February 09, 2006
Lexus GS hybrid raises bar on luxury
Lexus which unveiled the all-new 2007 Lexus GS 450h hybrid luxury sedan at the Montreal International Auto Show in January is again setting new standards for premium hybrids.
The GS 450h is the first full-hybrid in the world to feature a front engine and rear wheel drive. As such, the GS 450h is a ground-breaking vehicle, representing the next generation of luxury sedans.
Lexus has incorporated many performance, styling and safety features into the 2007 GS 450h. The GS 450h features the Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD) powertrain. It includes a 3.5-litre V6 engine and high torque electric motor that combine to deliver 335 horsepower at 6,200 rpm - for performance equivalent to a 4.5-litre V8.
Posted by admin at 12:43 PM | Comments (0)
February 08, 2006
Air China offers Internet Access on Flights
Air China will offer the Connexion by Boeing in-flight Internet service on up to 15 aircraft, Boeing according to Boeing. Installation of the equipment necessary for the service will begin in October. In-flight Internet access will initially be offered on Boeing 747-400 aircraft and may be expanded to other aircraft types, it said.
Air China joins a host of other airlines which have teamed up with Connexion By Boeing to offer in-flight Internet access. The service is currently available on some flights offered by South Korea's Asiana Airlines Inc. and Korean Air; Japan's All Nippon Airways Co. Ltd. and Japan Airlines Corp.; Taiwan's China Airlines Ltd.; Germany's Lufthansa AG; Singapore Airlines Ltd.; SAS AB's Scandinavian Airline System; and El Al Israel Airlines.
The Connexion By Boeing service uses a satellite link to provide an Internet connection of around 5M bps (bits per second) downstream and 1M bps upstream. The service can be offered throughout the aircraft's passenger cabin via wired LAN connections or wireless LAN.
Posted by admin at 01:41 PM | Comments (0)
February 07, 2006
Mitsubishi Motors to unveil MITSUBISHI Concept-CT MIEV hybrid sport compact and new Eclipse Spyder convertible at 2006 Detroit Motor Show
Tokyo, December 05, 2005 — Mitsubishi Motors Corporation and Mitsubishi Motors North America Inc. (MMNA, based in Cypress, California) will give the MITSUBISHI Concept-CT1 MIEV2 hybrid 4WD sport compact concept, which uses outer rotor type in-wheel motors and a lithium-ion battery system to drive all four wheels, and the new Eclipse Spyder convertible their world premieres at the 2006 North American International Auto Show (the Detroit Motor Show). The show will be held from January 8 to 22 at the Cobo Center in Detroit, and will be open to the general public from January 14.
MITSUBISHI Concept-CT MIEV showcases the company's MIEV concept for next-generation electric vehicles that utilizes in-wheel motors and high energy-density lithium-ion batteries as core technologies. This concept car pairs the MIEV concept with a gasoline engine for series-parallel hybrid propulsion, which delivers higher power and realizes longer cruising ranges, to drive all four wheels.
Created by the Mitsubishi Motors R&D of America, Inc. design studio based in Cypress, California, the MITSUBISHI Concept-CT MIEV sport hatchback is the company's first concept model for the sport compact category that is attracting growing attention in the North American market in recent years.
The new Eclipse Spyder is a convertible version of the Eclipse sporty coupe the company showed at the Detroit Motor Show in January of this year. Eclipse Spyder features a soft top which opens and closes at the touch of a switch, with a new powered tonneau panel. The car is powered by either a 2.4-liter in-line 4-cylinder MIVEC3 engine or a 3.8-liter V6 MIVEC engine. The 3.8-liter model will be available with a 5-speed automatic transmission with sport mode or a 6-speed manual transmission, both of which are new additions over the current Eclipse Spyder model.
Eclipse Spyder will be produced at the MMNA's facility in Normal, Illinois and is due to go on sale in the spring of 2006.
