Hyundai Motor celebrates future mobility at Milan Design Week

Hyundai Motor celebrates future mobility at Milan Design Week

Hyundai Motor celebrates future mobility at Milan Design Week

In collaboration with the Instituto Europeo di Design (IED), Hyundai is showcasing design with an installation made of energy and light. The ‘Energy Zone by Hyundai’ is a space in which the experiential journey created by artist Carlo Bernardini invites the visitor to discover the energy of the models on display. With the Kona Electric, Hyundai offers the first all-electric subcompact SUV on the European market. The Hyundai Kite is an electric dune buggy concept made by students of the Turin-based IED’s master’s degree course in transportation design with the support of Hyundai Design Centre Europe in Rüsselsheim, Germany.

Walking through the light installation in the ‘Energy Zone by Hyundai’, visitors will be brought into a dimension permeated by pure energy. This shows itself in geometries and perspective games produced by luminous optical fibres in the dark. In Bernardini’s works, light is mediated by the use of optical fibre, which the artist has used since 1996 and with which he creates sensational effects of geometries and spaces. The spectator finds himself inside the installation with the impression of being in front of a different artwork at each point of observation.

The Kona Electric will be part of the installation on April 17 and 18. The first all-electric subcompact SUV is a car of no compromise, combining Hyundai’s progressive SUV style with a zero-emission electric powertrain. The new eco-car is available with two different powertrains, offering an outstanding driving range of up to 482 kilometres*. The electric motor of the long-range version delivers an output of 150 kW/204 PS, accelerating the car to 100 km/h in 7.6 seconds. Hyundai Motor is at the forefront of eco-mobility by already offering the broadest range of electrified powertrains of any carmaker on the European market.

The Hyundai Kite concept also carries a progressive character and bold energy, committed to fun and created by the students of the IED’s master’s degree course in transportation design in collaboration with Hyundai Design Centre Europe. The Kite is a futuristic two-seater electric dune buggy that transforms into a single-seater jet ski. The concept is a doorless, roofless and windowless vehicle that can drive both on the road and over water. Its surfaces interlace, creating a continuum of twists and intersections.

courtesy: www.hyundai.news

‘Boundless for all’: Kia presents vision for future mobility at CES 2018

‘Boundless for all’: Kia presents vision for future mobility at CES 2018

‘Boundless for all’: Kia presents vision for future mobility at CES 2018

Kia Motors today presents its future mobility vision at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Under its new ‘Boundless for all’ vision, Kia will bring a future in which opportunities for mobility and transportation are limitless. To broaden horizons with its mobility services, Kia is also demonstrating a range of new technologies as part of its new ‘ACE’ strategy to make its cars more Autonomous, Connected and Eco/Electric.

“‘Boundless for all’ is Kia’s future vision – where everyone has the opportunity to enjoy the infinite value that future mobility will bring. This is Kia’s manifesto for its role as a mass mobility provider in the future. Consumers are bound today by the idea that a car is ‘just a vehicle’, but Kia is committed to providing a broader solution to mobility. ‘Boundless for all’ represents a future in which a vehicle can be so much more than the sum of its parts,” said Dr. Woong-chul Yang, Vice Chairman and Head of Kia R&D Center.

Kia’s ‘ACE’ strategy is based around three core elements, presenting Kia’s vision for future personal transportation:

  • Autonomous – Kia plans to commercialize Level 4 autonomous driving technology, with ‘Smart City’ autonomous vehicle testing due to commence in 2021
  • Connected – By 2025, Kia will adopt connected car technologies across every vehicle segment, and aim to make every single model a connected car by 2030
  • Eco/Electric – Kia will introduce 16 new advanced powertrain vehicles by 2025, including a range of new hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles, as well as an all-new fuel-cell electric vehicle in 2020

Alongside these technologies, Kia announced its plans to roll-out its ‘WiBLE’ car-sharing service – launched in Korea in 2017 – to new regions from 2018, starting with Europe.

Beyond Autonomous Driving: Kia’s exhibition theme for ‘connected’ vehicles

At CES 2018, Kia is presenting a range of interactive exhibits which combine existing and future technologies. These demonstrate how vehicles could be optimized for enhanced connectivity as they become more autonomous.

