Ever since the pneumatic tyre was invented by J.B. Dunlop in 1887 (although Robert Thomson had actually patented the concept in 1845), punctures leading to air leaking out have been the one thing that motorists have had to live with. While there are solid tyres as well, these are hard and uncomfortable and don’t grip well.
Thus the pneumatic tyre filled with air has been used for decades and various approaches have been taken to overcome the problem of punctures. Run-flat tyres are one of them, allowing the car to continue being driven for some distance instead of changing the wheel with the spare. In some cars, the spare tyre is not provided to save weight and space, and a repair kit is provided instead.
Researchers at tyre companies have also been working on ‘airless’ tyres – not solid tyres but having a radical new construction that can offer the comfort and grip of pneumatic tyres but has no air to leak when punctured. Over the past 15 years, a few tyremakers have been developing such tyres, with Michelin and Toyo Tires having reached a stage where commercialisation is possible very soon.
Toyo Tires has been working on airless tires since 2006 and in September 2017, the company was the first in the industry to present a non-pneumatic tyre that could be used on passenger cars and driven at high speeds. The tyre was known, quite appropriately, as ‘no air’.
Tyres for EVs and autonomous vehicles
Toyo Tires’ development of noair is to prepare for the coming era of electric vehicles (EVs) and autonomous motoring. When EVs become widespread, many owners will not visit petrol stations as frequently as they do now to buy fuel. Therefore, the long practice of checking and inflating tyres correctly may no longer apply. Thus a tyre which does not need such checks would be useful.
Using proprietary technology, the noair tyre is said to have lower rolling resistance compared to conventional tyres. Adoption of tread rubber developed through Nano Balance Technology also promotes fuel efficiency while improving braking performance on wet roads.
X-shaped spoke configuration
In order to have a tyre that can support itself without air, Toyo Tires engineers developed an X-shaped spoke configuration. These spokes, made of a special resin, are alternately crossed over the width of the tyre from inside to the outside and vice-versa to create the X-shaped configuration. An additional benefit of this configuration is durability.
Additionally, the number of spokes has been increased to 100 pitches which reduces the load on each spoke and achieves a quieter ride. The external diameter resin ring is reinforced with carbonfibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) which serves to reduce the load imposed on the spokes.
Now in 6th generation of development
The noair tyre has now reached its sixth generation of development where the spokes are now 10 times more durable than at the beginning. Durability has also increased by 40% and Toyo Tires states that the performance is now as good as conventional tyres. However, like other new technologies, the cost to make a noair tyre is still high and the company is working on bringing this cost down.
Meanwhile Michelin says that it will be able to offer its airless tyre called UPTIS (for Unique Puncture-proof Tyre System) by 2024. It is likely that the first car to run on airless tyres will be GM, which the tyremaker is now running a real-world testing program with. The data collected by engineers during testing will enable them to perfect the prototype in preparation for its market launch.
It may be the final year for the Mercedes-EQ team in Formula E (after which they will be taken over by McLaren Racing) but there’s just as much determination to retain their championship title one more time. This was shown by the double podium finish in the Berlin E-Prix held at the Tempelhof Airport grounds, with Nyck de Vries delivering a supremely controlled drive to win the race.
Reigning champion de Vries powered to victory at the same venue where he had claimed his title for the previous season, with ROKiT Venturi Racing’s Edoardo Mortara following 2.5s back. Chasing Mortara across the finish line was de Vries’ team mate, Stoffel Vandoorne. Incidentally, the ROKIT car also used a powertrain similar to that of the two Mercedes-EQ Silver Arrow 02 cars.
Robin Frijns (Envision Racing) wound up a battling fifth after a race-long back-and-forth between the Dutchman, António Felix da Costa (DS TECHEETAH), who finished in sixth and a gaggle of cars behind all fighting to maximise their points haul as Season 8 passed its half-way stage.
