Sime Darby Motors, with its portfolio of different brands, offers a wide range of new models across the consumer spectrum. At the same time, its various subsidiaries will have pre-owned units that customers may have traded-in, broadening its range of offerings.
Many of the pre-owned vehicles are managed by Sime Darby Auto Selection (SDAS), a unit of Sime Darby Motors which handles used vehicles. Now, SDAS has an online store to provide additional convenience to customers shopping for used vehicles.
The SDAS online store at simedarbyautoselection.com.my offers an easy way to search through the wide range of used vehicles (some of which are nearly new). There are up to 300 vehicles of multiple brands listed, and they are not limited to Sime Darby Motors’ franchise brands such as Ford, BMW, Hyundai, Land Rover, Porsche, etc.
Thoroughly inspected vehicles
Every used vehicle listed by SDAS has undergone a thorough inspection process to ensure it is in the best possible condition and quality. The website also comes with user-friendly features that enable scheduling of car inspections and appraisal appointments, service appointment and test-drive bookings, as well as the latest promotions and events.
The website will debut a ‘Spin Car’ feature which offers customers 360° interior and exterior view of vehicles, allowing customers to explore every detail of the vehicle they are interested in, from all angles.
One of the many brands in the Sime Darby Motors portfolio is Ford, which is handled by Sime Darby Auto ConneXion.
Aiming to be a trusted used car dealer
“Along with our vision to be the trusted used car dealer, the team behind Sime Darby Auto Selection strives to offer premium quality used cars and excellent after-sales services to our customers. Sime Darby Auto Selection’s online used car store caters to all our customers’ needs. Those looking to buy a used car can browse our wide selection and schedule test drives, while those selling their cars may schedule appraisal appointments,” said the MD of Sime Darby Auto Selection, Vi Thim Juan.
“By leveraging on the power of the Internet and mobile technology, we are able to provide a seamless online used car trading experience for our customers, and we hope to leverage on this capability to grow our business even further,” he added.
Additional features such as loan calculators and booking transactions to enable placement of orders at any time, without the hassle of visiting a dealership, will be introduced at the online store in the near future.
Since the establishment of its Customer Racing division in 2015, Hyundai Motorsport has been providing teams and drivers competitive cars for rallies or circuit racing. From its competitive i20 R5 rallycar to the competitive i30 N TCR, Hyundai Motorsport-built cars have claimed victory in several championships, including national rally series in France and Spain, as well as consecutive titles in the FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) in 2018 and 2019.
The i20R5 has been in competition since 2016.
5 years of experience
Drawing on the Customer Racing department’s 5 years of experience with the i20 R5, an all-new rallycar has been developed for privateer teams and drivers. Revealed recently, the new i20 N Rally2 is an improved all-round package based on the strong foundation of the new road-going i20 N chassis.
The i20 N Rally2, to be entered in 2021 rallies, retains the dynamic look of the road car – part of Hyundai’s new ‘Sensuous Sportiness’ identity – which includes several elements inspired by motorsport. With the exception of the 5-speed sequential gearbox from the i20 R5, nearly every other part of the i20 N Rally2 is brand new, including the 1.6-litre turbocharged engine.
“The i20 R5 was the first car from our Customer Racing department, and the new i20 N Rally2 shows how far we have come in the 5 years since the creation of the department,” said Team Principal Andrea Adamo. “Every area of the new car is an improvement over the original, thanks to the work of our dedicated team of designers and engineers.”
Fresh approach
The design process began in January this year with a specialised group of designers and engineers leveraging the experience of the i20 R5 project. In doing so, they have been able to take advantage of the growth of the Customer Racing business since 2015, which has seen the department grow from a handful of people to a team of 60.
The development of the i20 R5 has continued, with the engineers providing several updates to the original car in recent seasons to improve handling and performance. The i20 N Rally2 carries over these enhancements, with the new chassis allowing further gains in nearly every aspect of the car.
New suspension components and dampers give the car more driver-friendly handling characteristics on all surfaces – vital for the Rally2 category, which forms the basis for national and regional championships as well as WRC 2 and WRC 3 classes.