Posted by admin at 12:55 PM | Comments (0)
February 01, 2006
MALAYSIA AIRLINES VOTED ‘BEST AIRLINE TO ASIA’
Malaysia Airlines won the ‘Best Airline To Asia’ award in the 2006 Travel Weekly Globe Awards polls conducted by Travel Weekly, a UK based magazine.
Malaysia Airlines emerged winner in this category, overcoming stiff competition from 3 Asian, 1 European and 1 Middle East airlines nominated for this award, two of which were winners of this title in previous years.
Malaysia Airlines’ Regional Manager for United Kingdom and Europe, Mr Lim Cheng Hoe, received the award on behalf of the national airline at a presentation ceremony held in London last weekend.
Commenting on this achievement Malaysia Airlines’ Managing Director Mr Idris Jala said, “Malaysia Airlines is no stranger to winning awards for its high quality products and services. We thank the readers of Travel Weekly and travel agents in the UK who voted us for this award.”
Malaysia Airlines has signed an agreement with Lockheed Martin to replace the existing flight planning system and to procure a new real-time flight following solution, which will reduce fuel costs and improve flight operations.
Malaysia Airlines is the first commercial airline in Asia Pacific to procure the advanced integrated aviation management system, FltWindsTM and SPEAR System Performance Evaluation & Analysis Reporting from Lockheed Martin.
The contract calls for an integrated suite of technology to be installed at the Flight Operations Dispatch Centre (ODC) located at Kuala Lumpur International Airport by June 2006. The suite includes FltWinds, a flight and weather information tool and decision support system, and SPEAR, which are part of Lockheed Martin’s airport hub management systems.
Posted by admin at 01:20 PM | Comments (0)
January 30, 2006
Philippines offers zero tariffs for alternative energy vehicle components
Amid rising oil prices Philippine government has imposed zero tariff on accessories for the assembly of hybrid. electric, flexible fuel and CNG motor vehicles.
Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arrovo earlier established a target of 5% reduction in fuel consumption.
While such a move which is certainly a good start won't make that much of difference because tariffs for auto parts range today between 1% and 3% for regular motor vehicle components from most favored nation status countries.
Posted by admin at 05:35 AM | Comments (0)
January 28, 2006
Boeing to outsource engineering work to India
According to a report on Investors Business Daily, US aerospace giant Boeing Corporation will probably outsource engineering design and software development work to India.
Recently Air India ordered 68 aircraft from Boeing. The deal requires Boeing to invest around $1.8 billion in India.
The company has already made announcement of setting up a maintenance and repair facility worth $100 million in India.
Posted by admin at 04:36 PM | Comments (0)
January 15, 2006
Indian Manufacturers Introduce Hydrogen and Hybrid Vehicles
Indian Manufacturers Introduce Hydrogen and Hybrid Vehicles
Indian vehicle manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra introduced a hydrogen-fueled three-wheeler and a prototype for a diesel hybrid SUV at the Auto Expo in New Delhi. Tractor maker Sonalika Group also introduced a hydrogen-powered three-wheeler.
Mahindra & Mahindra’s HY-Alpha three-wheeler fuels a single cylinder combustion engine with 1.3 kg of compressed hydrogen stored in a tank. The Hy-Alpha has a range of 175 km (109 miles).
M & M also showcased a prototype diesel hybrid version of its Scorpio SUV. Expected to be ready for market before 2010, the hybrid is targeting fuel consumption of 6.45 liters/100km (36.5 mpg US).
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006/01/indian_manufact.html
Posted by admin at 06:48 AM | Comments (0)
January 09, 2006
Honda to introduce production version of fuel cell car within 4 years
Honda Motor Co of Japan announced that it will begin production of its next-generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (FCV) based on the FCX Concept car that was introduced recently within l4 years.
Fuel Cell vehicle utilize electrochemical engine (no moving parts) that converts the chemical energy of a fuel, such as hydrogen, and an oxidant, such as oxygen, directly to electricity. The principal components of a fuel cell are catalytically activated electrodes for the fuel (anode) and the oxidant (cathode) and an electrolyte to conduct ions between the two electrodes.
