Tag Archives: Reports

Banned From The U.S., Huawei Continues To Grow Its Automotive Footprint In China

Chinese technology giant Huawei has doubled down on its push into the automotive market, particularly in China.

After the company’s massive smartphone business had to deal with the Trump administration’s decision in 2019 to blacklist Huawei for alleged threats to U.S. national security, it sees the automotive industry as a place where its technology expertise can be put to good use.

Read More: Huawei Will Provide 4G Technology To 30 Million VW Group Models

Huawei first launched its HiCar system in 2019, which allows motorists to connect their cars with their smartphones and enables things like intelligent voice assistance and navigation. This system has proved a success, so much so that more than 30 auto brands in China have started to use it, including most domestic brands and even the likes of Volvo and Audi. As many as five million new cars and light trucks sold throughout China this year will have the system, Auto News reports.

Huawei is now looking to make its mark in the electric vehicle segment. It recently announced a deal with Jianghuai Automobile Co to develop sensors and intelligent cockpits for next-generation EVs. Recently, GAC Motor Co. revealed that it will invest 800 million yuan ($123 million) to develop an intelligent electric utility vehicle with Huawei. It is reported that this vehicle will feature Huawei’s computing and communication technology, provide Level 4 autonomy, and is scheduled to hit mass-production in late 2023.

And that’s not all. Huawei’s Level 3 autonomous driving system is featured in the new ArcFox Alpha-S produced by BAIC and unveiled in April’s Shanghai Auto Show. Huawei is also working with Changhan Automobile Co. to develop an electric crossover that’s tipped to debut at November’s Guangzhou Auto Show.

ArcFox Alpha-S

Maine Revokes Registration Of Imported Mitsubishi Delicas, Are Other JDM Cars At Risk?

In a strange move, the state of Maine has started actively deregistering imported Mitsubishi Delicas that were perfectly legal until now.

The story was first picked up by Crankshaft Culture, which published a letter that a Delica owner received from Maine’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) stating that the registration for their van had been “cancelled.”

“This vehicle is not eligible for motor vehicle registration in Maine and may not be operated on the public highway,” the BMV wrote. “You must remove the plates from this vehicle and return the plates to the BMV main office in the provided self-addressed postage paid envelope by May 10, 2021. The operation of these vehicles on the public way is a traffic violation.”

Read Also: 1991 Mitsubishi Delica Becomes A Japanese Monster Truck

The vans in question are generally third- or fourth-generation models produced before 1995, making them eligible for import. The 25-year rule, though, is a federal one, and states are allowed to decide which vehicles they allow to be registered and which they don’t.

Why Maine has decided not just to stop Delicas from being registered from now on, but to actively start deregistering them, is a little complicated, yet it seemingly comes down to what the state views as their purpose. Speaking to Autoblog, the office of Maine’s Secretary of State said that it’s because it sees Delicas as off-road vehicles that don’t meet federal safety requirements.

“Given that these vehicles are generally right-hand steerage and have few, if any modern safety features or emission controls, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and EPA have both ruled that this class of vehicles may be only used for off road farming (or similar) use,” the office wrote. “Maine considers these vehicles to be ATVs.”

That’s a pretty stunning statement considering the fact that an ATV’s design shares little besides its four wheels in common with a Delica. More noteworthy still, Mitsubishi actually sold the Delica in the U.S. in some forms.

Speaking to Jalopnik, the Special Assistant to the Secretary of State, Emily Cook, confirmed that the state of Maine believes that imported Delicas don’t comply with legislation, thus they’re having their registrations revoked.

“Vehicles which don’t meet [federal regulations for safety and emissions] aren’t supposed to be registered. When we find that any such vehicle has been inappropriately registered, we revoke that registration, which is what recently happened to a handful of pre-1995 Mitsubishi Delica vans,” said Cook. “This is all, of course, to ensure safety on Maine roads and protect the environment.”

Cook did say that exceptions exist for “antique vehicles” that met the regulations of their day but said that they can only be driven in certain circumstances. The small number of Delicas that were sold in the U.S. between 1987 and 1990 may then be allowed to stay on Maine’s roads.

As for other imported vehicles that were never designed to specifically meet U.S. safety and emissions standards, Cook said that any vehicle the state defines as “mistakenly registered,” like the Delica, will receive a letter such as the one quoted above.

Does this mean that other JDM models that have been imported under the 25-year rule, like Nissan GT-Rs or Silvias, could also be targeted? We (and their owners, we guess) certainly hope not, but that statement is not very reassuring.

Drone Target: Police Using UAVs To Catch Bad Drivers And Ticket Them In Poland

When it comes to catching law-breaking drivers, police will use any technology legally and financially available to them. That means as drivers we have to watch out for fixed and mobile cameras, average speed cameras, marked and undercover cars, helicopters and sometimes, as in the case of Missouri state Highway Patrol, even police airplanes timing us over a stretch of road.

