Following the visit of Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad to Pakistan earlier this year where he gifted the Prime Minister of Pakistan a Proton X70, the SUV has now been delivered to the government of Pakistan.
To date, over 26,000 units of the X70 have been delivered in the domestic market and exports are starting as well. In the case of Pakistan, plans were finalised in March this year to build an assembly plant that will be owned and operated by ALHAJ Automotive, Proton’s business partner there. Vehicle manufacturing is not a new activity for the ALHAJ Group as it has a subsidiary which has been producing FAW vehicles for a number of years.
Production is targeted to begin in 2021 with the X70 as the first of several models that will be sold in Pakistan. The long-term goal is to sell 400,000 vehicles by 2027. Just as in Malaysia, assembling its vehicles locally will allow Proton to have more attractive pricing as duties are lower for vehicles assembled in the country.
Parts for the X70 will be sent from Proton’s Tg. Malim factory in completely knocked-down (CKD) packs for assembly at the ALHAJ Automotive plant in Pakistan.
The brand new assembly plant will be located in Karachi, Pakistan’s industrial and financial centre. The initial investment will be US$30 million (around RM124.3 million) and 2,000 direct employment opportunities are expected to be created in its first 3 years of operations. It is estimated that a further 20,000 indirect jobs will also be created as a result of the new plant being commissioned.
“Proton sees a lot of potential in Pakistan and as Malaysia is the only Muslim country to have its own automotive brand, both our countries are natural partners who have so much to share with each other. The Proton X70 has won several awards at home and we hope that eventually, it can accomplish the same feats when it arrives here,” said Mohd Khalid Yusof, Proton’s Director of Investment and Promotion.
According to the Global Status Report on Road Safety published by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank in December 2018, Malaysia has the third highest fatality rate from road traffic accidents in Asia and ASEAN. In spite of various efforts to change this, the rate has not changed since 2007. The government’s approach has been the conventional ones – stricter enforcement of laws and all sorts of safety campaigns. It hopes that through education and safety awareness, the numbers can drop but that will take a long time.
Across the Asian region, public policies and priorities have been devised and revised in pursuit of enhanced road safety. Policies need to address current and future traffic issues, which will require extensive study of the anatomy of road accidents. “The collaboration of multiple sectors such as the government, automotive industry, and the academe will ensure long-term collection of more comprehensive data, nationwide reach, reduced costs, and unbiased analysis, as well as further recommendations,” said Martin Hayes, Regional President of Bosch Southeast Asia.
Understanding why accidents occur
As one of the world’s leading automotive suppliers, Bosch believes that improving traffic safety will be greatly served by fully utilizing crash data to develop and implement life-saving measures based on facts, rather than intuition. Accident research takes all available data into consideration, as it seeks to understand the root causes of vehicular crashes in order to prevent them in the future.
For Bosch and its multidisciplinary team of mathematicians, physicists, and automotive and mechanical experts at Bosch Accident Research, a vehicular accident is much more than just two objects colliding. Worldwide, driver and rider error or misbehaviour is the leading cause of road accidents, but other circumstances also come into play: bad weather, poorly lit or damaged roads, lack of road signs, animal or pedestrian crossings, and vehicular flaws, either by design or improper maintenance, among many other factors.
Bosch recommends an end-to-end approach to look at the impact of crash statistics, where information gathered from crash scene investigations are analyzed to determine key contributing factors. The root causes, severity, and statistics of accidents are then summarized, along with an estimation of the benefits from preventive actions.
Thomas Lich, senior expert at Bosch Accident Research, explains that “this methodology derives insights that will help bring about safer vehicles and aid government agencies in developing measures that enhance infrastructure, enforcement, and emergency response.”
Accident investigators in India
One such example of this is the Road Accident Sampling System of India (RASSI), a joint accident research project led by 13 members from vehicle manufacturers, research agencies, and automotive suppliers, including Bosch. Since 2009, RASSI has been able to successfully document nearly 4,000 road accidents and paved the way for infrastructure improvements on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, increased driver and rider safety awareness, as well as countermeasures like the installation of advanced vehicle safety systems.
More motorcycles = need for greater vehicle safety
Southeast Asia is one of the fastest-growing markets for motorized two-wheel vehicles in the world. In the same report published by WHO, riders of motorized two-wheelers, along with pedestrians, are unfortunately also at most risk of road crashes, comprising nearly half of those who die in road accidents.
Since 2005, the data collected and analysed by Bosch Accident Research reveals that majority of riders of motorized two-wheelers do not know how to react in emergency situations. This seems to be a common theme in three countries: Germany (33%), India (35%), and Thailand (43%). In all three countries, the second-highest reaction is falling down due to a lack of brakes, followed by a lack of braking power.
