Even though the COVID-19 situation continues, the Nissan Pavilion was opened today in Yokohama, Japan. The 10,000 sq. metre interactive centre to show off Nissan’s products and technologies, located near the company’s headquarters, will be opened until October 23, 2020.
“The Nissan Pavilion is a place where customers can see, feel, and be inspired by our near-future vision for society and mobility,” said Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida.
With its leadership in sales of electric vehicles (EVs), Nissan will naturally be focussing a lot of EVs at the Pavilion. And in a global first, EV drivers will be able to discharge power from their car’s battery pack to pay for parking while visiting the Nissan Pavilion. The payment system is just one of the many innovations customers can experience at the Pavilion, built to show how Nissan moves people to a better world.
Showcase of EV technologies
Other examples of EV technology having synergies with society will be demonstrated at Nissan Chaya Cafe, which operates on power supplied by Nissan LEAF EVs and solar energy. Visitors can also enjoy virtual experiences that allow them to feel the thrill of Formula E electric street racing or go for a ride in the all-new Nissan Ariya EV crossover.
Other innovations on show besides Nissan Energy technologies include the ProPILOT advanced driver assistance system as well as Nissan’s Invisible-to-Visible (I2V) technology, which combines information from the real and virtual worlds to assist drivers.
A Mobility Hub offers various services such as EV car-sharing and rental bicycles. Offered by Nissan and the local community, these services aim to provide increased freedom of mobility.
Nissan Energy
Nissan introduced the world’s first mass-market electric car, the zero-emission Nissan LEAF, in 2010. Since then, the company has partnered with governments and businesses around the world to expand the uses of EVs. The company’s Nissan Energy Share and Nissan Energy Storage technologies allow electricity from EV batteries to be stored, shared and repurposed, for instance by powering homes or businesses.
In Japan, Nissan has also entered agreements with local governments to use LEAF EVs as mobile batteries that can supply energy during natural disasters. In another partnership, the company is repurposing used EV batteries to power streetlights.
Race starts at 2:10 pm British time/9:10 pm Malaysian time
Following the first three rounds of the delayed 2020 Formula 1 World Championship, this weekend sees the teams at Silverstone in England. The 2020 Pirelli Formula 1 British Grand Prix will be the first of two that will be held at the 72-year old circuit, the second to be run next weekend as the Emirates Formula 1 70th Anniversary Grand Prix 2020.
After the compact, undulating layout of the Red Bull Ring in Austria and the tight twists and turns of the Hungaroring in Hungary, the wide open spaces of Silverstone – once an airfield – promises a very different kind of challenge.
A true power circuit
Silverstone is one of F1’s last remaining true power circuits, and one which the drivers like. Its fast and flowing layout with iconic corners such as Copse and the rapid changes of direction through Maggotts, Becketts and Chapel provide both a thrill and a test of nerve and skill.
Drivers experience some of the highest lateral g-forces of the season at Silverstone, with a maximum of 5g – meaning they will feel 5 times their normal weight. Therefore, with the average weight of a human head wearing a helmet being 7 kgs, the driver’s neck is being pulled side-to-side by a force of 35 kgs through some of the corners.
The drivers will experience up to 5 times their weight in some corners due to the high g-forces.
Drivers spend almost 81% of the lap distance at Silverstone driving at full-throttle and the average speed over the course of a lap is one of the highest in F1 at around 220 km/h. But Silverstone is not entirely about high speeds; the ‘Arena’ section introduced a decade ago provides the additional challenge of a sequence of technically demanding low-speed corners.
Resurfaced last year, the track has shed some of its reputation for abrasiveness and Pirelli is added spice to the two races by varying its compound choices for this weekend and the next. It is being cautious by supplying its most durable compound (C1) while the C2 and C3 will be the medium and soft, respectively. Next Sunday, the plan is to move on step softer with the C2 to C4 compounds.
Conditions are notoriously windy at Silverstone and the wind direction changes relatively frequently, too. This has a big impact on the car balance and can completely change the car’s behaviour, forcing drivers to adapt their driving style to suit. Braking points, apex speeds and throttle application can all change due to a shift in wind direction.
Sergio Perez replaced by Nico Hulkenberg
Racing Point’s Sergio Perez will not be racing as he was tested positive for COVID-19, believed to have been due to visiting his mother in Mexico who was hospitalised. So far, he shows no symptoms but the strict rules require him to self-isolate for 10 days. This means he will also miss the next round. Nico Hulkenberg will drive in his place, starting from 13th place on the grid.
Sergio Perez was tested popsitive for COVID-19 so he cannot race tomorrow as well as the following Sunday as he must self-isolate for 10 days.
