When you pay over a million ringgit for a car, you would definitely want it to be special even though it is likely to be one of the few in the country. After all, if you can pay that much, what would be a few hundred thousand more to customize it to exactly how you like your car to be. The premium and luxury carmakers have such customization programs and now Bugatti also offers it officially with Bugatti Sur Mesure. The program is in response to ever-growing demand for personalized Bugatti creations.
Bugatti Sur Mesure, translated to English, means ‘tailored’, and it builds upon the marque’s distinguished history of coachbuilding, handcrafted interiors, paint finishes, embroidery and bodywork. The collective expertise of skilled designers and engineers is drawn upon for ultra-customized designs, materials and finishes.
As part of the official program, with one-to-one support from the Bugatti Sur Mesure Team, customers will be guided through the world of possibilities open to them. When configuring a Bugatti, the sheer number of exterior colours and leather finishes is nearly unlimited, but Bugatti Sur Mesure can take a further step and create a truly unique piece of personalized automotive art.
In recent years, Bugatti has showcased the depth of its ability to personalize its hyper sportscars to an ever greater degree. For example, in 2013, the Veyron ‘Les Legendes de Bugatti’ series saw 6 exclusive model editions, each personalized with unique exterior and interior finishes, celebrating individual heroes of the marque.
2019 witnessed the arrival of the Chiron1 ‘Zebra 1 of 1’ – a special commission for a customer in Qatar. Featuring an elaborate Titanic Blue and Gunpower Grey colour scheme, the car was hand painted by Bugatti’s talented craftspeople over the course of more than 3 weeks.
This year, the Divo2 ‘Lady Bug’ made its debut with a highly complex geometric-dynamic algorithmic fading pattern. The pattern was developed over 18 months for the Divo’s bodywork, illustrating how Bugatti will push the boundaries in making customers’ visions become reality.
The first official ‘Sur Mesure’ creation for a customer is a Chiron Pur Sport inspired by the 20th century heroics of renowned racing driver, Louis Chiron. Early racing pioneers who piloted Bugatti’s prototype racing cars continue to fascinate and are admired for their bravery and talent displayed on-track. Today, their spirit lives on and is the very source of the custom design of the unique Chiron Pur Sport.
Among Louis Chiron’s countless victories at the wheel of a Bugatti was his legendary 1931 win at the French Grand Prix, together with Achille Varzi, in a Bugatti Type 51 emblazoned with the number ‘32’. This number – painted entirely by hand – now adorns the sportscar as just one of a number of custom-made elements developed especially for this customer.
Two new exterior colours were created to pay homage to the legendary Grand Prix racing Bugattis of the 1920s and 1930s. The Bugatti Sur Mesure team also developed a new fading ‘EB’ painted pattern, applied meticulously by hand, which is complemented by a multi-layer stitched ‘EB’ motif on the door panels. Both required new techniques and processes to be developed.
The ‘32’ and ‘Grand Prix’ motifs continue throughout the cabin, including a special centre console inlay in black anodized aluminium, with a silver hand-painted inscription. The motifs extend to the door sills, headrests and entry lights. Subtle branding distinguishing the model as a rare and unique product of the program can also be found. Many of the customer’s ideas will also be available to more owners of the Chiron Pur Sport.
“For many years, we have worked with our clients to create their own personal vision of the ultimate hyper sports car. It has always been a highly tailored process but as an ever-increasing number of our clients request detailed and intricate customization, the launch of Bugatti Sur Mesure will ensure we can cater to their desires with the perfect level of detail required from a Bugatti,” said Hendrik Malinowski, Bugatti’s Managing Director for Sales and Marketing.
Before Euro NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme) came into existence, the safety performance of cars was not known to the public. While carmakers conducted their own tests, they did not necessarily share the results with the public. Of course, as responsible companies, they constantly aimed to make their products safer and to provide the best possible protection for occupants during an accident.
But just how safe was a car? That was not known until EuroNCAP was established in 1996 and began to crash new cars to see how they performed. EuroNCAP’s findings were made public in a standardized form so that comparisons could be made for car-buyers to make informed decisions. Cars that scored better would usually have better safety features, which added cost, and it was up to buyers if they wanted to pay more for the extra protection.
Most new models tested by EuroNCAP can score the maximum of 5 stars.
EuroNCAP focussed on new models sold in the European markets and for many years, their results were also used by carmakers when marketing the same models in other regions. In time, it was realized that due to overseas production of certain models, there could be differences in the safety performance due to engineering differences in some areas. This led to the establishment of NCAP organizations in other regions which focussed on models which were made and sold in those regions.
ASEAN NCAP is one of them and has been evaluating new models sold in the region for the past 10 years. In fact, ASEAN NCAP can be credited for pushing carmakers to raise safety standards with the addition of certain safety systems and features which are required in order to score the maximum number of stars.
The existence of these NCAP organizations has brought about discoveries of the differences in performance of some models in different regions. There have been cases of a model sold in Europe offering much poorer protection when built for sale in South American markets. Likewise, a number of cars in India have been found to scored poorly when subjected to crash tests.