Oliver Rowland (Mahindra Racing) made good progress from 10th at the outset to an eventual seventh – the Yorkshireman running as high as fifth at one stage. TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team’s Andre Lotterer took the chequered flag in eighth position, not quite able to capitalise on practice and qualifying pace. Jean-Eric Vergne crossed the line in ninth, just ahead of fellow title challenger Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing) who took the final point in 10th.
De Vries had set the second-fastest time in his qualifying group and went through to the semi-finals in the knock-out stages but was eliminated by Mortara and qualified third on the grid as a result. But he was still able to make a quick start, taking the lead going into the first corner from third on the grid. He then activated Attack Mode at an early stage in the race, which temporarily dropped him back down the field to P3. He was subsequently able to quickly fight his way back up into P1 which is where he stayed until the finish line.
The win for de Vries is his fourth Formula E win and his second of the season. In his 34th E-Prix start, he also notched up more than 200 points in total in the all-electric racing series. For the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team, this was their seventh victory in Formula E and third of the season.
After the eighth race of the season, the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team leads the Team Championship with 176 points, 28 points ahead of Venturi Racing. For the Drivers Championship Vandoorne is now on top with 111 points, as Mortara has moved into second with an increase to 99 points, while Vergne is third, 4 points back.
The next round of the 2022 Formula E championship will be held in Jakarta on June 4. It will be the first time that the event is being held in Indonesia. Malaysia also hosted one round (at Putrajaya) in the first and second seasons.
As reported last year, McLaren Racing will join Formula E and Extreme E, the two series which run all-electric racing cars. The team for Extreme E has already started competing in the second season which started earlier this year, and next year, McLaren Racing will enter the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in its ninth season.
Acquiring championship-winning team
The McLaren Formula E Team will be formed through the acquisition of the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team, expected to complete later this year, following agreement between McLaren Racing and Mercedes-Benz. The Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team won last year’s championship and will exit at the end of this season.
Ian James, Team Principal of the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team, will continue to lead the team, enabling a smooth transition as the team prepares to join the series which will be using the new Gen3 cars.
McLaren Racing will have a ‘ready-to-race’ team when it takes over the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team which is in its final season this year. The German team won Season 7 of championship last year.
McLaren Racing’s participation is said to be squarely aimed at accelerating the organisation’s understanding of EV technology as part of their sustainability journey while reaching a new, more diverse global audience.
More manufacturers joining Formula E
McLaren will join the growing number of car manufacturers such as Porsche, Jaguar, Maserati, Nissan and DS in the series which continues to become more popular. However, it is not the first involvement by the organisation as McLaren Applied (a subsidiary) has been Formula E’s exclusive Gen2 battery supplier under a 4-season contract.
“McLaren Racing always seeks to compete against the best and on the leading edge of technology, providing our fans, partners and people with new ways to be excited, entertained and inspired,” said Zak Brown, McLaren Racing CEO. “Formula E, like all our racing series, fulfils all those criteria. As with all forms of the sport we participate in, Formula E has racing at the centre but will be strategically, commercially and technically additive to McLaren Racing overall.”
“I firmly believe that Formula E will give McLaren Racing a competitive advantage through greater understanding of EV racing, while providing a point of difference to our fans, partners and people, and continuing to drive us along our sustainability pathway,” he added.
McLaren is among the great names in motorsport, collecting 20 Formula 1 World Championship titles and more than 180 Grand Prix wins since the team was founded by Bruce McLaren in 1963. In addition to Formula 1 racing, it has three Indianapolis 500 victories and won the Le Mans 24 Hours at the first attempt.
McLaren Racing has been taking part in Formula 1 since 1966 and this year, it also entered the Extreme E all-electric off-road series (below).
In Formula 1, it was also the first team to be awarded FIA Three-Star Accreditation for sustainability and is a signatory to the UNFCCC Sport for Climate Action framework established to drive the climate agenda in the sports industry.
