A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Mitsubishi's warranty upgrade
Mitsubishi is now offering an eight-year/150,000km warranty as standard on its passenger car range in Ireland. Models include the new Outlander along with the upcoming Colt replacement, the Space Star.
The new warranty is fully transferable to any owner during the cover period. It’s a major leap for the brand from the current three-year manufacturers warranty and marks the latest round in the use of warranties to lure customers to forecourts.
Up until now the Korean brands have led the way with Kia offering a seven-year/150,000km warranty, while Hyundai offers a five-year unlimited mileage package as standard. Renault followed suit with a five-year unlimited mileage deal.
Kim Kilduff, sales manager with Mitsubishi Motors Ireland said: “The launch of our new eight -year warranty, at a time when we are launching new environmentally friendly models, will further enhance this reputation and demonstrates the confidence Mitsubishi has in its vehicles and technology. The new . . . warranty will also provide customers with significant additional peace of mind and another reason to choose Mitsubishi.”
Formula 1 in slow lane
For a sport timed down to the thousandth of a second and measured in millimetres, Formula 1 seems to be finding it surprisingly difficult to get to grips with a calendar.
With little more than two months to go before the Australian season-opener in Melbourne on March 17th, organisers have yet to confirm how many races there will be in 2013 and where two of them will be held.
The fans can expect to see fewer teams on the grid, with HRT supposedly seeking a buyer. But they are also still waiting for a definitive driver line-up with vacancies at Caterham and Force India.
The first official test of the new campaign kicks off at the Jerez circuit in southern Spain on February 5th with McLaren set to be the first out of the box with plans to launch their car on January 31st.
Most, but maybe not all, teams will have their new cars ready to hit the track as soon as the off-season testing ban is lifted. July is the month of uncertainty as things stand, with the German Grand Prix - triple world champion Sebastian Vettel’s home race - scheduled for July 7th at a venue to be decided. – (Reuters)
Silent but deadly? US proposal for soundless electric cars
Electric cars, which have soundless engines, would need to make noises to let pedestrians know they’re near, under a US proposed rule released this week by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Sounds would need to be detectable when vehicles are travelling slower than 29 km/h so electric and hybrid-electric cars can be heard by bicyclists and pedestrians, particularly the visually impaired, under the rule.
The so-called quiet-car rule, which would have to be made final before it takes effect, would save 35 lives over each model year of hybrid vehicles. It would also prevent 2,800 injuries, said the agency.
"To add about a $30 (€23) or $35 item to a car for this kind of injury and death prevention, it's hard to argue against," according to Jesse Toprak, an analyst for industry data provider TrueCar.com.
“I’m sure all of us have experienced at some time the fear of getting struck by a Prius.”
Adding external speakers to quiet vehicles would cost about $25 million a year, or about $35 per light vehicle, said the agency. About $1.48 million of the annual costs would be to equip large trucks and buses and motorcycles with sound, it added.
Toyota is reviewing the agency’s proposed rules and will co-operate with the association, said Shino Yamada, a Tokyo-based spokeswoman for the firm.
“Our proposal would allow manufacturers the flexibility to design different sounds for different makes and models while still providing an opportunity for pedestrians, bicyclists and the visually impaired to detect and recognise a vehicle and make a decision about whether it is safe to cross the street,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland.
Carmaker unveils research to advance‘ co-pilot’ safety feature
Toyota is developing autonomous safety technologies to create a virtual “co-pilot” in vehicles that helps drivers avoid accidents rather than self- driving cars and trucks.
The carmaker revealed research it’s doing in Japan with a modified Lexus LS sedan fitted with advanced safety equipment at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week.
The car on display in Las Vegas has sensors and automated systems to observe, process and respond to its surroundings.
“For Toyota and Lexus, an autonomous vehicle does not translate to a driverless vehicle, but rather a car equipped with an intelligent, always-attentive co-pilot whose skills contribute to safer driving,” said Mark Templin, head of US sales for Lexus.
Toyota, Asia’s largest carmaker, and competitors already offer cars with features including cruise control that monitors and maintains a safe distance from vehicles ahead, sensors to warn of swerving out of a lane, and automated braking triggered when a vehicle doesn’t slow enough to avoid impact.
Improvements in such areas, rather than cars that fully drive themselves, are Toyota’s near-term priority.
Google has been testing a self-driving Prius in California for years. And the US Defense Department has sponsored autonomous-vehicle research for more than a decade.
Toyota has no plans for now to sell a self-driving vehicle, said Jim Pisz, the carmaker’s corporate manager for North American business strategy. “We have a different philosophy than other people who are doing autonomous car projects,” said Templin. “We believe the technology should make the driver better and that it should not be a driverless car.”
Toyota said its test vehicle is a “platform” to develop systems to aid driver awareness of traffic conditions, enabling motorists to make better decisions and improve driving skills. The company isn’t seeking authorisation to operate its autonomous car on public roads, said Pisz.
Nevada issued a license to Audi allowing the testing of self-driving vehicles on that state’s roads.
High hopes for Peugeot’s 2008
Peugeot has revealed the first images of its crucial new 2008 crossover this week. The urban 4x4 is based on the same chassis and engine family as the 208 hatchback, and will go on sale after a full public exposure at the upcoming Geneva motor show.
The range-topping engine will be the 150bhp 1.6 turbo petrol, but most will be sold with 1.6 HDI diesel power and it’s 4.1-metre length means it’s a spot-on rival for the likes of the Skoda Yeti, Mini Countryman and Nissan Juke.
It’s a crucial model for Peugeot, which is struggling with falling sales and a disappointing debut for its 208 supermini. Critically, the 2008 is a cornerstone of Peugeot’s planned expansion into Asian and South American markets and the car will be built in Brazil and China as well as France.