With such information made public, manufacturers have had no choice but to make improvements to make their vehicles safer and more in line with global standards. Although NCAP results are not referred to when vehicles are inspected by local authorities in various countries, they are still important as car-buyers refer to them. A high score would give more confidence to a customer who in interested in a particular model, so manufacturers work hard to achieve the best score which is typically 5 stars.
Many new models can now score maximum stars and carmakers like Toyota have been recognized for offering the most models with 5-star ratings in ASEAN. It may seem that in this day and age, most new vehicles will be able to get a few stars, so it is shocking to know that there are some models that fail to get even a single star!
This has been the case with the latest Hyundai Tucson which was tested by Latin NCAP which evaluates models sold in the Central and South American markets. The model was unable to be given even a single star which was disturbing because a Tucson tested by EuroNCAP a month earlier had been able to get 5 stars. The initial reaction of many people was that the model built for Latin American markets was not engineered differently or lacked too many safety features. However, it was learnt that the model tested by Latin NCAP was actually an older fourth generation one, whereas EuroNCAP had tested the latest fifth generation model.
The Tucson tested actually scored well in adult protection for frontal and side impacts, as well as in whiplash protection as it at least has two front airbags. However, with no side airbags and inadequate chest protection as well as poor child occupant protection, its overall score could not even rate one star, not to mention that it also did not have any form of electronic stability control.
“Latin NCAP is disappointed by Hyundai’s attitude to Latin American consumers’ health and safety. It is unbelievable that an SUV like the Tucson does not offer side impact protection and ESC as standard. The long delay in replacement parts delivery is also concerning. We make an urgent call to Hyundai for a dramatic change in basic safety strategy in LAC and level it to its policy in Europe, Australia and USA, among others,” said Alejandro Furas, Secretary General of Latin NCAP.
“Once again, thanks to Latin NCAP, we can know the risks that certain corporations, mostly Latin Americans, expose us to due to the sale of low safety vehicles. Hyundai gives us an unpleasant surprise to see that one of its most popular models in the region, the Hyundai Tucson, which has had significant sales in our countries, gets 0 stars safety. This is one more example of the discrimination in vehicle safety that the inhabitants of the region have to suffer from some car manufacturers that use our region as a sub-standard market to maximize their profits,” added Stephan Brodziak, Chairman of Latin NCAP.
Hyundai models sold in Malaysia, like the forthcoming Palisade SUV (above), are high-scorers in NCAP tests as Malaysian regulations require high safety standards.
A zero-star result would certainly discourage most buyers and fortunately, this is not the case with Hyundai models sold in Malaysia. The Tucson is not currently sold (but has been in previous generations) but for the models imported to Malaysia, Hyundai Sime Darby Motors has been taking models with specifications comparable to those sold in Europe due to the tougher requirements of Malaysian regulations.
But while models sold in Europe may lead in safety performance when tested by EuroNCAP, this is not the case with every model. In its most recent series of tests, EuroNCAP found that the latest Renault ZOE EV was poorer than before – so poor in crash-tests overall, poor in vulnerable road user protection and lacking meaningful crash avoidance technology, that it was disqualified from getting any stars.
It would seem that while giving attention to improvements for the battery pack, Renault had compromised on safety elements. EuroNCAP noted that the seat-mounted side airbag which previously protected head and thorax has been replaced by a less effective thorax-only airbag, representing a degradation in occupant protection.
“Renault was once synonymous with safety. The Laguna was the first car to get 5 stars, back in 2001. But these disappointing results for the ZOE and the Dacia Spring show that safety has now become collateral damage in the group’s transition to electric cars. Not only do these cars fail to offer any appreciable active safety as standard, but their occupant protection is also worse than any vehicle we have seen in many years. It is cynical to offer the consumer an affordable green car if it comes at the price of higher injury risk in the event of an accident,” said Michiel van Ratingen, Secretary-General of Euro NCAP.
As the 19 cars (Haas F1’s Nikita Mazepin could not start due to COVID-19 infection) slowly took their places on the starting grid for the final round of the 2021 Formula 1 World Championship, the air was full of tension. Tonight’s result would decide who the new champion would be. It could well be the race of the century.
As the lights went out, the Red Bull driver got a good start but was not quick enough to outrun Lewis Hamilton to the first turn and coming out on the other side was the Mercedes-AMG. But the first controversy started by Turn 6 as Hamilton ran wide and Verstappen alleged that he had been pushed off the track. However, the Stewards did not see anything wrong and decided not to investigate… much to Christian Horner’s frustration again.
While McLaren Lando Norris slipped back and was overtaken by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, it was Verstappen’s team mate, Sergio Perez, who managed to slip into third place about 4 seconds behind Hamilton. It was a good position to be where he could take over when the two leaders headed into the pits.
By lap 11, Hamilton was 3,5 seconds ahead but coming in was something that would need to be carefully considered as there was a risk in giving up the place too soon. Meanwhile, Verstappen was beginning to struggle with the soft tyres he started with, as opposed to Hamilton who had mediums from the start.