For Formula E Founder and Chairman, Alejandro Agag, McLaren’s arrival is the culmination of a long-term objective, and the beginning of an exciting new chapter. “I wanted McLaren to be part of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship since Season 1, and I’m delighted we finally made it happen. But it is so much more than just deciding to go racing. Being part of Formula E signals a strategic investment in the future of electric vehicle development. I welcome Zak’s belief that Formula E provides a cutting-edge environment for a proven innovator like McLaren to accelerate their EV experience and performance,” he said.
New generation of electric racing cars
The Gen3 racing cars will be used from the 2022/23 season, bringing performance and efficiency advances including more powerful, lighter cars and faster charging as well as a set of technical and financial controls aimed at reinforcing the business case for Formula E’s ecosystem of teams and manufacturers.
With more automotive manufacturers on the grid than any other motorsport, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is not only one of the most compelling racing series on the planet but also an unparalleled proving ground for race-to-road electric vehicle and sustainable mobility technologies.
In the early 1980s, Honda was looking at a new generation of engines for the mainstream market. It was a period when multivalve cylinder heads (more than one intake and one exhaust valve) were beginning to enter mainstream engine design and Honda was looking at something which would enhance performance further. This effort brought forth the New Concept Engine (NCE) program in March 1984 which had specific targets that included high torque in both the low and high rpm ranges and dramatic increases in horsepower per litre. The program was a success, resulting in a series that included the DOHC engine found in the 1985 Civic and Integra, and the SOHC centre-plug engine in the 1987 City.
Ikuo Kajitani, an engineer in Honda’s Tochigi R&D Centre, was involved in the development of these 4-valve engines. Through his experience in engine design, Kajitani had become convinced that Honda’s next engine should offer a mechanism that could alter the timing of the valves. “Characteristically,” Kajitani said, “4-valve engines are known as high-revving, high-output machines. And for that reason, we knew it would be quite difficult to achieve low-end performance if the engine’s displacement were too small.”
Understanding the challenges
There were various problems during the process of development, eg a reduction in the valve’s interior angle, attempted in order to increase low-end torque, resulted in a broken timing belt and valve spring as the unit reached the upper rpm range. To address the problem, the development team put in long hours studying how to balance these two critical areas of engine performance. They knew they had already succeeded with their DOHC and SOHC powerplants, but to develop a new unit that would outperform its predecessors they would have to bridge the gap between the low end and the upper limit.
One group examined the idea of ‘switchable valve timing’ and in January 1983, a year before the NCE program began, a research team was formed to study the mechanism as a means of enhancing fuel economy… even though by the end of 1982, Honda engines were already capable of a world-beating 17.7 kms/litre.
A possibility was identified through the study of a new valve mechanism. Specifically, it was believed that the installation of a new set of cam followers and rocker arms for high-speed operation on the intake and exhaust sides would help, along with the switching of cam hills according to engine speed. This was to be their solution to higher engine efficiency and was the so-called “valve stopping + variable valve timing” mechanism employed in the NCE program.
The mechanism underwent a program of study and refinement. Eventually, it evolved into Honda’s VTEC (Variable Valve Timing & Lift Electronic Control System) engine that would become a key feature of Honda engines up till today. The new technology, which offered a new level of performance, made its debut in the 1989 Integra.
New technology for future engines
“Find a new technology to lead the next generation of Honda engines.” This was the directive issued by top management at Honda R&D and, in response, a project was proposed to expand the variable valve-timing approach. Since it had originally been created to improve fuel economy, the engineering staff’s new assignment would be to combine outstanding mileage with impressive output across the entire powerband.
Approval was given in November 1986 with the first objective being to develop a new engine for the Integra. Kajitani, a lead engineer of the engine development project, knew that working on VTEC technology would not merely solve many problems he had experienced in development of the DOHC and SOHC engines, but would play a major role in the creation of future powerplant designs.