Kia’s exhibits at CES 2018 hint at a future ‘Beyond Autonomous Driving’. Visitors can interact with Kia’s developing autonomous drive technologies through a VR simulator, while also experiencing a V2X diorama demonstrating how cars could connect with other vehicles and the urban environment.

The company plans to operate a large-scale test fleet for autonomous technology on public roads from 2019, paving the way for commercial production of the technology. Kia aims to commercialize Level 4 autonomous vehicles in smart cities from 2021 with a new Smart City pilot project.

“Kia’s connected cars will be both boundless and connected and offer a new kind of mobility experience. Virtual reality, self-driving cars, and ‘vehicle-to-everything’ connectivity were all once considered technologies of the distant future. As they rapidly become a reality, Kia is exploring how to deploy these new technologies for its customers. Our strategy and vision for future mobility is demonstrated by a range of interactive displays, showing what our customers can look forward to,” said Vice Chairman Yang.

16 new electrified vehicles by 2025

Kia will continue to expand its range of environmentally-friendly cars in the coming years, and plans to offer a total of 16 electrified vehicles by 2025, including a fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV) in 2020.

“By 2025, we will offer a total of 16 advanced powertrain vehicles, with five new hybrids and plug-in hybrids, five new battery EVs, and an all-new mass market FCEV. Due to launch in 2020, this FCEV will spearhead Kia’s efforts to realize a zero-emission future for mobility,” said Vice Chairman Yang.

As part of this strategy, Kia is exhibiting the Niro EV Concept at CES 2018. Combining the stylish design of a modern compact SUV with the high efficiency of an advanced battery-electric powertrain, the Kia Niro EV Concept represents the next step in the brand’s ongoing journey to electrification.

Created by Kia’s design studio in Korea, the Niro EV Concept is a fully-electric compact SUV. Its aerodynamically-efficient body allows air to slip over, around and beneath the vehicle with ease. The traditional grille – no longer required for engine cooling – is replaced by a smooth interactive display panel, combined with ultra-slim lamp technology in the overall front. In profile, the concept draws inspiration from the current Kia Niro, with a modish compact crossover silhouette, elevated body and wide C-pillar. The Niro EV Concept’s seamless rear aspect has clean and sharp trailing edges allowing air to flow more easily off the back of the car.

With a silent electric powertrain, and the anticipation that such a car would be driven most frequently on urban and suburban roads, the Niro EV Concept boasts new technologies to enhance safety for pedestrians.

The concept’s new Active Pedestrian Warning System (APWS) features a combination of front view cameras, object recognition technology and front speakers. If the system detects a pedestrian or cyclist crossing in front of the car, the speakers sound an alert targeted specifically at that person, warning them of the car’s presence. APWS is matched by the Niro EV Concept’s new interactive lighting system, which offers users and pedestrians a highly-intuitive visual communication with vehicle.

Inside, the cabin has been designed with a pure, minimalist and digital appearance, creating greater user interaction with new technologies and features. With a wrap-around design to cocoon the driver and passengers, the dashboard’s horizontal layout has broad and smooth surfaces. The effect is an innate sense of space and calm in the cabin, enhanced by the soft shades of silver, grey and bronze covering every surface.

The Niro EV Concept is powered by a next-generation electric vehicle powertrain, using new production technologies earmarked for near-future EVs from Kia. Energy is provided by a high-capacity 64 kWh lithium-polymer battery pack, paired with a powerful 150 kW electric motor. The Niro EV Concept suggests a driving range of 238 miles (383 kilometers), with zero tailpipe emissions.

Interactive exhibits preview new in-car technology

At CES 2018, Kia is exhibiting its latest HMI technologies, autonomous drive features and the world’s first in-car 5G connection. These exhibits hint at innovations that could be adapted for use in the brand’s future vehicles. Kia is demonstrating these innovations through a set of interactive cockpit-style experiences, presenting the brand’s ‘Beyond Autonomous Driving’ vision with technologies that idle passengers can draw upon in a future of vehicle autonomy.