Further research concluded that around one out of four accidents with injuries involving motorized two-wheelers could be prevented if these vehicles were equipped with ABS, assisting the rider in critical situations by reducing the risk of a rider falling.
In India, RASSI results are used to identify effective safety measures, including the potential of Active Safety systems such as a combined braking system (CBS) or antilock braking system (ABS).
Accident research also contributes to the development of state-of-the-art safety technologies. One example is emergency call or eCall for powered two-wheelers. Mandatory for all new passenger cars in the European Union (EU) since April 2018, the technology for powered two-wheelers is still being studied. To technically realize eCall for powered two-wheelers, the significant differences between passenger cars and two-wheelers need to be taken into account, including accident and injury severity. These key factors will then form the baseline for new safety systems.
eCall (Emergency Call) is now required in all new passenger cars sold in the European Union (EU) and studies are ongoing to see if the same service can be used for 2-wheelers.
Collective commitment
The cooperation between stakeholders to complete the circle of social responsibility is key to increasing road safety. Fortunately, a growing number of organizations in Southeast Asian countries are now working with Bosch Accident Research to assess local accident situations. Accident analysis is being explored in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam, while Thailand is focused on establishing on-the-spot accident investigation.
Thailand’s on-the-spot accident research is focused on incidents with personal injuries. The aim is to train researchers on collecting on-the-spot crash data using a similar methodology from other projects. This will equip researchers with the know-how in surveying pre-crash situations, such as road conditions and traffic management systems and analyse post-crash situations to identify root causes, such as driver reactions and vehicle road-worthiness.
They will also be trained to determine efficacy of emergency response. This will be then the baseline for future research to come up with countermeasures to improve safety on Thailand’s roads, as experienced from other countries.
While the causes of road accidents are often universal, research will draw out unique circumstances where a differing action should be instigated. “A holistic approach based on accident research enables all parties to identify hot spots in infrastructure that need to be prioritized, along with the technology needed to improve emergency and rescue services,” added Lich.
Bosch believes that the first step in achieving road safety is an accident research initiative – one that is nationwide in scope and jointly driven by multiple sectors of society. The findings from the research will provide much-needed insights that will serve as the scientific basis for more effective road safety policies, ultimately resulting in millions of lives saved each year.
Until now, Gordon Murray – the famous F1 engineer – has talked about the T.50 supercar which he is developing. He has shown some sketches and outlined the technology but this is the first official picture of the car and the world will see more in May 2020 when it has its global debut.
His company, Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA), is partnering the Racing Point Formula One Team to further develop and test the aerodynamics of the T.50 supercar. According to Professor Murray, the model will have the most advanced and most effective aerodynamics ever seen on a road car.
Unique airflow management system
While the rear view of the car shows ‘purity and drama’, as GMA describes it, the most significant innovation which is now being revealed is a unique airflow management system. The most notable feature of the system, which can be seen at the rear-end, is a 400-mm diameter ground-effect fan.
Coupled with active underbody aerodynamics and dynamic rear aerofoils, the revolutionary aero system enables the T.50 to achieve considerably more aerodynamic performance and control than a conventional ground-effect supercar contributing to an unrivalled driving experience.
Reviving the ‘fan car’ concept that was banned
“I’ve dreamt of delivering a road car with a ground-effect fan since I designed the Brabham BT46B F1 racing car in 1978. The system on the T.50 is much more sophisticated than the Brabham’s and will benefit enormously from Racing Point’s expertise and resources,” Professor Murray said.
The Brabham BT46B Alfa Romeo (above) had a fan installed at the back which sucked air out from under the car, creating enormous downforce that enabled higher cornering speeds. However, it was quickly banned by the FIA because the rules stated that aerodynamic devices must be fixed and a spinning fan was not.
In the T.50, the fan and its associated ducting system build on conventional ground effect systems by actively helping control both the underbody and overbody airflow ensuring that both airflow systems interact to ensure absolute control of the enhanced aerodynamics and improve the car’s performance.
Six aero modes with power boost
Six aero modes enable the driver to optimise dynamic and outright performance, with Vmax Mode boosting output to 700 bhp. Vmax Mode – the most extreme – combines motorsport slipstream technology, extra power from a 48-volt integrated starter-generator, and ram induction to boost power.
Weighing just 980 kgs, the T.50 will deliver ‘the purest, most driver-focused performance and dynamics of any road car’, it is claimed. The car’s bespoke Cosworth V12 engine will be the highest-revving road car engine ever made, capable of an extraordinary 12,100 rpm.
The rear-wheel drive T.50 features Murray’s favoured 3-seat layout (used in the McLaren F1), with the driver benefitting from a central ‘jet-fighter-style’ driving position. Aligned with Gordon Murray’s claim that the T.50 could be the pinnacle of great analogue supercars, the driver-centric analogue controls are positioned to provide the ultimate, highly-intuitive, and totally-immersive driving experience.