100 bhp per litre
He believed the specification for Honda’s new engine – 90 bhp per litre (or 140 bhp from a 1.6-litre unit) – was not really reflective of the 1990s approach. After all, the DOHC engine already produced 130 bhp but the new engine would only have 10 bhp more than that. He was not satisfied with that level and as if to read Kajitani’s mind, Nobuhiko Kawamoto, then president of Honda R&D made a thoughtful suggestion: “Why don’t you raise your target to 100 horsepower per litre?”.
It had always been thought that a normally-aspirated engine could not be made to produce 100 bhp/litre. But Kawamoto was an experienced engineer and his words inspired Kajitani. The new target would mean 160 bhp from only 1.6 litres, and at a maximum of 8000 rpm. “We’ll make that our goal,” he declared.
“Conventional engines in those days could only produce 70 or 80 bhp per litre. But here we were, being asked to increase it all the way to 100 bhp… it wasn’t going to be easy,” Kajitani recalled. “An engine becomes subject to a higher load as you increase its rpm. So we had to keep in mind the quality-assurance target of 15 years, or 250,000 kms, for a mass-production engine. We all wondered how on earth we were going to reach that number while ensuring the required quality of mass production.”
When Kajitani sat down with his associates and told them the target, he was immediately swept back by a barrage of questions. For example, the target of 8,000 rpm was almost 20% higher than the maximum output of 6,800 rpm achieved by the 1.6-litre DOHC engines of that time. Moreover, the inertial force upon various engine parts would increase by 40% and the engine would be subject to considerably higher loads due to its increased interior heat. Therefore, to reduce inertial mass under such high revolutions, the weight of each part would have to be reduced. Discussions were held daily for 3 months.
Finally, after everyone had expressed their opinions and proposed ideas, it was time to align all vectors in a single direction. The team identified some 30 new mechanism and technologies they would need to introduce in order to secure a stable VTEC system. These included a valve-operating system with a hydraulic timing selector pin, a small hydraulic tappet mechanism built into the rocker arm, and weight-reduction techniques to achieve higher revolutions and output.
Is it genuine technology?
But Kajitani was not certain which technologies should be used and which should be set aside. He kept asking himself, “Is this technology genuine?” It was a question Kawamoto asked too. Kajitani’s personal view was that a technology would be ‘genuine’ if it had been in the market around for 10 years. “Even so, a technology that’s been for around 10 years is one that’s accepted by society. In that sense, there shouldn’t be any problem adopting such a technology to all models,” he said.
The difficulties the team endured through its discussions with the committee helped bring the VTEC engine to life. But there was often fear in Kajitani’s mind, as well. “I thought we might not be able to achieve it because the goal was too high,” he said.
It was quite difficult, for example, to balance the valve-timing lift against the load placed on the timing belt, which would increase at high rpm due to the spring and other factors. Although it was a problem needing a solution in order to achieve the target output, such an answer would not be easy to find.
One of the approaches taken to increase output across the full rev range was by widening the diameter of the intake valve. Also, the team adopted valve timing and lift settings that were comparable to Honda racing engines in order to enhance volumetric efficiency. The improved output resulting from that technique actually served to improve performance at high speeds. Additionally, measures were taken to reduce intake resistance. At last, the goal was reached, with a full 160 bhp at 7600 rpm and a redline of 8,000 rpm.
Low-speed torque, an initial project objective, was obtained by changing the low-speed cam’s setting. This permitted the intake valve to close early, drastically improving the engine’s volumetric efficiency. Since the engine now had higher efficiency at low speeds of operation, a broader torque band could be realized.
The implementation of new materials was certainly a factor in the successful application of these technologies. For example, since the VTEC engine’s three cam followers must be positioned in a single bore, the camshaft offers relatively limited cam width. Therefore, the shaft must be designed to withstand high surface pressures. To achieve this, the team developed a new camshaft of cast steel.
