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1The rear view of the BMW 5 series BMW posted flat third-quarter operating profit on Friday as investments in new technologies to cut pollution and increase safety ate into profits from sales of its premium cars. BMW said third-quarter earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) was 2.38bn in line with the 2.37bn consensus estimate in a Reuters poll. The return on sales at BMWs automotive division fell to 8.5pc from 9.1pc a year earlier the company said on Friday marking the 26th consecutive quarter automotive profits have been within its target range of between 8pc and 10pc. Read more:http://www.independent.ie/business/bmw-posts-flat-profits-as-investments-erode-automotive-margins-35187660.html Check out our other cash for cars profiles The post BMW posts flat profits as investments erode automotive margins appeared first on http://limerick.cashforcarsireland.com/ via Cash For Cars - Locations http://limerick.cashforcarsireland.com/bmw-posts-flat-profits-as-investments-erode-automotive-margins/

Rapid changes are happening in the world of automobiles and an inter-disciplinary approach is imperative for success, Vice President of Robert Bosch, T V Sriram said at the inauguration of Bosch Centre for Automotive Electronics at Kumaraguru College of Technology (KCT) here.

COIMBATORE: Robert Bosch is now moving from being an automotive company to one in the connectivity and mobility space using the Internet of Things (IOT), said a senior company official.

Rapid changes are happening in the world of automobiles and an inter-disciplinary approach is imperative for success, Vice President of Robert Bosch, T V Sriram said at the inauguration of Bosch Centre for Automotive Electronics at Kumaraguru College of Technology (KCT) here.

Google and Tesla, who do not have any background in automobiles, have got into making cars and more and more functions in the automobiles are becoming not only electronic but software driven, he said.

Stating that 60 to 70 per cent of Bosch revenues today come from automobile products and solutions, Sriram said that the company is now moving from being an automotive company to one in the connectivity and mobility space using the IOT.

“Bosch is increasingly looking at people who are not only technically sound but who can engineer new solutions,” he said.

The new centre based in the automobile department will be one of 6 such centres in colleges across India, KCT Joint Correspondent Shankar Vanavarayar said.

It will be inter-disciplinary and students from 6 departments will have access to it, and the partnership could bring out significant outcomes not only for the student but for the automobile sector as a whole.

The new centre uses the version currently used at Bosch, he said after exchanging an MoU between KCT and Bosch.

Bosch has set up a curriculum in automobile engineering for KCT which is offered both as a core subject and as an elective, Anil Prakash, General Manager-HR and Head of University Relations, said.

This has been followed up by the setting up of the Lab, he said.

The controller and the hardware devices in the centre were contemporary and were used in the i8 engine of the BMW.

It was ahead of the kits used for training freshers at Bosch.

Read more: http://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/auto-components/bosch-forays-into-automotive-electronics/55469794

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The Stelvio, named after a harrowing mountain pass in the Italian Alps, is built on FCA’s new Giorgio platform, which also underpins Alfa’s Giulia compact sport sedan.

It will be built at FCA’s plant in Cassino, Italy, and makes its global debut Wednesday at the Los Angeles Auto Show. It is expected to begin appearing in showrooms in 2017.

Alfa is the latest luxury marque — after Porsche and most recently Jaguar, Bentley, Maserati and Lamborghini — to expand beyond a traditional car lineup and market increasingly popular SUVs and crossovers.

Fiat Chrysler is banking on the Stelvio to provide a big spark to the low-volume brand’s U.S. sales, which have slumped 23 percent this year to 441 vehicles, most of which are the 4C coupe and 4C Spider.

Alfa Romeo returned to the U.S. market in late 2014 after a nearly two-decade absence and is betting on the Stelvio to help draw a new generation of buyers as well as fans of rival German brands.

“American drivers are still getting to know the Alfa Romeo brand, and the introduction of the Stelvio is the best way to gain exposure to consumers in the bustling premium utility segment,” said Eric Lyman, chief analyst for TrueCar.

Fiat Chrysler is investing $6 billion to expand Alfa’s product lineup with the goal of generating global sales of 400,000 in 2018. The Stelvio is expected to account for a major chunk of that volume.

Reid Bigland, the global head of Alfa Romeo, told Autocar UK that the Stelvio will stand above its German competitors because of how it drives.

