+++ AUDI has confirmed the functions of its Autonomous Intelligence (AI) technology will trickle down to all future models, including the new A1, Q3, A6, A7 and Q6 e-Tron electric SUV due next year. The Audi AI function, which debuted as a button on the fourth-generation A8 this week, will also make its way to a duo of high-performance dedicated electric vehicles (EVs) to follow by 2020. So far it helps in driverless functionality and remote reverse-parking, among others. Speaking at the international reveal of the Audi A8 in Barcelona this week, Audi chairman Rupert Stadler and technology development director Peter Mertens said that the technology behind the button would flow to every other model the brand debuts. “When it comes to mobility technology, we strive to be one of the leading technology companies”, Stadler started. “Our future cars will manage (driving) in defined zones in the city, as well as on the highway all by themselves. And, they will leave it up to you to drive or to be driven. Audi AI supports you and thinks for you and AI increases your level of independence. The world is ready for this next level of mobility (and) we will continuously increase the power of this Audi AI button. Following the Audi A8, there are quite a few models in the pipeline for 2018: the Audi A7 and A6, the Q3, the A1 and the Q6 e-Tron, which raises electric mobility to the next level. This is the starting point of a large product initiative”. Mertens further added that the E-tron electric large SUV, “provides a preview to our second electric car, which is due to come in 2019. It will be even more intelligent because we will increasingly implement Audi AI in all of our future models”, he continued. “Audi AI is a trademark of our brand. It uses deep learning to take a proactive approach to the human machine interface”. Called the E-tron Sportback, the new model will offer a coupe-shaped SUV body style in 2019, followed by another all-electric high-performance model in 2020. Audi chief digital officer and chief strategy officer Roland Villinger revealed that “Audi is so committed to the electrification of our vehicles in fact, we’re planning by the middle of the next decade to have one-third of vehicles electrified. In 2018, so next year already, we’ll introduce to the market our Q6 e-Tron, the first high-performance, fully electric SUV by a premium-OEM with a 500 km range. In 2019, so one year later already, we’ll introduce our E-tron Sportback. One later already in 2020, we’ll introduce the third all-electric, high-performance vehicle from Audi. Subsequently after that, we will electrify all our vehicle series, all our models including hybrid solutions”. Curiously, it seems Audi does not believe Tesla is a ‘premium-OEM’. Stadler also spruiked the benefits of Audi AI, further teasing that the brand would reveal an extension of the technology at September’s Frankfurt motor show. “There is a lot more to come from Audi”, he said. “Future premium means taking back control of your time, because time is one of the most valuable goods. Just imagine, you get out of the car into a comfortable lounge and the car already knows when you want to spend more quality time with your kids. All of this and much more will be made possible by Audi AI; not in the far future, we start with this right now in the new-generation of Audi cars to come. Stay tuned for what we are going to reveal, for example, in Frankfurt in 8 weeks’ time. These 2 letters (AI) and the idea behind it will present a companion into our new era”. +++
+++ JAGUAR is open to building smaller cars. Jaguar’s downward expansion could continue thanks to its planned electric car offensive. The recently-unveiled E-Pace is the smallest member of Jaguar’s growing crossover and SUV lineup. The next new Jag in the pipeline is the all-electric I-Pace, but the company hasn’t ruled out continuing its downward expansion. When asked about the possibility of going smaller, Jaguar design boss Ian Callum said: “no plans, but I’d like to think so”. Going smaller has been on Callum’s mind for a while. 2 years ago at the New York Auto Show, he hinted “there’s always space to go smaller; the world is changing quickly”. A smaller Jaguar crossover would compete in the same segment as the Audi Q2 and the Mini Countryman. A similarly-sized sedan would fight head-to-head against the Mercedes CLA, the new Volvo S40 and the Audi A3 Limousine. However, unlike its German rivals Jaguar doesn’t have a modular platform capable of underpinning vehicles of all shapes and sizes. The solution might be going electric. The I-Pace is built on its own platform, and Callum confirmed Jaguar plans on launching a full family of electric models in the coming years. “There’s lots of choice, with lots of architectures with massive boundaries. We’re able to pick the right one. Perhaps it’s old behavior to create products to suit architectures; now there’s no need to”, explained the designer. +++
+++ It’s an equitable figure: 20 for 2020, coming in a recent interview from Gareth Dunsmore, Electric Vehicle (EV) Director for NISSAN Europe at the Japanese automaker. Particularly, the manager signaled the automaker is very pleased with commitments like the one France recently took to help people change their buying habits to more sustainable automobiles. Ecology Minister Nicolas Hulot recently said France would try to end new sales of gasoline and diesel vehicles by 2040, proposing intermediate helping measures. “By 2020, where the market conditions are right, I’m confident we’ll be selling up to 20 percent of our volume as zero emissions vehicles and this will only grow”, commented Dunsmore. Of course, France’s commitment is certainly going to benefit their alliance partner Renault first – which is also fully involved in the green mobility strategy as well, and counts on the Zoe subcompact as Europe’s top selling electric car. It will retain that position, particularly since the introduction of the new 40 kWh battery version. Meanwhile, Nissan will look to retain its own top position in the segment (this time on a global level) with the introduction of the second-generation Leaf. It’s set to come with the new design language premiered by the smaller Micra and it’s also expected to be able (at least in the top version) to fight directly with the Chevrolet Bolt long-range electric. +++
