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Geely

How Geely Car Manufacturers Are Taking to the Stars?

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Ever since mankind took form on the Earth, he has been fascinated by the sky and the stars. As a civilization, we have yearned to explore more about the stars than any species before us. This quest for innovation and creation has helped us become the longest surviving dominant species on Earth. Innovations in the field of science and technology have made it easier to live, lengthened our life spans and made things which were impossible in the past, possible. One of the key areas in which research is going on now is space and telecommunications. We are eternally in search of a new home in the galaxy, and science is helping us do that. Furthermore, huge advancements in the field of electronics and communication have made it possible for us to link various devices together. One major change that will occur in the next few years is the globalization and cloud-control of cars. Let us take a look at how Chinese auto-giant, Geely is making this dream a reality by taking to the stars.

Geely to Build Satellites

Geely is the largest private car manufacturer in China, and they are all ready to enter the satellite business. This Chinese conglomerate has been rapidly expanding in the last decade, having moved into trucking, speed trains, drones, and even Volvos. The company is showing no signs of slowing down any time soon, by releasing a statement that they will soon be entering the aerospace field.

This move has been undertaken so as to make it easier to tie together all their assets. Geely will begin work on its own satellite-powered network, in order to formulate a mobility ecosystem that will be smart and intelligent.

On Monday, the automotive giant announced their plans to begin work on a production facility that will create, design and test satellites in Taizhou, Zhejiang. This facility will have state-of-the-art technology, which will help it create different satellites for both Geely and non-Geely devices and machines. The company also mentioned that the satellite network will be launched by the end of the year, but refrained from commenting on how large or extensive it would be. Sources states that the giant is spending almost $326 million on this project, and plans to makeover 500 satellites a year.

Satellite Power

Most of these will be low-orbit satellites that will provide high-speed data transmission capabilities and also help with navigation. Geely believes that this will help usher in a new age for cloud computing, which will make it possible for vehicles to receive over-the-air instructions and updates.

Furthermore, this will help in providing a direct link between the manufacturer and the vehicle, allowing the company to constantly keep track of the device’s performance and maintenance. Also, the company might plan to collaborate with other satellite makers such as SpaceX and OneWeb. Altogether, these satellite constellations will be able to transmit large volumes of data.

While current GPS probes are only accurate up to meters, this new satellite network will make it possible for vehicles to be accurate to within even a centimeter. Such accuracy will prove to be crucial when it comes to autonomous vehicles, as the biggest argument against their use is that of safety and inaccuracy. Unmanned flight, UAVs and smart cars will all turn into realities if this plan works the way it ought to.

The Future

Autonomous vehicles will be a signature of the future. As and when that happens, Geely will have a huge advantage over its competitors if it has its own satellite network to back up its vehicles. Instead of relying on third-party vendors for satellites, the company will be able to make use of its own fleet to run diagnostics, control navigation and also set up communication with its cars.

Furthermore, the demand for on and in-car connectivity has been on the rise in the last couple of years and have their own satellite network will help Geely back up that demand. A similar move has been undertaken by Elon Musk, whose company SpaceX is creating a Starlink network, which can be used to communicate with his Teslas.

Every year over 78 million people buy cars, and as the years go by, more and more people want their cars to be smarter. Connected cars will help buyers get the best of both worlds by being smart, intelligent, intuitive and highly productive. For instance, in 2016, connections for cars was growing at a faster rate than cellular connections for mobile phones.

This is because a high-end supercar has to process more data than a supercomputer! Hence, car manufacturers all around the world have realized that in the future, cellular connections alone will not be enough to process all the data required. Hence, satellites will be the best option for them to transmit large data and process vital information. Therefore, we will be seeing even more car makers, such as Geely, take to the stars in order to turn their dreams into a reality.

Car Sales

How the Coronavirus is Pushing Car Sales to the Down-lane

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Coronavirus has been making headlines all around the world due to its aggressive transmission rate and deadly symptoms. Many European countries have now fallen prey to the virus which has claimed over 2500 lives all around the world. Several countries around the world have imposed strict travel bans and economic sanctions in order to stop the spread of the deadly virus. With such a large global epidemic hitting the world, there were bound to be severe economic repercussions. So, how has the Coronavirus hit the Indian economy? Well, it certainly had an impact on our automotive sector. Here’s a look at how the Coronavirus has pushed car sales into a down-lane.

Car Sales in February

Rate of care sales has dipped again in February, and car manufacturers and makers across the country are now scared with respect to what further impact the virus will have on their sales. Most manufacturers are now trying to sell their left-over stock as production facilities in several countries in Europe have been shut. The government had recently released a statement that said that India would be transitioning to a new emission standard.

Therefore, car sales of models that comply with earlier standards will fall to an all-time low once the implementation starts. This sudden transition had already strained the automotive industry as buyers were still not confident in buying new cars. Therefore, most dealers were trying to get rid of their old stock as purchases for these obsolete models would be close to zero once the transition takes effect. The government had earlier said that the deadline to make the transition from BS-IV to BS-VI is April 1st. However, the Coronavirus scare has shut off several production facilities in mainland China, which has, in turn, affected the supply chains for automotive parts.