The new FCX Concept uses a new, compact 3V System fuel cell platform that enables the lowest-floor platform in a fuel cell vehicle yet. Oxygen and hydrogen flow from the top to the bottom of the fuel cell stack (Vertical gas flow) and the fuel cells are arranged vertically in the center tunnel (Vertebral layout) for new, high-efficiency fuel cell packaging (Volume efficiency).
The new fuel cell stack delivers 100 kW of power, compared to the 86 kw of the 2006 FCX. The key to the fuel cell’s performance is water management; Honda’s new system takes full advantage of gravity to efficiently discharge water formed during electricity generation.
Three energy-efficient motors-one 80kW in the front and a 25kW space-efficient motor in each rear wheel moves the car.
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006/01/honda_to_put_hy.html
Posted by admin at 07:28 PM | Comments (0)
January 05, 2006
China lifts small car restriction
Since late 1990s, Chinese cities have put restrictions on small vehicles with engines sizes less equal or less than 1 liter (1000 CC). Authorities viewed such automobiles slower, less safe, more polluting and less attractive for a city's image. More than 80 cities in 29 provinces currently have restrictions on small cars, according to a survey by Changan Auto.
However rising energy costs have persuaded Chinese authorities to remove the restrictions by March of this year.
Already Chinese automakers are facing stiff competition as new players are entering with attractive compact cars. The three top-selling models in China during the first four months of last year were all economy models, according to the China Automobile Manufacturers Association: the Elantra, from South Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor Co.; Tianjin FAW Xiali Automobile Co.'s TJ7101U — an angular compact_ and Chery Automobile Co.'s perky little QQ mini-car. Japanese automaker Honda, which introduced the Fit compact car last September, saw 20 percent growth in sales in the first four months of the year.
Posted by admin at 01:45 AM | Comments (0)
December 30, 2005
Las Vegas tries hybrid route
Learning at the expense of its neighbors such as Los Angeles, one of Americas fastest growing cities, Las Vegas is planning ahead to keep its air clean by running energy efficient and environmentally friendly automobiles.
Chicago-based Lucky Cab Co. have started trials of operating hybrid taxi cabs in Las Vegas by purchasing four hybrid Toyota Prius cars. The four hybrid cabs are being put to test to see if they can withstand taxis' 100,000-miles-a-year average and remain viable.
With Lucky Cab's new venture Vegas becomes one of few American cities that include San Francisco, New York and San Antonio to have hybrid taxis.
Earlier in November of this year, EV Rental Cars tackled another aspect of air-quality problem with an exclusive agreement with US Rent A Car in Las Vegas. EV Rental plans to have 100 hybrid cars manufactured by Honda, Toyota and General Motors available at the 600-vehicle US Rent A Car rental agency.
The booming Las Vegas economy which generates US $2.5 billion annually and brings in more than 36 million visitors yearly has been pushing environmentally friendly transportation modes since the introduction of the electric monorial in the city which opened in 1995.
Posted by admin at 07:37 PM | Comments (0)
December 24, 2005
Chinese version of Mercedes-Benz hit market
BEIJING, Dec. 24 (Xinhuanet) -- Beijing Benz-DaimlerChrysler Automotive Corporation, a Sino-German joint venture, announced that Mercedes-Benz E-class sedans manufactured in Beijing were on sale as of Thursday and they were accepting orders beginning the same day.
On sale are E280 and E200K sedans, and retail prices are 620,000 yuan (76,449 U.S. dollars) and 525,000 yuan (64,735 U.S. dollars) each, respectively, said An Qingheng, chairman of the board of the joint venture.
Beijing Benz-DaimlerChrysler is a new joint venture of DaimlerChrysler and Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Company (BAIC). The joint venture has built a new plant in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone at Yizhuang, southern Beijing.
