Category: Auto news

We can’t help nor predict what weird, humorous, or potentially dangerous behaviours other people get up to while on the road, but when things do go a little sideways, having the crucial moment securely, accurately, and vividly recorded can be priceless.

Traffic Incidents

This is the situation we all tend to think of first when someone argues in favour of ‘getting a dashcam’ – making sure the mishaps, altercations, and violations are not just avoided and lamented upon, but are preserved and possibly actioned upon.

Quite often, our dashcams record on-the-road occurrences that prove our innocence and clear us wrongdoing while giving the authorities a means to conduct a more thorough investigation.

To this end, the ability for such a device to capture footage clearly and consistently of very high quality becomes essential. The DDPAI Z50, for example, uses an advanced image Sony IMX415 sensor and optics to ensure amazingly sharp, convincing footage even in challenging lighting conditions.

Road Rage

While a lot of dashcam footage found being shared online has some form of entertainment value, the reality is that people can get aggressive while out on the road and take matters into their own hands.

For all the same reasons, having supreme image quality that you can rely on to accurately capture the situation is the most essential attribute of any dashcam and one that the aforementioned Z50 delivers in spades with its video resolution of up to 4K and equally sharp rear-facing camera.

Some aggressive road users will even halt their behaviour and attempt to flee the scene once they realise they are being recorded and that their potentially incriminating behaviour will have negative consequences.

Insurance Scams

Though these are very worthy of the humour they invite on the internet, it just goes to show the sheer lengths people are willing to go to in order to make a quick buck. Back in the days before dashcams were a common fixture as a car accessory, proving something had occurred on the road was just a matter of one person’s word against someone else’s.

And here, the more outrageous the claim made, the harder it is to disprove outright. In these ‘insurance scam’ types of footage, the perpetrator will attempt to falsely claim that he or she was struck or injured through the negligence or unlawful driving of a road user, often making loud noises and crying out in fake anguish to attract the attention of onlookers as bystander witnesses.

The most common strategy is for the scammer to throw themselves in front of a moving (though slowly) vehicle and feign serious injury as if the driver had forcefully impacted them. With the dashcam factored in, these practices are exposed for the ridiculously pathetic attempts they are.

Some are seen writhing on a stationary car’s bonnet before rolling onto the ground supposedly unconscious.

Faced with this irrefutable footage, the authorities can only favour the defendant.

The Perfect Balik Kampung Companion!

In addition to capturing other important moments out on the road, the DDPAI Z50 should be on everyone’s shortlist for a high quality auto gadget, especially this festive season when so many of us will be on the road during the Balik Kampung rush.

Not only is it DDPAI’s flagship dashcam product with built-in GPS, integrated G-sensors, support of up SD cards up to 128GB in capacity, Smart Parking Monitoring, supercapacitor technology for an even more reliable power supply, and advanced NightVIS for superior low light performance, the Z50 – like every other model DDPAI offers – is designed to enhance every journey.

Enjoy amazing Ramadan deals and free gifts when you shop at DDPAI Official Malaysia store during the month of April. Also, make sure to drive safe on the road this Ramadan season with DDPAI!

Shop for official DDPAI products at your favourite online retailers now!

Shopee : https://bit.ly/42v1dUo
Lazada : https://bit.ly/3px6CWN

We can’t help nor predict what weird, humorous, or potentially dangerous behaviours other people get up to while on the road, but when things do go a little sideways, having the crucial moment securely, accurately, and vividly recorded can be priceless.

Traffic Incidents

This is the situation we all tend to think of first when someone argues in favour of ‘getting a dashcam’ – making sure the mishaps, altercations, and violations are not just avoided and lamented upon, but are preserved and possibly actioned upon.

Quite often, our dashcams record on-the-road occurrences that prove our innocence and clear us wrongdoing while giving the authorities a means to conduct a more thorough investigation.