On a mission for more success
The i20 N Rally2 is developed with the aim of continuing the success of the i20 R5, which has claimed numerous titles with our customers since its debut in 2016. The i20 R5 customer teams will continue to receive the same level of support, uninterrupted by the development of the new car.
“Our focus is now on testing the i20 N Rally2 to further develop each aspect of the design to improve performance and reliability, while also ensuring the handling enables each of our customers to achieve the best possible results when they start competing with the car in 2021,” said Adamo.
BMW M GmBh is the high-performance subsidiary of BMW AG which has its own line of models. Until now, these models were only available for the Malaysian market in CBU form, imported from Germany. This, of course, meant higher import duties payable, bumping up their price.
Now, if you want the M340i xDrive, you can get it for a lower price and it doesn’t have to be a grey import either. Thanks to BMW Group Malaysia’s decision to assemble the model locally, it is available brand new for RM402,354.13 (excluding insurance, with full Sales Tax exemption), the first time a M model has been assembled in Malaysia.
Derived from the 3-Series, the M340i xDrive has the same athletic design with sportier elements. The locally-assembled version comes with the M Aerodynamics Package and BMW Individual High-gloss Shadowline trim. A metallic Cerium Grey finish is applied on items such as air inlets in the front bumper, the kidney grille and its surround, along with the exterior mirror caps.
Most powerful 3-Series derivative
The M340i xDrive has the most powerful engine in the 3-Series range, a TwinPower Turbo 6-cylinder petrol unit producing 387 bhp/500 Nm. All that output goes through an 8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission and is then distributed intelligently by BMW’s xDrive system to all four wheels.
The all-wheel drive system, which has its origins in the 3-Series of 1985 (325iX), has a sporting rear-wheel bias, while modified power steering provides noticeably more direct feedback. The M Sport differential optimises traction and driving stability when cornering at high speeds or accelerating out of a bend, changing lanes or on different road surfaces.
With all-wheel drive transmitting the power efficiently to the road, the M340i xDrive can go from 0 to 100 km/h in a claimed 4.4 seconds and on to a top speed of 250 km/h. A combined fuel consumption figure of about 13 kms/litre is claimed although that would be when the driver is not enjoying the full performance of the car.
Maximising performance
Also contributing to maximised performance is variable sport steering and the specially-tuned 10 mm-lowered Adaptive M suspension. This can be electrically adjusted at any time to suit the road and driving conditions.
All that power needs good stopping power too and the engineers at BMW M have developed M Sport brakes for the model. Mounted behind 19-inch M wheels (with runflat tyres), these have 4-piston fixed calipers at the front and single-piston floating calipers at the rear in blue with the ‘M’ designation. The use of large-diameter discs increases the surface area available for braking.
The M environment within
Though derived from the 3-Series, the cockpit has M-specific philosophy which gives a sportier environment within. Standard equipment includes sports seats for the driver and front passenger upholstered in Leather Vernasca (Black or Cognac, with black decor stitching), an M leather steering wheel, front door sill finisher with illumination, and a BMW Individual headliner in Anthracite. M-specific pedals, M-specific floormats, and interior trim finishers in Aluminium Tetragon with highlight trim finisher in Pearl Chrome are also present.
Convenience features include automatic 3-zone air-conditioning, the Comfort Access system with contactless opening of the tailgate, while entertainment is delivered via a 16-Speaker Harman Kardon Surround Sound System.
The BMW Live Cockpit Professional has a fully digital 12.3-inch instrument panel, complemented by the BMW Navigation System Professional with a 10.25-inch touchscreen. Also standard is the Head Up Display that projects information on the windscreen and an electric glass roof.
Advanced safety systems
BMW M has made sure that the M340i xDrive’s high performance is matched with advanced safety systems. Besides powerful BMW Laser Lights with high beam assistant up front, there is the Driving Assistant which includes Lane Change Warning, Crossing Traffic Warning at the rear, Rear Collision Warning, and Speed Limit Assist.
