Vehicles
Why SMC’s Us$10-B Airport Is Needed
SMC, which has diversified from food and beverage to infrastructure, plans to pursue the project under the government’s 25-year build-operate-transfer (BOT) scheme.
MANILA – Foresight could have spurred powerhouse San Miguel Corp. (SMC) to build its proposed US$10 billion airport as the nation’s new international gateway.
Reflecting its dynamism as a major infrastructure builder, the airport takes into account the rapid rise of passenger traffic in Metro Manila, the nation’s trade and industry hub.
From 31.88 million in 2012, the traffic is projected to rise to 49.8 million in 2020, 75 million in 2030, and 106.7 million in 2040.
The projection, which includes expected traffic from neighboring Central Luzon and Calabarzon regions, is based on a study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).
As SMC has envisioned, the facility aims to replace the congested and more than three decades old
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 in Pasay city.
BOT scheme
As it is now, the NAIA is handling over eight million domestic and international passengers a year, nearly double its designed capacity of 4.5 million.
Unlike the NAIA, the new airport would have four runways to cater to a high-passenger capacity.
Under SMC’s proposal, the airport will initially cover the NAIA’s 400-hectare area to be expanded later to 800 hectares.
The scheme allows SMC to operate the project to recoup investments before turning it over to the
The conglomerate’s proposed airport coincides with the expansion plan of its aviation unit Philippine Airlines (PAL), a joint venture with ethnic Chinese taipan Lucio Tan. SMC has a 49 percent stake in the national flag carrier, while Tan owns the remaining 51 percent.
Expansion plans
Eyeing the lucrative United States route, PAL’S plan calls for the deployment of its fleet of newly acquired Boeing 777-300ER aircraft for the long-haul flights to the US.
The flag carrier viewed the reclassification of the country’s aviation safety rating to Category 1 as a boost to tourism and trade that would open new and exciting opportunities for PAL.
Passengers can enjoy nonstop flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco aboard new aircraft equipped with the most modern cabin and state-of the-art amenities, including lie-flat beds in business class, PAL President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon S. Ang said.
Currently, PAL operates a total of 26 weekly flights to the US, with frequencies to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu and Guam.
The flag carrier intends to deploy six Boeing 777-300Ers costing about US$1.2 billion, part of the airline’s fleet modernization program, for the US flights.
For flights to Honolulu and Guam, PAL will continue to utilize new wide-body Airbus A330-300s and single-aisle A320-200s.
Apart from fostering a new era in the flag carrier’s transpacific service, Ang said PAL would also explore possible airline partnerships with foreign carriers to maximize the company’s growth potential.
BMW debuts X4 compact crossover
SO you want the BMW X6 but think it’s too big for you? Well, the German carmaker has the perfect solution: Put the midsize crossover under a shrink ray to produce the X4 compact crossover.
At 4,671mm long, the X4 is just 14mm longer than the X3 but, at 1,624mm high, is 36mm lower to the ground “and cuts a dynamic profile with its perfectly balanced proportions and distinctive sporting character.”
Although the X4 is based on the same platform as the X3, it does have a character of its own. The large air intakes on the front corners, for example, not only give the vehicle a muscular and agile appearance, but also lower the car’s center of gravity visually. In addition, the coupe-like roofline reaches its apex over the front seats, supposedly reflecting BMW’s traditional driver focus on its vehicles, before it drops toward the boot lid.
Inside, the X4’s driver-focused cabin has electroplated accents, high-gloss black panels, and aluminum strip in the wood paneling to give it a luxurious ambience.
The X4 will be made available with three gasoline engines and three diesel powerplants, all Euro 6-compliant, including the X4 xDrive20d’s new-generation 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel engine, paired with an eight-speed Steptronic transmission. Delivery of the BMW X4 to global dealerships will begin in July this year.
Lawmaker Wants Driver, PUV Info Posted
A LAWMAKER wants commuters to have access to information about the driver and the operator of the public-utility vehicle they are riding on, to “enhance their safety and protection.”