Ensuring reliability
The VTEC engine program then went into a critical phase. In order to ensure absolute reliability in mass production and introduce the engine to the market with confidence, the team had to guarantee the functions of all mechanisms and parts. In addition to a significant responsibility for product reliability, the team had special expectations regarding the VTEC engine. “We all shared the determination to apply these technologies to every Honda model,” said Kajitani. The team’s view was that VTEC technology shouldn’t be limited to the Integra alone but further improved for use on future Honda models.
First Honda model with VTEC engine.
Honda’s new Integra, equipped with the DOHC VTEC engine, was introduced to the market in April 1989. The VTEC technology drew considerable praise as the world’s first valve mechanism capable of simultaneously changing the valve timing and lift on the intake and exhaust sides. In addition to its impressive output and high-revving energy, the VTEC powerplant offered superior performance at the low end-including a smooth idle and easy starting-along with better fuel economy.
Evolution of the VTEC engine
The DOHC VTEC engine was subsequently adapted for use in the NSX as well as the Accord and Civic. Following the SOHC VTEC engine, and then the VTEC-E in 1991, the technology evolved into the 3-stage VTEC engine introduced in 1995, which demonstrated an even greater degree of efficiency in output control. By 2001, the K-series engine family incorporated the first i-VTEC cylinder with an automatic self-adjusting cam gear to continuously optimize valve overlap for all rpm ranges. A number of the latest Honda models have the 1.5-litre VTEC TURBO engine, a powerplant that retains the fuel economy benefits of a small engine and yet produces torque exceeding that of a 2.4-litre engine.
The latest VTEC powerplant is the 1.5-litre VTEC TURBO which is used in the CR-V, Accord and latest Civic (below).
Less than a year after the Range Rover started its fifth generation, its brother – the Range Rover Sport – also moves into a new generation. Having been born only in 2005, this model enters only its third generation. Moving further along with electrification of the range, it comes with a choice of three powertrains – mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid and combustion engine. In a couple of years, there will also be a fully electric version available.
As with every Land Rover, all the familiar styling elements are present, thanks to the ‘guardian’ of Land Rover’s design DNA, Gerry McGovern. Since the 1980s, he’s led design teams at the British company and for the new Range Rover Sport, the exterior has the recognizable profile with taut surfacing accentuated by stealth-like detailing and muscular proportions.
Sportier image than Range Rover
Where the Range Rover presents itself as a more formal vehicle in keeping with its flagship status, the Sport gets the sporty touch with short overhangs, an assertive front-end and steeply raked glazing at the front and back.
Like the latest Range Rover, the Sport, has Digital LED lighting units which create a distinctive Daytime Running Light (DRL) signature. These are the slimmest ever units fitted to a Land Rover. At the rear, uninterrupted LED light graphics introduce surface LED technology to a production vehicle for the first time, providing a crisp and contemporary look at night.
A characteristic shoulder line runs the length of the vehicle, accentuated by new lower fender details and the longest spoiler ever fitted to a Range Rover. The clean lines of the exterior are enhanced by flush glazing and door handles, contributing to an impressively low Cd of 0.29.
Advanced chassis technologies
The Sport introduces more advanced chassis technologies, along with the flexible mixed-metal architecture (MLA-Flex). The engineers had a comprehensive dynamic toolkit to govern the new SUV’s integrated chassis control system while also raising torsional stiffness by 35% to achieve the most engaging and dynamically capable driving experience.
Advanced features include the new Dynamic Response Pro (DRP) which works together with the latest generation Dynamic Air Suspension (DAS) that has switchable-volume air springs for the first time. DRP provides ultimate roll control via a 48V electronic active roll control system, capable of applying up to 1,400 Nm of torque across each axle.
DAS, which is standard across the range, interfaces with the intelligent system to enhance the bandwidth of the suspension. This works by varying the pressure within the chambers (higher pressure provides stiffer damping) to deliver traditional Range Rover comfort with the dynamic handling expected from the Sport. To optimize responses, the vehicle monitors the road ahead using eHorizon navigation data to pre-emptively prime for upcoming bends.