In the event that the driver become drowsy or loses concentration, Lane Departure Warning will alert him if the car deviates out of its lane, with active steering intervention to guide it back safely. Autonomous emergency braking occurs automatically taken if a collision is about to occur and the driver has not braked or taken any appropriate action.
The M340i xDrive is available in Alpine White, Black Sapphire, Sunset Orange, and Portimao Blue. As with other new models, it comes with a 5-year unlimited mileage warranty with a Free Scheduled Service Programme, BMW Roadside Assistance and Accident Hotline, The BMW Group Loyalty+ Mobile App – BMW Privileges Card and BMW Service Online.
In showrooms from this weekend
Available at selected authorised BMW dealerships nationwide from this weekend, the M340i xDrive can also be booked at the BMW Shop Online with a transfer of RM1,000. Financing is available from BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia which has monthly instalment plans starting from RM4,468 (terms and conditions apply).
Ahead of its official sales launch next month, Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM) is now making public the main specifications of the Mitsubishi XPANDER, its new 7-seater crossover. While bookings are accepted at all authorised dealerships nationwide, the company is still not revealing its price.
However, it is known that the model is assembled in Malaysia, rather than being imported in CBU form from the production hub in Indonesia. This allows the pricing to be more competitive (possibly below RM100,000) as local assemblers can get incentives from the government to offset their production cost and lower the retail price.
“At Mitsubishi Motors, we want to offer a more price competitive model with better specifications, hence the move to assemble locally. The XPANDER is a significant model for MMM and we are optimistic that it will be a favourite among many Malaysians for its design is more than just aesthetics. We understand that Malaysians now want a car that matched their aspiration for a more active lifestyle and practicality and as such, the XPANDER is customized to meet Malaysians preferences,” said the CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia, Tomoyuki Shinnishi.
The XPANDER has an all-aluminium 1.5-litre MIVEC petrol engine with an output of 105 ps/141 Nm, delivered to the front wheels through a 4-speed automatic transmission.
Mitsubishi Dynamic Shield design
The front end has the latest Mitsubishi Dynamic Shield design concept to express high performance and give a sense of protection for the passengers and pedestrians. On either side are LED Headlamps, Crystal blocks LED position lamps and at the rear, L-illumination LED Tail Lights.
The new XPANDER also comes with 16-inch dual-tone alloy wheels. Besides the large diameter of the wheels, the ground clearance is also set high at 205 mm so that the vehicle can negotiate rough roads and travel along some flooded roads.
The 3-row cabin has an overall length of 4475 mm and an overall height of 1730 mm, made possible by the 2775 mm wheelbase. MMM says that the XPANDER is the only model in its class with fold-flat second and third rows seats providing full luggage space and a car-like cargo area
For the convenience of the many occupants, the XPANDER comes with under-seat multi-purpose storage, a cargo floor box with a lid, third row side pocket and cupholder, centre console box with sliding lid, multiple storage compartments and glovebox with a double compartment.
Keeping everyone cool
Four ceiling-mounted air vents carry cool air all the way to the back of the cabin, ensuring that even the passengers in the third row will be comfortable all the time. Having the extra vents above also helps in cooling down the interior more quickly.
For entertainment, the XPANDER comes with a 9-Inch audio system with Apple Carplay and Android Auto so that compatible smartphones can be connected. This means that favourite apps on the smartphone can be duplicated on the dashboard display panel and operated from there.
Safety features
With so many people on board, safety is even more important and Mitsubishi Motors has made sure that the driver has many active safety systems to help avoid an accident. These include ABS with EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution), Active Stability Control, Brake Assist, Hill Start Assist, a Rest Reminder and Brake Override System. Cruise control is also mentioned, and this feature can help to reduce fatigue on long drives along the highway.
In the event that an accident does occur, the strong RISE (Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution) body structure offers protection like a safety cage, with SRS airbags to provide cushioning within so as to reduce serious injuries. Anti-intrusion beams in the doors also provide protection during side collisions.