To this end, the ability for such a device to capture footage clearly and consistently of very high quality becomes essential. The DDPAI Z50, for example, uses an advanced image Sony IMX415 sensor and optics to ensure amazingly sharp, convincing footage even in challenging lighting conditions.

Road Rage

While a lot of dashcam footage found being shared online has some form of entertainment value, the reality is that people can get aggressive while out on the road and take matters into their own hands.

For all the same reasons, having supreme image quality that you can rely on to accurately capture the situation is the most essential attribute of any dashcam and one that the aforementioned Z50 delivers in spades with its video resolution of up to 4K and equally sharp rear-facing camera.

Some aggressive road users will even halt their behaviour and attempt to flee the scene once they realise they are being recorded and that their potentially incriminating behaviour will have negative consequences.

Insurance Scams

Though these are very worthy of the humour they invite on the internet, it just goes to show the sheer lengths people are willing to go to in order to make a quick buck. Back in the days before dashcams were a common fixture as a car accessory, proving something had occurred on the road was just a matter of one person’s word against someone else’s.

And here, the more outrageous the claim made, the harder it is to disprove outright. In these ‘insurance scam’ types of footage, the perpetrator will attempt to falsely claim that he or she was struck or injured through the negligence or unlawful driving of a road user, often making loud noises and crying out in fake anguish to attract the attention of onlookers as bystander witnesses.

The most common strategy is for the scammer to throw themselves in front of a moving (though slowly) vehicle and feign serious injury as if the driver had forcefully impacted them. With the dashcam factored in, these practices are exposed for the ridiculously pathetic attempts they are.

Some are seen writhing on a stationary car’s bonnet before rolling onto the ground supposedly unconscious.

Faced with this irrefutable footage, the authorities can only favour the defendant.

The Perfect Balik Kampung Companion!

In addition to capturing other important moments out on the road, the DDPAI Z50 should be on everyone’s shortlist for a high quality auto gadget, especially this festive season when so many of us will be on the road during the Balik Kampung rush.

Not only is it DDPAI’s flagship dashcam product with built-in GPS, integrated G-sensors, support of up SD cards up to 128GB in capacity, Smart Parking Monitoring, supercapacitor technology for an even more reliable power supply, and advanced NightVIS for superior low light performance, the Z50 – like every other model DDPAI offers – is designed to enhance every journey.

Enjoy amazing Ramadan deals and free gifts when you shop at DDPAI Official Malaysia store during the month of April. Also, make sure to drive safe on the road this Ramadan season with DDPAI!

Shop for official DDPAI products at your favourite online retailers now!

Shopee : https://bit.ly/42v1dUo
Lazada : https://bit.ly/3px6CWN

It’s official, folks. The Neta EV brand is coming to Malaysia as announced recently by Intro Synergy Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of GoAuto Group Sdn Bhd.

They will in charge as the sole distributor of the Neta marque here in Malaysia and its partnership with Hozon New Energy Auto Co. Ltd has one heck of a five-year plan that involves an RM300 million investment to develop its manufacturing and assembly plant together with its sales and aftersales networks.

To mark this momentous occasion, Intro Synergy also announced that their very first EV will be the Neta V, a compact EV that was recently launched at the Bangkok International Motor Show. For the Malaysian market, the Neta will be showcased at the Malaysia Autoshow 2023 happening from 4-7 May 2023 at MAEPS Serdang. Online bookings will also open during the same time.

According to Dato’SM Azli, Group Chairman of Go Auto, “We are excited to announce our partnership with Neta, which will enable us to bring our innovative electric vehicles at an affordable and competitive price range to more customers in Malaysia. We hoped that this brand will be well received by the public and further boost EV acceptance in Malaysia.” 

Speaking of the Neta V, the five-seater hatchback is priced at 549,000 baht in Thailand, which is equivalent to around RM72,000. Does this mean that the Neta V has the potential to become the very first EV to be priced under RM100k? We sure hope so.

Spec-wise, this EV comes packing with a single electric motor setup that produces 95hp and 150Nm of torque that is paired to a 38.5kWh battery pack which offers an NEDC range of up to 384km.

