One of the most annoying things to have ever graced modern cars are haptic buttons. In an effort to reduce cost and increase profits, car makers seemingly do not understand that what most people want are easily accessible controls and functions. Buttons are simple and easily accessible but are costly for manufacturers.
Although haptic buttons offer a clean layout and may look visually pleasing to the eyes, it can be on the dangerous side.
There have been cars released recently that do not have a user friendly interface and requires a two step process or more to change simple things like volume/climate control.
So thank goodness then for Hyundai. When Hyundai designs their cars, besides creating gorgeous cars they keep in mind these safety concerns.
“We have used the physical buttons quite significantly the last few years. For me, the safety-related buttons have to be a hard key,” said Sang Yup Lee, Hyundai’s head of design at the introduction of the new Hyundai Kona.
When you’re driving and it requires you to access menus on a touchscreen, it can be distracting as you have to take your eyes off the road which is why Hyundai had the common sense to keep the buttons and knobs as it is easy to just feel and sense the button that you want.
This is why the Hyundai Kona uses physical buttons and dials for its media controls and HVAC system.
“When it comes to Level 4 autonomous driving, then we’ll have everything soft key,” said Lee. This was him hinting that Hyundai might go heavy on the touch controls when autonomous driving becomes a common thing in the future where drivers would not have to take their eyes off the road.
Carmakers are making the switch to touchscreen control not because they are better but because they are cheaper. It’s slightly more complex when it comes to buttons due to the fact that each button is wired for different usage whereas the touch display is just on one big screen and cheaper to engineer.
With the technology available nowadays, voice recognition/command should be a common feature in all modern cars today to assist drivers with these simple tasks which is one of the features that the Kona has.
It allows you to activate and control features like climate settings, infotainment controls and side mirror heating as well as steering wheel heating via voice command.
We look forward to the return of buttons but know that is a long shot.
How much is the life of your child worth? Every parent will answer ‘priceless’, of course. Every effort will be made to ensure that this priceless human will be well protected from any kind of harm. And when it comes to travelling in a motor vehicle, that means providing the best protection in the event of an accident.
For small children, specially designed childseats to suit their smaller size have been in use since the early 1960s. Evolving from the designs by Jean Ames and Leonard Rivkin in 1962, childseats have offered better protection and comfort with the use of new materials and structures. Today, there is a wide variety of childseats and international standards to ensure they provide sufficient protection.
For parents who want to give their child the very best protection, babyark, an innovative child safety tech company, has introduced a new childseat for babies (and up to 6 years old) that is very advanced. It is designed and engineered to meet the highest standards of safety using unique impact-absorbing technology, advanced materials including carbonfibres and a comprehensive connected sensor system.
Saturday was the last day of 2022 but a tragedy would mark the end of the year at the CCT Battle of Champions race. A spectator was killed when a car went off the track and hit him at the Dato’ Sagor Circuit in Kampung Gajah, Pasir Salak, Perak.
Footage of the incident which circulated on social media showed two cars racing closely with each other and coming into contact. One car got diverted off the track and headed towards a group of people who were standing in an open area just next to the track, and one was injured fatally.
Today’s driver assistance systems help the driver to be aware of dangerous situations as well as act autonomously to prevent accidents. These active safety systems use advanced and sophisticated sensor technology with radar and cameras scanning ahead and around the vehicle all the time.
But as the saying goes, it’s not speed that kills but rather the person behind the wheel. And the next step in driver assistance systems is to look inwards at the driver. Polestar is one of the companies that will be offering a driver monitoring technology by Smart Eye as standard in its Polestar 3 SUV.
Crash tests have long been an important part of vehicle development. Apart from regulatory requirements which have become more stringent over the years, the carmakers themselves have also been improving the protection occupants are provided with as new technologies have become available.
Now, with the increasing number of electric vehicles (EVs), the manufacturers have also to take into consideration the presence of a high-voltage battery pack and many electrical systems. These too must be protected from damage in an accident.
Being kept informed and aware are very important elements when driving. In earlier years, the driver only had a few instruments to monitor and to make things easier, warning lights were used so they would only give an alert when something went wrong. Then with electronics and miniaturization increasing from the 1980s, more meters could be inserted on the instrument panel to monitor more areas.
