Larry Page is secretly investing millions to build flying cars

Larry Page is secretly investing millions to build flying cars

Three years ago, Silicon Valley developed a fleeting infatuation with a start-up called Zee. The company had set up shop right next to Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, California, which was curious, because Google tightly controls most of the land in the area. Then a reporter spotted patent filings showingZee.Aero was working on a small, all-electric plane that could take off and land vertically — a Flying car.

In the handful of news articles that ensued, all the start-up would say was that it wasn’t affiliated with Google or any other technology company. Then it stopped answering media inquiries altogether. Employees say they were even given wallet-size cards with instructions on how to deflect questions from reporters. After that, the only information that trickled out came from amateur pilots, who occasionally posted pictures of a strange-looking plane taking off from a nearby airport.

Turns out, Zee doesn’t belong to Google or its holding company, Alphabet. It belongs to Larry Page, Google’s co-founder. Page has personally funded Zee since its launch in 2010 while demanding that his involvement stay hidden from the public, according to 10 people with intimate knowledge of the company. Zee, however, is just one part of Page’s plan to usher in an age of personalised air travel, free from gridlocked streets and the cramped indignities of modern flight. Like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, Page is using his personal fortune to build the future of his childhood dreams. Read more.

Five years after split, Honda rides strong but Hero remains No 1

Japanese automobile major Honda has consolidated its two-wheeler presence in the five years since its split from Indian partner Hero while remaining away from the coveted numero uno slot. The company was aspiring to overtake Hero by 2015/2016. Hero's solo journey has been marked by higher profitability but a declining market share, a function of its dependence on motorcycles. Against a flat to low-single digit growth performance by motorcycles, scooter sales have grown by double-digit for three consecutive years, benefiting Honda.

It was in end-March 2011 that the two partners effectively ended their 26-year partnership. Both had their unique challenges. Hero had all along depended on the partner for technology and had to focus on developing in-house research and development (R&D) capabilities. For Honda, developing mass products and expanding of network was key. While having a partnership with Hero, Honda had started selling scooters about 15 years ago independently. In subsequent years, motorcycles were also launched under its own brand.

Both have moved ahead. Honda has expanded from about 800 sales outlets to a reasonably strong 4,500 touch points. The wider product portfolio, improved network and booming scooter market have helped Honda move up from a share of 15 per cent at the time of split to 26 per cent. Honda's biggest gain seems to have come from Bajaj Auto, which also vacated the No 2 slot for the Japanese firm. In the past five years, Bajaj's share in the domestic two-wheeler market has slipped from 20 per cent to 11.5 per cent.

Hero has seen its market share dip from 44 per cent to 39 per cent, as rural uncertainties and successive sub-normal monsoons impacted motorcycles sales. But, the company has made significant progress on the R&D front. It has set-up its first dedicated Rs 850-crore R&D centre last month. The 247-acre facility near Jaipur will have 600 engineers by the end of this year. Hero had a tiny three-acre R&D setup before the Jaipur centre came up. The centre will be led by Hero's chief technology officer Markus Braunsperger, who came from BMW in 2014 after a 25-year-long stint in R&D, production and strategy roles.

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Tata Tiago trains guns on the Celerio, i10 at Rs 3.39 lakh

India's biggest vehicle manufacturer Tata Motors today launched the compact hatchback Tiago at Rs 3.39 lakh petrol (ex-showroom, Mumbai), while the diesel is priced at Rs 4.18 lakh.

The Tiago (formerly named Zica) will compete against Hyundai i10, Maruti Celerio, Maruti Wagon R to name a few in the B Segment space.

The Tiago, promoted by ace footballer Lionel Messi, is built on an all-new platform and will fill the product gap between the Nano and the Bolt as the ageing Indica is now increasingly pushed for commercial usage. 

The Tiago will feature two new engines, petrol (1.2 litre) and diesel (1.05 litre). The 1.2 litre, three cylinder petrol is a new ground up naturally aspirated engine generating peak power of 85ps. This is the first new engine from the gasoline family of Tata Motors. The petrol version has a claimed mileage of 23.84 kmpl

The diesel version, meanwhile, carries the smallest engine yet developed by Tata Motors for passenger application, a 1 litre three cylinder, turbo-charged mill that develops peak power 70ps. The diesel version of the Tiago has a claimed mileage of 27.28 kmpl.

Features like bottle holders on all doors, iPad or tablet holding tray inside the glove compartment, hands-free telephony above the drivers’ head, new fabric for upholstery are not seen on other models.

The Harman-developed but Tata Motors-funded entertainment system is the Tiago’s biggest draw. With eight speakers (a first in the segment) the compact hatchback is made to appeal to the music loving youth. The car will have five variants each of both fuels.

The car will have a multi-drive mode — City and Eco — a feature also seen on the Zest sedan though it has one more drive option Sport. The two drive modes are supported by an advanced Engine Management System.

Tata Motors team spent three years in developing the car and was originally slotted for a commercial launch in January, just before the Auto Expo. Though the car was showcased at the Expo it was not commercially launched.

The Tiago is the first car to flaunt the new Impact design philosophy. The car is developed with inputs from Pune, UK and Italy design studios.

Eager to cash in on demand for automatic transmission Tata Motors will be offering AMT technology on the Tiago as well in later months.

The Tiago will be the third all-new product launch by Tata Motors in 20 months, Zest and Bolt being the two products. Last financial year the company launched the updated Nano called GenX Nano with a host of new features, new styling and an added automated manual transmission (AMT) variant.

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Maruti's LCV launch delayed due to activism against diesel vehicles

Maruti Suzuki has missed a date set earlier for entering the light commercial vehicle (LCV) segment, pointing to the activism against diesel use. The country’s largest car maker was to launch a mini truck, which it has been developing since 2013, before March 31.

Kenichi Ayukawa, managing director, said: “Launching the LCV this financial year is quite difficult. So much has happened against diesel.

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Volkswagen unveils compact sedan Ameo; to launch later this year

German auto major Volkswagen today unveiled here its compact sedan ‘Ameo’, which will be launched later this year in the country.

Auto Expo 2016 : Besides Ameo, the company also plans to launch three new models including premier SUV Tiguan and Passat hybrid during the next financial year.

“We will launch Ameo in the second half of this year. It is a car specially designed for the Indian market. It will mark our entry into the growing volume segment in India,” Volkswagen Passenger Cars India Director Michael Mayer told reporters here.

Delhi's trial run with odd-even system begins today

A ambitious odd-even plan for vehicles has kicked off from 8 am in Delhi today. The plan, devised by the Arvind Kejriwal led Delhi government is on a 15-day trial and is aimed to reduce vehicular pollution in the capital city which is at an all time high, and is often compared with Beijing, the most polluted city in the world. 

Only odd-numbered cars can be driven on Delhi streets today if you are not on the multiple exemption lists released by the government last week. 

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Odd-even formula: A guide to how Delhi’s new traffic experiment will work

Partnering with Twitter, the delhi transport department has also advised commuters to tweet @TransportDelhi to get real time information on shortest routes.Read More.