While that is enough for your daily travels, Neta also offers a slightly bigger 55kWh battery pack that pushes the range to over 400km on a single charge. Should be a very interesting prospect if they can the pricing right, eh?

Porsche has introduced the 2024 Porsche Cayenne facelift model, now with more luxury, performance, and comfort.

The third-generation Cayenne has gone through quite some changes for its powertrain, chassis, design, and equipment. Porsche stated that this ‘new and improved’ Cayenne has not only been enhanced for both on-road and off-road performance but also ‘luxurious everyday comfort’.

A completely revised Porsche Driver Experience is now available in the 2024 Porsche Cayenne. There are now additional functions on the left lever behind the steering wheel but more importantly, its automatic transmission selector lever is now on the dashboard.

There’s also a more balance between digital and analogue elements with features like a large air-conditioning controller with large mechanical switches that pair with a haptic audio volume controller which offers a cleaner and more balanced look for the updated Cayenne’s interior.

Another major update is the inclusion of a fully-digital 12.6-inch instrument cluster with a curved and free-standing design. If that’s not enough to float your boat, the front passenger now has his/her own screen in the form of a 10.9-inch display for separate access to things like infotainment, video streaming, and more.

The 2024 Porsche Cayenne comes with a more expressive exterior appearance thanks to a new front end which features strongly arched wings, a new bonnet, and Matrix LED headlights fitted now as standard equipment.

Depending on the variant of choice, customers can opt for a range of wheels ranging from 20-22 inches to tie everything together, including its new rear end that features redesigned three-dimensional tail lights, a new rear apron, and an expanded colour palette to meet with all of your wants and needs.

Speaking of comfort and performance, the 2024 Porsche Cayenne now rides on a set of steel spring suspensions as part o the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM). New shock absorbers with two-valve tech allow for better agility at higher speeds and improved comfort at lower speeds but if that’s not enough, the optional and new adaptive air suspension can help seal the deal, even for off-road driving.

Firepower comes in the form of a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 engine that has been enhanced to produce 353PS and 500Nm of torque for the base Cayenne model. This is then followed by the Cayenne S which is fitted with a bigger 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 that produces 474PS and 600Nm of torque.

There’s also the Cayenne E-Hybrid variant that pairs the V6 engine with an upgraded electric motor that produces a combined output of 476PS. It also comes with a bigger 25.9kWh battery pack which offers an all-electric driving range of up to 90km.

If money is not an option and you simply want the best Cayenne, the range-topping 2024 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT kicks things up with the same 4.0-litre biturbo V8 engine as the Cayenne S, but tuned to produce 659PS. This translates to a 0-100km/h run of only 3.3 seconds as well as a top speed of 305km/h.

 

Following the introduction of the 2023 Hyundai Elantra facelift in February, Hyundai presented the updated 2024 Hyundai Elantra N version.

Presented at the Auto Shanghai 2023 motor show, the car carries the Avante name but don’t be too confused as the Avante name is used for the Elantra back home in South Korea. For the rest of the world, it should be the Elantra and we can expect the N version will be identical.

Speaking of which, the 2024 Hyundai Elantra N comes with all the styling updates from the facelifted model but takes things up a few notches with some N-specific parts. The most noticeable upgrade is the set of 19-inch wheels and of course, the black badges.

The front end has also been given the Hyundai N treatment via a redesigned bumper with more colour coordination with the rest of the car. That red stripe is slightly more outstanding compared to the non-N Elantra as it goes around to the sides and rear, which is indeed a good overall look when paired with the very sleek-looking front lighting system.

For now, we’re only able to see the exterior of the 2024 Hyundai Elantra N but it should be that drastic in terms of differences with the non-N version. What we’re most curious about now is the powertrain.

The previous Elantra N comes in hot with a 2.0-litre Theta turbo petrol unit with 280 PS and 392 Nm of torque, paired with a choice of six-speed manual or eight-speed DCT gearbox. We’re hoping that Hyundai will bring some upgrades to bring the fight right into the Type R territory.