However, many meters were still physical and the number that could be installed was limited. Some even went onto spaces on the dashboard so the driver had to look at two areas. Slowly, the amount of information grew, and there was also more emphasis on being aware of what was going on outside for safety. So the driver began to have a lot of information to view, absorb and process and unlike computers that kept increasing their processing power.
This led Volvo to develop IDIS – Intelligent Driver Information System – an approach which was introduced in the S40 in 2003. IDIS was to prevent information ‘overload’ so the driver would not be distracted while driving but still be alerted if there was something important relating to the car’s operation. The system worked by prioritizing the information and services in the car, depending on the current driving situation. If necessary, the system would delay information during times when the driver was in a situation of higher ‘workload’. However, information vital to safety was never delayed and even the delays were maximum 5 seconds.
Ford has always urged drivers to keep ‘eyes forward and hands on the wheel’. It’s obvious that maintaining attention on the road ahead is important to immediately spot any danger. At the same time, both hands should be on the steering wheel to always be able to take avoiding action in an emergency. That’s why using a mobilephone when driving is dangerous and in many countries, an offence.
Over the years, various technologies have been introduced to help drivers stay focussed ahead. Head-up Displays (HUDs) are one of them, the technology having been taken from fighter aircraft. By projecting important information on the windscreen, the driver can be informed while still looking ahead.
Now Ford researchers have developed a new headlight technology that could help ensure those behind the wheel literally keep their eyes on the road. The new technology can project directions, speed limits or weather information onto the road so the driver keeps looking ahead.
The technology is intended for use at night, of course, as that is when driving can be riskier. Statistics in the UK show that 40% of collisions happen during the hours of darkness, even though there are far fewer people driving than in the daytime.
This risk is increased whenever a driver takes their eyes off the road. A vehicle travelling at 90 km/h covers 25 metres per second, meaning even a short glance at the navigation screen on the dashboard can result in ‘driving blind’ for 10 metres or more. On an unlit road, this could potentially mean missing an important sign or a bend in the road.
Ford’s researchers have therefore come up with a system that projects important information onto the road using high-resolution headlights. The technology could even provide the driver with information about changes in weather, such as rain falling, fog, slippery conditions, or a slippery road ahead.
Connecting the headlight to the navigation system could display upcoming turns, while the width of the vehicle could be projected onto the road, helping the driver to judge whether the vehicle will fit through a gap or into a parking space.
The technology could benefit other road users too. For example, a pedestrian crossing could be projected onto the road, both for the view of the driver and the pedestrian, in situations where the existing road markings are faded or unclear. Other possibilities include showing a path for the driver to follow to ensure cyclists are passed at a safe distance.
“What started as playing around with a projector light and a blank wall could take lighting technologies to a whole new level. There’s the potential now to do so much more than simply illuminate the road ahead, to help reduce the stress involved in driving at night. The driver could get essential information without ever needing to take their eyes off the road,” said Lars Junker, Features and Software, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, Ford of Europe.
To Ford, the lives of the occupants of a pick-up truck like the Ranger are no less valuable than those in a passenger car, and require the maximum level of protection that can be provided. For this reason, the next-gen Ford Ranger pick-up truck comes with some of the latest in crash protection features and driver assistance technologies.
Passive Safety systems and features include the tough vehicle structure, SRS airbags, and 3-point seatbelts while Active Safety systems include driver assistance technologies (XLT Plus and Wildtrak) to alert the driver and help him avoid accidents.
During the development phase, numerous computer-aided engineering (CAE) models were built to test various accident scenarios. These included full-frontal, frontal offset, pole test, rear offset crash tests, pedestrian impacts, roof crush tests, and more. Additionally, the team conducted hundreds of physical tests to ensure vehicle safety performance was met and to validate the CAE modelling.
As safety technology keeps advancing all the time, this new generation of the Ranger gets some of the latest systems that make motoring even safer. Here are some of the new safety technologies:
Post-Collision Braking [Available on Ranger WildTrak/XLT Plus] In the immediate moments following a collision, the vehicle may be headed in an unpredictable direction. It could hit another object – a lamp post or another vehicle. To reduce this risk, the next-gen Ranger has Ford’s post-collision braking system which automatically applies the brakes after a collision. The system automatically engages with moderate brake pressure when an initial collision has occurred, so the vehicle will come to a standstill and avoid a secondary collision.
