Automark

The sound of your car’s door slamming is a lie. A trick. A clever ruse. And it’s all thanks to the engineers who designed your car. 

Your car doors are carefully designed to sound sturdier than they really are, reports Mel. You can thank psychoacoustics for this practice, which is the study of the mind’s perception of different sounds. 

Here’s an example: Ever experience the satisfying thud of closing a 1980s BMW door? There’s a heft to those doors that makes them feel solid. Substantial. You’re safe here. This car is well-made. 

Yet we all know that even high-end cars have lost a lot of that extra heft, largely thanks to advances in automotive safety, as AutoBead co-founder James Ford explained to Mel: 

Engineering the sound of a car door closing can be traced back to changes in the car manufacturing industry 10 years ago. Increased safety measures meant that car manufacturers had to add extra bars to the side doors to meet safety regulations, which subsequently impacted the sound that doors made while closing

So, while your car may be safer now, automakers know that you associate that meaty clunk with quality. 

Less expensive cars have emulated this, too. The author of the Mel story talks about how satisfying the sound of his 2012 Nissan Sentra’s door slamming is, and a Sentra is about as far from a luxury car as you can get without buying something like a Mitsubishi Mirage or a Kandi Coco. 

“One of the first things a prospective car buyer encounters is the sound of the driver’s door closing — often inside the showroom. This sound gives a subconscious sense of value,” music professor Jonathan Berger explained to Mel. 

Berger, who works in the Stanford University Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics, has even tested out this theory by making students in his psychoacoustics class rank different car doors from most to least expensive based solely on the sound of their doors. Respondents claimed that the low, soft thuds with an after-sound of some sort (the example Berger gave with a “ker-chunk”) came off as the fanciest. A Purdue University survey from 2016 cited by Mel came to a similar conclusion: tinny-sounding door slams came off as cheap and flimsy. 

Car companies know that perception matters when it comes to selling their cars, too. Ford themselves admitted that “engineering the right sound of a car door closing was their first opportunity to make buyers feel the car’s quality, craftsmanship and safety and to justify a premium price tag,” as quoted by Mel. Lexus even made a whole video about their quest for the perfect close. Mercedes’ own manager of sound quality and design Tobias Beitz also told Bloomberg that “the optimal acoustic design of the door structure, latches and seals” was what signified the quality buyers wanted–not weight. Even Opel–purveyor of fine reasonably-priced European cars–spends a good amount of time analyzing the sounds that different parts (including doors) make before a car goes into production, as shown in the Deutsche Welle video above. 

This is why each brand staffs sound engineers like Beitz to make sure the car door has the right combination of foam, mats and other soft components to make you think you’re feeling an eighties 3 Series door, even when you’ve got a modern Sentra. Even the locking mechanism is specifically tinkered with to make the right click. 

So, we hate to break it to you–your doors are one big lie. 

Source: Msn.com

Kei car class of vehicle emerged as Japan’s economy was suffering post World War 2, and people could not afford a full sized car, yet enough to buy a motorcycle. To promote the growth of the car industry in Japan and as alternative delivery method for small business owners the KEI Car class was introduced so that owners may enjoy both tax and insurance benefits on the other side OEM get attractive tax reduction benefits. Originally limited to a displacement of only 150 cc (9 cu in) (or just 100 cc for two-stroke engines) in 1949, dimensions and engine size limitations were gradually expanded (in 1950, 1951, and 1955) to tempt more manufacturers to produce Kei cars.

In 1955, the displacement limit increased to 360 cc (22 cu in) for both two-strokes, as well as four-stroke engines, resulting in several new kei car models beginning production in the following years. These included the 1955 Suzuki Suzulight and the 1958 Subaru 360, the first mass-produced Kei car, finally able to fill people’s need for basic transportation without being too severely compromised. In 1955, the Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry also set forth goals to develop a “national car” that was larger than kei cars produced at the time. This goal influenced Japanese automobile manufacturers to determine how best to focus their product development efforts for the smaller kei cars, or the larger “national car”. The small exterior dimensions and engine displacement reflected the driving environment in Japan, with speed limits in Japan realistically not exceeding 40 km/h (24.9 mph) in urban areas.

The class then went through a period of ever increasing sophistication, with an automatic transmission appearing in the Honda N360 in August 1968, with front disc brakes becoming available on a number of sporting kei cars, beginning with the Honda Z GS of January 1970.Power outputs also kept climbing, reaching a peak in the 40 PS (29 kW; 39 hp) Daihatsu Fellow Max SS of July 1970. Sales increased steadily, reaching a peak of 750,000 in 1970.

As Pakistan’s financial woes are going from hard to worse, the national fiscal deficit surges to over 7% of gross domestic product (GDP) and could reach 9-10% as dry up amid Covid-19 economic devastation. That’s raising questions among analysts’ and business executives of whether the country is headed towards a budgetary blow out, induced financial collapse. This is a war like situation which is also hurting automobile sector of Pakistan and last quarter shows no sale or very little sales of cars.  Since March 2020 like all other sectors, the auto industry also came to a complete stand still due to lockdown. With no end in sight, it is not clear how long this crisis will continue. This situation demands that Pakistan should start a national Kei car project immediately. This national Kei car should be 100% indigenized. The outline of the project may be chalked out by engineering development board. This project may include electric car too.