 

Following the introduction of the 2023 Hyundai Elantra facelift in February, Hyundai presented the updated 2024 Hyundai Elantra N version.

Presented at the Auto Shanghai 2023 motor show, the car carries the Avante name but don’t be too confused as the Avante name is used for the Elantra back home in South Korea. For the rest of the world, it should be the Elantra and we can expect the N version will be identical.

Speaking of which, the 2024 Hyundai Elantra N comes with all the styling updates from the facelifted model but takes things up a few notches with some N-specific parts. The most noticeable upgrade is the set of 19-inch wheels and of course, the black badges.

The front end has also been given the Hyundai N treatment via a redesigned bumper with more colour coordination with the rest of the car. That red stripe is slightly more outstanding compared to the non-N Elantra as it goes around to the sides and rear, which is indeed a good overall look when paired with the very sleek-looking front lighting system.

For now, we’re only able to see the exterior of the 2024 Hyundai Elantra N but it should be that drastic in terms of differences with the non-N version. What we’re most curious about now is the powertrain.

The previous Elantra N comes in hot with a 2.0-litre Theta turbo petrol unit with 280 PS and 392 Nm of torque, paired with a choice of six-speed manual or eight-speed DCT gearbox. We’re hoping that Hyundai will bring some upgrades to bring the fight right into the Type R territory.

 

Hari Raya Aidilfitri is just around the corner and the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) expects that there will be up to 2.3 million vehicles hitting three major highways daily from now until 5 May 2023.

The projections are focused on the North-South Expressway (NSE), Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway, and East Coast Expressway (ECE). Those numbers are expected to gradually grow to start on 19 April 2023, and we can already see and hear reports of congestion.

To ensure a smoother travelling experience for motorists during the festive period, LLM has deployed a few initiatives such as instructing all highway concessionaires to stop all maintenance works which involve lane closures during the time period.

The other usual effort includes issuing the travel time advisory (TTA) as well as the use of electronically-displayed notice boards and billboards to remind road users of things like maintaining the Touch ‘n Go or e-Wallet balances while travelling.

As most of you may already know, our Prime Minister announced the free Rahmah Toll initiative where the highway tolls will be exempted for four days from April 19-21 and April 24. This will involve 33 highways across Malaysia.

For those who are celebrating, Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri and maaf zahir dan batin. To the rest, happy holidays and enjoy the four-day weekend!

 

Hari Raya Aidilfitri is just around the corner and the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) expects that there will be up to 2.3 million vehicles hitting three major highways daily from now until 5 May 2023.

The projections are focused on the North-South Expressway (NSE), Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway, and East Coast Expressway (ECE). Those numbers are expected to gradually grow to start on 19 April 2023, and we can already see and hear reports of congestion.

To ensure a smoother travelling experience for motorists during the festive period, LLM has deployed a few initiatives such as instructing all highway concessionaires to stop all maintenance works which involve lane closures during the time period.

The other usual effort includes issuing the travel time advisory (TTA) as well as the use of electronically-displayed notice boards and billboards to remind road users of things like maintaining the Touch ‘n Go or e-Wallet balances while travelling.

As most of you may already know, our Prime Minister announced the free Rahmah Toll initiative where the highway tolls will be exempted for four days from April 19-21 and April 24. This will involve 33 highways across Malaysia.

For those who are celebrating, Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri and maaf zahir dan batin. To the rest, happy holidays and enjoy the four-day weekend!

 

Human kindness is a beautiful thing but it’s also often lost in today’s fast-paced society that values personal success and productivity.

However, take our minds off our self-absorbed goals and it’s easy to see where even our small, seemingly insignificant contribution might make a huge impact in someone’s life. And when better to start than now, just as we are coming up to the holy month of Ramadan.