On lap 14, Verstappen had to come in and took on hard tyres. As usual, Mercedes-AMG followed next and when Hamilton rejoined, he was ahead enough to be in second place behind Perez who had taken over. However, Verstappen was further down and rejoined as Norris passed by. He had a 9-seconds gap from Hamilton who was ahead of Sainz.
With everyone more careful not to be the cause of any incident that could impact either of the championship leaders, Sainz didn’t put up a fight when the Red Bull was about to pass. Verstappen was up into third place but Hamilton had been pushing harder to reach Perez, and the gap was still 8 seconds.
On lap 20, Hamilton began to dice with Perez who had been instructed to delay the Mercedes-AMG driver enough so that Verstappen could close in. And as Hamilton had to be careful, he lost out as Verstappen shot forward unimpeded by his team mate who was ready to head for the pits. This put the Dutchman in second position and ready to fight for the title.
16 seconds behind Verstappen was Tsunoda, pursued by Bottas, while Perez slotted into fifth place after getting his fresh tyres. However, the Japanese drivers position was lost when he pitted, dropping him to tenth.
Alfa Romeo ORLEN’s Kimi Raikkonen did not get to finish his final F1 race as his car had braking problems around lap 26 and he had to limp back to the pits. Fans of the Finn, who was among the senior drivers, were saddened that the 20-year career had to end on a low note.
At the halfway point of the 58-lap race, Hamilton was still in the lead, 4 seconds ahead of Verstappen but without the security of having Bottas near enough. Though his team mate was in third, he was some 20 seconds behind. In any case, he had to come in for a tyre change and rejoined in tenth. His place was taken over by Perez who had a comfortable gap from Alpine F1’s Fernando Alonso, so he could focus on staying in the race.
Raikkonen’s team mate, Antonio Giovinazzi, also had an unhappy ending with the team as his car came to a stop on lap 36, triggering the Virtual Safety Car to enable clearing. Verstappen came in for hard tyres and rejoined still in second place as Hamilton did not want to lose his top spot. Twenty laps remained and Hamilton looked like he would keep the hard tyres till the end and take another world championship.
The Virtual Safety Car had given Verstappen a chance to close in on Hamilton and by lap 43, he had gained 4 seconds, though the gap was still over 12 seconds. His steady progress to close the gap meant that it was going to be a thrilling finish. And with 12 laps remaining, Hamilton was also getting close to backmarkers which could make things tricky.
With his tyres having been in use for over 37 laps, the team was warning Hamilton to be careful on the kerbs. A puncture would be disastrous at this point with the remaining laps.
7 laps from the end, Hamilton finally got past the traffic but Verstappen still had to carefully find his way past at least 5 cars, some of whom were also battling each other. The delay kept the gap at around 12 seconds.
And then Williams Racing’s Nicholas Latifi crashed at Turn 14 while duelling with Haas F1’s Mick Schumacher, and the Safety Car had to come out. Just 6 laps remained and with the cars unable to race, the release of the Safety Car would certainly be a dramatic moment as the two leaders tried to sprint to the finish. Verstappen decided to come into the pits to get fresh tyres – certainly the last time in the race – but Hamilton was unwilling to take any risk of losing his position right at the front.
With 3 laps remaining, the gap was just 3 seconds between Hamilton and Verstappen. Everyone was biting their nails as the outcome was going to be very tight. Verstappen still had 5 slower cars in front of him.
On the 57th lap, the cars were still behind the Safety Car so it seemed like a real shoot-put to the finish line. Then race control told the 5 cars between Hamilton and Verstappen to overtake the Safety Car as it was about to leave the track – and it would be Hamilton and Verstappen going for it as they were side by side. An incredible setting to the end of the season!
The moment racing resumed, Hamilton had a slight edge but Verstappen grabbed the lead – and held it to the chequered flag to become the new World Champion. Crossing the line, the Dutchman was about 2 seconds ahead of the Mercedes-AMG driver, whose boss was unhappy at the circumstances. But his team does win the Constructors Championship again, which makes it 8 times in a row. But for the Red Bull Racing team, the hard work finally paid off and for Honda, their engine supplier, it was a great way to end F1 involvement.
Valtteri Bottas leaves the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS team to take over the spot vacated by Kimi Raikkonen, while Williams Racing’s George Russell will become Lewis Hamilton’s team mate in 2022.Guanyu Zhou will join Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN in 2022 to partner with Bottas.
The Malaysian Championship Series (MCS) 2021 heads into its final double-header with Round 3 and Round 4 to be run on December 15 and 16. It’s been a challenging year for the drivers and teams, not to mention the disruption caused by the extended suspension of activities due to the pandemic. The MCS 2021 will be the last action from 4-wheel racers to conclude the National Championship calendar for 2021.
For Race 1 and 2 in Round 3 (Wednesday), the drivers will be competing for a total of 22 laps. Race 1 starts at 10:30 am, while Race 2 will be from 3:30 pm. The next day will see Round 4 starting at 11:15 am with the competitors racing 54 laps around the 5.543 km Sepang International Circuit.
