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Ford and Domino’s team up to test self-driving delivery vehicle

Ford has teamed up with Domino’s, the world renowned pizza maker, to develop autonomous delivery vehicles for the latter’s customers. This effort will enable the Blue Oval to study the role that future delivery pizza delivery vehicles might play in our lives.

Researchers from both companies will also investigate customer reactions to interacting with a self-driving vehicle as part of their delivery experience. They consider this of paramount importance because it will help them better understand customers’ perspectives regarding the future of food delivery with self-driving vehicles.

“As delivery experts, we’ve been watching the development of self-driving vehicles with great interest as we believe transportation is undergoing fundamental, dramatic change,” said Patrick Doyle, Domino’s president and CEO.

“We pride ourselves on being technology leaders and are excited to help lead research into how self-driving vehicles may play a role in the future of pizza delivery. This is the first step in an ongoing process of testing that we plan to undertake with Ford,” he later added.

Like many other mainstream automakers, Ford is still developing its self-driving vehicle business. Collaboration with other companies, will enable it to conduct valuable research that will be crucial to ensuring that the technology is applied in ways that benefit consumers.

The Blue Oval plans on rolling out production ready self-driving vehicles by 2021, and with that it hopes to meet the needs of companies and customers alike. But for Domino’s, currently a Ford Fusion Hybrid Autonomous Research Vehicle will be used to deliver pizzas to randomly-selected Domino’s customers in Ann Arbor, USA.

It wil be manually-driven by a Ford safety engineer and staffed with researchers. Customers who agree to participate will be able to track the delivery vehicle through GPS using an upgraded version of Domino’s Tracker®.

Text messages will be sent to respective customers once the delivery vehicle approaches their location. And will also guide them to retrieve their pizza using a unique code to unlock the Domino’s Heatwave Compartment™ inside the vehicle.

The Ford Fusion used here was retrofitted with the required hardware by Roush Enterprises which include the pizza container and Domino’s Heatwave Compartment. This vehicle was completed in 2015 and was put through preliminary testing in a simulated urban environment before it was let loose here.

It will be awhile before we start seeing such systems become common place at our local Domino’s outlet, but its comforting to know that Ford already has plans to ensure we get our pizzas on time.

Omologato watches tailored to the needs of the Tifosi

What do Ferrari fans and timepieces have in common? Well, its #Tifosi by Omologato Watches. It’s a model that prides itself on being affordable, durable and classy for racing/automotive fans. The company is marketing these pieces as beater watches, ones that you wouldn’t mind getting scuffed while enjoying wheel to wheel action at a racetrack.

A first for the company, #Tifosi watches will be offered in a variety of different designs and nomenclature that pay homage to some of the more memorable names and places in motoring and Motorsport. They are, Stuttgart, Hethel, R, Weissach and Fiorano, which are words that might be lost on the layman, but not to the Tifosi.

Omologato founder Shami Kalra said, “We are delighted to launch the new #TIFOSI watch. It is a truly affordable and durable timepiece, which we designed in a number of different styles to accommodate all audiences. It is a watch bespoke to you.”

He then added, “Deriving its name from the Prancing Horses’ legions of fans, the #TIFOSI was a truly apt title to give to the people who wear our watches and share their travels of Motorsport events from race circuits and car meets around the world. We are all #TIFOSI.”

These five different names correspond to five bespoke designs that encompass a robust 40mm stainless steel case and the Omologato logo featured in the seconds hand. There a number of double-layered nylon NATO to choose from. Their design and colour combination emulate that of racing liveries found on a variety of famous race cars or teams.

In case you didn’t know, the word Tifosi is commonly used to describe Ferrari’s legion of fans that live and breathe the brand. In fact, the word is widely used all over the world to describe Ferrari loyalists. However, it is actually an Italian word that means “fans” and is used to describe a group of supporters of a sport or something similar.

Prices for these watches start at £149 (RM821) in the UK, and if you would like to know more or place an order for one of these watches, visit the Omologato website at www.omologatowatches.com.

Honda will unveil EV at Frankfurt Motorshow

Honda will be using the upcoming 2017 Frankfurt Motorshow as a platform to showcase its electrification plans for its European car range. Part of that plan is the introduction of the Urban EV Concept, which will provide the general public with a glimpse into the direction Honda will take for future EVs.

Unlike Nissan, Honda and Toyota don’t have their own versions of EV contenders, choosing instead to rely solely on hybrid propulsion system for its electrification product portfolio. This is why its Frankfurt announcement will play a major role in gauging the automaker’s seriousness to take on EV competitors like Tesla and more recently, Volvo and VW.