As the period leading up to Hari Raya Aidilfitri is characterised as the time of forgiveness, self-control, compassion, sacrifice, and charity, here are just some ideas of how we as Malaysians of all races, backgrounds, and beliefs can come together to make this season a little more joyous.

Donate Excess Clothes To The Needy

As much as we might take the simple means to have new clean clothes on our back for granted, it’s a sad reality to realise that there are those who do not have that luxury.

Clothes, like a lot of items in our daily life, tend to accumulate as time goes on, but our preferences for style and fashion are constantly changing. As a result, some of us, many of us, even, have closets full of unused clothing.

Fortunately, there are easy ways to free up some space in your wardrobe while doing your good deed for the day. Many charitable organisations out there are willing to accept used clothing, provided they aren’t in tatters of course, to give to the needy. Some even have large donation boxes in popular areas such as shopping complexes so you can just drop them in at your convenience.

Share Break-Fast/Iftar with Friends & Family

There’s something intrinsic to the human bonding experience about sharing meals together, so why not organise a breaking-fast meal (otherwise known as Buka Puasa or Iftar) at home with friends, neighbours, and family. Bonus points if you can serve self-cooked dishes too!

A hearty meal, especially one that comes at the end of a full day of fasting is even more well-deserved when shared, so it’s the perfect opportunity to also share stories and laughter.

Get Your Mother/Father’s Car Washed

This one kind of depends if your mother and/or father tends to neglect the cleanliness of her/his car. Other parents are quite meticulous about the condition of their car – perhaps it runs in the family, and therefore do not apply.

However, if your father’s car is a bit of a mess, a kind deed to be done is to give it some TLC in the form of a wash. This writer is a bit of a car detailing obsessive, so will gladly take on my father’s filthy Ford Ranger or mother’s slightly less filthy Honda City with hose, suds, and towels in hand, but you’d be forgiven taking the easier route and letting the professionals handle it.

Your parent(s) might have forgotten how good their car looks, so just imagine how blown away they’d be to see it in gleaming condition!

Give Your Mother (In-Law’s) Car A Service

For those searching for extra brownie points from your in-laws, here’s your golden ticket. Many more elderly car owners may not have the energy or time to fuss about getting their car serviced frequently, and consequently they don’t run as smoothly as they should.

They might complain about the supposed unreliability and general frustration with the car, which is your cue to investigate what is ailing the vehicle. Who knows, it might be the case that it just needs a proper service!

After all, the gift of averting a potentially dangerous breakdown is something you can’t really put a price on, which becomes doubly essential given how much travelling we tend to do during the Ramadan and Hari Raya period.

In conjunction with this festive period, from 20th March to 30th April, CARSOME Service Centres are offering super affordable vehicle service packages that start from just RM98 inclusive of a 20-point inspection. There’s even a 10% discount on new car batteries with a 15 month warranty as well as a 15% discount on new windscreen wipers and the servicing of brakes and the air-conditioning system.

Buy A First Car For A Family Member

This doesn’t apply to everyone and it definitely doesn’t come around as a common occurrence – except for maybe the extraordinarily wealthy.

Obviously, a big gesture of love and generosity can really leave a mark on a person’s life, but in the case of this writer, there’s a sister that is taking her driving exam and will be a licensed road user before long, meaning she’ll need a car that’s safe and dependable to stop us from worrying every time she heads out.

The extensive selection of CARSOME Certified cars have been fully inspected and refurbished to ensure they are in the highest quality and running condition, so you’re getting the best example used car no matter the price point.

Also for this Hari Raya season, CARSOME is offering discounts up to RM8,000 on selected cars, vouchers valued up to RM200,000 up for grabs, FREE 1-year warranty and 1-year servicing, and financing with low interest rates from Public Bank for cars purchased from 20th March to 30th April 2023!

Click here and share the joy of Raya with GREAT DEALS!

Human kindness is a beautiful thing but it’s also often lost in today’s fast-paced society that values personal success and productivity.