After Round 2, Alif Hamdan and Lai Wee Sing from R Engineering HMRT remain unbeaten as they are the only entry in the Touring (T) Production category. Leona Chin from the Tedco Racing team spearheaded the Malaysian Touring Car (MTC) Production, leaving Muhammad Roni Risman and his partner, Shaifulnizam from Dori’s Racing team in second place and the pairing, Natasha Seatter and Nurul Husna from Niza Racing team finished in third place.
In Stock Production 1 (SP1), Shazull Hisham and Mohd Syahrizan, from the Empire M Racing team took the chequered flag, with Ken Urata from Rworks in second position. Chiow Teck Song from R Engineering HMRT team finished in third place to join them on the podium.
As for Stock Production 2 (SP2), the perfect combination of Hayden Haikal and Adam Khalid in the Honda Fit GK5 throughout the 22 laps of the race earned them the class victory. Putera Adam from R Engineering HMRT finished in second position, while Eddie Lew Kar Wai and William Ho from the Tedco Racing team were in third place.
The MCS 2021 is organised by Sepang International Circuit (SIC), supported by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, sanctioned by the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM). The Official Tyre Distributor is Yokohama while BHPetrol is the Official Fuel Partner.
Spectators (18 years old and above) are permitted to watch the races and can gain free entrance at the SIC Main Grandstand. As per government regulations, they must be fully vaccinated and show their certificates. SIC reminds everyone that they must adhere to all Standard Operating Procedures and guidelines imposed by the National Security Council to curb the spread of COVID-19. Facemasks should be worn at all times and social distancing (minimum 1 metre apart) must be maintained.
If you cannot go to the track, you can still watch the last battles of MCS 2021 live on SIC’s Facebook page.
And so its down to the final round of the 2021 Formula 1 World Championship which takes place at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. It’s been a dramatic year with the two leaders – Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton – having a battle between themselves only. And now, as they face each other for the final time this year, their points are tied so this is a crucial race to decide who takes the crown. Tensions are so high that the Race Director has warned both drivers not to indulge in any unsporting behaviour otherwise the winner could be decided by the Stewards – which no one wants.
Last time was 1974
The last time two drivers were tied for the title was in 1974, when Emerson Fittipaldi of Lotus and Clay Regazzoni of Ferrari had 52 points each. But it was a different era too, with faster and more powerful cars, and the business of the sport also far more intense. Hamilton already has a string of 7 titles going back to 2008 and would certainly like to add another. But there are also some who would like to see a new champion although Verstappen has gained a ‘bad boy’ image of late.
“The final race will be intense… the fact that both championships will be decided at the season finale proves just how hard both sides have been challenging each other and pushing each other forward. It’s all or nothing for the season finale and that’s amazing for the sport, amazing for the fans and amazing for all of us, too,” said Mercedes-AMG’s Toto Wolff.
‘May the best man win’ as the team bosses of Mercedes-AMG and Red Bull Racing shake hands before the race.
Image by Planet Labs Inc.
Circuit substantially altered
The Yas Marina Circuit has, for some time, held the season-closing race. In fact, 9 of the 12 times it has had a F1 race, it has been the finale round. The cumulative data the teams have gained over the years will not be so applicable as the circuit has also been substantially altered for this year’s race. For one thing, it has 5 less corners – 16 instead of the 21 in last year’s layout. The hairpin complex from Turns 5 to 7 has been replaced with a wider hairpin bend at Turn 5, with the aim of promoting overtaking.
The changes have shortened a lap by 273 metres, which sees the number of laps increased from 55 to 58, all run after sunset. The changes to the track will also increase speeds and loads through some corners. However, as the circuit will still be smooth, with average stress on the tyres in terms of wear and degradation, the three softest compounds in the P Zero range remain a suitable choice, according to Pirelli.
The pitlane is the only one in F1 to feature a tunnel, with drivers passing under the circuit at the pit exit and re-joining on the left-hand side of Turn 2. It can prove tricky to see other cars when feeding back onto the track mid-corner.
The last outing for the F1 Safety and Medical Cars which have been supplied by Mercedes-AMG (above) and Aston Martin (below) and used in different races.
After a period of obscurity, Kia is ready to move forward with great determination and has formulated a plan to grow its volume in the ASEAN region. Having established a new business operation in April this year, the Korean carmaker has a partner – Bermaz Auto – which took over the brand from Naza (along with Peugeot as well). Bermaz Auto and Kia have formed a joint-venture company called Kia Malaysia which will manage the brand’s activities in the country. Distribution and retail operations will be handled by Dinamikjaya Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Bermaz Auto.
Kia Malaysia’s operations will include local assembly, the first time the carmaker is making a direct investment for assembly operations. It considers this to be a key factor for growth as it will enable Kia vehicles to be sold around the ASEAN region at competitive prices. This is because they can be assembled in Malaysia and exported to other markets without import duties imposed by those countries, a privilege accorded by the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) agreement.
Previously, there were some Kia models assembled locally but the volume was small and therefore not efficient. Now, Kia has set a target of 100,000 units in total from 2022 to 2026. The vehicles will be for the Malaysian market as well as export. The export plans are ambitious and will account for more than 50% of annual production each year. By 2026, the company expects to export up to 19,000 units from the 30,000 units targeted for that year.