A slowdown in Car Sales and Manufacturing

The Director of Sales at MG Motors, Rakesh Sidana had said that the Coronavirus scare has severely limited their production capacities as many centers in Europe and China have been shut. He believes that this is directly responsible for the reduction in sales in February, and predicts that the downfall will continue throughout March. MG Motors had one of their lowest retail sales in February, with the final amount coming to a mere 1,376 units last month.

Similarly, Maruti Suzuki underwent a 1.11 % decline in sales, with total sales coming up to just 147,110 units, which is much lesser than their sale of 148,682 units last year. Furthermore, Mahindra & Mahindra suffered a 58 % decline in sales last month, owing to the automotive giant lowering production due to the emission standards transfer. Also, a shortage of parts and low exports from China led to them selling only 32,476 units last month, which is significantly lesser than the 56,005 units they sold last year.

Uncertain Future

While most of these companies had predicted a drop in sales due to the emission transfer protocol, the unexpected arrival of the Coronavirus has severely affected the industry. This unforeseeable challenge has put many restrictions on the supply of parts from China, affecting the capacity of Indian makers to adhere to the BS-VI specification. Tata Motors too suffered a 34 % decline in sales, having sold only 38,002 units in February, while they sold 57,221 units last year. The company was also badly affected by a fire that broke out in one of their vendor’s storehouses, which in turn, affected their production rate and volume. Similarly, Hyundai went down by 10.3 % with sales amounting to only 48,910 units in February.

Most of these manufacturers are hoping that issues will be cleared up by late March, and that supply chains will be re-instated as quickly as possible. To make this possible, large dealers such as Honda are trying to ramp up production of BS-6 models, in a bid to reduce the waiting period for customers. Adding further trouble to the struggling automotive industry is the lagging economy that is undergoing a slowdown, putting the entire industry under pressure. With mismatched inventories, shortage of parts, compromised production facilities and a slowing economy, it really does look like the automotive industry has its work cut out for itself in the months to come. Let us hope that the Coronavirus and its effect recedes in the months to come, providing much-needed relief to our automotive sector.

BMW : One of the Oldest Aircraft Manufactures and the Leading Motorcars Giant of Today’s Time

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Humans have always been obsessed with speed. Ever since the emergence of automobiles, our top priority has been to build a machine, which is faster, and at the same time, reliable. One company that has gained the trust of the millions around the world is BMW.

Bavarian Motor Works or Bayerische Motoren Werke is a Germany based automobile manufacturing giant. Founded in the year 1916, by Franz Josef Popp, BMW has a total workforce of more than a hundred thousand employees. The company headquarters are located in Munich, Bavaria and, Germany. It is an international acclaimed manufacturing unit and the most reliable and trusted brand in the global market.

BMW headquarters
Image Source: bmwblog.com

The company is the twelfth largest motorcars producer company in the world. Awarded at several events, the motorcars manufacturer hold Guinness World Record for longest sustained drift by BMW M5 model. BMW produces cars in Germany, China, India, South Africa, UK and US. Today, it is the most desirable car brand besides Mercedes and Audi.

The Emergence of the Company

During the initial days, BMW started as an aircraft-manufacturing firm named Rapp Motorenwerke. By the end of 1918, the manufacturing unit of the firm was forced to cease the aircraft engine manufacturing, and later, in the year 1923, it switched to motorcycle production. The transmission was not that easy, however, it bought golden luck for the company. Soon, the firm started manufacturing and producing motorcycles on a commercial scale.

In 1930, the firm regained authorization to manufacture aircraft parts. But by the end of 1959, due to the cost constraints, the firm had to discontinue the aircraft production. The company then decided to switch to automobile manufacturing, which proved to be a vital changing phase in the future of the firm.

Transition as Automobile Manufacturer

Right after the switch, BMW bought Hans Glas in 1966. The first car released by the company was Dixi. The car’s design was based on Aston seven model. The Dixi had a top speed of 75mph, which was pretty fast in those times. In 1992, BMW acquired a big California based industrial studio, and later, annexed British Rover Group.

Rover brought bad omen for BMW, and as a result, the company decided to sell Rover to Phoenix Consortium. The company ever since then involved exponentially in car designing and manufacturing process. It has a customary blue and white logo derived from ancestral Rapp Motorenwerke. The company has estimated more than six assembly lines and four operating division mainly BMW Motorrad, Mini, BMW Motorsport and BMWi. In order to meet the requirement of the global market, the company has tripled its production units in recent years. At present, the company has a revenue of astounding $97.48 billion. The brand has established its name as one of the leading car manufacturers. The BMW cars are quite popular among celebrities as well.

Car Racing Industry and BMW

The BMW brand has dominated the Formula1 tournaments as well. The advanced engineering solution has not only evolved the cars for a better result but into a racing machine. Every year a significant number of BMW cars take part in competition around the world. BMW is not only deluged with success but clients and media attention. European golf events, PGA Championship, Football clubs and United States Olympic Committee are just a few of many clients that BMW looks after as a prominent sponsor.

Awards and Recognitions

According to several magazine and tableau, BMW is among the top 10 automobile manufacturing companies in the world. It earned 2012’s best buy award in engine and premium compact car category. In 2011, the company won The Red dot award for product designing. It was also awarded the Euro Car body award in 2017. Recently, BMW M5 has been voted the world’s best performance car of 2018.