The first cockpit gives visitors the chance to experience the Niro EV Concept’s pioneering new HMI, with enhanced interaction between visitors and the vehicle. The infotainment and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems are controlled by touch and gesture, with the steering wheel acting as a remote. The driver can ‘swipe’ along a perforated leather area on the base of the two-spoke wheel, with different gestures serving to switch between favorite music tracks, turn up the volume, and adjust cabin ventilation settings. A digital dashboard display provides additional information to the driver, such as vehicle settings, powertrain status, and trip information.

Creating a more digital interaction between car and driver than in a traditional vehicle, the HMI allows drivers to ‘log-in’ to the vehicle using face and voice recognition. The facial and voice recognition technology, developed in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS), welcomes drivers and adjusts vehicle settings based on preset individual preferences. Leveraging ‘Amazon Rekognition’ and ‘Amazon Polly’ – highly accurate facial analysis and voice services provided by AWS – the new system disables many of the car’s functions if the driver does not pass the identification process.

The HMI cockpit at CES 2018 lets users experiment with these exciting new in-car technologies.

A second cockpit demonstrates the world’s first in-vehicle 5G connection – with a real-time connection established between Las Vegas and Seoul, Korea. The 5G connection enables users to stream contents reliably into the car, linked to the exhibit’s infotainment system.

The second cockpit also presents the Niro EV Concept’s Separate Sound Control System, allowing users in the front and rear rows to experience Kia’s sound separation technology. The technology allows front and rear passengers to listen to their own music at the same time without intruding on others in the car. The system features eight speakers installed in the headrests, simultaneously pumping out sounds for each seat row, and using noise-cancellation technology to ‘mute’ sound from the other row of seats. By creating two sound zones in the car, occupants in different rows can enjoy listening to separate music or podcasts. Developed in-house, Kia believes this technology could be adapted to enhance occupant comfort in future production cars.

Finally, visitors can experience Kia’s own autonomous drive support technologies with a series of virtual reality exhibits. The VR simulations demonstrate Kia’s autonomous drive support technologies in a range of environments, via VR headsets.

WiBLE car-sharing service to launch in Europe in 2018

Enabling urban and suburban mobility, Kia has today announced plans to roll-out its ‘WiBLE’ car-sharing service to new regions. Launched in Korea in 2017, WiBLE – a portmanteau of ‘Widely Accessible’ – will be introduced to certain European markets and cities from late 2018. Kia plans to expand the service into other markets around the world in the coming years.

WiBLE will be serviced in the designated areas in city centers, providing vehicles to customers who need to drive but may not own a car of their own or who want more convenient drive in city centers.

In Korea, WiBLE users have access to a variety of different Kia cars to complete their journeys, including the Soul EV, Niro hybrid crossover and larger vehicles. Vehicles are equipped with a range of Kia’s active safety technologies to help customers complete journeys safely in a car with which they may not be familiar. This format is expected to be carried over into new WiBLE markets.

WiBLE is accessed via an accompanying smartphone app. Users then pay for individual journeys in a WiBLE vehicle, charged according to the amount of time they use the car. WiBLE in Europe enables users to complete one-way journeys, rather than requiring them to return the car to the same point, for maximum convenience and value for money.

Kia will announce the first European locations for the launch of WiBLE later in 2018.

courtesy: www.kianewscenter.com

BMW Group sets the course for future mobility

BMW Group sets the course for future mobility

BMW Group sets the course for future mobility

Sheer driving pleasure, BMW i, EfficientDynamics: at the BMW Group, emotion and sustainability go hand in hand. The company’s strength as an innovator and its consistent future focus will ensure the success of premium mobility “Made in Germany”. From electric powertrains to cutting-edge, low-emission, low-carbon diesel solutions that meet Euro 6 standards, the BMW Group sets the technological benchmark.

“Sustainability is as much a part of us as Sheer Driving Pleasure. With BMW i, we were the first German manufacturer to make a clear commitment to electric mobility,” BMW AG Management Board Chairman Harald Krüger explained. “But as well as emotion and pleasure, we are convinced that future mobility must be sustainable mobility. We are driving the transition as hard and as fast as possible and have launched more electrified vehicles than any of our established competitors.”

