Today’s  videogames present extremely realistic imagery that can sometimes be mistaken for actual cars, planes or many other subjects in the real world. The great computer processing power available today has made photorealistic visualisation technology possible and it is used on many industries.

Volvo Cars is also turning to such technology to develop the user experience in its vehicles. For its  next generation of electric cars, it is collaborating with Epic Games, an American videogame and software developer, to bring Epic’s Unreal Engine game engine into upcoming Volvo cars. This technology will provide unparalleled high-quality graphics inside the cabin.

Epic Games is probably best known for ‘Fortnite’, one of the world’s largest games. The Unreal Engine is widely considered to be the most advanced real-time 3D creation tool and is used in various industries beyond games. Volvo Cars will use it for developing digital interfaces inside its cars and rendering real-time graphics in the car.

For development of Human-Machine Interface
The Swedish carmaker is the first European carmaker to use the Unreal Engine for development of the Human Machine Interface (HMI). More specifically, it will initially focus on the Driver Information Module (DIM), one of the displays inside the cabin that provide the driver with relevant information and infotainment features.

In the next generation of Volvo cars, customers will encounter impressive, high-quality graphics on those displays. Much sharper renderings, richer colours and brand new 3D animations are only the first steps as Volvo Cars developers continue to push the graphic envelope.

“To offer our customers the best possible user experience and contribute to a safe and personal drive, we need rich, immersive and responsive visualisation inside our cars,” said Henrik Green, Chief Product Officer at Volvo Cars. “Running Unreal Engine in our cars enables this and makes it even more enjoyable to spend time inside a Volvo.”

New standard of graphics
By coupling the Unreal Engine with the high-performance computing power of the third generation Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms, the next generation of Volvo cars will set a new standard in graphics and infotainment system performance. As a result, Volvo Cars’ next generation infotainment system will be more than twice as fast as its predecessor, while graphics generation and processing inside the cabin will be up to 10 times faster.

“When you bring interactive, high-resolution graphics running in real-time into the car, you open the door to a vast range of new ways to inform and entertain everyone inside,” said Heiko Wenczel, Epic Games’ Director of Automotive and HMI for Unreal Engine. “Volvo Cars’ deeply talented design and product development teams have grasped this opportunity to do something fresh that will keep evolving with exciting new features that take advantage of the capabilities of Unreal Engine.”

Future flagship to have new graphics
The first car to contain the new graphics is the new, all-electric flagship model that Volvo Cars will reveal later this year. That model is the first of a new generation of all-electric Volvo cars as it aims to only sell cars powered only by electricity by 2030.

Further into the future, the company sees additional opportunities for Unreal Engine to advance other areas of technology within new models as the carmaker’s developers continue to explore new applications for this and other software-driven technology platforms while always keeping safety front of mind.

The aim is to develop half of all the software inside its cars in-house by mid-decade and it is therefore recruiting extensively within software development. By joining the company, coding talent has numerous opportunities to work on exciting and ground-breaking new in-car applications and platforms.

Volvo tests wireless charging for EVs in Sweden (w/VIDEO)

The Vios Challenge one-make race originally started as the highlight of The Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival where, besides the racing, there were also other activities for all the family, including an opportunity to experience the latest Toyota models. Unfortunately, the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic meant that the event could not be held with public attendance, and the Vios Challenge was also restricted only to participants.

Now with the restrictions lifted, it is possible for events such as the Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival to be held again and ‘The People’s Race’, as UMW Toyota Motor refers to it, will be on during the weekend of June 25/26 at the Sepang International Circuit. The 2-day weekend festival (entrance is free) will be bigger than ever before with lots of activities, including concerts, for the family and of course, food and drink when visitors get hungry or hot.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Those who wish to attend must first register at the Toyota GAZOO Racing Malaysia website to gain access at the Sepang International Circuit. Click here to go to the website.

“We are so excited to be able to welcome back the people to the Festival and Round 2 of the Vios Challenge. There are a myriad of activities lined up suited for everyone, from families looking to spend their weekend to racing fans and enthusiasts. Welcome back!” said UMW Toyota Motor’s  President Ravindran K.