The vehicles – comprising new generations of the Carnival, Sorento, Sportage and Niro – will be assembled at the Inokom plant in Kedah. This plant, which began operations in the 1990s, assembles for brands such as Mazda, BMW and MINI. Incidentally, among the plant’s shareholder’s is Hyundai Motor Company, which is affiliated with Kia in the Hyundai Motor Group. Hyundai’s share is 15% and it has been a shareholder since the plant started in 1997.
From what Kia Malaysia has revealed of the coming products, all four models will be produced with combustion engines as well as electrified powertrains. The Carnival and Sportage will be hybrid electric while the Sorento and Niro will also have plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains. A fully-electric version of the Niro will also be produced, and this would enjoy attractive incentives offered by the government for battery-electric vehicles.
ICE: Internal Combustion Engine | HEV: Hybrid Electric Vehicle | PHEV: Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle | BEV: Battery Electric VehicleThe Inokom factory in Kedah which will assemble Kia vehicles. It began operations in 1997 assembling Hyundai and Renault vehicles.
Omitting passenger cars may not be a disadvantage as Kia’s past models have enjoyed limited success. Their SUVs have met with good response and the new Carnival is also a big leap from the previous generation. Now the task for Dinamikjaya will be to assure customers that it will offer the best aftersales support to those who buy a Kia. The company will examine all past promises to customers and see how to best move forward with existing owners.
Teaming up with Bermaz Auto is advantageous for Kia as the team in this company have long experience in all aspects of the auto industry. They are led by Dato’ Seri Ben Yeoh, whose career spans 5 decades, during which time he has been involved in brands like Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Daihatsu, Proton, Mazda, Skoda and Hyundai. Senior members of his team were even involved in setting up and running the Inokom factory before it was acquired by Sime Darby Motors.
Toyota’s ultimate goal is to reduce fatalities from traffic accidents to zero, and to realize this, the company has been developing its vehicles with safer systems to help drivers avoid accidents and also to protect the occupants if an accident does occur. This has been ongoing for decades, and numerous advances in automotive safety have been developed to make vehicles in the Toyota Group as safe as possible – even to other road-users.
4 awards to Toyota
The efforts have been recognised by ASEAN NCAP – the New Car Assessment Program for Southeast Asian Countries – which has evaluated many new vehicles from the safety point of view. At its 10th anniversary celebration, the Toyota Brand received 4 awards including two for ‘THE MOST 5-STAR CARS 2012-2020’. The other awards were for ‘BEST ADULT OCCUPANT PROTECTION 2017-2020’ (for the C-HR crossover), ‘BEST SAFETY ASSIST 2019’ (for the Majesty and Granvia). The awards were among those presented by ASEAN NCAP under the ‘Decade of Safer Vehicle Awards’.
The awards were given to Toyota Daihatsu Engineering & Manufacturing (TDEM), which is Toyota’s regional headquarters for engineering and manufacturing functions for Southeast and South Asia. TDEM was originally established in 2003 as the Toyota Technical Centre Asia Pacific and was then integrated with Toyota Motor Asia Pacific Engineering & Manufacturing Co., Ltd. in 2007. From April 2017, the company was renamed Toyota Daihatsu Engineering & Manufacturing Co., Ltd. And based in Thailand (separate from Toyota Thailand).
Toyota has received the most 5-star ratings over the past 10 years, with the maximum rating even given to models like the Hilux pick-up truck.
“Toyota has a long history in Asia, wherein we have been recognized by our customers as the foremost brand for QDR – Quality, Reliability and Durability – and safety. We started production activities in countries such as Thailand and Malaysia as early as the 1960s and over the last 6 decades, we have strived to develop the best products not only to suit our ASEAN customers’ needs, but also to improve and adopt safety technologies as part of our fundamental responsibility as a mobility company, prioritizing the improvement of road and traffic safety in this region,” said Prasanna Ganesh, Executive Vice-President of TDEM. “We are very honoured and humbled to be recognized across various categories on the occasion of ASEAN NCAP’s 10th Anniversary, and are committed to make our products and technologies ‘ever better and ever safer’ when compared to the past.”
Focus on ASEAN models
ASEAN NCAP is the ninth new car assessment program in the world that performs independent assessment on the safety performance of new passenger car models released in the market. Its main objective is to promote and enhance vehicle safety standards and rating system in the ASEAN region.
ASEAN NCAP has its own crash test facility in Melaka and has tested some 110 models and variants over a period of 10 years. Additionally, it also collaborates with safety organisations in some other Asian countries to test certain models.
The safety assessment initially began with test phases in which the first phase of the assessment, comprising 8 models, was funded by Global NCAP. After 10 years, the organisation has tested some 110 models and variants and has produced 137 ratings. During this period, ASEAN NCAP has also developed three roadmaps (for the periods 2012 – 2016, 2017 – 2020 and 2021 – 2025) to provide the industry with guidance for development of vehicle safety systems.