“The reason people will buy our midsized SUV is because they will get blown away by the driving dynamics,” he said. “Every car Alfa makes must stand apart for that reason. This car will not disappoint.”

The Stelvio will come with two available engines. The base model and midtrim Ti is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four with direct injection making 280 hp and 306 pounds-feet of torque. The top-end Quadrifoglio is powered by a 2.9-liter biturbo V-6 engine that generates 505 hp and 443 pounds-feet of torque — good for a 0 to 60 mph time of 3.9 seconds, according to press materials obtained by Automotive News. The V-6 also features cylinder deactivation, allowing it to conserve fuel by shutting off half of its cylinders when not under load.

The all-wheel-drive crossover features a torque vectoring differential to improve traction and stability, while its standard Q4 all-wheel-drive system allows transfer of up to 60 percent of torque to the front axle.

Inside the cabin, the Stelvio shares a number of features with the Giulia, including its climate controls, flat-bottomed steering wheel with paddle shifters, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto-compatible infotainment system.

They also share Alfa’s “DNA” selector knob, allowing the driver to change driving dynamics, including Race modes for the Quadrifoglio models. A second rotary dial in the center console controls the infotainment system.

When it enters production next year, the Stelvio will be available in 13 exterior colors with a sizable number of interior trim and color choices. Pricing was not announced.

First seen: http://www.autonews.com/article/20161116/OEM04/311169998/alfas-first-crossover-takes-aim-at-germanys-best

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PARIS — The Mitsubishi stand at this year’s Paris auto show featured a familiar sight for the brand: a bold crossover concept wrapped around a next-generation plug-in hybrid powertrain.

This time, it was the GT-PHEV Concept — also dubbed the Ground Tourer — the latest in a string of global auto show concept debuts from Mitsubishi over the past three years.

But next year, Mitsubishi’s debuts will stop being concepts and start being production models, highlighted by a design shift spearheaded by Tsunehiro Kunimoto, an elder statesman of style who joined Mitsubishi as its global design chief in 2014 at age 64 after 40 years at Nissan.

Kunimoto’s goal at Mitsubishi is straightforward yet daunting: Play up the tough heritage and historically stout reputation of Mitsubishi’s SUVs while challenging expectations and moving the brand firmly into the 21st century.

To do this, he studied Mitsubishi’s heritage on a global scale as soon as he arrived.

“Mitsubishi can challenge [rivals] because of our heritage, our history,” Kunimoto told Automotive News at the Paris show, citing the well-regarded Montero/Pajero SUV twins that earned the brand its off-road chops around the world for decades. “That’s what the customer expects of a Mitsubishi — very tough, reliable, solid — that’s what I want to maintain and improve that image.”

The Ground Tourer itself is a hint at what the next-generation Outlander will look like when it arrives in 2019. That production model is expected to grow incrementally and move upmarket, echoing the ascent of Mazda’s recent CX-9 crossover.

With this in mind, the concept in Paris showed off a more upscale design theme. The roof is painted darker than the body, and the C-pillar is blacked out, a device designers of the Lexus RX and Nissan Murano have used recently to make the cabin seem less heavy.

The effect is a “floating roof” look similar to that of the Land Rover Range Rover line; this feature is expected to carry over to the production vehicle, Kunimoto said.

The inside of the Ground Tourer’s also hints at the future of Mitsubishi, relying on horizontal lines to maximize outward visibility and increase the feeling of space and featuring a high center console that’s aimed at giving the driver and front passenger a sense of security, Kunimoto said.

The new direction for Mitsubishi and Kunimoto on production models starts next spring with the arrival of a new compact crossover at the Geneva auto show.

Read more: http://www.autonews.com/article/20161015/OEM03/310179882/mitsubishis-concepts-are-about-to-get-real

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Volkswagen Group says it has visited selected partners in the FAST (Future Automotive Supply Track) initiative at the International Suppliers Fair (IZB) for intensified work on ‘digitilisation’. The motto of this year’s industry showcase for suppliers was “digitalisation of mobility”.

The Volkswagen Group says it is intensifying its efforts to master digital change and the associated transformation in the automotive industry ‘together with suppliers in a future-oriented way’. Following a successful launch, the Volkswagen Group is expanding its FAST initiative to other materials groups such as components for the connected car. To date, 55 strategic partners for 61 fields of competence have been named under the FAST initiative.