Driving off-road, especially on rough terrain, requires a degree of expertise and as the leader in 4×4 technology, Land Rover has worked to reduce the demands on the driver. When it introduced systems like Hill Descent Control in the 1990s, even inexperienced drivers could go down a slippery slope almost like a pro as a computer managed the speed and power. 4×4 instructors felt their jobs would no longer be needed before long.
More advanced assistance systems
In more recent times, the company developed the Terrain Response system which has different settings that the driver can choose to suit terrain conditions. In the Sport, an improved second generation of the system makes its debut along with a new Adaptive Off-Road Cruise Control specially designed for use on tricky terrain. An evolution of All-Terrain Progress Control, Adaptive Off-Road Cruise Control allows the driver to set the desired speed and comfort level, from a choice of 4 settings, over rough surfaces.
Powertrains
Before the fully electric Sport comes in 2024, customers can choose from two extended range Electric Hybrids, 6-cylinder Ingenium petrol and diesel engines using mild-hybrid technology, and an all-new V8 Twin Turbo. It’s likely that the electrified powertrains will sell in bigger numbers in Europe while the all new V8 Twin Turbo would find more customers in North America and the Middle East.
The new P510e Electric Hybrid incorporates 3-litre 6-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine with a powerful 105 kW electric motor and 38.2 kWh battery, producing a total system output of 510 ps. A 100-km range on only electricity is claimed. At the other end of the spectrum, the V8 Twin Turbo produces 530 ps, launching the Sport from standstill to reach 100 km/h in a claimed 4.5 seconds (with Dynamic Launch engaged). All the models are fitted with the trusty 8-speed ZF automatic transmission and Intelligent All-Wheel Drive.
Sustainable materials
Within the Sport is the luxurious ambience that would be expected from any Range Rover. In keeping with environmental considerations, sustainable materials are used but still retaining the premium look and feel.
The Alexa-enabled Pivi Pro infotainment system with its curved floating touchscreen provides intuitive control of the vehicle systems. The high resolution 13.1-inch touchscreen has an interface that is easy to use and haptic feedback reduces the need for the driver to keep looking at what is being touched.
Of the many new features, the next-generation Cabin Air Purification Pro deserves highlighting. Clearly developed as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic to provide a cleaner and safer cabin environment, Land Rover says it can significantly reduce odours, bacteria and allergens – including the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This is done by a PM2.5 filtration system with nanoe TM X technology. There is also an advanced CO2 Management function which can purify the cabin or while driving to help increase alertness and enhance wellbeing.
Next generation Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) not only makes for a quitter journey but also allows greater enjoyment of the Meridian Signature Sound System. ANC operates at its best when the vehicle is in the Dynamic driving mode. Microphones and accelerometers inside each wheel arch constantly monitor the sounds passing into the vehicle, while digital processors calculate the level of noise-cancelling sound required to filter this from the cabin – much like a pair of high-end headphones.
For more information on Land Rover and Range Rover models in Malaysia, visit www.landrover.com.my.
After introducing the first premium luxury SUV in 1997, Lexus broadened its crossover line-up to cover every segment and as the industry moved towards smaller body sizes, Lexus followed likewise with new models. Its smallest is the UX, introduced in 2018, with a cumulative total of approximately 240,000 units sold globally.
The UX has been doing battle in one of the most competitive segments of the market and this year, it gets upgrades to keep it on par with rivals. Besides enhancements in the multimedia system, the new UX also has improved safety technology and better driving dynamics.
Under the skin, structural rigidity has been improved by adding 20 spot-welding points around the bodywork. The increased rigidity, besides giving additional passive protection, helps to enhance handling. At the same time, the electric power steering system and shock absorbers pf the suspension have been retuned accordingly to help provide a smoother transition between braking, steering and acceleration through bends and on a variety of road surfaces. It is this linear vehicle operation faithful to the driver’s input that defines the Lexus Driving Signature.
