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Yes, Waze MOTORCYCLE and CAR modes can give you two different routes.

Remember the recent case of the motorist driving along the motorcycle lane by the side of the highway? The police managed to identify the owner of the Volvo XC90 and after investigation, they said that he explained that his Waze GPS route navigation service was set on MOTORCYCLE mode. As a result, the route which he had wanted included travelling along a motorcycle lane next to the highway.

Some people were skeptical about this excuse and suggested that GPS is not so accurate that it can separate the motorcycle lane from the highway that a different route can be shown. They felt he gave a lame excuse.

We tested his explanation by asking Waze to provide a route from one location to another, first in PRIVATE CAR mode and then in MOTORCYCLE MODE. For most of the route, the route used the same road as cars but in areas where the was a motorcycle lane – eg alongside the federal Highway in Petaling Jaya, Selangor – the route for MOTORCYCLE mode went along the motorcycle lane. This was clearly indicated on the map with the two sides of the highway shown and the route going along another road just next to it.

Of course, any motorist should have realized he or she was on a motorcycle lane (and with that SUV he was driving, he could have just crossed over to the right and onto the highway) but it could be that the driver did not drive much and was not familiar with the roads. Or the phone he was using was his son’s who is a Grab rider. That is no excuse, of course, as there would be signs to indicate the motorcycle lane and motorists should be aware.

*Waze users can select different types of vehicles before they ask for route navigation.*

There have been similar cases in the past of motorists driving along the motorcycle lanes. These have been known to be deliberate and either the drivers were doing it ‘for fun’ or they were trying to jump queue to get ahead of a jam. Not nice for motorcyclists, not to mention a danger to them too.

As for the GPS system, this shows how accurate it is these days. Back in the 1990s, when the US allowed civilian devices to receive GPS signals from its satellites, it was not as accurate for the civilian devices compared to those used by the military. The US deliberately made the signal less accurate with ‘Selective Availability’ to prevent civilian devices from being used for targeting weapons.

GPS devices — *Route navigation systems for vehicles get signals from the GPS network around the planet. They can be received by built-in systems in cars as well as portable devices like watches.*

‘Selective Availability’ was stopped by President Clinton in May 2000 and at that time, it was still 5 metres accuracy. This meant that if two points were less than 5 metres apart, the separation could not be shown. Over time, the accuracy improved and since 2018, accuracy is said to be possible to 30 cm. That means you can show individual lanes on the road whereas 20 years ago, you could only show the whole width of the highway.

The accuracy will be very important when autonomous vehicles start to be used widely. Their on-board navigation systems will need to be able to pinpoint junctions and other turning points very accurately to avoid accidents.

Autonomous cars — Future cars that operate autonomously will require very accurate data on their location on the road to ensure they are guided safely.

Anyway, back to the case of the motorist who was on the motorcycle lane. It is best to not completely rely on Waze or other GPS navigation as you drive. There are funny incidents of people who somehow trusted their route guidance so much that they ended up on a river! Use your common sense and pay attention to signs.

The Mulsanne chapter in Bentley history ends

After more than a decade in production, the final Bentley Mulsanne has been completed. During that time, more than 7,300 handcrafted units have been produced of what is undoubtedly the ultimate luxury sedan.

The Mulsanne’s lineage, which comes to an end, can be traced back through Bentley’s history, from the original 8 Litre of 1930 – the last car designed and developed by W.O. Bentley himself – as the most luxurious, coach-built Bentley of its time.

The final unit is a Mulsanne Speed ‘6.75 Edition by Mulliner’ finished in Rose Gold over Tungsten. It will soon be on its way to a lucky customer in the USA. However, it has also been revealed that there is one extremely special unit, a final Mulsanne but its future home remains a closely guarded secret.

A true icon
“The Mulsanne is the culmination of all that we at Bentley have learnt during our first 100 years in producing the finest luxury cars in the world. As the flagship of our model range for over a decade, the Mulsanne has firmly solidified its place in the history of Bentley as nothing less than a true icon,“ said Bentley Chairman & Chief Executive, Adrian Hallmark.

“ I am immensely proud of the hundreds of designers, engineers and craftspeople that brought the Mulsanne to life over the last ten years. Now, as we begin Bentley’s journey to define the future of sustainable luxury mobility through our Beyond100 strategy, the role of Bentley flagship is passed to the new Flying Spur.”

In the last 11 years, over 700 people have invested nearly three million hours crafting Bentley’s ultra-luxury sedan. Producing the Mulsanne bodies required approximately 42 million spot welds, and creating the sumptuous leather interiors took more than a million hours alone. Nearly 90,000 hours have been spent polishing cars, before a total of over four million individual quality checkpoints.

Mulsanne 6.75 Edition by Mulliner
In 2020, the final series production cars formed the unique ‘6.75 Edition by Mulliner’ signifying the end of Mulsanne’s reign. Taking its name from the legendary 6.75-litre engine which, this year, also came to the end of production after more than 60 years, the ‘6.75 Edition’ was limited to only 30 units.