DaimlerChrysler and BAIC each have a 50 percent stake in the joint venture, with a cooperation term of 30 years. The joint venture, which has a registered capital of 400 million U.S. dollar, is responsible for production of Mercedes-Benz E- and C-Class sedans in China.
Production in the new plant began in mid-2005.
A predicted 900 Mercedes-Benz E-Class cars would be sold by the end of the year, and the volume of sale would amount to 500 million yuan (61.65 million US dollars).
Posted by admin at 04:20 PM | Comments (0)
December 19, 2005
Asian automakers sets up R&D facilities in US; hires US engineers
Asian automakers have started hiring research and development staff by setting up development centers in key locations in North America where massive layoffs are taking place by US automakers.
Automakers from Toyota Motor Corp. to Nissan Motor Co. to Hyundai and its subsidiary Kia Motors Corp., along with automotive suppliers from Japan and Germany, are rushing to Michigan to take advantage of the area's high concentration of automotive engineering talent.
Toyota is pursuing a growth strategy that could propel it past General Manager to become the world's No. 1 automaker, nearly 40 percent of the company's 20,000 engineers in Japan are contractors from agencies and "guest engineers" from suppliers.
Toyota has to fill gaps in its midcareer engineering population that resulted from hiring freezes the company instituted in the mid- 1990s in the wake of a severe economic slowdown.
Posted by admin at 01:40 AM | Comments (0)
December 17, 2005
Shanghai and New York Introduce Hybrid Busses
Across continents two major cities that represent developing and developed worlds have embraced environment friendly hybrid buses that combine traditional diesel engines with electric power units.
About 825 hybrid buses have been launched in New York that provide 1 mile per gallon better fuel economy relative to regular diesel buses. When one considers that buses travel about 2.5 miles per gallon of fuel it's quite obvious that the single mile improvment in mileage makes a substantial difference.
The Orion VII buses, by DaimlerChrysler combines a Cummins diesel engine with electric motor and batteries placed on the roof of the bus. The impact of New York's initiative will be equivalent to 1500 hybrid cars in New York city.
In the developing world China has proved again that its not far behind when it comes to technology. A flagship self-designed hybrid bus just drove off the China FAW Group Corporation production line, announcing the start of the industrialization of environmentally friendly buses in China.
Just one week prior to the debut of FAW's hybrid bus, 12 hybrid-electric buses, made by Dongfeng Motor Corporation (DFM), were delivered to the Wuhan Public Transport Group.
Hybrid automobiles provide maximum benefit in stop and go traffic making city busses ideal candidates for utilization of this technology. The question still remains when other developing nations will start utilizing hybrid technology to reduce emissions.
Posted by admin at 07:32 AM | Comments (0)
November 24, 2005
BMW to assemble 3 and 5 series automobiles in India
German luxury/sports automaker BMW will produce the 3 and 5 Series saloons from its first assembly unit in India, coming up near Chennai and due to be commissioned by 2007.
The company targets annual sales of 150,000 units of BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce cars in the Asian markets by 2008. In fiscal 2004, the company sold 95,482 automobiles in this region.
The production and sales subsidiary in India will be 100 per cent owned by the BMW Group. Initial investments in India total 20 million euros. As per current plans the BMW 3 and 5 Series production in Chennai will be sold in the local market.
Posted by admin at 03:08 AM | Comments (0)
October 28, 2005
Honda & Fuelmaker attempts to boost gas powered car sales by turning homes into "Gas" stations
Dispite sky rocketing prices of petroleum, alternative energy powered vehicles such as FuelCell cars are yet to become mainstream because of high vehicle price.
Further complicating the issue of course is the chicken and egg debate. There has to be enough alternative fuel cars to justify investment in re-fueling infrastructure. But without filling stations you cannot have that many alternative cars on the road.