In 2012, the Honda City was the first car tested by ASEAN NCAP at its crash-test facility.
Under the current roadmap for 2021 – 2025, there are 4 assessment domains comprising Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Safety Assist and Motorcyclist Safety. This roadmap marks a significant milestone for ASEAN NCAP in which there was the development of an assessment pillar that ensures the assessed vehicle avoids collision with vulnerable road-users, particularly motorcyclists.
Helping make cars safer
“When we first began our work in 2011, there were not many people who had such high confidence in us. We heard people say that we will only last for 3 months. Because of this assumption, we were determined to go against all odds to prove them wrong. I was blessed with a group of dedicated young people who were eager to learn about crash testing and, of course, their perseverance towards road safety research, which was a fairly new area at the time. Now I’m proud to see all our hard work have resulted in astounding achievements and we are making significant impact to the automotive industry with consumers safety is being placed huge importance in vehicle development,” said MIROS Director-General who is also ASEAN NCAP Secretary-General and Acting Chairman, Hon. Assistant Commissioner (CD) Adjunct Prof. Ir. Ts. Dr. Khairil Anwar Abu Kassim.
With a large number of accidents involving motorcyclists, ASEAN NCAP’s roadmap has given greater attention to protecting this group of road-users.
“The ‘Decade of Safer of Vehicle Award’ is our way of giving credit where it is due and also provide recognition to manufacturers who have consistently adhering to our protocol to ensure that their vehicles obtained 5-Star ratings. My wish is that the Award serves as a catalyst to encourage other manufacturers to continuously research and improve their respective vehicles by putting safety first in the development of the cars,” he added.
Vaccination does not make you immune to COVID-19 infection. You can still get infected and although you may not show symptoms, you could spread the coronavirus to others. Do not stop taking protective measures such as wearing a facemask, washing hands frequently and social distancing.
n a year that was characterized by the ongoing pandemic and superconductor and component supply issues that led to the delay of some model launches, most manufacturers managed to plan and still execute their new car introductions. This enabled the jurors of the annual ‘Japan Car of the Year’ event to carry out their assessments of over 30 contenders.
In the first of two voting procedures, the award’s 60 jurors selected the ’10 Best vehicles’ of the year in late November. Following this, they then voted a second time to select the year’s best car as well as the winners of 4 special awards. When counting was completed at an online award ceremony on today, it was the Nissan Note e-Power series which was pronounced ‘Japan Car of the Year 2021-2022’.
Hybrid powertrain of the Nissan Note e-Power.
With 335 votes, the Nissan hatchback beat the Toyota GR86/Subaru BRZ pair which scored 264 votes, and the Honda Vezel (HR-V) with 227 votes. The new Note e-Power range, with its 1.2-litre hybrid powertrain, is currently on sale in Japan but the carmaker has plans to launch the e-Power drivetrain in European and US markets in the near future.
According to the COTY committee, the Note e-Power’s win was due to its hybrid powertrain, excellent fuel economy and handling, keen pricing and stylish design.
This year’s title is the fifth one for Nissan while the Volkswagen Golf’s popularity with the Japanese is evident by it collecting another title for the latest generation after the Golf 7 in 2013 (when it was also overall ‘Japan Car of the Year’).
Volkswagen Golf wins the Import Car of the Year title again.
PAST WINNERS
1980-1981: Mazda Familia (323)
1981-1982: Toyota Soarer
1982-1983: Mazda Capella (626)
1983-1984: Honda Civic
1984-1985: Toyota MR2
1985-1986: Honda Accord 1986-1987: Nissan Pulsar
1987-1988: Mitsubishi Galant 1988-1989: Nissan Silvia SX
1989-1990: Toyota Celsior (Lexus LS)
1990-1991: Mitsubishi Galant
1991-1992: Honda Civic 1992-1993: Nissan March
1993-1994: Honda Accord
1994-1995: Mitsubishi FTO
1995-1996: Honda Civic
1996-1997: Mitsubishi Galant
1997-1998: Toyota Prius
1998-1999: Toyota Altezza (Lexus IS250)
1999-2000: Toyota Vitz (Yaris)
2000-2001: Honda Civic
2001-2002: Honda Fit (Jazz)
2002-2003: Honda Accord
2003-2004: Subaru Legacy
2004-2005: Honda Legend
2005-2006: Mazda MX-5
2006-2007: Lexus LS460
2007-2008: Honda Fit (Jazz)
2008-2009: Toyota iQ
2009-2010: Toyota Prius
2010-2011: Honda CR-Z 2011-2012: Nissan LEAF
2012-2013: Mazda CX-5
2013-2014: Volkswagen Golf 7
2014-2015: Mazda2/Demio
2015-2016: Mazda MX5
2016-2017: Subaru Impreza
2017-2018: Volvo XC60
2018-2019: Volvo XC40
2019-2020: Toyota RAV4
2020-2021: Subaru Levorg
Some day, people will travel in cars that can operate without human control. All that will be needed is to get in, state the destination, sit back and the car will drive itself there. Whether we can then use the term ‘driving’ is debatable if a human is not involved, but it will be a revolution in mobility. Such capabilities will be in what are called autonomous vehicles, and over the past decade, they have been development by many companies (some of which are not the global carmakers).