Apart from the new vehicle, Honda will also be unveiling a hybrid version of the CR-V in prototype form. The move is meant as a precursor to the launch of the all-new CR-V SUV which should take place soon. The public will get to witness first hand, the best that Honda has to offer.

Flanking this new vehicle are the facelifted Jazz supermini as well as the new diesel-powered variant of the current (10th) generation Civic hatchback. Honda Motor CEO, Takahiro Hachigo will unveil the Honda Urban EV Concept at the Honda Press Conference on Tuesday 12 September.

The diesel powered vehicle will probably utilizes the new and improved engine from the previous generation car. A detailed article regarding that particular powerplant has been covered in a previous article, click here to read it.

This is great news for Honda fans, because like a number of other mainstream automakers, it too will be going ‘all in’ on the EV revolution.

Chery release more images of upcoming compact SUV

Chery has released further images of its upcoming compact SUV that will spearhead the Chinese automaker’s plans to penetrate the global market.

The design is a major departure from what we are used to seeing from the company. And the public will get to see it up close during the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) on 12 September 2017.

The silhouette is fairly elegant, featuring flared wheel arches and contours that seem to have a sense of fluidity to them. Then there’s the cascading front grille that is integrated with the projector headlamps and sophisticated trim pieces.

These subtle design elements though not groundbreaking, provide this compact SUV with a European-like presence. One could be fooled into thinking that the design was of from an established marque.

According to the automaker, the vehicle will still have a Chery badge despite carrying its own unique nameplate. This way, the company will get to incorporate a new evolution of the Chinese brand’s ‘Life In Motion’ design philosophy.

Ray Bierzynski, Executive Vice President of Chery R&D Center Shanghai, said, “The world premiere of our new compact SUV marks the start of our approach to European sales with a new model line.”

He later added, “Launching within a few years, all models in the line-up will feature characteristic styling, user-focused technology, electrified powertrains and advanced safety features.”

Chery plans to start sales of its passenger cars in Europe within the next few years led by the all-new model line for global markets. This new line will manly focus on SUV and crossover models, a segment of the market that has recorded significant growth.

Though relatively unknown outside its home country, Chery is the most successful exporter of vehicles in China. It has sold over 1.2 million units overseas since it was founded in 1997 – more than any other Chinese carmaker.

This means that the company is well able to mount a significant campaign to challenge the status quo in Europe. This, may ruffle more feathers at Kia rather than VW, due to similarities in strategy adopted by the Koreans several years ago.

Porsche may lead development of Lamborghini Urus

According to recent reports, Lamborghini is looking to ‘one up’ Ferrari at its own game by certain restructuring strategies. But out of the lot, we are most interested in the plans of launching its first ever SUV.

Based on an article published by automobilemag.com, there has been some talk of the production of the automaker’s upcoming hyper-SUV, the Urus, which is slated for launch next year. It is said to be based on the third generation Cayenne, and will sport a number of engine options including a 458bhp plug-in hybrid V6 and a 660bhp 4.0-litre V8.

That isn’t breaking news, but what is however, is the idea that Porsche instead of Lamborghini might be running the show. Audi, acquired Lamborghini in 1999 and the former, is owned by Volkswagen who also owns Porsche. (It’s complicated family tree)

Perhaps the powers that be, hope that with Porsche at the helm of the project, things would progress smoothly as opposed to having the Italian automaker calling the shots. Mind you, this isn’t the first time that the Germans have abruptly stepped in.

The Gallardo, Lamborghini’s most popular vehicle, and which has accounted for a significant portion of the brands sales growth over the yers, shared the same platform as the Audi R8. This had many purists up in arms because they feared that the move had diluted the appeal.

However, they were sadly mistaken and the Gallardo went on to sell like hot cakes in the 10 years that the model was kept in production. And this same strategy could work for the Urus as well.

As a side note, Lamborghini are also working on a Huracan that can do some mild adventure-like activities. Unlike the regular car, this one will have an increased ride height to allow for improved ground clearance. This Huracan will probably be fitted with bigger tyres as well as wider fenders to compensate for them.

Based on this, we can surmise that no automotive manufacture, regardless of heritage, can resist the allure of the SUV. It’s a product line that is in constant demand, especially when they are made by luxury brands.

Source: automobilemag.com

Škoda brings family together through touching reunion

Being away from your family can be tough, especially if it has been about a couple of years. Such is the case of an Australian expat named Robbie Smith, who left his home to seek better opportunities in the UK.

Home sick, Smith felt that though modern technology such as video chats and phone calls allowed him to connect with his family, he missed the physical contact. Upon hearing this, Skoda decided to step in an reconnect the Smith family in a very creative way.

The automaker released a video detailing the entire process of reuniting Smith and his immediate family. This short film portrays the planning that was done by the Skoda team, as well as the subtle hints that were left for the 32-year-old Australian while he was on his daily commute.