Pre-Collision Assist [Available on Ranger WildTrak/XLT Plus] Pre-collision Assist uses both the new, wide-view windscreen-mounted camera and radar located near the front bumper to scan the road ahead to detect a potential collision with another vehicle, pedestrian, or cyclist directly in front of the vehicle. If an imminent collision is detected, the system emits an audible and visual warning. If the driver’s response is not sufficient, the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system will activate automatically.
The AEB system has been enhanced with cyclist and pedestrian detection capability as well as the ability to provide AEB support at an intersection in some instances, thanks to the addition of the new, wider camera coverage. Whenever a possible collision is detected and the fails to take corrective action, the vehicle will apply the brakes automatically.
Before the AEB activates, the driver will get a Forward Collision Warning, an audible tone which will be very evident because the audio system (if on) will be muted. If the driver does not respond correctly, ie slow down or brake, then AEB will activate.
Evasive Steer Assist [Available on Ranger WildTrak] A segment-first feature in the next-gen Ranger is Evasive Steer Assist which also helps prevent potential collisions. In the event a vehicle in front is too slow or has stopped, the Ranger driver can get additional assistance in the steering to steer around the hazard. This will be valuable when braking alone cannot fully avoid the collision. The advanced system is designed to operate at both urban and highway speeds and employs the same camera and radar used with the Pre-collision Assist feature.
Reverse Brake Assist [Standard on Ranger WildTrak] Reverse Brake Assist helps the driver to avoid or mitigate potential collisions while reversing. The system may detect moving vehicles or stationary pedestrians and objects behind the Ranger. While some other systems may only alert the driver, the system in the next-gen Ranger will automatically apply the brakes to briefly stop the vehicle, should the driver not react in time.
Cross Traffic Alert [Available on Ranger WildTrak] Tricky reversing situations are a little less stressful with the next-gen Ford Ranger’s Cross Traffic Alert system. When the driver shifts into Reverse, the system is active, and will alert the driver of a vehicle approaching from the sides, when reversing out of a driveway onto a street, or even from a busy supermarket parking spot.
Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop-and-Go [Available on Ranger WildTrak] Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go is more advanced than just cruise control. It is an intelligent feature that maintains a safe gap with a vehicle ahead whatever the cruising speed is set at. This is done by scanning the road ahead with the camera and radar and if there is a vehicle, the speed will be adjusted.
The system in the next-gen Ranger is even more advanced that many Adaptive Cruise Control systems as it operates down to standstill. With other systems, the cruise control will deactivate below a certain speed. The Ford system can slow the vehicle right down to standstill when necessary, and then resume forward movement when the vehicle ahead moves on.
BLIS Available in many passenger cars today, this system is like having another ‘set of eyes’ when performing a lane change or joining a highway. If a faster-moving vehicle enters the Ranger’s blind spot zone, BLIS will alert the driver via a small light on the side mirror (left or right), so they know not to change lanes.
Next-Gen Ranger In East Malaysia After journeying around Peninsular Malaysia on a series of previews before it has its official showroom launch, the next-gen Ranger will cross the South China Sea to East Malaysia.
Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC) will hold previews at Vivacity Megamall in Kuching, on September 7 – 11, and at Suria Sabah Shopping Centre in Kota Kinabalu on October 5 – 9, 2022.
If you would like to attend either of these two events, sign up here for an exclusive invitation. Alternatively, you can visit www.sdacford.com.my for more information about the next-gen Ranger, or follow the Ford Malaysia Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube channels.
As reported earlier, the FIA aims to make motorsport more sustainable and more environment-friendly. The pursuit of these objectives cover various forms of motorsport, including the World Rally Championship (WRC) which, this year, sees the introduction of hybrid technology mandatory for what are known as Rally1 cars. The plug-in hybrid unit, including all necessary components and software, will be common, with the potential for more freedom of development in 2024.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, Hyundai Motorsport and M-Sport Ford have fully committed to the WRC from 2022 to 2024 and will run Rally1 cars. They will use a plug-in hybrid powertrain with an existing 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine, and must also run on 100% fossil-free fuel to reduce CO2 emissions.
