The speed assistant combines familiar assistance systems with each other: traffic sign recognition, cruise control, the speed limiter and the navigation system. In this way, it is supposed to recognize the respective applicable limits by means of sensors, camera images and a certified digital map network.

If it detects a speeding violation, the system alerts the driver. This can be done either visually and acoustically. Or visually and haptically, if the warning is accompanied by a vibrating accelerator pedal, for example.

Complete shutdown of the engine power
The EU regulation also allows the system to be designed more strictly. If the vehicle is traveling too fast, the fuel supply could be throttled or the engine power could be switched off completely, thus reducing the speed below the applicable limit.

The brake, however, is not applied. However: The system's warnings can be ignored or even overruled. In addition, it must be possible to switch off the system.

Collected data remains in the vehicle
The accident data recorder, the equivalent of the black box known in aviation, will in future record speed, acceleration and other vehicle functions such as airbags, lights and turn signals. The data will remain in the vehicle. The system is intended to help find out after a traffic accident whether and how various vehicle equipment was working.

According to the Federal Roads Office (Astra), "Whether the turn signal was set, the lights were on or the airbag opened properly, these questions can be clarified."

Accident investigation by competent authorities
Unlike flight data recorders, cars do not store data of the entire route, but only from five seconds of the accident event until its end, the spokesman continued. Compared to aviation, it is more of a black box light. The data is read out by accident investigation authorities.

Initially, the regulations in the EU and Switzerland will apply to new vehicle models launched on the market. From July 7, 2024, all new cars would have to be equipped with this driver assistance system.

astra-admin.ch

With its 74-kWh battery, the ë-Jumpy manages ranges of up to 320 kilometers.

Founded in 1953, Tschannen Metallbautechnik AG is one of the leading specialist metal construction companies in the canton of Berne. Since November 2012, the company has been managed by Jan, Nico and Pitt Tschannen in the third generation. For some time, the topic of electrifying the vehicle fleet has been on the minds of the trio and the 24 employees.

Managing Director Jan Tschannen: "After careful consideration, we came to the conclusion that an e-vehicle makes sense from both an economic and an ecological point of view."

High towing capacity important argument
Based on the good experience with Citroën and the Jumpy, the company decided to add a ë-Jumpy to its fleet.

Jan Tschannen: "During the evaluation, we included all brands and decided on the ë-Jumpy, not least because of its high towing capacity. The vehicle has covered around 16,000 kilometers without any breakdowns or worries since it arrived in April."

Around 100 kilometers of driving distance per day
The ë-Jumpy assignments have taken it as far as Sion, Zurich, Basel and Geneva. Charging takes place at a fast-charging station on longer trips, with the stopover combined with a coffee break or lunch.

Thanks to the 74-kWh battery, the vehicle manages ranges of up to 320 kilometers. The distance driven per day is limited to around 100 kilometers. Even in wintry temperatures and with a fully loaded car, Tschannen and Co. crack the 200-kilometer mark.

Additional price compared to a combustion engine
But is the purchase also worth it financially? After all, the additional price compared to the Jumpy with a combustion engine is around 12,000 francs, and the charging stations are not free either.

Jan Tschannen: "Over the lifetime of the vehicle, the ë-Jumpy definitely pays for itself. Not only are maintenance costs lower, the vehicle can be fully charged for around 14 francs."

Source: Rafael Künzli, aboutFLEET
citroën.ch

The facelift of the X3 is not a revolution and is mainly of an optical nature.

Striking features of the new BMW X3 include modified skirts, narrower LED headlights, new taillights and a larger kidney. The physical controls, which are still plentiful, and the 12.3-inch touchscreen are ergonomically easy to reach.

A row of buttons under the screen can be assigned shortcuts to the most important functions of the infotainment system. That is practical and well thought-out.

Chassis absorbs shocks and potholes
As is typical for BMW, the X3 comes with three driving modes that we could select at the touch of a button during our test drive. Another striking feature is that the cup holders can also hold larger bottles, but the storage compartment for smartphones is a bit too small.

The chassis is more on the comfortable side, allows movement and absorbs short bumps, potholes and more confidently. Comfortable in this context does not mean lax or ponderous. The car is simply very well sprung.

The steering communicates properly. The X3 does not encourage super-sporty driving, but it definitely does not let you down on a more ambitious highway driveway.