The American Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) formulated a list of different levels of autonomy in 2014 which has been accepted by the industry. The document – SAE J3016 Recommended Practice: Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to Driving Automation Systems for On-Road Motor Vehicles – is commonly referred to as the ‘SAE Levels of Driving Automation’ and also has the involvement of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
Many vehicles now at Level 2
SAE J3016 defines the 6 levels of automation for a vehicle, from Level 0 (no driving automation) to Level 5 (full driving automation) in the context of motor vehicles and their operation on roadways. Many vehicles with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) using radar or cameras are considered as having Level 2 autonomy. Even the Perodua Ativa (AV version) is able to meet Level 2 requirements.
Level 2 driving automation allows the computer to take over steering, acceleration, and braking but the driver must still pay attention to what is happening and be ready to take over control when necessary. In most cases, the systems help the driver rather than take over, thus reducing fatigue. In most systems, there is automatic emergency braking where the system can detect a possible collision and if the driver does not respond correctly, the brakes will be engaged automatically.
Autonomous systems must be able to not only direct a car to its destination but also keep it safely within its lane on the journey.
Moving to higher levels becomes more and more challenging as more autonomy is given the vehicle. This means that the environment around it must also be suitable for safe autonomous operation. For example, road lines must be clear for the camera to scan and use as lane references to guide the vehicle, and traffic control systems must be standardised. If the system is unable to recognise a red light and stop accordingly, then it would be very dangerous!
Recognising not just pedestrians and other vehicles is important but also being able to identify signs and traffic lights.
First approval for Level 3
For this reason, authorities in most countries are permitting autonomous vehicles only on specific sections of highways. While the manufacturers can develop their vehicles further, there is still a need to ensure safety for road-users so for now, Level 3 is still not common. Only Mercedes-Benz has met the demanding legal requirements for a Level 3 system, the first carmaker in the world to get approval. The German Federal Motor Transport Authority recently granted system approval for this on the basis of the technical approval regulation UN-R157, thus paving the way for offering such a system internationally.
In order for this to be done, the traffic laws had first to be revised for Level 3 systems and this was done in 2017. Other countries will also have to do likewise first before Level 3 autonomous vehicles can be allowed on their roads.
In Germany, the first customers of the latest S-Class with DRIVE PILOT will be able to enjoy Level 3 automation in the first half of 2022. This means they can drive in a conditionally automated mode at speeds of up to 60 km/h in heavy traffic or congested situations on certain stretches of the autobahn in Germany. The special DRIVE PILOT can take over the driving almost entirely so he or she can carry out tasks on the central display such as online shopping or processing e-mails in the in-car office. The system approval also applies to the EQS.
“For many years, we have been working to realise our vision of automated driving. With this LiDAR-based system, we have developed an innovative technology for our vehicles that offers customers a unique, luxurious driving experience and gives them what matters most: time. With the approval of the authorities, we have now achieved a breakthrough: We are the first manufacturer to put conditionally automated driving into series production in Germany,” said Markus Schafer, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, Chief Technology Officer responsible for Development and Purchasing.
The technical approval regulation with which such a system can be certified did not come into force until the beginning of 2021. Since then, it can be implemented in Europe – an opportunity that Mercedes-Benz was quick and the first manufacturer to seize. With the revision of the Road Traffic Act for Level 3 systems, Germany was the first country to create a legal basis for the use of these systems.
On specific sections of autobahn
Mercedes-Benz is initially offering DRIVE PILOT on 13,191 kilometres of autobahn in Germany. Extensive test drives for this system are already underway in the USA and China. As soon as legal provisions are in place, for conditionally automated operation, the technology will be offered to customers.
On specified autobahn sections and where traffic density is high, DRIVE PILOT can offer to take over the driving, initially up to the legally permitted speed of 60 km/h. When the driver activates DRIVE PILOT, the system controls the speed and distance, and guides the vehicle within its lane. The route profile, events occurring on the route and traffic signs are taken into consideration. The system also reacts to unexpected traffic situations and handles them independently, eg by evasive manoeuvres within the lane or by braking manoeuvres.
Redundant systems for extra safety
DRIVE PILOT builds on the surround sensors of the Driving Assistance Package and comprises additional sensors that Mercedes-Benz considers indispensable for safe conditionally automated driving. These include LiDAR, as well as a camera in the rear window and microphones, especially for detecting blue lights and other special signals from emergency vehicles. There is also a wetness sensor in the wheel well.
As well as the sensor data, the DRIVE PILOT receives information about the road geometry, route profile, traffic signs and unusual traffic events (accidents or roadworks) from a digital HD map. This is made available and updated via a backend connection. The S-Class with the optional DRIVE PILOT also has redundant steering and braking systems and a redundant on-board electrical system, so that it remains manoeuvrable even if one of these systems fails and the safe handover to the driver can be ensured.