Based on House Bill 3767, which was filed by Rep. Lorna Velasco (AMA party list), laminated display cards bearing information about the driver, the operator and the vehicle must be posted conspicuously inside all PUVs. The information should also be “visible and readable to all passengers thereof.”
“The information will certainly empower the passengers and ease the process of reporting abuses and crimes committed against them by erring public-transport operators and/or the latter’s agents,” said Velasco. “It is a lamentable fact that, in some cases, the driver himself/herself is involved in the commission of these crimes. Also, a number of PUVs are being used as instruments to commit unlawful acts on a daily basis.”
According to the bill, the laminated display card shall include the complete name and the contact number of the driver, the driver’s picture, his or her license number and its date of expiration, and the complete name and contact number of the PUV’s operator or owner.
The display card shall also bear the PUV’s plate number, body number (whenever applicable), certificate of public convenience license number, authorized route as reflected in the PUV’s certificate of public convenience, and theLand Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board hotline or contact number.
If the bill is passed into law, its violators will be penalized and fined with “not more than P20,000 for the first offense and not more than P50,000 and suspension of the PUV’s franchise and driver’s license for the second offense.”
Compact Cars Drive Vehicle Sales Up
VEHICLE sales of a group of importers climbed in the low double-digits last month on the back of brisk demand for passenger cars.
In a statement, the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors Inc (AVID) said its member-companies sold 2,675 units in February, 14 percent more than the 2,338 last year.
Last month’s performance brought the year-to-date tally to 5,866 units, up 18 percent from the 4,963 sold in the same two months of 2013.
Driving sales last month was the 26-percent increase in the number of passenger cars sold at 1,311 units from last year’s 1,043.
AVID attributed the uptick to sales of the Eon and Grand i10 models of Hyundai Asia Resources Inc (HARI).
The light commercial vehicle segment registered a slower five percent sales uptick at 1,364 units from last year’s 1,295.
“Sparked by unified drive of providing quality brand innovations, we at AVID remain committed to deliver value-rich experiences through premium customer service and pioneering world-class products,” the group’s president, Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo, said.
Ford Mustang Goes Hi-Tech
Ford Motor Co. has packed the redesigned Mustang with new technologies to boost its global appeal.
The 2015 model is equipped with a standard backup camera and push-button ignition; cross-traffic alert, which warns drivers of oncoming traffic when backing out of parallel and perpendicular parking spaces; forward collision warning; and adaptive cruise control.
Drivers also will be able to individually monitor the pressure of each tire on the cluster for the first time, and toggle through four selectable driving modes that fit them best.
To top it off, the Mustang will be the first Ford vehicle available with the next generation of the AppLink smart phone connectivity system.
The 2015 Mustang goes on sale in the fall.
But even with a plethora of new gadgets to give it a global shine, Ford made sure the Mustang retained its essence, Scott Lindstrom, Ford’s driver assist technologies manager, said during a Mustang tech briefing today.
“Mustang has always been a great car, always had a big V-8, always been fun to drive, but as we looked to make it a truly global sports car we recognized we really had to add some technology,” Lindstrom said. “Right now, it’s definitely the most technologically advanced Mustang we ever made.”
Steve Ling, Ford car marketing manager, said the technology on the new Mustang is all driver-focused.
The Track Apps feature, a set of applications in the instrument cluster that collects performance data, has been given a global touch. The system, available since 2013, now has a metric system translator. Track Apps comes standard in the Mustang EcoBoost and GT.
Jon Ohland, a Ford electrical systems engineer, said Track Apps “provides an indication to the driver of how the vehicle is performing, and it also can give an indication of when the vehicle performance is degrading or improving.” (Vince Bond Jr./ Automotive News)
Volvo Gets Serious On Driver Sensing Tech
Volvo has always been known for its stance on car safety. Whether that’s through headrests, airbags or seatbelts, or simply building cars tougher than the objects they’re likely to smash into, it’s given Volvo one of the safest reputations in the industry.
Modern safety thinking is a lot more high-tech, and concentrates as much on preventing accidents as surviving them. Ensuring the driver is alert is a big part of that, and Volvo’s latest technology allows the car to sense when the driver is tired or not paying attention. The system bathes the driver in infrared light, undetectable by the driver but enough for infrared sensors to pick up the driver’s position and eye movements.