Dealer packages
Authorized Mitsubishi Motors dealers will also offer customers an optional package which includes an All-Round Monitor, Driving Video Recorder and black leather upholstery.
Despite very challenging market conditions, Hyundai Motor Company continues to grow its global brand value and, according to Interbrand’s Best Global Brands 2020 survey, the Korean carmaker’s brand value has reached US$14.3 billion. This places it fifth among global automotive brands and 36th overall. Hyundai Motor is, in fact, the only automotive company on the list to see its brand value rise this year.
6th year in Top 40
This is the sixth consecutive year that Hyundai Motor has been listed within Interbrand’s top 40 global companies. Since entering the ranks of the top 100 companies in terms of brand value in 2005, the carmaker has remained in the top 100 for 15 consecutive years.
“Hyundai Motor Company’s brand value rise can be attributed to its substantial expansion of future mobility business and continuous investments in its brand, such as the announcement of its dedicated electric vehicle brand IONIQ,” said Mike Rocha, Interbrand Brand Valuation Global Director.
“We have positively valued the company’s active and proactive approach to the market changes as a sustainable brand, encompassing its expansion of online sales channels, rapid response to social contribution activities and actual increase in sales of battery electric and fuel-cell electric vehicles,” he explained.
Electrification a key objective
Hyundai Motor’s commitment to mobility electrification was most recently demonstrated with the launch of its dedicated EV brand, IONIQ. Under IONIQ, the company will leverage its industry-leading manufacturing know-how in EVs to introduce three new dedicated models over the next 4 years. The creation of IONIQ line-up brand is in response to fast-growing market demand and accelerates Hyundai’s plan to lead the global EV market.
Hyundai Motor’s investment in hydrogen fuel cell technology has also bolstered its position in the rapidly changing transportation sector. The company recently delivered the first 7 units of the world’s first mass-produced fuel cell electric heavy-duty truck to customers in Switzerland, with a total of 50 hitting the roads there this year.
Hyundai Xcient – world’s first mass-produced fuel cell electric heavy-duty truck.
The company is striving to solve urban traffic challenges and highlighting an innovative new mobility paradigm via its urban air mobility business. To strengthen its competitiveness in robotics, autonomous driving technologies and other future mobility business areas, and to establish itself as a pioneer of future mobility industry, it is signing R&D collaboration schemes with diverse open innovation labs around the world.
“We’ve adapted to rapidly evolving market conditions to become a leader in future mobility and we’ve also been agile in responding to unexpected factors, such as those caused by the pandemic,” said Wonhong Cho, Global Chief Marketing Officer of Hyundai Motor Company.
Hyundai Motor has adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic by strengthening its online sales channels worldwide. In particular, in the USA and India, this approach is showing great sales results, and the company is developing a similar online sales platform for Europe.
Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) has taken further steps to ‘digitalise’ its aftersales services with Online Service Booking and Service Cam services.
Owners can now book their service appointments from their homes with Online Service Booking. Available on both desktop and mobile, the process is easy and convenient as customers only just need to select their preferred dealership, preferred date and time and provide their vehicle details. An Aftersales advisor will then be in touch to confirm the appointment.
Service Cam
Another first from VPCM is Service Cam, which complements the next service step to offer convenience to Volkswagen owners. Owners now have more flexibility with their time after sending their vehicle in, while still being able to make informed decisions without having to physically be at the service centre.
With Service Cam, their respective Service Advisors will share a detailed walkthrough video of the vehicle along with recommendations on parts replacements, if required.
This service only highlights parts that are not covered within the scheduled service maintenance, after which the customer can review these parts to decide whether to accept or decline the job.
#Safehands initiative
The two services are part of the Volkswagen #Safehands initiative which is especially important in these days of social distancing and the need to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The #Safehands initiative offers Volkswagen owners safety and peace of mind of Volkswagen customers.
The move towards digitalizing aftersales work provides even more assurance to customers to ‘return’ to Volkswagen dealerships in the ‘New Normal’, especially those who may not feel comfortable waiting at the service centre or being out of their homes.
