Tag Archives: handed

Technology

5 Of James Bond’s Smartest Tech Gadgets We Wish We Could Buy

When it comes to communications, Q-Branch has provided 007 with mobile phones and car phones, and even created a phone booth trap for emergencies. However, modern handheld computers can now offer similar spy gadget functionalities, such as sending encrypted messages, translating audio recordings, and using GPS for navigating escape routes.

While smartphones from major brands offer a wide range of features, they still lack some of the unique capabilities of the Ericsson JB988, which is considered one of the most impressive Q-issued marvels used by James Bond.

The Ericsson JB988 made its debut in “Tomorrow Never Dies” and proved to be more than just a regular phone. Despite not having a touch screen or high-resolution display, this top-secret device was equipped with a fingerprint scanner and lockpicking mechanism. It also had self-defense and anti-theft features, delivering a stunning 20,000-volt electric shock to anyone attempting unauthorized access.

What sets this phone apart as a cutting-edge piece of Bond’s innovative technology is its ability to remotely control a BMW 750iL using a touchpad, allowing the user to steer with just a thumb or finger. Additionally, it can activate the car’s espionage-related features, including the caltrop dispenser, cable cutter, and multiple rocket launchers.

Citreon

Brits Living in Cities Could Face Up to £18M in Fines for Parking Outside Marked Bays, Reveals Citroën UK

  • A study conducted by Citroën UK has discovered that the ten largest local authorities in the UK have issued more than 137,000 fines to drivers for not parking within the designated parking bays.
  • These fines have potentially cost British drivers around £18 million since 2019.
  • Edinburgh Council handed out the highest number of fines, recording 19,800 offenses.
  • The Citroën Ami, measuring 2.41 meters long and 1.39 meters wide, can fit in half the size of a standard parking bay. If everyone drove an Ami, local authorities could double the number of available parking spaces in their areas.
  • The Citroën Ami 100% Electric offers a groundbreaking approach to urban mobility, with an electric range of up to 46 miles and a top speed of 28mph.

 

 

According to new research conducted by Citroën UK, British drivers living in cities could be held accountable for fines of up to £18 million due to Penalty Charge Notices for failing to park their vehicles inside designated parking bays. A total of 137,000 fines were issued to motorists who parked outside the marked lines of parking bays since 2019, as revealed through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests made to the largest ten local authorities running cities in the UK, including all 32 London Boroughs*.

The study found that Edinburgh Council handed out the largest number of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) to drivers who parked outside the marked bays, with over 19,800 PCNs issued since 2019. In comparison, Tower Hamlets Council in London only issued 52 PCNs for the same offense during the same period.

Glasgow Council came in second place, issuing 17,800 PCNs since 2019, while Havering Council in London issued over 15,700. According to the AA, drivers who receive a PCN for a parking violation can face fines of up to £130**, meaning that the 137,000 fines received could have cost drivers up to £17.9 million. In London alone, over £9 million could have been collected from drivers who parked outside designated areas.

The Citroën Ami 100% Electric is specifically designed for navigating and parking in cities across the UK. With dimensions of just 2.41 meters long and 1.39 meters wide, the Ami 100% Electric can fit in half of a standard parallel parking space. The British Parking Association recommends parking spaces to be 4.8 meters long and 2.4 meters wide, which means that local authorities could double the number of available spaces in crowded urban areas if everyone used an Ami. This would also prevent drivers of larger vehicles from the risk of not fitting into a parking space.

Greg Taylor, Managing Director of Citroën UK, stated, “Our research shows that people are having difficulties parking their cars in urban environments, potentially making millions of motorists across the country liable for fines. The Ami 100% Electric is the perfect solution for driving in urban areas and represents an innovative and revolutionary way of navigating cities. It exemplifies the best of Citroën, offering creative and enjoyable solutions to real problems.”

As an electric mobility solution, the Ami produces zero emissions when used and features a 5.4kWh battery that can be fully charged in just four hours. With a range of up to 46 miles and a top speed of 28mph, the Ami 100% Electric is a modern and inventive solution that fulfills Citroën’s commitment to providing affordable and eco-friendly mobility solutions for all.