As with the other rounds earlier, there will be no spectators within the circuit and the number of people allowed inside are kept to a minimum. Those who enter are tested regularly for COVID-19 and team members are required to stay within their ‘bubble’ and not mix with others, even at the hotel or other places outside the track. Things are that strict and the FIA is constantly monitoring because it does not want to have governments in other countries withdrawing permission to hold the forthcoming races because of participants not being disciplined to observe the Standard Operating Procedures.
The championship so far
Mercedes-AMG’s Lewis Hamilton, last year’s winner and the one who has won the most times at Silverstone (6), starts his home race as the leader in the Drivers Championship, 5 points ahead of team mater Valtteri Bottas. Consecutive podium finishes in Austria and Hungary put Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen in third place, 25 points behind Bottas.
Lewis Hamilton set a new lap record again and takes pole position tomorrow, with Valtteri Bottas alongside.
In the Constructors Championship, the top finishing places of its two drivers have built up the points lead which, at 121 points, is 66 ahead of Red Bull Racing with McLaren in third. However, Mercedes-AMG team boss, Toto Wolff, is not complacent. “We enjoyed very good results at the British Grand Prix in recent years, but we all know Babe Ruth’s famous quote: ‘Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s games’. There’s no entitlement to a good result because you had a strong showing in the past, on the contrary: a successful race will always be the result of the hard work of every single team member and we will have to bring our A-game to stay ahead of our competitors,” he said yesterday.
Your vehicle has to be serviced regularly to keep it in optimum running condition which will give the best fuel economy and maximum performance. It’s also a condition of the warranty that you need to have the servicing done according to the schedule provided by the manufacturer.
To make regular servicing more convenient, UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) is introducing Toyota Service Savers (TSS), a maintenance package which can be purchased during a new vehicle purchase. The cost of the package can be included in the financing so it becomes part of the H-P loan amount that can be repaid over a number of years.
With the TSS package, the servicing costs are covered in advance and this means just sending the vehicle in for its scheduled service and not having to pay anything upon collection (unless there are items replaced or additional work done which is not part of the requirement).
The TSS package can be used at all 85 authorized Toyota service centres in Malaysia over a period of 5 years from the time of purchase. Prices of the TSS packages depend on the model, ranging from RM3,220 for the Vios (savings of RM469 compared to paying each time) to RM6,030 for the Hilux (savings of RM922).
The packages follow the servicing requirements for the model at recommended intervals (as listed in the Owner’s Service Manual) and include the fluids and parts specified for replacement. Only Toyota Genuine Parts or Toyota-approved items and materials are used.
As an added benefit, all TSS customers are entitled to a 10% discount for selected parts and 20% discount on wheel alignment & balancing as well air-conditioner servicing packages at all authorized Toyota Service Centres. So there are additional savings as well.
For more information of the Toyota Service Savers Package, customers can contact any authorized Toyota showroom or service centre. For the nearest location, visit toyota.com.my or call the Toyota freephone line 1-800-8-TOYOTA (869682).
Mercedes-Benz will be launching its all-new S-Class (W223) next month and typical of the company when it comes to the prelude to a new model, information usually trickles out to highlight the innovations that the new model will introduce. In the case of the new S-Class, the company has released details of its enhanced PRE-SAFE system which has been constantly evolving since first being introduced in the 2003 S-Class (W220).
A new function is PRE-SAFE Impulse Side, which sees augmented measures in the pre-impact phase: when a side impact is likely, the car’s body can be raised up to 80 mm by the E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL suspension (an optional feature) within a few tenths of a second. This directs the impact forces towards particularly resistant structures in the lower area of the bodywork.
There are also new occupant protection measures which are derived from many of the innovations in the ESF2019 Experimental Safety Vehicle. Firstly, the rear occupants will have the additional protection of airbags and this is the world’s first frontal airbag for the two passengers on the outer rear seats.
ESF 2019 – the first Experimental Safety Vehicle from Mercedes-Benz that also presents concepts for the special challenges of automated driving.
Its design with an innovative, tubular structure is unique. The cylindrical structures are inflated with compressed gas and deploy a wing-shaped structure. A large, tent-like airbag then deploys between the two wings and this is inflated by the surrounding air via specially patented valves in the skin. These valves are designed so that the air cannot escape when the rear passenger is immersed in the airbag.
The comparatively small volume of the tubes allows rapid deployment of a relatively large airbag volume. This takes place with comparatively low force and a low risk of injury, as the tubular wings give way to obstacles. The airbag enhances the restraining effect of the belt system, and can support the head and neck to decrease the loads on them significantly. In combination with a beltbag and the inflatable seatbelt, the S-Class will set new standards for rear seat occupant safety.