Matthias Müller, VW Group CEO, said: “The digitalisation of mobility is one of the key trends in our industry. It is therefore only logical that this topic should be the main focus here at the International Suppliers Fair over the next few days. Digital networking is changing our customers and their expectations concerning ‘mobility’. It is changing our products. And it is changing the way we develop, source, produce and market these products. We intend to shape this epoch-making transformation together with our partners from the supply industry.”

In June, the group launched its “Together – Strategy 2025”, which defines a comprehensive transformation process for the Volkswagen Group. Together with digitalisation, electrification and mobility services, one of the cornerstones of this strategy is a stronger emphasis on partnerships to place the innovative power of the Group on an even broader footing.

With reference to the motto of this year’s IZB, Johann Jungwirth, chief digital officer of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, said: “As a result of the digital transformation of mobility, the automotive industry is experiencing the greatest disruption since the invention of the automobile. We are transforming ourselves from a hardware company into an integrated hardware, software and services company. We must keep up our efforts in the field of hardware but will also need to bring software and services up to the same high level. It is a tremendous competitive advantage for us that we already engage in close corporation not only internally, with our 12 strong Group brands, but also externally with a large number of competent partners. This also characterises our Together Strategy 2025.”

Dr. Francisco Javier Garcia Sanz, member of the board of management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft responsible for purchasing and patron of the IZB, said with regard to cooperation with suppliers: “The technological megatrends in the automotive industry such as autonomous driving, electrification of powertrains and the rapidly increasing pace of networking can only be mastered together with our suppliers. We need to work hand in hand, to pool our strengths and to create synergy effects. This is the only way to keep abreast of digital change. Close and constructive partnership with our suppliers will be the key to success. The Future Automotive Supply Tracks (FAST) initiative offers an appropriate framework.”

To date, Volkswagen has nominated 55 strategic partners as FAST suppliers in 61 areas of competence. These partners are involved in product innovation cycles within the group at an earlier stage than was previously the case. In addition, production networks are being meshed even more closely with each other to create synergy effects and to make the best possible use of these networks. Following a successful start, the number of partners is to be increased, especially in view of the challenges posed by digitalisation. Qualification discussions are currently underway.

“Thanks to the early involvement of suppliers in our processes, we have already been able to take up some ideas of our suppliers over the past few months and to take them into account from the beginning of the product creation process. This will bring innovations onto the road and to our customers faster,” Garcia Sanz added.

Read more: http://www.just-auto.com/news/vw-group-ramps-up-digital-initiatives-with-fast-suppliers_id172828.aspx