Outstanding six-cylinder diesel
After all, there was no real need to catch up in terms of powertrains and handling. This is still the case, especially in the case of the excellent six-cylinder diesel with three liters of displacement and 286 hp, which delivers 650 Nm of torque. If you're looking for a homogeneous, mature mid-size SUV that offers exactly what you need, you won't make a mistake here.

The blend of driving dynamics and comfort is particularly convincing, as is the operation of the assistance and infotainment systems.

bmw.ch

In most cases, the children's room is then filled with a play world made of plastic. But there is a more sustainable way. MyRoads is the name of a road system made of wood, or more precisely, recycled wood painted with natural dyes. The product is part of the program of the children's and youth book publisher Magellan Bamberg.

Starter set with seven meters of road
It is produced by Werkhaus, a company that manufactures organizational systems and smaller pieces of furniture made of wooden parts that are simply plugged together and held together with the help of strong rubber bands.

The starter set weighs a proud 2.7 kilograms and promises a road length of seven meters. In addition, there is a garage house with three parking spaces and four parking spaces in front of it. The nostalgically designed building can be easily assembled from five parts using the plug-in system and a rubber band fixation.

Intersections and sections with crosswalks
In addition to the garage forecourt with the two parking slabs, there are a total of 32 street pieces, including intersections and sections with crosswalks. Four pieces, each with two parking spaces at the end, serve as terminating sections.

Thanks to the intersections, straights of different lengths and two curve radii, there are a variety of route options for small road builders. Two of the straights also have a lateral connection option. For those who want even more, there are two supplementary sets, each with eight long straights or large curves. This provides additional roadway length.

Suitable for Matchbox size model cars
The track width of My Roads is four and a half centimeters and is ideal for Matchbox-sized model cars. The countless combination possibilities with other toys and other add-on and expansion sets from MyRoads puts no limits on children living out their imagination.

orellfuessli.ch

It combines grey nubuck synthetic leather and black cowhide with synthetic fibers and is shaped to make operating the vehicle as comfortable as possible. The round sole technology is designed to support both gentle and controlled pedal pressure.

Cushioning technology for everyday use
Highly structured mesh supports the foot and prevents the shoe from deforming. This also prevents the rider's legs from getting tired and their feet from cramping.

Thanks to Mizuno's cushioning technology, the cycling shoe with its grippy sole for pedaling should also be a good running shoe for everyday use. A new edition is being considered for the end of 2022.

mizunoshop.ch

Austrian toll prices have been increased slightly for 2022. The annual toll sticker for passenger cars now costs 93.80 euros (plus 1.30 euros), for two months 28.20 euros (plus 40 cents), and the 10-day toll sticker will increase by 10 cents to 9.60 euros.

Motorcyclists will also have to dig deeper into their pockets: The annual vignette now costs 37.20 (plus 50 cents), the two-month vignette 14.10 (plus 20 cents) and the 10-day vignette 5.60 euros (plus 10 cents).

The digital vignette is available at the ASFINAG toll store at this Link as well as via the free app "Unterwegs".

Freeway sections without toll
There are some highway sections in Austria on which no toll is charged. These are the Inntal Motorway A12, between the state border at Kufstein and the junction Kufstein-Süd, the West Motorway A1 between the state border at Walserberg and the junction Salzburg-Nord, and the Rhine Valley Motorway A14 between the state border at Hörbranz and the junction Hohenems.

Daily, weekly or monthly vignettes
Foreign motorists who need an annual vignette for Switzerland must now pay 39 euros. The 50-cent price increase is due to the exchange rate; in Switzerland, it still costs 40 francs.

The Swiss freeway vignette is valid for vehicles weighing up to 3500 kilos. For heavier vehicles, a heavy vehicle fee must be paid.

The Swiss freeway vignette is valid for 14 months. The validity begins on December 1 of the previous year and ends after January 31 of the following year. There are no daily, weekly or monthly vignettes.

Tip: If you need a vignette for a trip in December, it is best to buy the vignette for the next year.

admin.ch

With the space agency Jaxa, Nissan has developed a lunar rover

Nissan is going on a virtual expedition into space. In collaboration with the Japanese space agency Jaxa, the automaker has developed a lunar rover. This prototype uses proven technology solutions to master the powdery, rocky and hilly lunar landscape.

Engine control and the all-wheel drive
The Jaxa Space Exploration Innovation Center has been working on this key technology for some time and has also been supported by Nissan since January 2020. The automaker is focusing in particular on engine control and all-wheel drive.