Though not jarring, they were obvious enough to pick up on, should you be paying attention. Smith, was completely oblivious of this and only came to the realization of what was actually going on when he approached a local cafe.

The clues that he missed included a graffiti mural of photos with his loved ones and an entire cinema decorated with posters of his life. He even walks past Skoda brand ambassador Sir Bradley Wiggins mistakenly thinking that he was a regular Londoner holding a newspaper.

In case you didn’t know, Sir Bradly Wiggins is a former British professional road and track cyclist who won several races including the Tour de France, in 2012. He competed in professional competitions between 2001 to 2016, and is a well-known celebrity in the UK.

Both shocked and delighted, Smith was over the moon to find out what Skoda had done just for him and that he got to be with his entire family for a signifcant amount of time. Speaking of this reunion, Smith said:

“I am still so shocked. I was just walking my normal route and had no idea that my family would be waiting for me at the end. I can’t believe all the clues I missed along the way; it wasn’t until I noticed the cinema posters and saw my face that I realised something wasn’t quite right.”

Skoda connected Smith and his family to celebrate the launch of its Kodiaq, the automaker’s first ever SUV. Built on Volkswagen’s MQB platform, the vehicle is closely related to the VW Tiguan and SEAT Ateca. A number of engine options have been made available with the vehicle including 3 petrol and 2 diesels.

Through this video, Skoda wants to inspire others to reconnect with what matters most to them with the launch of the Škoda Reconnect Fund ( www.skoda.co.uk/reconnect-me). The automaker will be facilitating the re-connection, big or small, of people and what they love to do including meeting an old friend by enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime experience together.

Volkswagen’s 150 millionth car rolls off production line

Now, 80 years since the company was founded, Volkswagen is celebrating a new milestone. The 150 millionth vehicle, a Golf GTE, has just rolled off its production line cementing the notion – VW is back.

Dr. Herbert Diess, CEO of the Volkswagen brand, said, “150 million vehicles – that means we have made the dream of owning a car come true 150 million times for customers all over the world. You and your day-to-day work are the basis for this success.”

As of now, the company has 50 production sites in 14 countries and a product portfolio that includes more than 60 different models, which are sold around the globe. That number should rise further, once the German automaker kicks start production of its EV platform in 2020. These cars will utilize the MEB architecture and spearhead the automaker’s charge into the EV market.

According to VW, it has serious plans of becoming a dominant force when it comes to EVs, because it plans to have produced one million electric Volkswagens by the time 2025 draws to a close. The use of technological digitization, increasing connectivity and sensor technology is part of its future strategy of attracting customers.

The Golf has played a major part in VW’s success and has often times been referred to as the benchmark of family hatchbacks. It picked up where the Beetle left off and remains to this day as a favourite among younger car buyers. To date, more than 34 million cars have been produced, with the latest, now in the 7th generation, considered the best of the lot.

The workforce at VW’s main plant in Wolfsburg has been a key contributiorto that lead the automaker to this feat, building over 44 million vehicles since production began some 72 years ago.

Land Rover takes on dog power in Finland

This year’s warm summer has left much of Northern Europe without snow, and as such, the dogs training for the winter championships may not be sufficiently prepared. In an effort to circumvent the problem and challenge the arctic’s best sled pullers in the process, Land Rover stepped up to the plate.

This is only fitting, considering that an estimated 50 per cent of Land Rover customers own or regularly travel with a dog. This not only proves that its vehicles are dog friendly, but are capable of travelling through tough terrain to get to their destinations.

A short film has been released by the British automaker, documenting the feat of transporting a team of sled dogs to the underground Vesileppis Ski Tunnel in Finland for a unique training challenge. The vehicle of choice was the Discovery Sport, which will go head to head with these dogs around this dedicated underground tunnel for a unique 1km sprint.

The undulating tunnel is carved into the bedrock 35m below ground level and kept at constant -2°C to maintain a blanket of snow 20mm deep throughout the summer. This will not only push these sled dogs to their limit, but also demonstrate the capabilities of the Discovery Sport and its various offroad technologies.

The competitors set off in opposite directions, however the dogs had a much simpler circuit to deal with compared to the Land Rover. Once they had negotiated the first incline, all they had to to was pick up and maintain speed throughout the race.

The Land Rover on the other hand had to deal with maneuvering past ice blocks, putting its wheel articulation and traction control systems to the test. Despite what many might think, the Discovery has inherited quite a bit of offroading tech from its bigger brothers.

Driver of the Discovery Sport, Lead Engineer for Stability Control Systems at Jaguar Land Rover, Karl Richards, said, “Snow is one of the most demanding surfaces drivers will encounter during winter around the world and Discovery Sport proved to be as comfortable in these conditions as the dogs.”