The system’s output is more than 500 ps, with 100 kW contributed by the electric motor which draws its energy from a 3.9 kWh battery pack. Hybrid Electric Vehicle Zones created close to service parks and ceremonial start areas during all rounds of the WRC will require Rally1 crews to demonstrate that they can run in full electric mode over a specified route highlighted in the roadbook.
New safety issues
The introduction of high-voltage hybrid powertrains brings new safety issues for the crew as well as spectators and the FIA has issued new requirements specifically for Rally1 cars. Firstly, there must be two pairs of Class-0 gloves carried in each car capable of withstanding 1,000 volts. These must be easily accessible for the driver and co-driver in the event of an emergency when they are getting out of their car.
Warnings on exterior of Rally1 cars
On the outside, the Rally1 cars are identifiable by an ‘HY’ graphic on the side door panels. Spectators are being warned to look out for this graphic so that they will take care. In rallies, it is not unusual for spectators to rush to a car that has crashed or gone off the road to assist and if a Rally1 car is damaged in certain areas, electric current could leak onto the bodywork.
The organisers therefore want to ensure that there are no incidents of people being electrocuted, and each car has safety lights on the windscreen and both side pillars. These lights will be green when the car is safe to touch. A flashing red light with an audible warning means a car is unsafe to touch.
Second round underway
The 2022 WRC is currently running its second round in Sweden after the opening round in Monte Carlo last month which was won by M-Sport Ford. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s Kalle Rovanpera got off to a strong start during the speed test in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1. He gets to start first today though that is not necessarily an advantage in a winter rally.
With Sweden not part of Sebastien Ogier’s programme of selected rallies this season, Esapekka Lappi will make his first start with the team’ since 2018. Rovanpera will open the road as the highest-placed driver in the standings after finishing fourth and winning the Power Stage on Rallye Monte-Carlo.
Elfyn Evans was part of the lead battle on Round 1 before a small but costly mistake ended his chances of a strong result. He will hope for a repeat of the championship’s last visit to Sweden in 2020 when he scored his first victory for Toyota. As on every round this season, Takamoto Katsuta will drive an additional GR YARIS Rally1.
M-Sport Ford’s Craig Breen has a strong track record on snow to date. The Irishman is keen to show his ability on the high-speed snow tests in search of a second consecutive podium result. Off the back of his first ever WRC stage win, Gus Greensmith completed a small Norwegian National event in a Ford Fiesta Rally2 to help acclimatise to the specialist conditions and driving style. The young Englishman is aiming to build on his Monte Carlo result and looking for his first loose surface stage win.
The Hyundai Motorsport team, which had a bad first outing of the season, has a previous winner of Rally Sweden – Thierry Neuville who won in 2018. “Rallying is always a bit more spectacular on snow with the studded tyres,” he said . “Usually, as the stages are quite fast, you have to lean into the snowbanks and drive sideways a bit more. You have to be slightly more brutal to get the studs to grip into the ground.”
Closer to Arctic Circle this year
Conditions are extreme, though not unusual for Rally Sweden which is on ice and snow, with temperatures well below 0°C. There is also likely to be rain during the event which is run in the remote forests of north-eastern Sweden, closer to the Arctic Circle. There are 17 stages over 265 kms.
The various stages of Rally Sweden this year.
The stages will all be brand-new to the WRC but the characteristics that make it one of the most popular and spectacular rallies on the calendar will remain. Special studded tyres bite into the surface to provide grip on roads that are lined with snow banks, which drivers lean on to carry more speed through the corners.
Today, Volvo has six SUV models in its range (including electrified variants), all of which are selling well around the world. However, the company was actually late into this segment which began its rapid growth in the 1980s. Mitsubishi Motors and Isuzu had made 4×4 workhorse vehicles into more comfortable dual-purpose vehicles that could be used as alternatives to cars, and then Toyota and Honda lit the ‘SUV mania’ in the mid-1980s with their small SUVs.
Very quickly, other manufacturers began to come out with SUVs, with even the German premium brands including Porsche offering at least one model. But Volvo seemed slow to have a SUV in its range and on occasions when the Swedish executives would be asked, their response would be that they were working on a model but it had to meet the high safety standards of Volvo before they could offer it to the public.