How Bentley ensures the highest quality for its cars

Update on fuel prices – June 27 to July 3, 2020

Sime Darby Auto ConneXion offers Home or Office Delivery Test Drive

For a long time now, it’s been a ‘buyers’ market’ rather than a ‘sellers’ market’ and car companies have been trying different ways to draw customers to their brand and products. Sales and aftersales services and facilities have been raised in quality and customers who visit showrooms may be pampered with food and drink, besides a very comfortable environment.

However, in this time of reduced showroom traffic, the car companies are going further in reaching out to customers. For example, Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC) is enhancing its customer services by offering to bring new models to the customer’s home or office for a test-drive.

Added convenience for interested customers
The Home or Office Delivery Test Drive provides convenience to customers who may be busy or just don’t wish to travel to the showroom. The service is available within a 10-km radius of the customer’s chosen dealership.

To arrange for the test drive delivery, customers can either contact a Ford dealership nearest to them, submit an online test drive request via the SDAC-Ford website, or send a message to the Ford Digital Salesperson on the WhatsApp sales line at 019 204 1200.

“During this period, we understand that customers are in search of additional services for added convenience. That is why we are providing an additional option of delivering our test drive vehicles to our customers home or office to show our commitment of continuously enhancing our customer support and service,” said Syed Ahmad Muzri Syed Faiz, MD of Sime Darby Auto ConneXion.

Precautionary safety measures will be practiced by the sales consultant upon delivering the test drive vehicle. This includes the use of a face mask, recording of body temperature and sanitising the vehicle. The sales consultant will also be seated at the back to adhere to the current social distancing practices.

Showroom visitors welcome too
“Of course, customers are still welcome at our showrooms. For those who prefer to visit a Ford dealership, they can be assured that the necessary safety precautions to ensure health and safety are being practiced. This includes social distancing, temperature checks upon entering the premises, hand sanitiser dispensers located in the showrooms and frequent sanitising of high frequency touchpoints,” added Tuan Syed Ahmad Muzri.

Other existing touchpoints to assist customers in getting in touch with SDAC include the website chatbot to assist users on website navigation, Customer Care and Road Assist service line which is available 24/7 at 1300 38 3181, online book a service appointment, and submission of enquiries and feedback via the SDAC-Ford website.

Visit www.sdacford.com.my to know more about the Ford models available in Malaysia and the locations of dealerships throughout the country.

The New Ford Ranger FX4

2020 Range Rover Evoque launched with two variants, priced from RM426,828

Ever since businesses resumed their operations, they seem to be catching up with lost time and new models are being quickly launched. Now they can do it faster since there is no need to find a venue and organise all the ‘song and dance’ routine because they can do it online.

The latest to use the online channel for launching a new model is Jaguar Land Rover Malaysia (JLRM) which today officially launched the new 2020 Range Rover Evoque. Two variants of the luxury compact SUV are available – Evoque and Evoque R-Dynamic – with prices from RM426,828 and RM475,398, respectively (inclusive of 5% sales tax exemption but excluding registration fees, insurance premium and roadtax).

In conjunction with the Malaysian launch, JLRM is also offering RM3,000 worth of accessory vouchers (for a limited time only) that can be used to purchase original Evoque accessories. The accessories come with a 5-year warranty.

The Evoque is in its second generation which was launched in 2018 and the latest one has received cosmetic and functional updates. The design remains instantly recognisable, a sophisticated evolution of the original’s distinctive coupe-like silhouette.

The R-Dynamic variant features more exterior enhancements such as burnished copper accents on the front and rear bumpers, as well as front fender inserts.

Both variants come with a new 2- litre Ingenium turbocharged petrol engine and a 9-speed automatic transmission. The twin scroll turbocharged engine comes in two states of tune: for the Evoque, the output is 200 ps/320 Nm while for the R-Dynamic variant, it’s 249 ps/365 Nm.

The technical updates
Most of the updates are on the technical aspects, starting with the All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system having Driveline Disconnect technology. Standard for both variants, the system allows the driver to fully disengage drive to the rear wheels when cruising to reduce frictional losses. When conditions require additional traction or stability, the system will seamlessly re-engage in a fraction of a second.

For more challenging conditions, the Terrain Response 2 system (standard as well) is engaged to automatically adjust the vehicle’s driving characteristics to match surface conditions. Flooded roads won’t stop the Evoque either as it is claimed to have the best-in-class wading depth of 600 mm.

Advanced visibility technologies
With the R-Dynamic variant, there is the segment’s first ‘ClearSight Rear View Mirror’ that transforms into a high-definition (HD) video screen when activated. If rear visibility is compromised by passengers or bulky items, the driver can flip a switch located on the underside of the mirror to activate a camera feed from the top of the car to display the back end of the vehicle in crisp high definition. The camera has a 50-degree field of vision and superior visibility in low light.

Also exclusive for the R-Dynamic variant is the world’s first ‘ClearSight Ground View’ technology allows the driver to virtually see through the bonnet and under the front end of the vehicle. The driver can see, on the dashboard display, a 180-degree view of the ground ahead, which should be very useful on rough ground.