+++ PEUGEOT ’s vehicle sales rose 2.3% to 1.6 million in the first half as a big jump in Iran helped the French car maker offset stagnant markets in Europe and Asia. Sales in the Middle East and Africa more than tripled to 277,931 as Peugeot, officially known as Groupe PSA, ramped up production in Iran in the wake of a softening of western sanctions. Sales fell 1.9% in Europe, its largest market, and dropped by almost half in China and southeast Asia as the company moved forward with a reorganization in the region. Peugeot has among the highest profit margins among European car makers and over the past several years has favored incremental gains in profitability over growth in volume. Peugeot will soon get a big boost in volume as it gets close to sealing its $2 billion acquisition of General Motors’ perennially unprofitable European unit Opel. +++
+++ The Model 3 could be TESLA ’s most significant vehicle to date, as it’s expected to increase the automaker’s sales by 500 percent. To keep up with the anticipated demand, Tesla is expanding its service operations dramatically. Tesla is looking to triple its global service capacity with the help of 100 new service centers. It’s also bringing out 350 new mobile service vans that drive out to owners and repair their vehicles. Most fixes don’t require a lift and can be performed by a mobile technician. In total, Tesla will add 1,400 new technicians this year with more to come in the following years. Production on the first Tesla Model 3 began last week, and customers will start receiving their sedans at the end of July. In December, Tesla should be able to produce 20,000 units per month. Tesla says it has been able to cut down on service time by expanding mobile support, automating paperwork, and using cars’ wireless connection as a diagnostic tool. Also helping matters is the fact that the Model 3 was optimized for easy production and low service needs, a Tesla exec told. Unfortunately, those who haven’t yet claimed a Model 3 will have to be patient. Customers putting in new reservations can expect to wait until mid-2018 or later. +++
+++ TOYOTA has set out to lure the next generation of tech entrepreneurs into its corner by proffering a $US100 million pot of honey at a new Silicon Valley-based venture capital subsidiary, Toyota AI Ventures. The move is designed to help the Japanese giant make the running on break-through technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomous mobility and cloud technology by forming collaborations with promising start-ups. The new subsidiary, a division of the California-based Toyota Research Institute (TRI), will offer early stage financing to successful candidates, presumably with a pay-off to Toyota of access to the technology if and when it comes to fruition. Three such start-ups have already signed on for Toyota support that, apart from seed money, includes mentorship and support at TRI’s headquarters. These include Nauto, a Silicon Valley tech start-up that has developed a system that employs artificial intelligence to monitor drivers and the road environment to prevent collisions and improve driver behaviour. Another is British-based SLAMcore which develops advanced algorithms to help technology platforms such as autonomous cars, drones and augmented reality and virtual reality systems to simultaneously build a map of their surroundings and position themselves within it. Lastly, Israel’s Intuition Robotics has signed up for Toyota help with its development of social companion technology, including its ElliQ active-ageing robotic companion. TRI CEO Gill Pratt said Toyota had a history of disruptive innovation, from textile machinery on 1930s to the electrification of the car with Prius in the 1990s, to autonomous mobility and human-assist robots. “TRI is growing quickly, and we recognise the critical importance of expanding our collaboration with the world’s brightest entrepreneurial talent”, he said. “This venture is a major step towards our mission to empower talented entrepreneurs who share Toyota’s commitment to enhancing the quality of human life”. Apart from offering start-up help to entrepreneurs, the Toyota subsidiary will also initiate new ventures by identifying technology challenges and then supporting the creation of new companies offering to solve them. Toyota has a history of collaboration with disruptors, having partnered with a fledgling Tesla for a time, even selling its California factory to the electric vehicle company headed by Elon Musk. +++
+++ Thankfully, VOLKSWAGEN ’s wrongdoing and all associated bad behavior surrounding its diesel emissions scandal hasn’t scaled back development for its hot hatchback offerings. According to a new report, VW’s practical and fun hatches will go from hot to hotter. The next-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI and Golf R are in for some major improvements inside and out. Foremost, more power is coming to both the GTI and R variants of Golf. The current Golf GTI is no slouch with 220 horsepower on tap from its 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine. What the publication is proclaiming as the 2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI will receive a horsepower bump of 40 additional ponies, however, to bring the final tally to 260 hp. That figure means the GTI will surpass the Ford Focus ST, which produces 250 hp, so it seems like a reasonable expectation. Just as the GTI may chase the Focus ST, the 2019 Volkswagen Golf R may properly challenge the Focus RS with a significant power bump with 40 additional horsepower. Those sans a calculator will note that brings the Golf R to match the current Focus RS with 350 hp. It’s unclear if Volkswagen will continue utilizing its 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4, or if there are new powertrains on the way; the report details significant changes to the standard Golf’s powertrain lineup. Additionally, the next-generation Golf is about to become a much more digital place to be. Sources say every analog must go and a fully digital cockpit will be put in place. All of this will take place just as the current Focus RS bids the market goodbye as a new-generation Focus hangs on the horizon. Ford tends to save the top-spec RS model for later in the model’s life, which means a new Focus RS is more than a couple years away. +++