With the Civic GX, the natural gas powered vehicle from Honda, the company believes that it can provide a much more practical solution to delivering environmentally friendly energy efficient cars. Partnering with Canada's Fuelmaker Corporation, Honda is giving away appliances that effectively turns homes that have gas into filling stations for their car to a limited group of California buyers of Civic GX.
FuelMaker developed Phill, a home-based refueling appliance that can be mounted to a garage wall either indoors or outdoors, allows natural gas powered vehicles to be refueled overnight directly from a homeowner's existing natural gas supply line. Phill provides Civic GX drivers enough fuel for approximately 100 miles of driving on an eight hour refueling cycle.
Posted by admin at 02:47 AM | Comments (0)
October 27, 2005
US Airline attempting outsourcing flight attendents?
US carrier Northwest, the world's fourth largest airline, is considering among other things staffing international flights with attendants from third-party vendors.
Northwest, which filed for bankruptcy-court protection last month, wants to become a "virtual airline" by outsourcing staff, technology and business functions as much as possible.
Unlike other full service large carriers in the US, Northwest has been suffering from increasing labor costs due to experienced and unionized resources. In the case of flight attendants the most senior members get to fly international routes.
According to a report by Wall Street Journal, the airline is asking for flights across the Atlantic and Pacific and all of its flights between Amsterdam and India be staffed by regional flight attendants. Northwest already employs 700 Asian attendants from bases in Japan, China, South Korea, the Philippines and other countries.
Northwest perhaps is learning the hard way that when it comes to flight attendants old certainly is not gold!
Posted by admin at 02:49 AM | Comments (0)
October 26, 2005
Ford to become first US automaker to offer hybrids in China
Ford is planning to design its own hybrid technology automobile and become the first US automaker to sell such cars in China.
Hyrbid cars that combine an electric motor with regular gasoline engine run extremely efficiently especially in crowded cities. Hybrid versions of Honda's popular Civic delivers 50 miles to the gallon during regular city driving.
In an recent interview, Mary Ann Wright, head of Ford's hybrid program stated that the market for such products will grow because people want better fuel economy and cleaner emission.
Ford has partnered with Sanyo and Delphi to build batteries for hybrid cars. Sanyo will be providing only individual battery cells built to Ford's specifications. Delphi would then put together those cells to assemble battery modules.
Additionally Ford is considering expansion of its partnership with Chinese Changan Automotive Group to build hybrid cars in China.
China's central planners are throwing everything at the problems of fuel and pollution from hybrids cars to propane taxis. All these initiatives while building conventional cars and infrastructure at a furious pace. China is already taking bold steps toward an alt-fuel future.
China is today is one of the largest markets for alternative fuel vehicles, with 200,000 in service. In preparation for the 2008 Olympics, Beijing officials plan to convert their entire bus fleet of nearly 120,000 vehicles to run on compressed natural gas (CNG).
Posted by admin at 02:44 AM | Comments (0)
October 21, 2005
Hybrid car market in Korea heating up
Soon after Toyota's announcement, Japan's Honda Motor has joined the bandwagon to offer hybrid cars in Korea. Because of inadequate or total lack of subsidies in Asia, automakers are targeting high end models where price between regular and hybrid models are incremental.
Honda Motor Corp. plans to begin sales of its Accord gasoline-electric hybrid cars in Korea in mid-2006, and if plan works out, Honda will be the first to introduce a hybrid car in the Korean market.
Honda's primary competitor in the hybrid segment, Toyota Motors Corp., had also expressed its hope earlier to launch its Lexus hybrid RX-400h as early as next August.
However, hybrid versions of high-end vehicles by both companies are not expected to sell at significant volumes potentially having small impact on environment and aggregate fuel consumption.
Because of subsidies in the US, hybrid versions of low-end models have been very popular.
Posted by admin at 09:30 AM | Comments (0)
October 18, 2005
Checking your airline's safety record (BEFORE FLYING)
European nations have started black listing airlines that have questionably maintenance or safety records. Today the web provides some useful tools to check if an airline meets international safety standards.