He then added, “Land Rover’s advanced Terrain Response technology and intelligent four-wheel drive system ensure our premium compact SUV is in a class of its own when it comes to off-road driving – whether you’ve got two legs or four.”

As we know from this video, the two lap race was a close one with the Land Rover winning it by a whisker, no pun intended. But this goes to show how advanced automotive technology has become that a family SUV now has the capability of shadowing the most reliable method of transportation in arctic conditions – the sled dog.

The 290bhp Land Rover Discovery Sport may not be as prestigious as its more expensive Range Rover siblings, but its still a very capable vehicle.

Maserati update Ghibli GranLusso with subtle design tweaks

Maserati has given its Ghibli GranLusso a midlife facelift by making a few tweaks to the vehicle’s overall styling. Slated for a global debut at the Chengdu Motorshow, in China, on August 25th, the latest car will feature an improved design as well as advanced technological features.

Compared to its predecessor, which was launched 4 years ago, the new one come with a unique front bumper with dedicated chrome inserts and new front grille with chrome bars. The overall look of the front fascia is inline with the Italian automaker’s current design language.

the GranLusso badge at the base of the front fenders and body coloured side skirts are indications that this is the facelift model. Other telltale signs include the addition of Adaptive full LED Headlights with glare free Matrix High-Beam and active ADAS functionalities (autonomous driving).

According to the automaker, the restyling of the bodywork has improved aerodynamic efficiency by a noticeable amount, which should help stability at higher speeds. Then there’s the edition of autonomous driving tech, which allow the car to be more intelligent than its predecessor.

The new Ghibli GranLusso is a marked improvement over the car it replaces and despite the changes being mostly visual, Maserati has managed to add enough to allow the car to remain fresh and up to date. That said, it will still be going up against some seriously stiff competition from the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Cadillac introduce limited edition CTS-V to celebrate its 115th anniversary

Cadillac, also known as the Rolls-Royce of the US market, has unveiled a new limited edition version of its sporty CTS-V called the Glacier Metallic Edition. This car has been introduced to commemorate the company’s 115-year history, and only 155 examples will ever be produced, which is quite fitting.

Though remarkably similar to the regular CTS-V, the Glacier Metallic Edition does have a number of tweaks that make it seem more special. It gets illuminated door handles, dark red Brembo brake calipers and 19-inch forged polish-finished alloy wheels with Midnight Silver painted pockets.

Further customisation can be done if buyers opt for one of three different packages. The list is as follows:

Carbon Fiber Package:
Carbon fiber front splitter
Carbon fiber hood vent
Carbon fiber rear spoiler
Carbon fiber rear diffuser

Luxury Package:
Tri-zone climate control
Split-folding rear seat with armrest
Heated rear outboard seating positions
Power rear-window sunshade
Manual rear side-window sunshades
110-volt power outlet
Rear Camera Mirror

Next-Generation Cadillac user experience:
Cloud-based driver preferences
Predictive navigation with available real-time traffic
Collections application suite

On the inside, Cadillac has given the car jet black RECARO race-inspired sport seats, the Performance Data Recorder system featuring Cosworth Toolbox analysis software, UltraView sunroof, the industry–first Rear Camera Mirror and the next-generation Cadillac user experience infotainment system.

Under the hood is the same 6.2-litre supercharged V8 engine as the regular car. It produces 640bhp and 855Nm of torque. Thanks to direct fuel injection, an efficient and compact supercharger as well as Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation), the powerplant is able to offer decent fuel consumption figures.

Power is sent to the rear wheels via an 8-speed sport automatic transmission that utilizes technology called Performance Algorithm Shifting for better efficiency. There’s also a system called Performance Traction Management that has five track-oriented modes and works with Launch control to ensure that the car can adapt to any track condition.

As icing on the cake, Cadillac will be offering owners of all V-Series models including the Glacier Metallic Edition, tuition and accommodation at the 2-day Cadillac V-Performance Academy at Spring Mountain (offer valid for 1 year).

Beginning in September, the company will beginning offering this anniversary edition car in its US showrooms. And because it is being produced in such small numbers, these cars should be snapped up in no time.

Piston.my

English

Ford and Domino’s team up to test self-driving delivery vehicle

Omologato watches tailored to the needs of the Tifosi

Honda will unveil EV at Frankfurt Motorshow

Chery release more images of upcoming compact SUV

Porsche may lead development of Lamborghini Urus

Škoda brings family together through touching reunion

Volkswagen’s 150 millionth car rolls off production line

Land Rover takes on dog power in Finland

Maserati update Ghibli GranLusso with subtle design tweaks

Cadillac introduce limited edition CTS-V to celebrate its 115th anniversary

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