The new Evoque is also the first Land Rover model to feature Smart Settings, a system which uses artificial intelligence algorithms to learn the driver’s preference. The system applies the driver’s preference to automate comfort and driver-specific media settings throughout the drive.

The vehicle ‘recognises’ the driver from their key fob and smartphone with the use of ‘self-learning’ technology, enabling specific seat and steering column position set up upon approach. Up to 8 driver profiles can be registered. After a few journeys, the Evoque remembers the driver’s preferred temperature settings, media preference and commonly dialled numbers, depending on the time or day of the week.

Intelligent infotainment system
Land Rover’s InControl Touch Pro Duo infotainment system is central to the vehicle’s digital interior experience. This combines two sleek 10-inch high-definition glass touchscreens and a 12.3-inch driver display panel on the instrument panel. To minimise distractions, the ‘hidden until lit’ interior is used for the state-of-the-art digital interface. A Meridian Sound System is installed in the new Evoque and this has no less than 11 speakers including a subwoofer.

According to Nick Rogers, Executive Director, Product Engineering of Jaguar Land Rover, the Evoque is now smarter than ever. The software that sits behind the infotainment system has been refined to provide a more intuitive customer experience. “On top of that, we’ve added Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for seamless smartphone integration. Apple CarPlay connects you to your smartphone while the 4G wifi hotspot connects you to the internet,” he explained.

Additional safety systems
Lane Keep Assist is a new safety feature which helps the driver to stay in their lane by adding a necessary steering correction feature. It initiates a gentle steering input to return the vehicle to its intended position

Also added is Driver Condition Monitor technology, a safety feature that is based on the driver’s steering inputs. Jerky, non-linear movements that are typical symptoms of a fatigued (or drunk) driver will automatically trigger an audible and visual warning from the instrument cluster.

All Land Rover vehicles distributed by JLRM come with Land Rover Care, which entitles owners to 5 years (or maximum of 65,000 kms) of free scheduled servicing, 5 years (or maximum of 150,000 kms) warranty coverage and 3 years of roadside assistance.

Range Rover celebrates 50th anniversary this year

More online racing events coming from UMW Toyota Motor

During the period of the Movement Control Order when all public activities in Malaysia came to a standstill, motorsports enthusiasts were saddened that not only could they not attend their favourite events but there was also nothing to watch. However, a number of carmakers decided to go racing online and even sent their professional racing drivers to compete in events that were watched globally.

In Malaysia, UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) held the Toyota GAZOO Racing Online Challenge between April 23 April and May 21, bringing racing excitement to everyone who had to stay at home around the country. The company was the first and is still the only auto brand in Malaysia to become involved in esports, as it is known. In total, the Toyota GAZOO Racing Online Challenge offered prize monies amounting to RM7,500 over the 5 rounds.

Following that successful event, which attracted gamers as young as 6 years old, a second phase will be held on July 12 which will see the top challengers in the first phase compete in a final showdown of the fastest sim-racers in the country.

The Online Challenge Finals will be a mini-championship of 4 rounds, each featuring iconic racing cars – including the Playstation Gran Turismo-exclusive Toyota GT86 Group B Rally Car. The sim-racers will challenge each other around some of the world’s iconic circuits, including the Red Bull Ring and Autodromo De Interlagos.

“The COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted the physical aspect of motor racing but there is no reason why the spirit of competition cannot continue virtually. GAZOO Racing is a philosophy that extends beyond the racing track and that was precisely why we pursued an online presence,” said Toyota GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer, Akio Takeyama.

Mr. Takeyama, who is also Deputy Chairman of UMWT, said that the Toyota GAZOO Racing Online Challenge is also a natural extension to the company’s existing Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship. “It underlines the company’s commitment to not only bring motorsports to the masses but to make it more accessible and affordable,” he explained.

The third edition of the Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship will be held between August and September this year (dates and race formats to be announced soon).

In addition, Toyota Motor Asia Pacific (TMAP) will also be organizing the first-ever GR Supra GT Cup Asia 2020 regional esports competition in October 2020. This event will see qualifying rounds being held in Malaysia (through the Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship), Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines and India from July to September to select the top three virtual racers who will represent their respective nations at the regional finale.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has presented both challenges and opportunities, the result of which has seen esports and virtual racing propelled to the forefront at an unprecedented scale. The timely introduction of a regional event will certainly fuel Toyota’s momentum of pursuing an aggressive esports agenda in Malaysia,” said Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor.

“Simulator racing has had a profound impact on Malaysian esports, appealing to both gamers and racing drivers proving that it is an excellent conduit between the virtual and physical realms in motor racing,” he added. “As an automotive brand, Toyota in Malaysia is today in a position of strength being in the forefront of both spectra – with a strong virtual racing presence.”

Mr. Ravindran said that these initiatives solidified Toyota’s commitment to bring motorsports to the masses, promoting the GAZOO Racing philosophy that embodies performance and excellence, besides introducing to the market its new range of specialty models that wear the GR badge.