Finally, in January 2002, at the North American International Auto Show, Volvo finally introduced its first SUV – the XC90. Some thought that the carmaker had joined the SUV segment too late although it was true that Volvo was preoccupied with the safety aspects of SUVs, which delayed its new model.
Volvo’s concerns were in part related to the truck-like driving properties which contributed to making them significant roll-over accident statistics. Such vehicles, with extra ground clearance, are taller than passenger cars and so the centre of gravity is higher up, making it easier for the vehicle to tip over in certain cornering situations.
Hans Wikman, Project Director of the XC90, recalls his feelings when the management team inspected the three design alternatives under the burning desert sun at the Arizona Proving Ground in America in May 1999. “We in the project team were a bit tense. The SUV program had been canned twice before. Now we kept our fingers crossed that our favorite design was so good that the executives would approve it without hesitation. And that’s exactly what happened,” he said.
Solving inherent safety issues
But they had to solve the safety issues and were determined to do so when the XC90 was cleared to proceed towards production by Volvo’s top management. And Wikman and his team were able to come up with ingenious approaches to addressing the known issues of SUVs. At that time, Volvo was part of Ford so there resources were shared in doing research on the issues. Ford too wanted active systems that could make its SUVs safer.
The solution was a system called Roll Stability Control (RSC), which was an automotive world-first when it was introduced in the XC90. Using a gyro-sensor, RSC measures the degree and rate at which the vehicle’s body is leaning and if it senses a rollover is about to occur, the system is activated. The electronic stability control system engages, engine torque is reduced and one or more wheels are braked until the car has regained its stability.
How Roll Stability Control in the XC90 worked.
Cooperation between the reinforced roof structure, seat belt pre-tensioners and inflatable side curtains helped create superb roll-over protection for all 7 occupants. This world-class safety level was demonstrated in an unusually tangible way when the Volvo invited the world press to watch a violent roll-over test with the XC90 outside the state-of-the-art Safety Centre in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Demonstration in front of media
The video from the 2002 event, still available on YouTube, shows how the XC90 rolls over three times before ending up on its right side. “The roof structure was more or less intact after the car finished rolling. The spontaneous applause from the media representatives confirms that we made a real impression with this unique demonstration,” said Wikman.
The strength of the XC90’s structure was demonstrated in front of international media when the SUV was rolled sideways a few times, and the cabin area remained intact.
The safety level is also emphasized in the Volvo Car Corporation’s research. The accident investigation files include remarkably few accidents where XC90 occupants have been killed or sustained severe injuries.
Besides the RSC system, the other world-firsts in the new SUV were inflatable side curtains for all three rows of seats, an integrated sliding centre booster seat for children in the second row and seatbelts with pre-tensioners for all seats. The pre-tensioners, now common in cars, remove slack from the seatbelt when there is a collision and the airbags are about to deploy. By doing so, the restraint is more effective and can help to reduce injuries in some cases.
Female feedback for the design
Doug Frasher, working at the Volvo Cars Monitoring and Concept Center (VMCC) in California, was the proud father of the winning design that became the production XC90. And just like the first Ford Escape, the model benefitted from having a female group provide feedback on the design and features. The multi-background reference group, including Swedish Hollywood actress Maud Adams, inspired the shape of the XC90 by asking for masculinity instead of the traditional ‘macho look’ of most SUV’s,
“The model we showed to the management was almost identical to the production XC90 we revealed in Detroit. We had done our homework well, much thanks to our female reference group. A majority of SUVs were driven by women and our ladies gave us great input,” said Frasher.
“I remember one of the ladies making a sweeping gesture that almost sketched the sleek shape of the bonnet flowing up on the A-pillar. We put a lot of effort into creating a design that felt strong and protective without the impression of sheer size. The XC90 was muscular, but not aggressive,” he recalled.
A success story for Volvo
Volvo’s original target for the first XC90 was 50,000 units per year worldwide. However, the model became so popular that the figures grew rapidly until they peaked at 86,000 units in 2005. The US market imported up to 38,800 units in one year. That made it Sweden’s most valuable export product, with total yearly export value over US$6.2 billion in the peak years.
Volvo’s SUVs range 20 years after the first SUV model was introduced. The three models are also available with electrified powertrains.