“This is and has always been a ‘Festival for the People’, never mind that they may not be outright racing fans. It’s a platform for Toyota to give back and to celebrate the people, thanking them for their continued support of the brand. This is also a great opportunity to bring back festivities and activities for the people after 2 years of being hunkered down against the pandemic. As for racing, the Vios Challenge continues to provide an affordable entry into competitive and level playing field racing with its one-make format and the many classes for young drivers, amateurs, professionals and even local celebrities,” he added.

Currently into its fifth season/year, the Vios Challenge has become well known for its wheel-to-wheel action because all the Toyota Vios racing cars are prepared identically with the same performance levels. Therefore it is all about driver skill, experience and strategy rather than just who has the more powerful car. It is the most lucrative motorsports event in the country, with more than a half a million ringgit in prize money offered.

Season 5 of the Vios Challenge has 3 rounds with a total of 6 races; Round 1 was run recently and Round 3 to be held in September. In 4 seasons of the Vios Challenge so far, more than 8 million spectators and online viewers have followed the races, and social media reach has exceeded 19 million, making it one of the most viewed domestic motor-racing events.

Besides young drivers, amateurs and professionals taking part, there are also local celebrities who have a category of their own to race in. For this season, the Season 4 champion and actor Shukri Yahaya is among them along with last year’s runner-up and actor Zizan Razak. Other celebrities include television host Nabil Ahmad, actress Janna Nick, singers Wany Hasrita, Nabila Razali and Khai Bahar, TV personality Ahirine Ahiruddin, and actress and presenter Ain Edruce who returns to the Vios Challenge from a sabbatical after welcoming her first born child.

The celebrities will also be performing live over the weekend. In addition, there will be a special concert featuring Malaysian rock band Bunkface on Saturday and, for the first time ever, staging an international act, will be Indonesian singer Judika on Sunday. Fans of the celebrities will also have an opportunity to meet their favourites and get autographs.

And for those who have yet to experience the Sepang International Circuit, a special All-Wheel Fest offers those with non-motorized vehicles (bicycles, roller blades, skateboards, long boards, pushbikes, push scooters, etc) to take a spin around the 2.7-km track that has been host to Formula 1 races in the past. There will also be a Zumba session for fitness aficionados.

It has always been Toyota’s objective from the onset to contribute to and bring about greater excitement in Malaysian motorsports. “The Vios Challenge continues to evolve every year since we started the series in 2017. We established and until today, retain the format of a one-make series to make it affordable and accessible for those who want to compete,” said Mr. Ravindran.

“To attract more new and young drivers to drive at a competitive level, we have even invested in the GAZOO Racing Young Driver Development Program to enable those between the ages of 15 and 20 to transition into saloon car racing from karting or simulator racing, and we have even introduced a Rookie Class for young drivers in the Vios Challenge race,” he added.

Toyota GAZOO Racing’s focus on attracting young talent has since paid off handsomely when a 15-year-old became overall champion in the Sporting Class for amateurs in Season 3. An expert in simulator racing a simulator who was a graduate of the Young Driver Development Program and champion in the Rookie Class is becoming one of the most competitive drivers not only in the Vios Challenge as well as other local racing series. Other graduates of the program are also currently among the leading contenders in other local racing series.

For those who are unable to race but still want to be intimately involved in the Vios Challenge, there is the GAZOO Racing Dream Team TGR Fantasy Game. This is a racing platform where players sign up and compete against each other by creating their very own TGR Dream Team of racers they think will perform best throughout the season. Participants will have to select 3 drivers from each of the 4 classes of racing, and their team will accumulate or lose points based on the real racing results throughout the 3 rounds in Season 5. The player with the most number of points will be declared the winner at the end of the season for a chance to win attractive prizes.

“This is what we mean by the People’s Race – it is not only intended to change the dynamics in the local motor racing, but it is also a Festival to celebrate the people and hopefully entice them to learn, understand and appreciate motorsports as we do with traditional sporting events such as soccer and badminton,” Mr. Ravindran said.

For those who are too far away or unable to go to the venue, the weekend’s racing action and stage performances will also be streamed live on the Toyota GAZOO Racing Malaysia website at and  the Toyota Malaysia and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia Facebook pages..