The Lexus Safety System+ 2.5 is a suite of active systems that lighten the driving burden on the driver and more importantly, help avoid accidents (or minimise the damaging effects). The single-lens camera on the windscreen and millimetre-wave radar in the grille have been improved to more effectively scan the road ahead. This enables expansion of the response range of the Pre-Collision System which can detect bicyclists and pedestrians (even in low-light conditions) and, at intersections, detect oncoming vehicles before turns. The system also detects pedestrians crossing the street from the direction toward which the vehicle was traveling before it started to make a right or left turn.
Also featured are functions such as Emergency Steering Assist, which assists steering within the vehicle’s lane as cued by the driver. The lane-recognition functions of Lane Tracing Assist have been improved through the application of AI technologies that expand the assist range, resulting in smoother and more-continuous steering assist.
Dynamic Radar Adaptive Cruise Control is a very useful autonomous system that ensures a safe gap[ from the vehicle in front and it functions at all speeds. To enhance its operation on highways with curves, the curve speed-control function decelerates the vehicle in advance according to the size of an approaching curve.
Most Lexus models have the Panoramic View Monitor nowadays so the driver can see all round the car with imagery captured by small cameras on the body. A new and advanced feature is an underbody transparent display which combines images of road surface conditions below the UX. A camera takes images of the ground earlier and then shows them on the display so the driver can have an idea what the vehicle is travelling over. The relative orientation of the wheels is also visible, which can be helpful on rough terrain with obstacles.
Inside the new UX, the multimedia infotainment system at the centre of the dashboard has been revised and now uses the new Lexus Interface system. This provides a larger touchscreen display (8 inches of 12.3 inches) that is positioned close to the driver. The display has higher resolution and smartphone-like anti-glare technology and instead of the remote controlled, users can now interact with the system through intuitive touch and voice activation controls.
The overall cabin usability has been improved by optimizing the shapes and switch layout of the instrument panel and console area with LED lighting added. Taking into consideration how people are using more personal electronic devices these days and require recharging, the interior designers have added two USB charging points at the front, and also improved the wireless charging space.
The Lexus Interface incorporates a new Voice Assistant available through voice activation or accessible via a button on the steering wheel, providing handsfree operation. Simple phrases like “Hey Lexus” trigger the system for voice commands and with a human-centred approach, the Lexus Interface Assistant allows for intuitive interaction using natural language.
For clear communication with the system, there are two microphones with enhanced noise-cancellation, seat detection and speaker location capabilities. The system gives front seat occupants an expanded and interactive experience to access media, phone and vehicle settings.
Depending on the market, the driver can also have access to Cloud Navigation, Destination Assist and other Intelligent Assistant features. The cloud navigation offered through Drive Connect allows for real-time Over-the-Air updates for traffic and routing information and Points of Interest. With Wi-Fi Connect, the Intelligent Assistant can also offer integrated audio streaming functionality.
Needless to say, the Lexus Interface support wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with compatible smartphones and also has dual Bluetooth phone connectivity.
Powertrains are unchanged and depending on the market, there are either combustion engines or hybrid powertrains. In Malaysia, for example, only the 2-litre 169 bhp combustion engine is available but there’s a choice of three versions.
The new UX F Sport version has enhancements as well, both visually and technically. The addition of a brace to the steering gear complements the standard Adaptive Variable Suspension system and rear performance dampers to absorb body flex and minor vibrations and further sharpen handling and improve overall ride comfort.
The new UX will probably take a while to appear in Malaysia, but Lexus Malaysia has just launched the new NX, another crossover SUV model positioned a notch higher. You can read our first impressions of it here.
For more information on Lexus models in Malaysia, visit www.lexus.com.my.
