Malaysia Airlines Wins 'Best Airlines In Asia' Award At Itb Berlin

PHOTO: Travel Weekly Asia

National airline Malaysia Airlines has scooped the Best Airline in Asia Award at this year’s International Council of Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) International Travel Awards at ITB Berlin.

 Malaysia Airlines group chief executive officer Izham Ismail said the award is dedicated to its employees who focus on delivering a world-class travel experience for its passengers every day.

 “It is testament to our commitment to offering passengers a fantastic experience both in the air and on the ground,” he said in a statement.

As a thank you to its loyal guests, Malaysia Airlines will be offering 25 per cent off on fares to selected destinations including Hong Kong and Sydney.

This offer is valid until midnight March 12, 2019 for travel between now and May 31, 2019.

 Guests can book their tickets at Malaysia Airlines’ participating travel agents or visit Malaysia Airlines’ website at www.malaysiaairlines.com

SOURCE: BERNAMA

NASA Unveils Stunning Images Of Merging Supersonic Shockwaves

FOTO: NASA/ENDGADGET

NASA has developed a new imaging technique that let them capture, for the first time, the interaction of shockwaves from two supersonic jets. 

They were taken by a new, high-speed camera system developed to help NASA design a supersonic airplane that produces much quieter sonic booms. "We never dreamed that it would be this clear, this beautiful," said NASA physical scientist J.T. Heineck.

The jets shown in the images are T-38s flying at 28,000 feet or so. They were captured by a B200 King Air flying a pattern just 2,000 feet above them, equipped with 1,400 fps cameras mounted on a special arm.

They show the shockwaves, or rapid pressure changes that result when an aircraft flies faster than the speed of sound, which is about 682 MPH at 30,000 feet. 

The above image was taken in black and white, but later colorized to show the relative air pressures around the shock waves.

"What's interesting is, if you look at the rear T-38, you see these shocks kind of interact in a curve," said research engineer Neal Smith. 

"This is because the trailing T-38 is flying in the wake of the leading aircraft, so the shocks are going to be shaped differently. This data is really going to help us advance our understanding of how these shocks interact."

NASA has been able to image single shockwaves for awhile using a technique called Shlieren photography, which takes advantage of the fact that light rays bend with changes in fluid density. 

Really loud sonic booms are produced when multiple shocks merge together, so NASA refined the technique so that it would work better with multiple shockwaves.

The imaging system is crucial to NASA and Lockheed Martin's development of the X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology X-plane, or X-59 QueSST. 

It's designed to reduce explosive sonic booms -- which can cause damage over inhabited areas -- to a low rumble.

If such supersonic flights become legal over land, they'll change the face of air travel by reducing many trips by up to half. Several companies are working on quiet supersonic jet designs and one of them, Boom, has even taken deposits from airlines.

Before any overland flights can happen, however, NASA will have to convince the FAA and other regulators that such planes won't cause damage or frighten inhabitants below. 

By producing images that dramatically illustrate the data, the new camera system represents a big step toward that goal. "We're seeing a level of physical detail here that I don't think anybody has ever seen before," said NASA senior engineer Dan Banks.

 "Just looking at the data for the first time, I think things worked out better than we'd imagined. This is a very big step."

SOURCE: ENDGADGET

Tesla Decides To Keep More Stores Open And Raise Prices Instead

PHOTO: TESLA

After saying that it will close most of its stores and go online-only, Tesla has changed its mind. The automaker announced that it will "only close about half as many stores" as it previously said, while reducing staff in some locations. 

In order to keep its revenue on track, Tesla added that it will raise vehicle prices "by about 3 percent on average worldwide."

The company stressed that its lowest-priced EV, the $35,000 Model 3, will not get a price hike. Rather, the increases "will only apply to the more expensive variants of Model 3, as well as the Model S and Model X," it said in a blog post.

Last month, we announced that we would be winding down many of our stores and moving to online-only sales in order to pass the savings along to our customers.

The company noted that it already shuttered 10 percent of sales locations that weren't generating sufficient foot traffic, and those will remain closed. 
However, several high-visibility locations that it closed will reopen "with a smaller Tesla crew," it said. "In addition, there are another 20 percent of locations that are under review, and depending on their effectiveness over the next few months, some will be closed and some will remain open."

The price hikes will go into effect in a week, giving potential buyers a chance to place orders before that happens. Purchases will still be done online, with Tesla store sales associates showing prospects how to purchase using the mobile app. 

Tesla adds that the seven day/1,000 mile return policy should eliminate the need for test drives in most cases, but "cars will still be available for test drives at stores at the potential Tesla owner's request." A small number will be kept in inventory if you want to drive away with one immediately, it added.

Tesla said it would close the stores in order to be able sell its EVs more cheaply, but the WSJ pointed out that Tesla would still be on the hook for $1.6 billion worth of leases. The company hasn't yet clarified why it partly reversed its initial decision, but Engadget has reached out for more information.

SOURCE: ENDGADGET

Volvo Capping Speed On Its Vehicles In Bid To Reduce Traffic Deaths To Zero

PHOTO: VOLVO

Swedish car-maker Volvo said on 4th MAC 2019 that it will introduce a 180kph (112mph) speed limiter on all new vehicles as it seeks to enhance safety credentials.

The move is part of Volvo’s Vision 2020 initiative to eliminate passenger fatalities and serious injuries by next year. However, the company is unlikely to meet the goal without additional measures to address driver behavior, according to its Chief Executive Hakan Samuelsson.