Drivers in countries like Poland can add police drones to that already lengthy list. The video sourced below from Polish police shows various cars and motorbikes being filmed crossing a solid white line to overtake slower vehicles, blissfully unaware that their misdemeanors were being tracked from the sky.

Though almost certainly larger than a consumer DJI-style drone, the police drones are sufficiently small and flying high enough to make them hard for drivers focused on passing the cars ahead from spotting them.

Only when a policeman in a high-vis jacket steps into the road much further on to pull them into a side road do they have the first inkling that they’ve been busted, even then they won’t know how.

Also: Police Chopper Stealthily Films Subaru BRZ Driver Potentially Accumulating Over A$10,000 In Speeding Fines

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Poland isn’t the only country employing drone technology to catch drivers. Police forces in the UK first began using drones equipped with high resolution cameras and thermal imaging equipment to target bad driving in 2019, and forces in Australia’s Queensland rolled out their crime-fighting drones this summer to tackle illegal street races, having previously used them to record crime scenes for forensics teams.

In the U.S., police forces are also using drones, though that use varies from state to state and isn’t specifically related to catching speeding drivers. It became possible after a 2016 ruling by the Federal Aviation Authority that opened up airspace to non-hobby flyers, though the regulations insist the done should only be flown in line of sight, despite the fact that the technology allows them to fly much further.

Those drones are often used for surveillance or as virtual first responders, but in 2019 San Diego was considering flying a 12,500 lbs (5670kg) ex-military drone with a 79 ft (24 m) wingspan over the city to catch speeders. Fortunately for Southern Californian hoons, the plans came to nought.

Do you think police forces should be allowed to use drone technology to enforce traffic laws? Leave us a comment and let us know.

Audi’s Future Might Be Electric But It Will Still Keep Its Singleframe Front Grille

Audi’s singleframe grille isn’t going anywhere, despite the German automaker venturing into an all-electric future.

As electric vehicles become more commonplace, we are seeing some automakers ditch traditional front grilles in favor of body-colored panels. However, during a recent round table discussion, Audi said that its EVs will feature grilles similar to its ICE models, even though they may be blanked-out in the pursuit of improved aerodynamics.

Front grilles have long been a necessity for cars to ensure their engines and radiators are cooled with fresh air. While grilles aren’t as important for an EV, as there’s no internal combustion engine, they can still serve some purpose as they help give models an identifiable “face”.

Read Also: Audi Opens e-Tron GT Orders And Configurator In The U.S., Gets EPA Range Of 238 Miles

Speaking with Motor Trend, Audi’s design team said the grilles of its EVs will help to distinguish its models from those of its competitors. These grilles will also be featured on the brand’s forthcoming trio of ‘Sphere’ electric vehicle concepts that will also include advanced self-driving systems.

Audi’s singleframe grille was first used by the 2004 A8 and has featured on every Audi since. Compared to many other automotive grilles that are split into upper and lower sections, the singleframe is a single piece stretching from the hood towards the base of the bumper.

The German automaker teased its three ‘Sphere’ concepts earlier this month. They consist of the Sky Sphere, which is a sleek two-door coupe, the Grand Sphere four-door sedan, and the Urban Sphere that takes the shape of a large SUV.

Toyota Keeping Its Options Open, Won’t Commit To An EV-Only Future

Toyota believes that electric vehicles are not necessarily the only way forward and thus it will offer vehicles with many propulsion technologies for the foreseeable future.

“It’s too early to concentrate on one option,” said director Shigeki Terashi at the company’s annual shareholder meeting, per Automotive News. The comment was in response to a question about why the company wasn’t making a bold EV plan like Honda or GM.

Terashi argued that different technologies must be allowed to compete against each other in the marketplace in order to find the solution that best serves it. That’s why Toyota will continue to invest in hybrid and fuel-cell technologies in the years leading up to 2050.

Read Also: Polestar Reveals Climate Impact For Its EVs, Calls For Industry Transparency

“Some people love battery-electric vehicles but others don’t see the current technologies as convenient,” Toyota’s Chief Technology Officer Masahiko Maeda said. “In the end what matters is what customers choose.”

Toyota recently competed in a 24-hour race with a hydrogen-powered Corolla that used a converted combustion engine from a GR Yaris in order to prove that hydrogen engines can be a better, carbon-reduced solution for long distances.

The automaker also pointed to lifecycle emissions, which remain high for EVs, despite their low local emissions. Batteries, in particular, are carbon-intensive to mine and manufacture, though Polestar found that its vehicles gain a carbon advantage over gas-powered vehicles after just 31,000 miles on the road. Another study argued that the cost of producing hydrogen, especially if there was a sudden, intense demand on the supply, could lead to a fossil-fuel backslide.