Also new is a centrally located airbag (availability depends on country) between the driver and front passenger seat. During a severe side impact, the airbag positions itself between the driver and front passenger seat, reducing the risk of their heads making contact. It is integrated into the driver’s seatback in the middle of the car. The airbag is triggered when a severe side collision is recognised, and certain conditions are met.
There will also be new illuminated designer belt buckles (also optional) which are easy to locate. It’s a small touch which some may say is unnecessary cost, but it should make attaching the seatbelt easier.
In combination with the MBUX Interior Assistant, a camera can now be used to detect a childseat on the front passenger seat for the first time. A belt fastening message for the childseat appears in the central display before the driver moves off. Until now, and in many cars, the presence of a childseat is usually determined by a sensor in the front passenger’s seat.
Occupants will get a warning as they open the door if there is a vehicle or cyclist approaching from the rear.
The new S-Class will have the latest generation of the Driving Assistance Package with new and numerous improved functions. One of the two examples which Mercedes-Benz is revealing now is Active Blind Spot Assist to prevent opening of the door when another vehicle is coming up along the side of the car. The exit warning function now will give a warning as soon as the driver or front passenger reaches for the door. The MBUX Interior Assistant will recognise when a hand approaches the door handle and a visual warning is given by a red warning triangle in the exterior mirror and via the active ambient lighting.
In a traffic jam on the highway, at speeds not more than 60 km/h, the car adjusts its movements to the surrounding vehicles as if part of a swarm, helping the driver to create an emergency corridor by moving to one side. This will allow emergency vehicles to proceed past more easily to reach an accident site ahead.
Active Steering Assist is another example and this will assist the driver in forming an emergency corridor, and encourage other drivers to form a corridor as well. Thanks to improved environmental sensors and integration into MBUX, the parking systems give the driver even better support when manoeuvring at low speed. 12 ultrasonic sensors at the front and rear provide improved performance so the positions of road-users and objects can be registered reliably and highly precisely.
The all-new S-Class W223 will have its global debut in September 2020.
Last month, a new generation of lighting technology made its debut in the Audi Q5: digital OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) technology. The use of OLEDs is not new to the German carmaker and in fact, Audi was a pioneer as far back as in 2016.
What are OLEDs?
OLED light sources are panel radiators, unlike point light sources such as LEDs using semiconductor crystals. The benefits of OLEDs are that their light is extremely homogeneous, infinitely dimmable and has very high contrast. The light can be split into segments which are individually controllable and can develop diverse levels of brightness, with minimal gaps between the segments.
The lighting unit does not require any reflectors, optical fibres or similar optics. This makes OLED units very efficient, lightweight and flat, which considerably increases design freedom. An OLED lighting element is just one mm thin, while conventional LED solutions require much greater installed depths of 20 to 30 mm.
The energy requirement of an OLED is also significantly lower than that of LED optics if the latter are to achieve similar homogeneity. Audi’s OLED technology made its production debut in the taillight of the TT RS1 in 2016. Up to now, Audi models using OLED lighting technology have had up to 4 individually controllable, complex lighting segments that could be used for an individual, defined lighting design.
The advantage of digital OLEDs
But now it’s the age of digitalization and this technology promises to improve road safety and is the first to allow for personalization of the taillight signature. Audi’s new digital OLEDs have a larger number of individually controllable segments that can now be randomly activated, with continuous variability of brightness.
In the Q5, three tiles of 6 units each (18 segments per lamp) are currently used. The high precision and great variability offer light designers a wealth of opportunities, using just one type of hardware. Q5 customers opting for digital OLED technology have a choice of three signatures in the taillights when purchasing their car. In the ‘dynamic’ Audi drive select mode, the lamps additionally switch to another signature.
More dynamic signalling
Moreover, animation effects such as coming-home/leaving-home lighting scenarios can be implemented, plus the dynamic flashing light has been integrated in the new lamp units as well.
In the new Q5, Audi has implemented a proximity detection feature for the versions using digital OLED taillights. When another road user approaches a stationary Q5 from the rear within less than 2 metres, all the OLED segments light up. When the Q5 starts to move, it returns to the original light signature. This is just an initial example of the automobile’s car-to-x communication with its surroundings.
Further advancements
Further down the road, there will be clearly more segments per taillight, allowing for even greater personalization of signature lighting. For instance, predefined symbols might be displayed to provide other road-users with early warnings of hazards such as slippery roads or the tail ends of traffic jams.
“Up to now, we have been using OLED segmentation with the Audi TT RS1 and A8 for designing signature lighting. This has changed with the Q5,” said OLED technology project manager Dr. Werner Thomas. “Here the taillights turn into a kind of display on the outer shell, which will provide us with ample opportunities and prospects in terms of design, personalization, communication and safety going forward.”