The International Air Transport Association has a highly regarded program called "Operational Safety Audit" that evaluates airlines. While it certainly is no guarantee against a crash, the site provides a good resource for travelers to help evaluate airlines. The list is available at www.iata.org/iosa/registry.
Instead of focusing on airlines, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration offers a list of countries that it believes have inadequate oversight over their airlines, at least according to standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization, or ICAO. This list is available at http://www.faa.gov/safety/programs_initiatives/oversight/iasa/?CFID=3197897&CFTOKEN=98061215
Countries that don't meet ICAO standards and do have airlines flying to the Unites States are subject to heightened FAA scrutiny. These include Argentina, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Cote d'Ivoire, Ecuador, Ghana, Guatemala, Guyana, Nauru, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, Serbia and Montenegro, Turks & Caicos, Ukraine and Venezuela.
Posted by admin at 03:30 PM | Comments (0)
Hyunadai considering engine manufacturing in India
Hyundai Motor Co., Korea's largest automaker is considering producing diesel engines in India for locally assembled cars, cutting costs and making them more affordable in Asia's fourth-biggest automobile market.
Hyundai, with $500 million of investments earmarked until 2008 for raising its share of India's vehicle market to 25 percent by 2010, is studying a plan to make diesel engines, said S.S. Yang, the carmaker's managing director for India.
Hyundai may fit diesel engines on Santro and Getz compact cars in India. Vehicles that burn diesel, which is up to 25 percent cheaper than gasoline in India, are increasingly popular.
Hyundai already is exporting cars from its Indian assembly plant to Western Europe replacing cars currently built in and shipped from Korea. Hyundai Motor India, a fully owned subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co has a large and modern assembly plant near Chennai (Madras).
Posted by admin at 03:19 PM | Comments (0)
October 12, 2005
Malaysia a hub for aircraft repair
Malaysia has become a regional centre for the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of aircraft engines. GE Engine Services Malaysia, a joint venture with Malaysia Airlines, had in less than a decade, acquired clients from over 30 airlines in the Asia-Pacific region, with some signing up for 15-year contracts.
It is the largest MRO shop of its kind in Asia. Malaysia has areas that are very attractive to investors according to GE's CEO Jeff Immelt. He said part of the reason for Malaysia’s attractiveness was the relatively high number of skilled, English speakers.
"The country’s emphasis on skills development and a supportive investment climate is also key to Malaysia’s attractiveness as a foreign investment destination," Immelt added.
Posted by admin at 08:01 AM | Comments (0)
October 04, 2005
Asia-Pacific Airlines to Fail IT Test
Asia-Pacific airlines are realising the hard way that a freeze on technology spending has left them behind the curve when it comes to technology upgrades.
The International Air Transport Association has set 2007 as the international deadline to abolish paper ticketing, but research shows many will flunk the test.
Analysts are blaming airlines' reluctance to spend on IT as well low acceptance of technology by passengers are contributing to a dramatic decline in technology adoption by Asian airlines.
A survey carried out by Airline industry network provider SITA, shows 40 per cent of Asia-Pacific carriers do not expect to retire their legacy infrastructure for at least the next five years. By that time most European and North American carriers will have switched to IP-based systems.
Posted by admin at 07:08 AM | Comments (0)
August 30, 2005
Hong Kong airport to use RFID to improve security and efficiency
In a bid to beef up its security and improve operational effectiveness, Hong Kong's International Airport at Chek Lap Kok which opened on July 6, 1998 is moving forward with perhaps one of the largest Radio frequency identification (RFID)implementations at an airport.
RFID refers to the technology that uses devices attached to objects that transmit data to an RFID receiver. These devices can be large pieces of hardware the size of a small book like those attached to ocean containers or very small devices inserted into a label on a package. RFID has advantages over bar codes such as the ability to hold more data, the ability to change the stored data as processing occurs, does not require line-of-sight to transfer data and is very effective in harsh environments where bar code labels won't work.