Current service promotions
Volkswagen owners can make use of the services for the current aftersales promotions, which include Repair Packages for vehicles older than five years. The Repair Package offers owners up to RM1,394 savings on shock absorbers and up to RM992 savings on brakes. Besides professional and complete replacements, there is also a 2-year warranty for the genuine parts supplied.
Hummer – that’s a name which immediately brings to mind a huge vehicle that served the military (mainly the American one) as well as the civilian version which had a niche of its own. ‘Hummer’ was actually the civilian name used by General Motors but the model was discontinued after 2009 when its sales diminished so much that the business was no longer viable.
Although GM tried to sell off the business, it did not succeed and just kept it in the ‘drawer’. Now, that name has been revived with a completely new model from its GMC subsidiary. However, unlike the original fuel-guzzling monster, the new Hummer not only doesn’t require conventional fuel at all but it is also a zero emissions vehicle.
The original Hummer
Electric supertruck
GMC engineers have developed it as an electric supertruck with the company’s Ultium Drive and batteries. An estimated best-in-class 1,000 horsepower and estimated 15,592 Nm of torque are generated by three separate motors within two Ultium drive units that provide 4WD capability. 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) acceleration is claimed to be around 3 seconds which is pretty quick for a pick-up though that can be expected of a super EV truck.
800V DC fast-charging compatibility of up to 350 kilowatts enables nearly 160 kms of range to be available after recharging for 10 minutes. A full battery back is said to be good for up to 550 kms.
Superior off-road capabilities
Aiming to out-do other electric trucks that are also appearing lately, the Hummer has 4-Wheel Steering, Adaptive Air Suspension with 149 mm of variation, and underbody armour. The 4-Wheel Steering system has CrabWalk which allows the rear wheels and front wheels to steer at the same angle at low speeds. This enables diagonal movement of the vehicle for greater manoeuvrability on difficult terrain.
As standard, the Hummer comes with 35-inch MT tyres and customers can specify up to 37 inches. The tyres complement the vehicle’s off-road capability which includes climbing vertical obstacles 455 mm high and driving through water more than 600 mm deep.
For crossing difficult and unknown terrain, the Hummer has UltraVision, a system of front and rear underbody cameras with live ‘virtual spotter’ views to help drivers spot obstacles and place wheels on and off the trail. There are up to 18 camera views available from the vehicle.
Prepared for autonomous motoring, the Hummer will have optional Super Cruise, a driver assistance feature that can support hands-free driving on more than 322,000 kms of enabled roads. There will also be a new automatic lane-changing feature where the system can determine when a lane change is optimal and initiate the manoeuvre, while following signalling protocols.
Minimal original design elements
GMC’s designers drawn minimally on the original model’s monolithic appearance, instead aiming for something that looks futuristic and bold with a pick-up profile. “Its design visually communicates extreme capability, which is reinforced with rugged architectural details,” said Phil Zak, Design Executive Director.
Emphasis on technology
The interior is also given premium appointments and as expected, technology is emphasised. For example, off-road widgets display vehicle functions and terrain status through the infotainment and driver information screens. The driver can be informed of torque output, differential locker engagement, tyre pressures, pitch and roll angles, friction circle, torque vectoring and more.
Open-air driving is an option, made possible by the Infinity Roof and removable transparent Sky Panels that can be stowed in the storage compartment at the front of the vehicle. The MultiPro Tailgate opens with 6 functional positions, while the glass panel at the rear of the cabin and the tonneau cover can be opened at the touch of a switch as both are powered.
4 versions, starting from late 2021
There will be at least 4 versions of the Hummer with the first one known as Edition 1 going on sale in the fourth quarter of 2021. This will be the most expensive version at US$112,595 (about RM467,000) and will be the only one available for at least 12 months. Another version will be launched in late 2022 which is currently projected to cost less than US$100,000 (RM414,000).
In early 2023, the third version will be available, and then a fourth version will be in showrooms a year later, in 2024. The fourth version will have two motors and be priced at under US$80,000 (RM332,000).