Toyota recently came under fire from investors for what they felt was an incorrect stance on green technologies and its anti-environmental governmental lobbying efforts. That led to a public recommitment to green technologies.

Indeed, despite its commitment to multiple fuel types, Toyota is actually investing in EVs, like the recently announced bZ4X that it’s making in partnership with Subaru.

Could Hyundai’s Massive $7.4 Billion U.S. Investments Include A Dedicated EV Factory?

Hyundai Motor Group recently announced that it will invest $7.4 billion in the U.S. by 2025, although certain specifics about these investments remain unclear.

The official word from the South Korean automaker is that the investment will expand its manufacturing footprint in the U.S. and help with the introduction of its electric vehicles. Auto News notes that this is a demonstration of how car manufacturers must consider producing vehicles and batteries in the U.S. as opposed to importing them into the U.S.

Hyundai currently operates a single factory in the U.S. located in Montgomery, Alabama while Kia operates a single factory in West Point, Georgia. It also operates a facility in Mexico. Hyundai’s announcement did not specify which of its plants will receive the investments.

Guidehouse Insights principal analyst Sam Abuelsamid suggests that due to the timing of the investments, it seems likely that Hyundai will look to boost production at both the Alabama and Georgia facilities. He suggested that the investment could also include “one additional plant dedicated to EV production.”

Read Also: Hyundai Celebrated Its Best-Ever Single Month Of Sales In April

In a recent statement regarding Hyundai’s electrification plans, Hyundai Motor North America chief executive Jose Monuz said, “We are in the midst of a big transformation of our portfolio, bringing plug-in hybrids and brings hybrids and battery-electric EVs in order to ensure that we are not fast followers but really pioneers in the new emerging green market.”

Autonews writes that various car manufacturers intend to produce more than 100 electric vehicles in the U.S. over the next four years, despite EVs still accounting for less than 2 per cent of new vehicle sales in the country. According to Autotrader executive analyst Michelle Krebs, Hyundai is in a good position to retain strong sales while it waits for EVs to account for a larger slice of the market.

“It has an array of options, from internal combustion engines to hybrids and plug-in hybrids to EVs and fuel cell vehicles, to cover its basis until the EV inflection point comes – a time no one can precisely pinpoint.”

Arrival Signs Deal With Uber For New Ride-Hailing EVs

Ride-hailing giant Uber announced a partnership with Arrival, a UK-based EV startup that is currently working to develop an electric car that will be designed specifically for affordable and efficient ride-hailing purposes.

Arrival said that production of these cars will begin in 2023, although it stated that their vehicles would not be exclusive to Uber. Uber drivers are to be consulted in the development process of Arrival’s EV, with the ride-hailing firm planning to electrify its European and US footprints massively. Since its launch in 2015, Arrival has received backing from Hyundai and Kia, and they have already dabbled in the transport and logistics sectors developing electric buses and even delivery vans for global logistics companies like UPS.

Like many other startups, Arrival is yet to sell a car, but the news of the partnership should boost investor confidence. Meanwhile, over the past couple of years, Uber has been setting ambitious targets for themselves, including the electrification of all London-based driver-partner vehicles by 2025, with Europe and North America slated for 2030. But the partnership with Arrival is arguably the first tangible step towards achieving these goals.

Read: Latest EV Startup To Go Public Is Arrival, As It Begins Trading On The Nasdaq

Arrival and Uber have given us a glimpse of the car’s interior, claiming that the final design will be publicized by the end of this year. Although pod-like in design, Arrival’s ride-hailing car aims not to break away from the mold completely. The teaser images show a simplistic design, with a centrally-mounted portrait screen and scroll wheels on the steering. The main focus, according to Arrival, is subtle differences that are said to enhance the ride-hailing experience for drivers and passengers alike.

With ride-hailing vehicles covering an average of between 45-50k miles a year in comparison to the 12k average annual mileage for a typical passenger car, the EV startup claims that their taxis will focus not just on reducing their overall carbon footprint but improving the comfort of drivers and passengers. The vehicles are said to be equipped with ergonomically designed driver’s seats that will ease the burden of sitting in a car for extended periods of time and a front passenger seat that can be folded up for more legroom. Additionally, the rear seats of Arrival’s ride-hailing cars are to inherit a bench design, making it easier for passengers to get in and out of the vehicle.

See: Arrival’s Beta Prototype Electric Van Inches Closer To Production

Speaking to The Verge, Arrival’s senior vice president, Tom Elvidge, stated that their goal is to focus on making hundreds of tiny changes and improvements to their design that may have never have been implemented on a car before. In addition, he highlighted the fact that electric vehicles make the most sense, as they do not have as many mechanical parts as regular combustion cars and therefore require much fewer maintenance costs.