Start to drift off to sleep, and the car will spot your inattentiveness, the periods with your eyes closed, perhaps your body position changing–and prevent you falling asleep entirely. Even if you’re just not paying attention–maybe you’re adjusting the radio, or arguing with a passenger–the system will notice and alert you, perhaps encouraging you to keep your eyes on the road. In the meantime, the car’s other safety systems can prevent you straying from your lane or getting too close to the car in front.
But there’s more to it than that. Driver sensing also has other, less safety-orientated benefits. By recognizing the person sitting behind the wheel, the car could feasibly organize the car’s various adjustable features–seat, wheel, mirrors–to that particular driver. Okay, so plenty of cars do the same with a mere button press, but that’s not very 21st-century, is it? More unique is the ability to adjust the car’s exterior lighting in the direction the driver is looking–taking adaptive lighting to a whole new level.
Volvo notes that these systems aren’t capable of photographing the driver, nor do they have a “surveillance” function–so even if your car recognizes you, it’s only appreciating your good looks. Volvo has already installed the various systems in test vehicles, so it may not be far from reality. More pertinent still, the technology could eventually serve a purpose in autonomous cars–determining whether a driver is ready to take the wheel again before the autonomous functions cede control. (Anthony Ingram/Motor Authority)
GM Names New Safety Chief Amid Recall Mess
GENERAL Motors named a new vehicle safety chief on Tuesday in response to a growing scandal over its failure to react to an ignition switch defect linked to 12 deaths.
In the newly created position of vice president for global vehicle safety, Jeff Boyer will have responsibility for the safety during development and testing of GM vehicles.
He will also be responsible for monitoring reports of problems that occur with vehicles after they are sold, and issuing recalls as needed.
“This new role elevates and integrates our safety process under a single leader so we can set a new standard for customer safety with more rigorous accountability,” GM chief Mary Barra said in a statement.
“If there are any obstacles in his way, Jeff has the authority to clear them. If he needs any additional resources, he will get them.”
The largest US automaker is facing multiple investigations by US authorities over its slowness to react to evidence linking a defective ignition switch to 31 accidents and 12 deaths in various models.
The problem was detected at the pre-production stage as early as 2001, but GM waited until last month to recall 1.6 million vehicles in North America.
The ignition recall is the first big crisis for Barra, who took the company’s helm on January 15 as the first woman to lead a major automaker.
Barra has responded forcefully, apologizing for the “terrible things” that happened after “something went wrong with our process” and vowing to make sure such mistakes don’t happen again.
She offered her condolences to the families of victims Tuesday, but the Detroit News reported that she declined to comment on whether GM would accept liability for accidents that happened prior to its 2009 emergence from bankruptcy.
“Clearly lives have been lost and lives have been affected and that is very serious,” Barra told reporters in Detroit.
“We want to extend our deep condolences for those losses.”
Barra launched an internal probe which resulted in the recall of nearly 1.8 million more vehicles Monday, for three different defects unrelated to the ignition problems.
Boyer, 58, has spent nearly 40 years in a wide range of engineering and safety positions at GM. He will provide regular updates to senior management and GM’s board of directors.
Compact Cars Drive Vehicle Sales Up
VEHICLE sales of a group of importers climbed in the low double-digits last month on the back of brisk demand for passenger cars.
In a statement, the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors Inc (AVID) said its member-companies sold 2,675 units in February, 14 percent more than the 2,338 last year.
Last month’s performance brought the year-to-date tally to 5,866 units, up 18 percent from the 4,963 sold in the same two months of 2013.
Driving sales last month was the 26-percent increase in the number of passenger cars sold at 1,311 units from last year’s 1,043.
AVID attributed the uptick to sales of the Eon and Grand i10 models of Hyundai Asia Resources Inc (HARI).
The light commercial vehicle segment registered a slower five percent sales uptick at 1,364 units from last year’s 1,295.
“Sparked by unified drive of providing quality brand innovations, we at AVID remain committed to deliver value-rich experiences through premium customer service and pioneering world-class products,” the group’s president, Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo, said.
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