Customer allocations of the T.50, priced in excess of £2 million (equivalent to around RM11 million), are now entering their final phase. Planned production is only 100 cars and the supercar has generated demand from a wider than expected global customer base. A significant number are customers in the USA and Japan and the first ones will get their cars in January 2022.
For decades, Malaysian motorists driving their vehicles into Singapore have had to apply for a Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) at the Woodlands or Tuas entry points. The VEP is linked to an Autopass Card which also serves as an electronic payment card for fees charged for parking and tolls (in Singapore).
It’s a system that has worked well although the application has been done manually at the checkpoints and officers have to come and check the vehicles for valid roadtax, and then motorists have to go to a counter to complete the processing and get the Autopass card (if they do not already have one which is specific to each vehicle).
While Malaysia has tried to implement a VEP system in recent years and continues to struggle to get the system to operate smoothly, Singapore has moved ahead with a more convenient way to apply for the VEP and Autopass card: from January 2020, they have to do it online before going to Singapore. Information on their vehicle and details of insurance and roadtax validity must be provided and approval will be notified by the Land Transport Authority (LTA). With the approval reference number, they can then collect their Autopass card at counters at the two entry points.
Click here to go to the above page on the LTA website
Currently, the LTA website shows the one-time charge for the Autopass card as S$10 (around RM30.50), of which S$6 is for the card and the remaining S$4 is stored value. With additional payment (at other top-up locations), the card can have stored value of up to S$500 to pay for parking, travel on public transport and retail transactions at many places in Singapore.
The Autopass card, which has a validity period of a certain number of years, records each entry/exit of the vehicle and the necessary toll is deducted. If there is insufficient balance when exiting, the motorist will be fined. To ensure that this doesn’t happen, be sure to reload at top-up booths on the way to the exit points (along Woodlands Centre Road and along Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim for Tuas).
Certain areas of Singapore have Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) and in earlier years, Malaysian motorists had to rent a temporary In-Vehicle Unit (IU) which all Singapore-registered vehicles have to make payment electronically when crossing the ERP gantries. This was not only troublesome for Malaysians who had to go and collect the IU but they also had to pay a refundable deposit of more than S$100 (which could have been used for shopping!).
The IU rental is still available but to make things easier, the LTA offers the option of paying a fixed rate of S$5 (about RM15.25) to use ERP-priced roads during ERP operating hours, regardless of the number of times the vehicle passes through the ERP gantries within the same day. The fixed ERP fee will be deducted through your Autopass Card when you exit Singapore. Don’t think you can ‘sneak’ through as there are cameras that record numberplates and your vehicle will definitely be marked for issuing a summons.
When leaving, be sure you have enough value in your Autopass card to cover toll charges and ERP charges (if applicable). If the balance is insufficient, you should reload at booths on the highways leading to the two exit points.
The Singapore authorities are extremely strict about traffic offences and if you are in the country long enough, there may be a record of your vehicle registration at the exit points and you will be stopped and made to settle the fine. If they miss you and you enter again with the same vehicle, you are likely to be stopped and told to settle the fine (even for parking) otherwise you cannot leave the complex. So be sure to obey the laws otherwise you will discover why Singapore is jokingly called a ‘Fine City’.
Incidentally, don’t be surprised if your passport does not get stamped when you leave Singapore. Since April this year, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority has done away with the process to reduce queues. However, while this may be effective at the airport, you are still likely to find long queues of traffic heading towards the exit points at Tuas and Woodlands due to the high volume of vehicles daily.
The third and final race of the 2019 FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) was nothing short of a spectacular turn of events as Norbert Michelisz (BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse) was able to secure the driver’s championship title and crowned the King of WTCR after finishing in fifth place. (more…)
The new Toyota new GR Yaris made its first public appearance at the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival held at the Fuji Speedway in Japan. This is the second model that will be added to the GR family – TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s sportscar line-up – following the return of the legendary GR Supra.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) has been involved in Toyota’s global motorsports activities, developing machines that claimed 5 wins in the 2018 season and took the Manufacturer’s title and Driver’s and Co-driver’s title this year.
The new GR Yaris is said to incorporate all the technologies, knowledge, and experience learned from participation in the World Rally Championship. Akio Toyoda, Toyota’s President, using his TGR Master Driver nickname of ‘Morizo’ (which he uses when he enters races) was also involved in the car’s development – not just approving the budget as most presidents usually do but personally testing it and giving feedback to the engineers.
He recently performed the final test of the car, pushing it to its furthermost limits, and has pronounced it ready to be introduced to the world on January 10 at the Tokyo Auto Salon 2020.