Elvidge also went on to talk about how Arrivals ride-hailing electric cars will be naturally compliant with zero-emission zones that have been endorsed in cities in Europe, as well as internal combustion bans that will become widespread in the future. Furthermore, Arrival assumes that they can substantially reduce their overall manufacturing costs of electric vehicles by using ‘micro factories,’ which are small-footprint plants that rely highly on automation and produce cars closer to areas of demand.

BMW M Reportedly Plotting 1,341 HP iM2 For Their 50th Anniversary

BMW M will be celebrating their 50th anniversary next year and the company has already said we can expect a “year full of surprises.”

Now we’re starting to learn more about what those surprises might be as BMW will reportedly mark the occasion by unveiling an all-new iM2.

According to Car Magazine, the coupe is being developed under the “Project Katharina” codename and will have insane performance specifications. How insane? Try four electric motors that reportedly produce a combined output of 1,341 hp (1,000 kW / 1,360 PS).

Also Read: Mystery BMW M2 Test Mule Spotted With An Electric Powertrain

That’s a ridiculous amount of power and it will reportedly enable the model to accelerate from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 2.5 seconds or less. The car has also reportedly lapped the Nürburgring in less than seven minutes which, if true, would best times posted by supercars such as the McLaren 720S and Ferrari 488 Pista.

Little else is known about the model, but the publication claims it will have the “most extreme battery technology conceived to date” as well as a “radically advanced level of torque vectoring hitherto available only to the cars you see in cartoons.”  They went on to say the vehicle is being developed to showcase the extreme performance and handling that is possible with electrification.

While the project is reportedly a “work in progress and not yet an approved program,” one insider told the magazine that a limited edition variant is likely. We’re a bit skeptical, but the model would reportedly feature carbon fiber body panels, a rear seat delete, and lightweight glass as well as an insane electric powertrain.

Note: BMW M2 EV Mule pictured, credits CarPix for CarScoops

Smartphone Giant Xiaomi Wants To Build Electric Cars With The Help Of Great Wall

Chinese tech giant Xiaomi is the latest company that’s looking into building its own electric cars.

Xiaomi is reportedly in talks with Great Wall to use one of its factories in China to build electric vehicles under its own brand for the mass market, which would be in line with its products in the electronics industry.

Citing sources with direct knowledge of the matter, Reuters reports that Xiaomi and Great Wall could announce their partnership as soon as next week.

Read Also: Toyota Boss Warns Apple That The Car Business Isn’t Easy

Great Wall is China’s biggest pickup truck maker

If the deal goes through, this would be Great Wall’s first manufacturing service to another company, with the Chinese carmaker offering engineering consultancy to Xiaomi in order to speed up the project.

Lei Jun, Xiaomi’s founder and chief executive, reportedly believes that his company’s expertise in hardware manufacturing will help accelerate the design and production of their electric vehicles.

“Xiaomi wants to find a mature automobile manufacturer to provide model infrastructure, enabling its own advantages in mobile internet technology,” said Alan Kang, a senior analyst at LMC Automotive. “Xiaomi’s advantages in operating systems and home furnishing also bring a lot of imagination for such cooperation in the future.”

Xiaomi, which according to the report is planning to launch its first electric vehicle around 2023, wants its cars to be connected with other devices in its product eco-system. Alongside smartphones, the Chinese tech company also offers a very wide range of internet-connected devices that includes everything from fitness trackers to scooters and rice cookers.

Great Wall’s retro-styled electric sedan concept from the 2020 Beijing Auto Show

Nevada Dealer Was Selling An Audi RS6 Avant With A $100,000 Markup

Enthusiasts in the United States waited a long time for the Audi RS6 Avant and it appears some dealerships have pounced on the opportunity and slapped the super estate with some hefty markups.

After a little bit of digging, The Drive recently discovered that there was an RS6 Avant up for sale from Audi Henderson in Nevada with a $100,000 “market adjustment” markup, bringing its total asking price up to an absurd $242,009.

Related: Dealer Tries Marking-Up A Mach-E By $10,000, Ford Steps In And Cracks The Whip

It is understood that at the time of being listed, this was the only RS6 Avant that the dealership had on its lot. Making the car stand out from most other RS6s we’ve seen was the Matte Navarra Blue paint scheme, as well as the optional Carbon Optic and Driver Assistance packages. It is a serious looker, but not even that can justify the huge markup.

When contacted by The Drive, the dealership said the markup was a “moonshoot” to try and ride the wave of high car prices but soon added it would probably be reduced to $35,000. However, the dealership later revealed that the publicity around the car had actually helped it to sell. It remains unclear if it sold with the full $100,000 premium, however.

The very first RS6 Avants started to touch down on U.S. shores in September last year with a $109,995 MSRP, it is a very good buy considering what it’s offering, but we highly doubt it is worth more than double that figure.

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