By: Anwar Iqbal

“Tamam Ehl-e-Pakistan Ko Jashn-e-Azadi Mubarak –A very happy independence to all the people of Pakistan—,” says Ertugrul star Düzyatan in Urdu in Pakistan’s Istanbul consulate.

The Pakistani Consul General in Istanbul, Bilal Khan Pasha, shared the photos of the Turkish actor’s visit in which he is seen gifting a book to the actor.

One of the photographs shared on social media shows the heartthrob actor draping a traditional Pakistani block printed shawl, which is known as Ajrak.
The consulate also wished success to the actor in his future projects.

Often described as the Turkish Game of Thrones, the hit TV series ‘Resurrection: Ertuğrul depicts the 13th century Anatolia and tells the story before the establishment of the Ottoman Empire. It illustrates the struggle of Ertugrul Gazi, father of the empire’s first leader.

Ertugrul Gazi, the father of Osman I who laid the foundations of the Ottoman Empire, surged to fame in Pakistan when Prime Minister Imran Khan endorsed the series and said watching it would promote “Islamic history and ethics” among the country’s youth.

State-run broadcaster, Pakistan Television (PTV) began airing the series with Urdu dubbing in April this year.

Source: https://www.yenisafak.com/

On Sunday, 9th August, Kia Motors-Chinar organised “Kia Sportage Takmeel-e-Pakistan” rally in which KIA Sportage SUV users from all over the Pakistan participated. This was done in order to celebrate the spirit of celebrating of Pakistan on 14th August as Independence Day is approaching. Later on appreciations certificates were distributed among the participants by Director General Mirpur Development Authority Mr. Ejaz Raza.
Almost 25 Sportage SUV’s owners participated from Punjab region and drive the vehicle about 5 Km in a rally in Mir Pur Azad Kashmir. It was first of its kind of rally for any specific brand at Mirpur Azad Kashmir says owner of KIA China Motors talking with Automark.

It was a joy filled event overall for everyone not only for participants. It were a powerful show of Kia Sportage SUV’s in Pakistan hosted by Kia Motors Chinar owner Fateh Mahmood Kiani and organised by Diehard fan of Kia Sportage Shahid Malik sahib while main stream media was missed this event as usual.

Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Khan on Wednesday inaugurated the Pakistan State Oil’s (PSO) first-ever Electrical Vehicle (EV) charging facility here at its Capri Gas Station in F-7 sector. Addressing the inaugural ceremony, he said the government would establish 24 more such facilities and its network to be expanded gradually in line with Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision of clean and green Pakistan.

He said electric charging stations would bring a revolution in transport system and help control environmental issues like air pollution and smog. “We need to address the key challenges of environmental protection. Electric vehicles will have a marked edge as they produce almost no running emissions.” Omar Ayub said the country was moving towards the consistent path of progress and development under the leadership of the prime minister, adding amid the coroanvirus (COVID-19) prevailing situation, local engineers had exhibited their skills by manufacturing PPE (personal protection equipment) and ventilators.

Currently, he said imported equipment had been used in setting up the EV Charging station, but he was hopeful that young engineers would soon start producing these equipment indigenously. “EV manufacturing units will be established across the country under the National Electric Vehicle Policy that will create new job opportunities and have a positive economic impact”.

He said efforts were being made to provide electricity to consumers on economical rates, adding at present 70 percent energy-mix needs were met through imported fuel.
He said the government was working on a policy to increase the electricity production using alternative resources like solar, wind and coal. “By the year 2030, the electricity production will reach 45,000 MW, out of which 75-80 percent will be from alternative and indigenous resources.”

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Petroleum Nadeem Babar said opening of the charging stations would help encourage electric vehicles as future mode of transportation in the country. He said electric vehicles would soon be witnessed plying on the roads. “Pakistan is moving forward with the aim of reducing air pollution and curbing climate change. We intend to move to 30% of Renewable Energy in our Energy Mix, together with another 30% of Hydel Power Generation.”

“These efforts coupled with a move towards Electric Vehicles would greatly help in achieving the mission of Prime Minister Imran Khan of a Clean & Green Pakistan,” he said, adding that the government was supporting all the stakeholders as the world had adopted this eco-friendly technology. PSO Managing Director Syed Muhammad Taha said “This is yet another step as part of PSO’s ongoing efforts in environmental stewardship.”
He said the company would continue to drive the future of e-mobility in Pakistan by installing more Electric Vehicle Chargers at various highways and in major cities across the country. “PSO is investing in cleaner energy solutions to reduce the carbon footprint and build a better environment for our future generations.” He said, “As we lead the sustainable energy revolution, our next step is the introduction of Euro-5 standard fuels at PSO retail outlets.”

Source: APP