If the driver fails to take back control even after increasingly urgent prompting and expiry of the takeover time, eg due to a severe health problem, the system brakes the vehicle to a standstill in a controlled manner and with suitable deceleration. At the same time, the hazard warning lights and, once the vehicle has come to a standstill, the Mercedes-Benz emergency call system is activated and the doors and windows are unlocked, to make access easier for anyone offering assistance.
At the moment, there are many vehicles with Level 2 autonomous capability where the driver must maintain some degree of control and pay attention to the road and conditions ahead. However, with Level 3 (below), he will not need to pay attention (though he must be ready to take control) and can check messages or even watch a movie on the display.
During the conditionally automated journey, DRIVE PILOT allows the driver to take their mind off the traffic and focus on certain secondary activities. This is the major difference between Level 2 and Level 3 where, for the former, the driver must keep looking ahead and around at all times (no checking messages on the phone). With Level 3 (and above), the driver can do messaging via In-Car Office, surf the internet or even watch TikTok clip. In DRIVE PILOT mode, applications can be enabled on the integrated central display that are otherwise blocked while driving.
Better than GPS
The top priority for Mercedes-Benz when introducing such a system is safety, which includes high demands on operational reliability. The exact location of the car is determined using a highly accurate positioning system said to be much more powerful than conventional GPS systems. In addition, data obtained from satellite navigation are matched with sensor data and data from an HD map. Sensor data collected by LiDAR, camera, radar and ultrasonic sensors can be, for example, information on road geometry, route characteristics, landmarks or traffic signs.
The HD map provides a 3-dimensional street and environment image. The map data are stored in back- end data centres and updated constantly. Each vehicle also stores an image of this map information on board, constantly compares it with the backend data and updates the local data set if necessary. The HD map thus offers stable positioning through a representation of the surroundings independent of shadowing effects or a covered sensor. This high-precision map differs from maps for navigation devices by its higher accuracy in the centimetre rather than metre range and its detailed intersection and track model.
Level 3 autonomous motoring will be available as an option in the new S-Class from 2022, but it can only be used in Germany until laws in other countries permit such systems to be used on public roads.
The Lamborghini Urus is celebrating 4 years since its launch in December 2017, during which time 16,000 units have been delivered worldwide. With 650 bhp, the Super SUV has supercar performance for the road but it has also shown an ability to face extreme challenges. On Lake Baikal in Russia, the Urus set a speed record on ice with a top speed of 298 km/h and an average speed from a standing start of 114 km/h over 1,000 metres. It also reached the highest motorable road in the world at the top of the Umling La Pass in the Himalayan part of India, more than 5,800 metres above sea level.
The capability of the Urus inspired Lamborghini’s designers to explore new possibilities for off-road super sportscars and in 2019, they came out with the Huracan Sterrato, a concept car based on the V10 Huracan which drew on off-road expertise developed with the Urus.
It was not the first time that Lamborghini’s designers explored high performance and off-road capabilities. In the 1970s, Lamborghini’s test driver Bob Wallace modified two models to create desert-going high performance sportscars – the Jarama Rally and the Urraco Rally.
The Sterrato concept is based on the Huracan EVO with the same 5.2-litre naturally-aspirated engine producing 640 bhp. The Huracan EVO’s LDVI (Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo Integrata) with predictive logic, controls the Sterrato’s systems including 4-wheel drive, 4-wheel steering, modified suspension and torque vectoring, anticipating the next moves of the driver to ensure perfect driving dynamics.
Calibrated for off-road driving (including low-grip surfaces) and tuned to maximize traction and acceleration, the LDVI system in the Sterrato provides enhanced rear-wheel drive behaviour, producing more torque together with additional stabilization in oversteering manoeuvres.
Huracan EVO
The Sterrato is intended for rough and demanding environments and its appearance illustrates this. More ground clearance is necessary in rough terrain so 47 mm is added, with the car’s front approach sharpened by 1% and the departure angle enhanced by 6.5%.
The wheel track is enhanced front and rear by 30 mm, with 20-inch wheels on balloon tyres set into widebody wheelarches with integrated air intakes. The larger tyres have been specially developed with increased sidewalls to improve the absorption of bumps and also provide good grip. Wide, rugged, open shoulder blocks with self-cleaning qualities provide excellent off-road surface adherence with improved traction and braking and are highly damage-resistant.
When driving over rough terrain with rocks and loose stones, the underside is at risk of being damaged. To prevent this, the Sterrato is fitted with underbody reinforcements and body protection, including a rear skidplate that acts as a diffuser. Aluminium reinforcements are integrated within the front frame and covered with an aluminium skidplate, with aluminium-reinforced sideskirts.
The bodywork’s special protective composite material includes stone-deflecting protection around the engine and air intakes and mud guards in hybrid materials of carbonfibre and elastomeric resin. An off-road LED light package puts a LED light bar on the roof and LED lights with flood function on the bumper.
A specially-designed interior trim reflects the sporty off-road character of the Sterrato, featuring a new lightweight titanium roll-cage, 4-point seatbelts to the new carbonfibre bi-shell sports seats, and aluminium floor panels.