However, take our minds off our self-absorbed goals and it’s easy to see where even our small, seemingly insignificant contribution might make a huge impact in someone’s life. And when better to start than now, just as we are coming up to the holy month of Ramadan.

As the period leading up to Hari Raya Aidilfitri is characterised as the time of forgiveness, self-control, compassion, sacrifice, and charity, here are just some ideas of how we as Malaysians of all races, backgrounds, and beliefs can come together to make this season a little more joyous.

Donate Excess Clothes To The Needy

As much as we might take the simple means to have new clean clothes on our back for granted, it’s a sad reality to realise that there are those who do not have that luxury.

Clothes, like a lot of items in our daily life, tend to accumulate as time goes on, but our preferences for style and fashion are constantly changing. As a result, some of us, many of us, even, have closets full of unused clothing.

Fortunately, there are easy ways to free up some space in your wardrobe while doing your good deed for the day. Many charitable organisations out there are willing to accept used clothing, provided they aren’t in tatters of course, to give to the needy. Some even have large donation boxes in popular areas such as shopping complexes so you can just drop them in at your convenience.

Share Break-Fast/Iftar with Friends & Family

There’s something intrinsic to the human bonding experience about sharing meals together, so why not organise a breaking-fast meal (otherwise known as Buka Puasa or Iftar) at home with friends, neighbours, and family. Bonus points if you can serve self-cooked dishes too!

A hearty meal, especially one that comes at the end of a full day of fasting is even more well-deserved when shared, so it’s the perfect opportunity to also share stories and laughter.

Get Your Mother/Father’s Car Washed

This one kind of depends if your mother and/or father tends to neglect the cleanliness of her/his car. Other parents are quite meticulous about the condition of their car – perhaps it runs in the family, and therefore do not apply.

However, if your father’s car is a bit of a mess, a kind deed to be done is to give it some TLC in the form of a wash. This writer is a bit of a car detailing obsessive, so will gladly take on my father’s filthy Ford Ranger or mother’s slightly less filthy Honda City with hose, suds, and towels in hand, but you’d be forgiven taking the easier route and letting the professionals handle it.

Your parent(s) might have forgotten how good their car looks, so just imagine how blown away they’d be to see it in gleaming condition!

Give Your Mother (In-Law’s) Car A Service

For those searching for extra brownie points from your in-laws, here’s your golden ticket. Many more elderly car owners may not have the energy or time to fuss about getting their car serviced frequently, and consequently they don’t run as smoothly as they should.

They might complain about the supposed unreliability and general frustration with the car, which is your cue to investigate what is ailing the vehicle. Who knows, it might be the case that it just needs a proper service!

After all, the gift of averting a potentially dangerous breakdown is something you can’t really put a price on, which becomes doubly essential given how much travelling we tend to do during the Ramadan and Hari Raya period.

In conjunction with this festive period, from 20th March to 30th April, CARSOME Service Centres are offering super affordable vehicle service packages that start from just RM98 inclusive of a 20-point inspection. There’s even a 10% discount on new car batteries with a 15 month warranty as well as a 15% discount on new windscreen wipers and the servicing of brakes and the air-conditioning system.

Buy A First Car For A Family Member

This doesn’t apply to everyone and it definitely doesn’t come around as a common occurrence – except for maybe the extraordinarily wealthy.

Obviously, a big gesture of love and generosity can really leave a mark on a person’s life, but in the case of this writer, there’s a sister that is taking her driving exam and will be a licensed road user before long, meaning she’ll need a car that’s safe and dependable to stop us from worrying every time she heads out.

The extensive selection of CARSOME Certified cars have been fully inspected and refurbished to ensure they are in the highest quality and running condition, so you’re getting the best example used car no matter the price point.

Also for this Hari Raya season, CARSOME is offering discounts up to RM8,000 on selected cars, vouchers valued up to RM200,000 up for grabs, FREE 1-year warranty and 1-year servicing, and financing with low interest rates from Public Bank for cars purchased from 20th March to 30th April 2023!