Technologists for years have touted RFID's capabilities in curbing terrorism my allowing monitoring of cargo around the world. The project in Hong Kong is one of the first of its kind. The $50 million project is intended to boost security while improving baggage-handling efficiency at the airport.
The airport handles about 38 million passengers and 17 million bags each year. The old system that used bar coding was being stretched due to high volume of luggage through the airport. Errors were generated when baggages sat on each other making it impossible for barcode machines to record entries without human intervention.
RFID tags and readers, on the other hand, are accurate at least 95 percent of the time. When fewer bags have to be dealt with manually, better security and lower costs result. A system that can improve security is obviously beneficial, but it's a much easier sell if it can help pay for itself through cost savings.
With baggage, the cost justification is simple. Every missing or mishandled bag costs an average of $100 to replace or transport to its owner. About 1 percent to 2 percent of the total bags handled are lost or misplaced each year. At Hong Kong's airport, if 1 percent of the bags went missing, rectifying the problem would cost $17 million a year.
While security was certainly an important consideration, the primary reason was operational efficiency and to be able to address growth. They wanted a good customer experience, according to an airport official.
Passengers should see no difference with the RFID system because the silicon chip and antenna that make up the RFID tag are included in what looks like a bar code strip, which is attached to the bag using an adhesive inlay. The RFID printer encodes the tag with an International Air Transport Association "license plate" that includes the basic airline information along with passenger information and the flight number.
RFID readers track the bag at various nodes — explosives-detection systems, baggage carousels, loading devices and conveyor belts — providing an audit trail and assurance that the bag is heading for its correct destination.
About a dozen other airports in Asia have shown interest in deployments similar to Hong Kong's. It's unclear how soon U.S. airports will show interest. "It's very difficult to get airports in the [United States] to embrace RFID or any new technology.
Posted by admin at 08:00 AM | Comments (0)
August 15, 2005
UAE's Etihad Airways to offer in-flight Internet access
In a bid to keep up with growing competition, Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has forged a deal with Boeing - a business unit of The Boeing Company. The airline has selected Connexion as its provider of high-speed in-flight Internet and live global TV service. The agreement calls for both in-line and retrofit installation of the Connexion on the airline's fleet of 25 aircraft, including Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, and Airbus A330, A340 and A380 aircraft. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Etihad Airways is expected initially to offer the Connexion service on routes between the Gulf region and Europe and North America. Once installations are complete, passengers will have access to the Web, e-mail, corporate intranets - including virtual private network capability and live TV. In mid 2006, Etihad Airways will become the first airline in the world to offer live television and Internet access at every seat.
Posted by admin at 06:41 AM | Comments (1)
August 11, 2005
India to export $2.7 billion worth auto parts by 2010
Low production cost is major advantage of India. Automobile parts made in India can cost as much as 30% less than equivalent ones made in the U.S. and Europe and are about 15% cheaper than those from South Korea and Mexico, according to General Motors.
Toyota Motor Co. (TM ) which makes Land Cruiser, Prado, Innova and Camry in India has just started exporting 150,000 transmissions to other Toyota plants in Southeast Asia.
US auto giant General Motors said last week it expects to source $1 billion worth of autoparts a year from India by 2008, compared with $120 million this year.
Domestic car sales have soared by 25% in the past year, to more than 1 million vehicles. Tata and Mahindra are exporting, while Hyundai Motor Co. is using India as a manufacturing and export base for its compacts to Europe.
Indian forging and castings companies such as Bharat Forge Ltd. are exporting 40% of production to clients like DaimlerChrysler and Cummins Engine Co.
Some Indian parts makers are seeing sales growth of as much as 30% a year, and India's Automotive Component Manufacturers Association expects exports to reach $2.7 billion by 2010 from $1 billion today.