For example, the engine control system used in the Leaf model is used, while the e-4orce all-wheel drive system comes from the Ariya coupe crossover. However, sand is a major challenge because the wheels often spin and dig in on this type of surface.

To avoid getting stuck, a high level of driving skill is required. That's why Nissan has developed a special drive force control system.

New 4×4 system for the Nissan Ariya

Toshiyuki Nakajima, general manager of Nissan's Advanced Vehicle Engineering Department, said, "We strive for the ultimate driving characteristics through our research and development. Joint research with Jaxa leads to innovations in our vehicles that bring benefits to customers."

The new e-4orce system will debut next summer with the new Ariya. The all-wheel-drive version of this model features electric motors on the front and rear axles whose torques are individually controlled to ensure the best traction.

nissan.ch

Due to the equality of points, 15 innovations qualified for the final round instead of the usual ten.

A great honor for the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which is the Swiss Car of the Year 2022. The Electric-Global Modular Platform, on which the Ioniq 5 is based, enables new proportions with a long wheelbase and a more spacious interior. Further, the Ioniq 5 appealed with environmentally friendly materials, strong drive performance, fast charging as well as the vehicle-to-load function.

Cutting-edge connectivity and driving assistance functions make the car even more attractive. It is available in Switzerland in various performance and equipment variants and with rear-wheel or all-wheel drive from 44,900 Swiss francs and 48,900 Swiss francs respectively.

Finalist group of 15 electric competitors
The jury selected the mid-size electric car from the Hyundai Group as Swiss Car of the Year from a finalist group of 15 electric competitors from different classes and segments.

Jury president Monisha Kaltenborn: "It reflects the spirit of the times that only electric vehicles were included in this selection. The models in the final were extremely diverse - that made the choice very difficult."

Ioniq family grows in the coming years
Reto Stemmler, Marketing Director Hyundai Suisse, accepted the award in Safenwil.

And Managing Director Veljko Belamaric commented: "First and foremost, we thank the jury for this award. In an environment that is rapidly moving towards electric mobility, the choice rewards and confirms the strategists, engineers, designers and all employees at Hyundai. This is just the beginning. The Ioniq family continues to grow over the next two years and will further establish Hyundai at the forefront of EV manufacturers."

hyundai.ch

The past two years have shown that you have to be flexible and patient when planning major events. In order to be prepared for all eventualities as far as possible, Harley-Davidson is currently working out different concepts for holding the Swiss Harley Days. The date has already been set: the sixth edition of the brand meeting is to take place in Lugano from July 1 to 3.

Signs of confidence in these times

Kolja Rebstock, Regional Vice President EMEA at Harley-Davidson: "Of course we know that the pandemic can throw a spanner in the works of our current plans at any time. But if we can make it happen, we will, because we want to send a signal of confidence, especially in these difficult times. We are therefore monitoring the situation closely so that we can react accordingly."

Starting point for relaxed cruising
No matter what the event will look like - it is clear that the biggest bike event in Switzerland will take place together with the Harley community in Lugano. The picturesque city offers not only the perfect stage for a diverse supporting program, but also the ideal starting point for relaxed cruising in the picturesque Swiss countryside.

harley-davidson.com

The side view of the Nissan is inspired by the flowing surfaces of the Ariya

Nissan's new Ariya Single Seater Concept vehicle is designed to once again demonstrate the power of electric drives.

The study in the style of single-seater formula racing cars uses the powertrain of the Ariya coupe crossover, which will roll out on the roads in Europe in 2022. The high-performance development and demonstration project provides a preview of future electrified performance models from Nissan.

Illuminated V-Motion Interpretation
A striking feature on the front of the Ariya Single Seater vehicle is the electrified and illuminated V-Motion interpretation, which is also seen on all current Nissan production models.

The side view was inspired by the flowing and efficient surfaces of the Ariya, while carbon fiber components add further accents. Involvement in the Formula E World Championship also played an important role in the development of the Single Seater Concept. The experience gained on the race track also helps in the development and design of series-produced electric vehicles.

Development of convincing vehicles

Nissan Motorsport Director Tommaso Volpe: "Nissan is competing in Formula E not only to race, but also to drive the development of compelling electric vehicles. Through a technology transfer, our EV portfolio helps our Formula E commitment and vice versa. The Ariya Single Seater Concept combines the Ariya's all-electric powertrain, twin motors and all-wheel-drive system with a single-seater-only racing chassis."

nissan.ch