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New-car buyers want the communications/information technology in their vehicles to mirror and interact with the technology in their smartphone. That desire is getting closer and closer to being fully realized according to the J.D. Power 2016 Smartphone Automotive Mirroring (SAM) Report.Technologies like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are allowing vehicle owners to use the larger screen in their vehicle to take advantage of the more advanced internet-connected functions found on their smartphone. Consumer demand is increasing for more advanced in-vehicle connectivity and the technology is there but the integration is far from seamless said Kathy Rizk director of automotive consulting at J.D. Power. Owners want their vehicle systems to become an extension of their smartphone experience with the same speed responsiveness and functionality. But early feedback is mixed and J.D. Power consultants have independently uncovered significant concerns with some of the current market executions. 2016 Buick LaCrosse Apple CarPlay photo According to Rizk when smartphone mirroring technology doesnt function the way owners expect it to they are more likely to blame the automaker than their personal device. Since 2013 the two most prevalent problems reported (far more frequently than other problems according to the report) are Bluetooth pairing/poor connectivity and problems understanding voice commands. In 2016 those two issues combined for an average of 14 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100).work well but those of lesser quality can greatly magnify those problems the report suggests. An independent analysis by J.D. Power consultants of the same systems measured in the 2016 U.S. Initial Quality Studysubstantiates this state of affairs. The SAM Report discusses these issues and provides insights into the various integration executions that are currently in use. These issues are compounded by the fact that the presence of smartphone mirroring technology in a vehicleand the hope that it will improve the user experienceis often a key purchase decision factor for many owners said Rizk. When this technology does not function as well as expectedand in fact creates new and unique problemsowners are understandably frustrated. Even when they experience problems with mirroring and interactivity most owners using Android Auto or Apple CarPlay express appreciation for the additional functionalities offered. They also appear pleased that they have the choice between their factory-installed system and smartphone mirroring. Thus demand for this sort of technology is likely to grow particularly as it becomes more reliable. Currently 10 vehicle brands offer one or both Android and Apple technologies in select 2016 model-year vehicles in this years U.S. Initial Quality Study but the number of brands and models offering the technologies has increased substantially for the 2017 model year with many models slated to introduce smartphone mirroring technology in the future. The likely result of increased smartphone mirroring presence is that the impact on vehicle quality is expected to increase as well said Rizk. Automakers that can get smartphone mirroring right have the potential to reduce problems and improve satisfaction. And with driver distraction increasingly becoming an area of concern it is more important than ever to strike the appropriate balance between owner demand for feature contenting and keeping driver distraction minimized. Consumer Tips Based on the report J.D. Power offers the following consumer tips: Be aware that smartphone in-vehicle information/communication systems and mirroring technologies are all evolving and will continue to evolve. Inform yourself of the changes that are likely to occur. If this sort of technology is important to you test it in each vehicle that you test drive. Look for technological improvements that will reduce driver distraction. Make sure your in-vehicle systems will hold their technological edge as new smartphone models are introduced. Youre likely to buy a new updated smartphone sooner than youll buy a new car. Read More:https://www.yahoo.com/tech/2016-smartphone-automotive-mirroring-report-231653083.html Get in touch for a cash for cars quote The post New Mirroring Technology to Make Your Car Work Like Your Smartphone appeared first on http://galway.cashforcarsireland.com/ via Cash For Cars - Locations http://galway.cashforcarsireland.com/new-mirroring-technology-make-car-work-like-smartphone/

There’s a lot of fear-mongering around the issue of automotive cybersecurity, following some high-profile instances of hackers gaining control of a car’s steering and acceleration.

But a growing number of experts say creating havoc on the roads is not the primary threat from car hackers. They may be after something much more mundane: your money.

“Hacking into a car and controlling it without visuals would be a psychotic thing to do; few people would want to do that,” said Craig Smith, a security research director at Rapid7, a cybersecurity company. “The ones that would invest a lot of time and energy are usually after data.”

Primarily financial data.

Criminal hacking attempts are a certainty in the future connected-car environment, said Di Ma, a professor at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. However, since most cases of vehicle hacks so far have been by researchers, it’s difficult to predict the manner and severity of real-world criminal hacks.

Security experts have an idea of what attracts hackers, based on what they can surmise from hackers’ current capabilities and the kinds of threats other connected industries have dealt with. Only a minority of criminals would be motivated by physical attacks — money will be a much stronger motivator, said Andre Weimerskirch, vice president of cybersecurity at Lear Corp.

“Attackers will try to find exploits that provide a financial incentive, and it seems that safety-critical attacks don’t provide any obvious monetary return,” Weimerskirch wrote in an email to Automotive News.

Here’s what hackers could do for money, according to Weimerskirch:

• Remotely unlock a vehicle and steal it.

• Charge drivers ransom in exchange for regaining control of their car.

• Crack into cellphones connected via USB ports and steal credit card information, or use location data and apps to break into the driver’s home.

Vehicle connectivity also can help hackers locate police cars or listen to conversations via Bluetooth microphone, Smith said.

“Conversations in the back of a limo can hold a lot of value,” he wrote. “That’s much more interesting for an attacker.”

Many cars on the road today have the ability to wirelessly communicate both internally between vehicle components and externally with other devices such as cellphones and laptops. In 2020, IHS Automotive estimates, 55 percent of new vehicles sold globally will be connected, and about half of cars on the road will have some level of connectivity.

Connectivity makes cars vulnerable to outside hacks. Though the number of connected vehicles has grown quickly, only about 40 percent of automakers have a dedicated cybersecurity unit, according to a survey conducted by McKinsey & Co., and less than half of automakers said their cybersecurity team was well-prepared to handle hacking threats. Nearly 85 percent rated their exposure risk to cybersecurity threats at medium to high.

To defend against attacks, automakers need to constantly monitor vehicles for software bugs and potential weaknesses and be able to “triage” issues as they appear via processes such as over-the-air updates, Smith said. Open communication within the industry also can help automakers identify potential vulnerabilities before they are exploited by a hacker.