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival and Vios Challenge enter Season 5 this year

Buick is one of the companies in the General Motors group and when you think of General Motors and any of its brands, the images that come to mind would be of the huge ‘aircraft carrier-sized’ cars typical of American models. That, however, is an outdated perception as the American manufacturers began downsizing from the 1980s and their range today has models that are mostly the size of cars of different segments in the rest of the world.

With concept cars, the American carmakers have also shown many for decades, often very futuristic. When the first jet planes came out, the designers became obsessed with tailfins and jet engines, shaping cars with such features. These days, the concept cars are still futuristic but have more realistic designs rather than being like they came from the Star Wars era way in the future.

The latest concept car from Buick is the Wildcat EV concept which shows the design direction the brand will take as it transitions to an all-electric future. The new design language will be used for future production models and transform the products to reflect the new era.

“The Wildcat EV concept represents the real design future for the brand,” said Sharon Gauci, Executive Director, Global Buick and GMC Design. “Buick has always been forward looking and this expression is a glimpse of where we’re going, and the optimism we have for the limitless possibilities of an electric future.”

New frontal expression
The Wildcat EV concept also introduces a new, expressive face for Buick, distinguished by a bold, forward-leaning front-end appearance that features a low-mounted, trapezoidal grille. Sharp, high-mounted and horizontal check mark-shaped lighting flanks the vehicle, while the outer edges of the grille house primary lighting. The lighting elements are configured to create a unique welcome choreography when the driver approaches.

The bodystyle is that of a 2+2 coupe with a powerful, expressive presence and a laid-back proportion complemented by a low, wide stance. The windscreen wraps around and flows into the side glass, which tapers dramatically with the fast roofline to accentuate the aggressive profile.

Exterior design highlights
The sides have distinctive semi-swing doors and the unique aluminium trim appears to flow seamlessly into the interior seat structures. Micro-LED lighting technology and thin-beam projector lenses are used in the front lighting units, while blade-style taillights are embedded in the roof’s sail panels to echo the front lighting signature.

“The more you look at the Wildcat EV concept, the more the details reveal themselves,” said Bob Boniface, Director, Global Buick Design. “Its timeless proportions acknowledge the brand’s rich design legacy, while our latest technology moves you forward.”

Modernity and warmth
Inside, the Wildcat EV concept’s cabin has an inviting inner glow with new technologies integrated throughout. “It’s a space intended to strike an emotional chord,” said Therese Pinazzo, Buick Exterior and Interior Design Manager. “It is defined by simple, graceful forms that convey balance, harmony and a feeling of warmth.”

The 2+2 configuration, delineated by a prominent console that extends from the base of the instrument panel to the rear seating area, uses unique graphic and colour contrasts to create the perception of visually floating elements intended to accentuate the cabin’s lightweight feel and spaciousness.

Colour plays an important role in the warmth and comfort the interior conveys. Legato Green flows through the cabin and is accented with brushed or polished aluminium trim. Lively orange elements, including the seatbelts, also add visual distinction.

Additional interior design elements include cockpit-style seats with cantilevered headrests that appear to be floating, and a lightweight, flat-bottom steering wheel. When it comes to technology integration and infotainment interaction, a sweeping touchscreen is the access point on the instrument panel, along with a complementing screen on the console.

The Wildcat EV concept is built to be a platform for futuristic features such as artificial intelligence, biometrics and aromatherapy. The vehicle is designed to detect an elevation in driver heart rate and automatically adjust vehicle settings to calm them down. For example, when Zen Mode is activated, it will dim the cabin lights, disperse calming aromatherapy scents and activate massaging seats.

Everything about the concept is intended to convey what’s possible — in design, technology and the transformative experience of EV mobility. “We are on the cusp of true change, and this concept is a tangible vision of it,” said Gauci. “It inaugurates the next chapter in Buick’s design heritage, as we make the crucial transition to our all-electric future.”

A concept legacy
The Wildcat name is not new to Buick: for nearly 70 years, the name has been used for various concept models that push the boundaries of design and technology. The very first Wildcat concept car was introduced in 1953 and it previewed next-generation Buick design. The Wildcat II and Wildcat III concepts followed in 1954 and 1955, respectively, and in 1985, the Wildcat concept that debuted was a futuristically styled, mid-engine and AWD supercar developed to showcase new engine technologies.