Posted by admin at 05:46 AM | Comments (0)
July 31, 2005
E-tickets
Airlines in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are lagging behind the rest of the world in implementing electronic ticketing (ET) that have become the standard today in US and Europe.
International Air Transport Association (IATA) which brings together approximately 265 airlines, including the world's largest has set 2007 as the deadline for the total abolition of paper tickets around the world in favour of virtual e-tickets, but local carriers have made little progress in implementing the technology.
Among regional carriers that are IATA members, only three airlines — Emirates, Royal Air Maroc and Royal Jordanian — are issuing any e-tickets today, and none of these are 100% compliant.
IATA hopes to introduce all of these into the industry over the next few years, with the aim of saving around US$6 billion per annum.
Posted by admin at 08:27 PM | Comments (0)
July 28, 2005
Thai firm plan to bring digital navigation to Asia
MappointAsia predicts rapid growth for digital navigation services for personal digital assistants (PDAs), smart phones and automobiles over the next two to three years. On board navigation has proved to be popular with high-end autos in US. MappointAsia is hoping the same with Asian markets.
M.L. Saksiri Kridakorn, chief executive officer, sees high potential in personal navigation throughout Southeast Asia, but particularly in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand where sales of both cars and digital devices have been rising rapidly.
Part of the traditional map market would be replaced by digital maps, especially for younger, IT-aware consumers.
So far only a few high-end passenger car brands in Thailand are capable of using in-car navigation: BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota Camry and Honda Accord among them..
MappointAsia is partnering with Tele Atlas of Denmark to deliver products internationally. Tele Atlas already has experience with car manufacturers such as BMW, GM and Volkswagen. The firm shipped more than 2.6 million maps last year. MappointAsia is also entering with similar deals with Mitsui of Japan to penetrate Japanese automobile manufacturers.
Posted by admin at 02:59 PM | Comments (0)
July 22, 2005
US company keen to construct sky rail in Bangladesh
A US private transport company has Expressed its keen interest to set up sky rail lines from Narayanganj to Joydevpur and Sadarghat to Savar to facilitate transportation system of Bangladesh.
American Transport System Corporation (ATSC) has already talked to the authorities of Equalizer, a local private company, to implement the project in a partnership basis, said Chairman of Equalizer Md. Younusuzzaman here on Thursday.
Talking to a group of newsmen at the Jatiya Press Club, he said that they would make a proposal to the government in this regard soon. “We have held primary discussion with the ATSC to this end and the authorities of the US private company has expressed interest to invest 800 million US dollars to implement the project,” he said.
He said nearly 100-kilometre rail lines would be set up under the project that includes 40-KM line from Narayanganj- Joydevpur, nearly 40-km from Sadarghat-Savar and 20-km circular railway line.
Under the project, he said, a 50-megawat power plant would be set up for meeting electricity requirements to run trains between the routes, he said adding that passengers from each stations would be able to avail train in every two minutes.
Younusuzzaman, however, said “Initially we have assessed that one million people to be transited every day after introduction of the Light Rail Way Transport (LRT)” system. Besides, 3,000 new jobs would be created in the project.
He said the project, if government approved, would be implemented under the guidelines of BOT (built, operate and transfer) system. It is expected to take 36-40 months to complete the project.
Giving details, Md. Anwarul Quaium, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Equalizer said the rail line would be constructed on the existing road divider and the height of the rail line would be 33 feet.
“We have floated the idea as introduction of much-talked about metro tube is not feasible for the country due to its soil condition,” he said.
Besides, Quaium said most of the buildings in the city are not earthquake proof. Therefore, those buildings will be damaged if underground metro tubes are operated.
He said after full implementation of the project, the traffic congestion in the city would be eased as well as pressure on the capital city would be reduced.
He said the American private company (ATSC) has constructed light rail transport line in India, Taiwan, South Korea, Philippines and Malaysia. In New York, over five million people are being transited through sky rail line every day.
Posted by admin at 04:24 AM | Comments (0)