“Vehicles are now mainly software,” he said. But it will be impossible to prevent every problem, he said. “Even if you do everything right, something could have a bug in it somewhere down the road.”

Read more: http://www.autonews.com/article/20161017/OEM06/310179880/what-do-car-hackers-really-want

The rumors regarding Apples enigmatic car project might finally be coming to an end. No the California-based tech giant isnt buying McLaren and its not teaming up with BMW to build an autonomous car based on the all-electric i3. The latest report claims the company has simply canceled its ballyhooed entry into the automotive industry. That doesnt mean the millions of dollars that Apple poured into its attempt to disrupt the industry are going to waste. While the company has allegedly given up on building its own car for the time being its still paying some of the brightest minds in Silicon Valley to develop a modular self-driving platform that it hopes to one day sell to customers automakers or both. Think of it as Apple CarPlay on steroids. In theory focusing on software will allow Apple to grab a slice of the auto industry without having to face the daunting task of navigating safety and emission regulations around the world and without having to figure out how to set up a network of reliable suppliers. The company will also have a suite of technology ready to go if it ever changes its mind about becoming an automaker. The new strategy has had a profound impact on Project Titan the 1000-strongteam spearheading Apples entry into the auto industry.Apple dismissed a first wave of employees in August and a second wave was let go last month according to sources familiar with Project Titan who spoke with Bloomberg. Notably the news agency has learned that over 120 software engineers and hundreds of hardware engineers were sent home. Other employees left on their own some citing worries about job security and general annoyance at the constant leadership squabbles. Project Titanwas given until late next year to demonstratethe self-driving platforms feasibility and to decide on the best way to launch it. Apple is one of the most secretive companies in the world so it goes without saying that executives havent commented on the report. Read more:http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/apples-project-titan-shifts-direction-news-report-details/ The post APPLES AUTOMOTIVE PROJECT TAKES THE EXIT RAMP appeared first on http://limerick.cashforcarsireland.com/ via Cash For Cars - Locations http://limerick.cashforcarsireland.com/apples-automotive-project-takes-the-exit-ramp/

The brand’s cars are expected to go on sale first in China next year and later in Europe and the U.S.

The brand will be used to launch the first vehicle based on the Compact Modular Architecture platform developed by Geely and Swedish automaker Volvo, which Geely acquired from Ford Motor six years ago.

The new middle market brand will compete in China with Chinese-foreign venture cars such as those produced by General Motors and SAIC Motor Corp. — leaving Volvo to focus on the luxury end and Geely to go up against domestic producers.

The brand is codenamed “L” representing Lynk & Co, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. It has already launched a holding website, showing next week’s launch date.

Geely declined to comment.

The website — lynkco.com — shares Internet license and other registration details with Geely and China Euro Vehicle Technology, a subsidiary that coordinates research and development with Volvo. The site does not, though, provide details on the brand or cars.

“As you have seen on the Lynk & Co website, CEVT is indeed the company behind this website and it’s no secret that it is developing the CMA platform for Geely Auto,” said Stefan Lundin, a CEVT spokesman based in Sweden.

Lundin said Lynk & Co would launch on Oct. 20 in Berlin, but declined to elaborate on the nature of the venture.

Lynk & Co will enter a tough Chinese auto market where the car industry has struggled with slowing economic growth since last year. Geely has weathered the slowdown better than most, with sales of its feature-packed cars growing for 16 consecutive months to September.

Launching a new car brand can cost hundreds of millions of dollars, if not billions, according to James Chao, Asia-Pacific chief for IHS Markit Automotive.

The brand will launch with an SUV and sedan is also under development for the new brand, sources told Reuters in April, The marque’s cars would first be sold in China and later in the U.S. and Europe, the sources said.

The cars will be sold through Geely’s existing dealership network in China, said one individual with direct knowledge of the plan. New factories will be set up to make cars for the new brand and once it is established in China it will export to other markets, the person said.

A separate Lynk & Co website posted to its official Weibo account announces a contest to guess what future modes of transportation might be. “What can cars still bring us? What new possible means of travel will tomorrow bring?”

First seen: http://www.autonews.com/article/20161014/COPY01/310149966/volvo-owner-geely-prepares-launch-of-new-car-brand