third.
Kenny (above) made a brilliant start to lead into the first corner with M7 Japan Project Team’s Syafiq Ali in close pursuit. But it was Tengku Djan who gained the most, managing to slingshot himself all the way to third position from sixth on the grid (starting positions were reversed for the first 6 finishers the day before). The race, however, was suspended as the Safety Car was called out to convoy the racing cars after a collision between Toyotsu Racing’s William Ho and Telagamas Toyota’s Freddie Ang.
“I made a good start and managed to make another good getaway during the restart after the safety car peeled away and that gave me a little bit of gap. Towards the finishing stages of the race, the tyres and brakes were beginning to heat up and I had to brake early, but at the same time try to maintain a competitive pace without pushing too hard. This was an exceptionally challenging and technical track,” said Kenny.
For Tengku Djan, second place as well as winning yesterday’s Race 1 was the perfect way to conclude the race weekend. Though he did not win, he has enough points to leading in overall standings in the class. “Today’s race was a combination of luck and strategy. I believe luck played a very big part. There was an incident in front of me and I managed to gain two positions,” he said.
All the racing cars in the Toyota Vios Challenge have identical specifications and performance levels. (Below) After each race, they are inspected to ensure that no unauthorised modifications have been made which can give an advantage.
Also celebrating a triumphant weekend was Mark who finished third in today’s Race 2 and earned second spot in Race 1 yesterday. “The start of the race was good for me and I too capitalized on the incident between William and Freddie but then suffered a moment on the track, and that dropped me to sixth place with a lot of catching up to do,” said Mark.
PROMOTIONAL CLASS
As expected, the Promotional class for celebrity racers was not without its fair share of drama. The drivers are not regular racers (with Shawn Lee perhaps having more experience than the others) but they did receive training prior to the start of the series.
Vocal TV presenter and comedian Nabil Ahmad (above) catapulted from fourth on the grid to lead the race right to the chequered flag, with singers Khai Bahar and Nabila Razali trailing in second and third positions respectively. En route to earning a second podium finish this weekend, Nabil said: “I’ve won races in the past, but this is the best first placing I’ve ever recorded because it was earned in the presence of Shawn Lee and Shukri Yahaya. It was a sweet moment for me.”
For the record, both beat boxer Shawn and actor Shukri were promoted to compete against amateur racers in the Sporting class for Season 2 before returning to the Promotional class in Season 3.
For third place winner Nabila (above in Car No. 92), the race weekend was also a fulfilling one. “I am extremely satisfied! So far, I’ve managed to not only finish all my races in Season 3 so far but unexpectedly claimed a few podium finishes. No more calling me a wall magnet and this is a very big achievement for me!” she said.
The biggest casualty in the race was Shukri who, despite running as high as third place, was taken out by Shawn in Lap 6 when the latter misjudged his braking point. Actress Diana Danielle meanwhile found herself pointing the car in the wrong direction on the track after being nudged by actor Syafiq Kyle.
“Yes, I am bit disappointed with the way Race 2 turned out, but I consider it a racing incident. As far as the competition goes this season, all the drivers in the Promotional class are extremely competitive and this makes the racing even more unpredictable and exciting,” said Shukri.
UMW Toyota Motor’s Deputy Chairman is also the company’s Chief Motorsports Officer and has raced in all three seasons of the Toyota Vios Challenge.
Meanwhile, UMW Toyota Motor’s Chief Motorsports Officer Akio Takeyama who finished fifth said the track at Bandar Malaysia was extremely fast but a rewarding experience for all drivers competing in the series. “The decision to hold this second round at Bandar Malaysia proved to be a rewarding experience, not only for the racers who enjoyed competing on a high speed and wider street track for the very first time, but also for Kuala Lumpur spectators due to its strategic location,” he said.
Although the country’s capital city has lots of activities on a weekend, some 10,000 spectators turned up for the Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival. The location was convenient to get to and UMW Toyota Motor also offered to subsidize up to RM15 a trip for those who used the Grab service to get to the venue. As at all the other rounds, there was lots of activity for the whole family and for aircraft enthusiasts, there was even the opportunity to see some of the early aircraft used by the TUDM which were parked around the site.
Malaysia’s first fighter jets – the Tebuan (left) and the Sabre. Other aircraft from the early days of the TUDM are also parked there but the site is no longer open to the public.
The former airbase is being redeveloped as Bandar Malaysia which is to be a global financial, technology and entrepreneurial hub. The RM140 billion mega project on the 486-acre site will include housing and an integrated transportation hub like KL Sentral. So it is unlikely that the Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival & Toyota Vios Challenge can be held again in 2020. As it is, special arrangements had to be made with the contractors involved in the construction work to accommodate the racing activities. Of course, it would be nice if a small racetrack could also be included in the Master Plan for Bandar Malaysia…
The first cars to greet visitors to the event were the all-new Toyota GR Supra.Participants in a future round of the Toyota Vios Challenge? Race Control – where hardworking officials ensure that the races run smoothly and safely throughout the day.Big screens inside the hangar allowed spectators to watch the racing in comfort.The drift performance never fails to thrill the crowds with precision driving by top drifters from Japan.Fans always get to meet their favourite celebrities and lucky ones get autographed posters as well.