“We’ve realized that to close the gap we have to focus more on the human factors,” he told Reuters.

Volvo buyers often choose the brand for its safety, the top speed for its cars is currently 130mph.

According to the company, its passenger fatalities were already well below the industry average before the goal was announced in 2007.

Samuelsson said that in addition to the speed cap, it is planned to deploy technology using cameras that monitor the driver’s state and attentiveness. That will prevent people from driving while distracted or intoxicated, which are the two other big factors in accidents.

Volvo, which is owned by China’s Geely, is also looking at ways to use software and geo-fencing technology to limit the speed of its cars when they drive by schools and hospitals.

The speed cap could be a turn-off for some markets such as Germany, where drivers routinely travel at 200kph or more on unrestricted autobahns, the CEO noted.

“We cannot please everybody, but we think we will attract new customers,” he said, recalling that the rollout of three-point seat belts pioneered by Volvo in 1959 had initially been criticized by some as intrusive.

“I think Volvo customers in Germany will appreciate that we’re doing something about safety,” said Samuelsson.

According to National Safety Council estimates, 40,000 people were killed in traffic accidents in the US last year.

SOURCE: REUTERS

Singapore Is About to Trial Full-Size Driverless Buses

PHOTO: BLOOMBERG NEWS

Volvo AB is ready to start trialing full-sized driverless buses in Singapore, helping the city state take a step forward in the race to deploy autonomous public transport.

The electric buses, with a capacity close to 80 passengers, will soon begin driving at the campus of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, before trials are extended to public roads, the Swedish company and its partners said Tuesday.


Singapore has said it aims to operate scheduled services using autonomous buses during the off-peak periods in three residential areas away from the city center by 2022. 

The country has built a mini town for the testing of driverless vehicles, complete with intersections, traffic lights, bus stops and pedestrian crossings.

Volvo’s first full-sized electric autonomous bus, unveiled in Singapore Tuesday, “represents a key milestone for the industry,” Hakan Agnevall, president of Volvo Buses, said in a statement. “The journey towards full autonomy is undoubtedly a complex one.”

SOURCE: BLOOMBERG NEWS

Mercedes Unveils Its First Formula E Race Car

PHOTO: ENDGADGET

Mercedes-Benz said it would participate in Formula E this year, and now you know what it'll bring to the track. The tri-star badge has unveiled its first racer for the all-electric league, the EQ Silver Arrow 01 (no real relation to the Silver Arrow concept), and it's clear it will at least be competitive. 

The machine will pump out up to 340HP during qualifiers and in FanBoost mode (272HP in normal racing, 306HP in attack mode), and hit 62MPH in a brisk 2.8 seconds. There's a 52kWh battery to keep it humming throughout the entire race.

Those performance figures sound familiar, they should -- they're comparable to what you'll get from competitors like Jaguar. 

While Formula E entrants don't need identical components this year, league requirements will dictate a common level of performance.

You're not looking at the final livery, and motorsport team lead Toto Wolff warned that there was "a lot of work to do" before Mercedes' two vehicles start participating in Formula E on December 15th. 

It's still a big step, though, and it's notable that Mercedes is the only automaker participating in both Formula E and Formula 1. Not that you'd expect less than a strong presence this season. 

The company is launching the EQC SUV this year, and racing will both serve as a promotional tool and inform future EVs.

SOURCE: ENDGADGET

Big Name Automotive, Aerospace Companies Have Expressed Interest In Malaysia's Flying Car Project

FOTO: PAULTAN.ORG

SHAH ALAM — Automotive and aerospace companies such as Boeing, AirBus, Volvo, and Aston Martin have made advances and inquired about the flying car set to be developed by Malaysia, the Entrepreneur Development Minister revealed on Sunday (Mar 3).

Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof said other companies in the drone and aerospace industry have also made their interest known following the announcement.

“Following my statement, Boeing asked, Airbus have asked, Aston Martin, Volvo have all asked.

“They have inquired, they want to understand more,” he said when pressed on Boeing’s intended level of involvement in the project. 

Mr Mohd Redzuan said the project itself was intended to spur the local technology and aerospace industry, to encourage involvement from the youth in embracing technology.

“When there is reach out efforts from the ministry, we can develop an ecosystem to encourage the involvement of youth.

“We want to develop the surroundings so the youth are more familiar with the technology, as we want to bring out the best of our Malaysian talent to look into this industry,” he said.

Last Tuesday, Bernama reported Mohd Redzuan as saying Malaysia’s first flying car was being developed using local technology and the prototype would be unveiled this year.

He had said the main target would be towards transport services or related companies, and not for sale to the general public.

Mr Mohd Redzuan, after attending the Selangor Young Entrepreneurs Carnival closing ceremony at the Malawati Stadium on Sunday, however, revealed the prototype for the flying car was still at the drawing board stages.

He also hoped the prototype, which would be financed privately, would not exceed costs of more than RM1 million (S$332,351).

“Believe me, hopefully soon within this year if not after fasting month, I will invite all the local entrepreneurs to witness it themselves.

“Maybe one or two ministers will fly in a flying car, this is not something we should dispute,” he said during his address.

He added the innovation would most probably be first used in the agricultural and public transport industry, adding it could also aid in efforts to reach remote locations for various reasons.

“Maybe for the last mile efforts, where there is not enough infrastructure. Maybe a flying car is more feasible than a helicopter or a plane that needs additional facilities, he said. 

SOURCE: MALAY MAIL