For more information about the Citroën Ami, please visit: https://www.citroen.co.uk/ami#my_ami_ami

 

Entertainment

Our Top 5 Favorite Cars from “The Price Is Right” in the Bob Barker Era

During his time as the host of “The Price is Right,” Bob Barker gave away keys to many impressive muscle cars. While Chargers, Mustangs, and Camaros all have their own reputation and on-screen presence, there is one muscle car that stands out as the coolest vehicle ever featured on the show. In 1982, Barker presented a Pontiac Trans Am, coinciding with the debut of “Knight Rider” and the peak of its popularity.

This particular Trans Am, unfortunately, did not possess any talking abilities, self-driving capabilities, or the power to rescue you from dangerous situations involving terrorists or mercenaries. However, it did come equipped with features such as pop-up headlights, full instrumentation, a tachometer, and reclining bucket seats. With a price tag of $11,202, the Trans Am was a bargain when compared to modern standards.

Even today, the Trans Am remains a timeless classic due to its sleek design, distinctive features, and impressive performance. As for David Hasselhoff, well, his popularity may be more limited to the German music scene.

News

New HiPhi Y makes UK debut at Goodwood’s Electric Avenue

The Chinese premium EV brand HiPhi has unveiled its new Y crossover to the UK public for the first time at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

This is HiPhi’s third production model and its second to be sold in Europe, following the upcoming release of the larger HiPhi X SUV later this year.

The Y is expected to open up new opportunities for the Shanghai-based company, targeting a lower price point and aiming for higher sales volumes compared to the X. It will also serve as the flagship vehicle for HiPhi’s expansion into Europe.

The initial models will be available in a left-hand-drive configuration, with right-hand-drive versions arriving in the UK later.

According to Autocar, the Y will prioritize usability and is estimated to have a range of around 500 miles on a single charge, based on China’s light-duty vehicle test cycle.

With dimensions of 4938mm long, 1958mm wide, and 1658mm tall, the Y is slightly larger than the Tesla Model Y.

It is powered by a 115kWh battery, with an optional smaller 76.6kWh unit. HiPhi has not yet revealed the full specifications for the model, but top-of-the-line versions are expected to offer up to 331bhp.

The Y is HiPhi’s first model to feature a set of rear gullwing doors, adding to its sleek design. It also showcases a front light bar, Y-shaped tail-lights, and a unique alloy wheel design.

Pricing details have not been released yet, but it is expected that the Y will be cheaper than the £75,000 X and Z grand tourer. The company anticipates accepting the first orders by the end of the year.

Volkswagen

Volkswagen Group increases all-electric deliveries by around 50 percent in the first half year

  • In the first six months, 321,600 all-electric vehicles (BEVs) were handed over to customers, compared with 217,200 in the same period last year
  • In Europe, the Group is the market leader in the BEV segment and gained market share, with deliveries increasing by 68 percent to 217,100 vehicles (H1 2022: 128,900)
  • Order bank in Western Europe remains good at around 200,000 BEVs
  • Hildegard Wortmann, member of the Group’s Extended Executive Committee for Sales: “With an increase in all-electric deliveries of around 50 percent in the first half of the year, the Volkswagen Group is systematically continuing its transformation. We are the market leader in Europe in this segment and have gained market share. Since May, we have again seen an improved trend in incoming orders here, after a certain reluctance on the part of our customers at the start of the year due to reduced subsidy programs, partly long waiting times and high inflation. In view of the recent significant reduction in delivery times, we expect this positive trend to continue in the coming months.”

The Volkswagen Group increased its deliveries of all-electric vehicles (BEVs) by 48 percent year-on-year to 321,600 vehicles in the first half of the year. The BEV share of total deliveries rose to 7.4 percent, up from 5.6 percent in the first six months of the previous year. The Group achieved the highest growth in Europe, where deliveries rose by 68 percent to 217,100 BEVs. Here, the Volkswagen Group is the market leader and gained market share. Significantly more customers of a Group brand took delivery of their all-electric vehicles in the USA, too. The increase here was 76 percent to 29,800 vehicles. In China, deliveries were around two percent below the previous year’s level at 62,400 BEVs in a particularly competitive market environment. Recently, however, the trend here has also been positive. Following a lower first quarter, 18 percent more BEVs were handed over to customers in the world’s largest automotive market in the second quarter than in the prior-year period. Worldwide, the increase in the second quarter was 53 percent to 180,600 vehicles (118,000), and the BEV share of total deliveries rose to 7.7 percent (6.0) in this period.

