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From time to time, we read about motorists driving into buildings, either due to misjudgement or accidentally pressing the accelerator pedal and panicking when the car shoots forward into a building. Recently, a man crashed into a building even before he could obtain a driving licence.

According to a China Press report, the accident took place in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan at the Nilai driving academy. The man had already finished his driving theory test and was to take the second part which was the practical driving test.

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DS PENSKE’s Jean-Eric Vergne held on to his lead to win the first-ever ABB FIA Formula E World Championship race in India. His victory was cheered by a sell-out crowd of over 25,000 people which included a host of dignitaries, Bollywood celebrities and sports stars. The last time Verge was on top of the Formula E podium was in April 2021 at the Rome E-Prix.

The 32-year old French driver, who has been in the all-electric single-seater championship Formula E since 2014, Vergne fought hard in the final third of the race to stay ahead of Envision Racing pair Nick Cassidy and Sebastien Buemi. Although Buemi finished third, a post-race penalty dropped him further so it was Antonio Felix da Costa (TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team) who inherited his position.

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The Cayenne, Porsche’s first SUV, is still in its third generation since being launched in 2017. During the past 5 years, there have been improvements in areas related to the powertrain, chassis, design, equipment and connectivity. This is usual for any carmaker as feedback from real-world usage by owners is received at the factory and measures are taken to address issues, while also improving the product in overall terms.

Occasionally, there are numerous improvements made with many new technologies and it is necessary not just to calibrate or tune many systems but also test them for durability and reliability. Prototypes are now undergoing rigorous testing – called ‘complete vehicle testing’ at Porsche – to ensure the operational stability and functionality of all components and systems as they interact – in situations that the customer experiences and far beyond.

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Following the announcement by the Transport Minister that drivers and motorcyclists will no longer have to display the roadtax sticker on the windscreen or carry a physical driving licence, there were many questions which popped up on social media. The minister and his team must have looked through them and decided to promptly provide answers and clarification via social media channels last night as well.

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Valentine’s Day takes place in February and while it is regarded as a special occasion for couples, it is also a time when appreciation can be shown to those whom we care about. With this in mind, Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) is having a promotion with special offers on Nissan products as a way of showing its appreciation to customers.

The promotion, called ‘Fall In Love At First Deal’ is for popular models such as the X-Trail and Serena. In the case of the X-Trail, there’s a new Black Edition accessories package which gives a bolder image with black-themed items. The package includes a Black Front Grille, Black TOMEI Aerokit, 17-inch Gloss Black Alloy Wheels, Brown NAPPA Combination Leather Seat with Leatherette Dashboard and Knee Pads, and Ice Cool Tinting.

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For years, motorists have complained about the poor quality of the roadtax stickers on the windscreen peeling off or curling, and at one stage, the print even faded. Past Transport Ministers were aware of the matter but never seemed to be able to get it resolved.

Now the new Transport Minister has done it and his solution is very straightforward – don’t use a sticker any longer! Perhaps, in the past, the authorities were stuck with the thinking that the roadtax sticker must be displayed for checking but this is the age of digitisation and there are electronic solutions that do not require a sticker.

The announcement was made today by the Transport Minister who also said that it will be with immediate effect (from February 10, 2023). While there is a law under Section 20 of the Road Transport Act which requires a roadtax sticker to be shown, this will no longer be enforced. Perhaps an amendment will be made in due course to the regulation.

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The winding road up to the Genting Highlands resort complex on the border between Selangor and Pahang is well known by Malaysians (and even Singaporeans). For drivers, it is a challenging drive and being able to drive up is ‘test’ of a car.

But for the families and friends of a group of tourists who travelled along that road recently, it will bring memories of a tragedy. They were involved in an accident when the van they were in crashed into the concrete divider, with 6 of the passengers being killed right away. A seventh person who was the co-driver, died later in hospital.

According to the police, the group was returning to Penang from Genting Highlands when the driver lost control of the van at a bend near Km 4.8 and it crashed into the divider. The impact was severe at the front and killed the driver, and caused serious injuries to the co-driver. It is not known how four of the passengers died and whether everyone had seatbelts on.

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Motorists insured by Allianz General Insurance Company (Malaysia) Berhad will know about their Road Warrior 24/7 roadside assistance benefits which  will be most appreciated when there’s a breakdown. Now, the same support is also available to operators of goods-carrying vehicles as a supplemental benefit.

Launched today, the Allianz Truck Warrior provides roadside assistance to Allianz Goods Carrying Vehicle (comprehensive) policyholders involved in accidents or breakdowns. It is the first coverage of its kind in Malaysia and has only been available since 2023 started.

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Audi is the latest brand in Malaysia to electrify, with 2 fully electric models (in multiple variants) to go on sale from mid-2023. The range will consist of the Q8 e-tron in SUV and Sportback versions, and e-tron GT quattro/RS e-tron GT. Malaysia will be among the first markets in the region to introduce the Q8 e-tron.

As the shipments have not arrived yet, PHSAM (PHS Automotive Malaysia), the Audi distributor, can only offer estimated prices for the models. Pricing for the Q8 e-tron is estimated to range from RM369,000 – RM476,000, while the e-tron GT quattro will have a price range estimated to be RM550,000 – RM643,000 for the two versions to be offered. The RS e-tron GT is estimated to have a price range from RM749,000 – RM769,000.

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ASEAN NCAP, the organization which assesses new models in the market (especially those made and sold in ASEAN), has released its report after testing the new Perodua Axia. The hatchback is the second generation of the Axia and will be officially launched on February 14. ASEAN NCAP was provided a unit for their assessment which included a crash test and after analyzing the results, the Axia received 4 stars (out of the maximum of 5 stars).

The first generation of the Axia tested by ASEAN NCAP in 2014 also received 4 stars then. According to Perodua engineers, the new Axia, with its new structure and increased safety features, should be able to score 5 stars if the same protocols are used as for model tested in 2014.

However, in 2023, the bar has been raised with new protocols that are more demanding. ASEAN NCAP periodically upgrades its assessment protocols, which the industry is informed of, and this serves to advance the safety standards that the industry should provide.

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