All posts by Francis Mitterrand

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STLA AutoDrive is Stellantis’ first automated driving system

Stellantis has developed its first automated driving system that enables hands-free and eyes-off driving (SAE Level 3), STLA AutoDrive. This system operates at speeds up to 60 km/h and is designed primarily for city traffic.

STLA AutoDrive is Stellantis’s response to similar competitor systems, which allows the driver to enjoy driving more because the car can now steer, brake and monitor traffic independently thanks to an advanced sensor system and automatic sensor cleaning that ensure stable operation. The driver can use this time for other tasks, such as answering emails or simply relaxing.

The system is designed on a flexible platform and supports cloud-based software upgrades, which will enable incremental functionality. At higher speeds, the system operates in Level 2 and 2+ modes (adaptive cruise control and lane positioning). At that moment, the driver’s attention is required so that he can intervene in time if necessary.

Also, Stellantis announced that in the future, some models could receive Hands-Free and Eyes-Off upgrades, which enable independent driving at speeds of up to 95 km/h and off-road autopilot.

Source: Stellantis

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Fiat Tipo is an affordable car with a price of 16,300 euros

Budget cars are the first option for many buyers and the Dacia Sandero, as the best-selling car in Europe in recent years, is an example of this. However, another model that could attract the attention of buyers, primarily due to its price, is the Fiat Tipo.

The Fiat Tipo is the cheapest sedan on the EU market, but also an excellent alternative to the Citroën C4 X, Toyota Corolla Sedan or Ford Focus Sedan. It is powered by a 1.6-liter Multijet diesel engine with 130 hp and 320 Nm of torque. This engine is considered reliable and efficient, as it has an average fuel consumption of only 4.7 liters per 100 kilometers.

This model has returned to the EU market and is already considered one of the better offers in its category. As a limousine from the C segment, it offers more than decent equipment but also a favorable price, it costs only 16,300 euros.

At the 2015 Istanbul Motor Show, Fiat introduced this model as a replacement for the Bravo and Linea in the C-segment. It is assembled at the Tofaş plant in Bursa, where over 800,000 units have rolled off the production lines, and distributed to markets in more than 40 countries.

Source: Fiat

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Fiat Tipo is an affordable car with a price of 16,300 euros
News

BMW revealed the new generation of eDrive technology

At the Tech Days in Landshut, BMW revealed details about its new high-voltage batteries and electric motors. This is the sixth generation of eDrive technology, which will be used in every electric car in the Neue Klasse series, and the first model with this technology will go into production this year at a plant in Hungary.

The new batteries have cylindrical cells with an increased energy capacity of 20 percent compared to the previous Gen5 prismatic cells. BMW will use 4,695 cells (46 mm diameter, 95 mm height) for the sedans and sports models, and 46,120 cells (120 mm height) for the crossovers. This will enable 30 percent faster charging and a 30 percent longer range, with some models having a range of up to 900 kilometers on a single charge, thanks to the switch to an 800-volt architecture.

The new batteries will also support bidirectional charging, which will allow the cars to be used as a source of energy for the home or even to feed energy back into the power grid. This will be done using the new Energy Master central control unit, which monitors the high-voltage and low-voltage power supply, processes battery data and is responsible for the safe operation of the entire electrical system.

BMW has already patented a number of new solutions for the electrical system, and the first car built on the new platform will be the next-generation BMW iX3, which will debut in September this year.

Source: BMW