Around 68 percent of the Group’s BEV deliveries were in its home region of Europe, followed by China with 19 percent and the USA with nine percent. Four percent went to other markets.

The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand delivered 164,800 vehicles by the end of June, slightly more than half of all BEVs in the Group. It was followed by Audi with 75,600 vehicles (group share 24 percent), ŠKODA with 31,300 vehicles (group share 10 percent), SEAT/CUPRA with 18,900 vehicles (group share 6 percent), Porsche with 18,000 vehicles (group share 6 percent) and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles with 12,300 vehicles (group share 4 percent).

The most successful BEV models in the first half of 2023 were:

    • Volkswagen ID.4/ID.5 101,200
    • Volkswagen ID.3 49,800
    • Audi Q4 e-tron (incl. Sportback) 48,000
    • ŠKODA Enyaq iV (incl. Coupé) 31,300
    • Audi Q8 e-tron (incl. Sportback) 19,500

Volkswagen Group – Deliveries of battery-electric vehicles (BEV) to customers

Deliveries to
customers by markets

Jan. – Mar.
2023

Jan. – Mar.
2022

Delta (%)

Apr. – Jun.
2023

Apr. – Jun.
2022

Delta (%)

Jan. – Jun.
2023

Jan. – Jun.
2022

Delta (%)

Europe

98,300

58,500

+68.1

118,900

70,400

+68.8

217,100

128,900

+68.5

USA

15,700

7,900

+98.0

14,000

9,000

+55.7

29,800

17,000

+75.5

China

21,500

28,800

-25.4

41,000

34,700

+18.0

62,400

63,500

-1.6

Rest of world

5,600

4,100

+37.1

6,700

3,900

+74.4

12,300

7,900

+55.3

Worldwide

141,000

99,200

+42.1

180,600

118,000

+53.0

321,600

217,200

+48.1

Deliveries to

customers by brands

Jan. – Mar.
2023

Jan. – Mar.
2022

Delta (%)

Apr. – Jun.
2023

Apr. – Jun.
2022

Delta (%)

Jan. – Jun.
2023

Jan. – Jun.
2022

Delta (%)

Brand Group Core

97,000

65,100

+49.0

130,300

82,400

+58.2

227,300

147,500

+54.1

Volkswagen

Passenger Cars

70,000

53,300

+31.2

94,800

62,500

+51.6

164,800

115,900

+42.2

ŠKODA

12,400

8,800

+40.6

18,900

13,400

+41.3

31,300

22,200

+41.0

SEAT/CUPRA

9,200

2,200

+318.9

9,700

6,100

+60.3

18,900

8,300

+128.7

Volkswagen

CommercialVehicles

5,500

700

+642.2

6,900

400

+1,680

12,300

1,100

+998.6

Brand Group Progressive

34,600

24,200

+42.7

41,100

25,800

+59.2

75,600

50,000

+51.2

Audi

34,600

24,200

+42.7

41,100

25,800

+59.2

75,600

50,000

+51.2

Lamborghini/Bentley

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

Brand Group Sport Luxury

9,200

9,500

-3.4

8,800

9,400

-6.0

18,000

18,900

-4.7

Porsche

9,200

9,500

-3.4

8,800

9,400

-6.0

18,000

18,900

-4.7

TRATON

300

400

-38.8

400

400

-7.1

600

800

-22.8

MAN

150

270

-44.7

250

270

-7.1

400

540

-26.2

Volkswagen

Truck & Bus

20

110

-83.8

20

0

+1,050

40

100

-65.0

Scania

70

20

+208.3

70

70

+9.2

150

90

+62.9

Navistar

10

20

-13.3

60

100

-40.0

70

110

-36.4

Volkswagen Group

(total)

141,000

99,200

+42.1

180,600

118,000

+53.0

321,600

217,200

+48.1

Media contact