However, electrification is not the only sustainable drive solution: “Future mobility will definitely depend on state-of-the-art diesels as well,” said Krüger, “because environmental protection has several dimensions: one of them is the fight against climate change.”

Modern, efficient diesel engines ensure lower CO2 emissions and therefore make an important contribution to protecting the environment. In addition, when it comes to many unwanted emissions, diesels are just as clean or even cleaner than petrol engines. This can certainly be said of particulate, hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions, meaning that three of the four major diesel pollutant issues have been resolved and no longer have any adverse effect on air quality. This is why the BMW Group is calling for objective discussions based on facts and scientific evidence.

In this context, the BMW Group supports the comprehensive measures of the “National Diesel Forum” aimed at further improving air quality in cities.

    • In addition to these measures, the BMW Group is preparing an EU-wide fleet-renewal campaign which will have a positive impact on resources, the climate and the environment as a whole. Initially until 31 December 2017, owners of diesel vehicles that meet Euro 4 standards or less will be granted an environment bonus of up to €2,000 (amount dependent on model bought) when they trade in their vehicle and purchase a new BMW or MINI. Their chosen replacement must be either a BMW i3, a plug-in hybrid or a Euro 6-standard vehicle with CO2 emissions of up to 130 grams per kilometer (in the NEDC). This special campaign will begin soon, certainly before the end of August. The bonus is in addition to any other government incentives.
  • Averaged across the fleet, BMW Group diesel vehicles emit 40% less NOX than the German average, as reported by the Germany Federal Environment agency in April 2017. These excellent figures are true for both our Euro 5 and Euro 6 vehicles. In addition, experience gained through actual on-road driving between 2010 and 2015 means the BMW Group can offer an additional optimisation of the exhaust-treatment system for 225,000 of the Euro 5 models currently on the road in Germany – at no extra cost to the customer, of course.
  • Furthermore, the BMW Group is investing in the Sustainable Urban Mobility fund and is using the opportunities offered by digitalisation to support major cities to better handle increased traffic volumes, thereby reducing emissions. Based on projects like the strategic partnership with Hamburg on the roll-out of electric mobility and the research project “City2Share” with Munich and Hamburg, the BMW Group is intensifying its dialogue with municipal authorities in order to establish better conditions for increased electric mobility and car-sharing.

With regard to the current diesel debate, Krüger said, “For almost two years now, diesel technology which is cutting-edge, highly efficient and popular with customers has been deliberately and publicly discredited. This has caused tremendous uncertainty among millions of drivers and it’s not going to get us anywhere. The German automotive industry will remain strong in innovation: we will provide tomorrow’s mobility solutions.”

The BMW Group has repeatedly made clear that its exhaust treatment technologies are very different from others available in the market and the company continues to seek true competition in this area. The company categorically rejects allegations made by some media of non-compliant technology employed in diesel exhaust-treatment systems. “Investigations by authorities at home and abroad confirm that vehicles by the BMW Group are not rigged for testing purposes,” Krüger explained.

In addition to the ongoing optimisation of the internal combustion engine, the BMW Group is forging ahead with the roll-out of electric mobility. Moving forward, flexible vehicle architectures and manufacturing facilities will allow the BMW Group to decide at short notice which models and volumes to produce with what type of drive: highly efficient combustion-powered, plug-in hybrid or fully electric.

In 2017, the BMW Group expects sales of its electrified vehicles to exceed 100,000 for the first time in a single year, with the all-electric BMW i3, BMW i8, BMW iPerformance plug-in hybrids and the plug-in hybrid MINI Countryman all contributing to the figures. The company’s electrified range currently comprises nine electrified vehicles and will be further complemented in 2018 by the all-new BMW i8 Roadster. Shortly after that, battery-only solutions will be rolled out across the BMW Group’s core brands, with Plant Oxford starting production of the battery-powered MINI in 2019, and the battery-only BMW X3 following in 2020. The following year, 2021, will see the launch of the BMW Group’s new technology spearhead: the all-electric BMW iNEXT. This will be manufactured at Plant Dingolfing – a decision that underscores the importance of Germany as a base for future technologies and a centre of excellence for electric mobility.

courtesy: www.press.bmwgroup.com