Extreme E is a new off-road series which, like Formula E, will be for all-electric vehicles. Set to start off in January 2021, the series will have 5 rounds in places which have been damaged or affected by climate change. The environments will be Arctic, Desert, Rainforest, Glacier and even Ocean.
While some companies have expressed interest in participating, CUPRA, the high-performance brand of Spanish carmaker SEAT, has confirmed its commitment to the event. CUPRA will collaborate with ABT Sportsline as the racing team’s main partner, and will contribute a team of engineers and drivers.
Electrification and sportiness
“CUPRA and the Extreme E competition hold an identical challenger attitude to prove that electrification and sportiness can be a perfect match. Such partnerships boost our path towards electrification as we will have 2 plug-in hybrid models by the beginning of 2021 and our first all-electric vehicle, the CUPRA el-Born, that will be ready by the second half of next year,.” said President of SEAT & CUPRA, Wayne Griffiths.
CUPRA’s enthusiasm should be a surprise as the brand has already been involved in electrically-powered racing cars. It developed the CUPRA e-Racer which is the world’s first all-electric racing touring car, powered by 4 electric motors that deliver a combined 680 ps/ 960 Nm.
That project helped the brand develop its knowledge base as it continues along the road towards electrification of its passenger vehicle line-up. Now it has the CUPRA Leon plug-in hybrid, which will be followed at the beginning of 2021 by the CUPRA Formentor plug-in hybrid, and then the CUPRA el-Born in the second half of next year.
Crews must have one male, one female
The Extreme E has a gender equal sporting format whereby teams must field one male and one female driver. The first of these is CUPRA e-ambassador, Rally Cross and DTM Champion, Mattias Ekstrom.
Sara Price is one of the drivers in the event, and she will be with the American Chip Ganassi Team.
“Extreme E is a mix of Raid and Rally Cross, racing through very different environments with tracks marked using GPS,” said Ekstrom. “But it holds a lot of promise for developing electric vehicles; collecting data to feedback into cars in areas such as software and regeneration.”
There are a great many areas where know-how can be transferred, that should bring huge developments to future vehicles in areas including driveability, power delivery, chassis setup and steering. Additionally, participating in Extreme E will boost the visibility of the brand.
Where and when
The championship, managed by the same organisation that does Formula E, is recognised as an FIA International Series. At the time of writing, there are 8 teams on the list of participants, with CUPRA being the first carmaker to join.
Extreme E’s will see the participants and their vehicles and equipment going around the world. To provide transport to remote locations, a floating paddock and base has been developed. This is the RMS St. Helena, which will be used to transport the championship’s freight and infrastructure, including vehicles, to the nearest port to each of the 5 locations. This will also minimise Extreme E’s emissions profile as well as facilitating scientific research through an on-board laboratory.
Euro NCAP, the independent organization which evaluates the safety levels of vehicles sold in Europe, has developed a dedicated test and assessment protocol, as well as a grading system for its Highway Assist tests. These tests are aimed at ensuring the safe adoption of assisted driving technologies and to provide consumers information to make their buying decisions.
Increasingly, vehicle manufacturers have been making use of the sensor-sets fitted to their vehicles to provide more extensive support to the driver. This is a prelude to greater autonomous motoring that will come in future.
Highway Assist
Highway Assist, the general name for a technology designed to make highway driving safer, helps by reducing fatigue. The system can help the driver to maintain a steady cruising speed, and to keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front. Such systems are generally known as Adaptive Cruise Control and can be found on an increasing number of models.
Adaptive Cruise Control can adjust the set cruising speed to maintain a safe gap with a vehicle ahead.
There is also a system to help keep the vehicle within its lane, with sensors monitoring lines on the road for guidance. If the vehicle is found to be departing from the lane, the driver will be alerted and some systems can also exert force to guide the vehicle back into the correct position in the lane.
However, the driver always needs to be responsible and engaged behind the wheel – the assisted system is there to do just that – assist. The systems are not flawless and should not lead or have full control, at least not at this stage in semi-autonomous motoring.
A camera monitors road lines to determine the position of the car in the lane, and the system will alert the driver if the car deviates from the lane.
The test series has so far covered 10 models that offer Highway Assist – the Audi Q8, BMW 3-Series, Ford Kuga, Mercedes GLE, Nissan Juke, Peugeot 2008, Renault Clio, Tesla Model 3, Volkswagen Passat and Volvo V60.
Euro NCAP’s new assessment protocols focus on two main areas: Assistance Competence – a balance between the technical competencies of the system (Vehicle Assistance) and the extent to which it keeps the driver alert and engaged (Driver Engagement) – and Safety Back-up, the car’s safety net in critical situations.
A unique grading system – similar to the 5-star safety rating – helps consumers understand the conclusions of the tests and compare assistance performance at the highest level. Each model falls into one of 4 categories: Entry, Moderate, Good and Very Good.
The findings
Three models in the premium segment – the Mercedes-Benz GLE, the BMW 3-Series and Audi Q8 – were graded Very Good, achieving a good balance between offering a high level of driving assistance but keeping the driver engaged and in control of the driving task. They also provide a good crash avoidance back-up system and respond appropriately if the driver becomes incapacitated while the car is in assistance mode.
High volume sellers Renault Clio and Peugeot 2008 were both given an Entry grade. Lacking the sophistication of the more advanced systems tested, they provide a relatively modest level of assistance, ensuring that the driver is not disengaged from the driving task.
Tesla’s pioneering role in self-driving technology is reflected in its top scores for Vehicle Assistance and Safety Back-up. However, its Autopilot system was found to do little to keep the driver engaged. Its distinct steering strategy gives the impression that either the car is driving itself or the driver has full control, and the system is more ‘authoritarian’ than cooperative. Grading-wise, the car is badly let down by its performance in Driver Engagement and ended up ranked ‘Moderate’.
The Volkswagen Passat, Nissan Juke and Volvo V60 were also graded as Moderate. In particular, the Volvo, already on the market for a few years, shows that rapid advancements made in driving assistance technology require more frequent updates to keep up with premium cars. Finally, Ford’s latest Kuga achieved a Good grading, demonstrating that well-balanced, advanced systems are also available on mainstream mid-class vehicles.
Improved driver monitoring necessary
“Assisted driving technologies offer enormous benefits by reducing fatigue and encouraging safe driving. However, manufacturers must ensure that assisted driving technology does not increase the amount of harm incurred by drivers or other road-users compared to conventional driving. The best systems offer a balance between the amount of assistance they provide and the level of driver engagement – and should be supported by an effective safety back-up,” noted Dr. Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP Secretary General.
“The results of this round of tests demonstrate that driving assistance is fast becoming better and more readily available, but until driver monitoring is significantly improved, the driver needs to remain responsible at all times.”
Source: Monthly reports of Malaysian Automotive Association
♦ The government’s Sales Tax exemption incentive continued to encourage many to buy new vehicles in September, pushing the Total Industry Volume past 56,000 units. In fact, it was 26% higher than the same month in 2019.
♦ Of the 56,444 units registered, 9.7% were commercial vehicles which includes pick-up trucks.
♦ Cumulative sales after 9 months have reached 341,489 units, To achieve the MAA’s 470,000-unit forecast for 2020, the industry must sell an average of 42,837 units in the remaining 3 months. Since July, the monthly sales have been over 50,000 units so the question will be whether this level can be sustained until the end of the year?
♦ Production rose slightly as most plants assembled as many units as possible to meet the higher demand. The output rose of 51,987 units was 15% higher than the same month in 2019, but output of commercial vehicles was lower by 26%.
♦ October numbers could be lower as the burden of making monthly instalments has resumed with the cessation of the loan moratorium that was provided by the banks as a form of assistance during this pandemic period. Furthermore, the imposition of the CMCO for two weeks in the month (if not longer) in the region with the most new vehicle sales may have an effect too. However, unlike the situation in March when all car companies had to suspend all activities, businesses can presently continue operating and relevant government agencies also process new vehicle registrations.
Source: Monthly reports of Malaysian Automotive Association
