Alibaba's smart speaker to feature in Audi, Renault, Honda cars in China

The Tmall Genie Auto smart speaker will allow drivers to use voice commands to, for instance, place orders on Alibaba's online retail platform and buy movie tickets.

China's Alibaba Group Holding Ltd on Tuesday said its voice-controlled assistant will feature in local vehicles from Audi AG, Renault SA and Honda Motor Co Ltd, as the tech giant expands in artificial intelligence.

The Tmall Genie Auto smart speaker will allow drivers to use voice commands to, for instance, place orders on Alibaba's online retail platform and buy movie tickets, Alibaba said at the CES Asia 2019 technology trade show in Shanghai.

In the near future, the speaker will also allow drivers to monitor and control smart devices at houses equipped with a Tmall Genie-compatible device, Alibaba said in a joint statement with the three automakers, without specifying vehicle models.

"We are thrilled to partner with global, distinguished auto brands such as Audi, Renault and Honda," said Miffy Chen, general manager at Alibaba AI Labs.

"Together, we can greatly enhance our in-car services and make driving experiences more intelligent and interconnected."

The Tmall Genie is akin to Amazon.com Inc's Echo.

Alibaba launched the device in 2017 and released an auto version in April last year. Other automakers that have said they will install the device in their vehicles include BMW and Volvo Cars.

Amazon also has a vehicle version of its Echo, dubbed the Echo Auto, which it announced in September.

Business Standard

Two-wheeler registrations sluggish in January on tepid demand, down 7% YoY

According to a dealer, the decline in registration volumes was mainly on account of market leader Hero MotoCorp, which normally sells a two-wheeler every second in the rural market.

Two-wheeler manufacturers are unlikely to get respite from slowing sales anytime soon. Registration of two-wheelers, an indicator of actual demand on the ground, was down 7 per cent in the first 20 days of January when compared with the same period a year ago.

Besides tepid sentiment in urban markets, the sluggishness in sales, according to dealers, was distress in rural India. Dealers and manufacturers are now hoping for a cut in the goods and services tax (GST) rate on two-wheelers from the current 28 per cent to 18 per cent. Meanwhile, inventory in dealerships is at a two-month high across the country, say analysts and dealers.

According to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, dispatches of motorcycles and scooters dipped 2.23 per cent to 1,259,026 units in December, compared to the figures over the same month a year ago, after manufacturers curtailed the number of deliveries to correct their inventories.

In terms of percentage, it dropped 23.6 per cent in December 2018 from November — sharper than the 16.1 per cent sequential drop seen in the similar period of 2017. However, owing to its cyclical nature, automobile sales are best understood when the year-on-year sales figures are taken into account.

Meanwhile, registration of two-wheelers in January doesn’t paint a positive picture. It dropped 7 per cent to 698,586 units in the domestic market, compared to the same month a year ago. Also, the inventory remains high. “Unlike passenger vehicle makers, most of whom curtailed dispatches in December to rein in excess inventory in dealerships, one hasn’t seen a similar trend in the two-wheeler segment, and dispatches remained high in December,” said a source. As a result, inventory continues to be in excess of 45 to 60 days, against the norm of 30 to 35 days, he said.

Registration volumes have been dragged down by market leader Hero MotoCorp that sells a two-wheeler in the rural market every second, said a dealer. Spokespersons at Hero MotoCorp and Honda Motorcycle and Scooters India, the country’s two biggest two-wheeler manufacturers, declined to comment.

Analysts bearish on the sector

“We remain extremely cautious of the two-wheeler segment,” said Nitesh Sharma, analyst at Phillip Capital.

Sharma said inventory at Hero MotoCorp and Honda Motorcycle dealerships were likely to be as high as 60 days. “A high pile of the unsold stock has forced some of the Hero dealers to rent warehousing space,” said Sharma.

This is mounting further pressure on their margins and profitability, he said. He expected sales to remain under pressure on all companies as the new safety legislation and emission norms were expected to push up prices by 13 to 15 per cent.

Business Standard

Maruti Suzuki launches Ertiga 2018 today, price starts at Rs 744,000

The model would compete with the likes of Honda CR-V, Mahindra Marazzo, among others in the multi-purpose vehicle space.

The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) Wednesday launched a new version of its multi-purpose vehicle Ertiga priced between Rs 744,000 and Rs 109,000 (ex-showroom price Delhi).

The petrol variants, including two automatic trims, are priced between Rs 744,000 and Rs 995,000, while diesel variants are tagged between Rs 884,000 and Rs 109,000.

The petrol variants of the new Ertiga are costlier by up to Rs 71,000 from the outgoing model. Similarly, the diesel versions are costlier by up to Rs 20,000.

The model would compete with the likes of Honda CR-V, Mahindra Marazzo, among others in the multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) space.

"The next-gen Ertiga has been designed with thoughtful features and great attention to detail, keeping in mind the requirements of our ever-evolving customers," MSI MD and CEO Kenichi Ayukawa told reporters here.

The company is offering the latest K15 petrol engine option with progressive smart hybrid and lithium-ion battery in the new Ertiga, he added.

"I am confident that our customers will appreciate best in fuel class efficiency, which has increased by nearly 10 per cent for the petrol variant," Ayukawa said.

He added that as a leading automobile manufacturer of the country, MSI will continue to pursue Make in India.

"We are further investing in our research and development centre to introduce latest technologies and higher level of localisation," he noted.

Ayukawa added that through new technology like CNG, hybrid and electric vehicles the company aims to bring down emissions and give environment-friendly vehicle options to its customers.

The next-gen Ertiga is conceptualised on fifth generation HEARTECT platform to ensure enhanced safety and noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) performance by making it stronger and more rigid.

While the new Ertiga features a new 1.5-litre petrol engine with smart hybrid technology, the diesel options come with the familiar 1.3-litre engine.

MSI said the petrol versions of the model with manual transmission comes with a fuel efficiency of 19.34 km/l while the automatic trims will give a fuel efficiency of 18.69 km/l. The diesel options would offer a fuel efficiency of 25.47 km/l.

Designed especially for India, Ertiga was first launched in India in April 2012 and the company has sold over 420,000 units cumulatively since its launch.

Business Standard

Maruti's Dzire overtakes Alto as best selling PV model in July 2018

Another popular model Baleno from the stable of MSI came fourth in the list with 17,960 units last month. The premium hatchback was ranked second in the year-ago month with 19,153 units.

Maruti Suzuki India's (MSI) compact sedan Dzire became the best selling passenger vehicle (PV) model in July in India, overtaking entry-level small car Alto from the company's stable.

According to the latest data from Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), Maruti Dzire occupied the top slot by selling 25,647 units in July as compared to 14,703 units in the same month a year ago, when it was the fifth best selling model.

Alto, on the other hand, moved to the second spot with 23,371 units last month from the first position in the corresponding month last year, when it sold 26,009 units.

MSI's popular hatchback Swift was the third best selling PV model last month with 19,993 units as compared to 13,738 units last year, ranked sixth.

Another popular model Baleno from the stable of MSI came fourth in the list with 17,960 units last month. The premium hatchback was ranked second in the year-ago month with 19,153 units.

Continuing MSI's dominance in the Indian PV market, the company's compact car WagonR came fifth last month with 14,339 units. It was ranked third in the same month last year with 16,301 units.

ALSO READ: Starting today, Maruti Suzuki cars to cost you up to Rs 6,100 more

MSI's compact SUV Vitara Brezza was the sixth best selling model last month with 14,181 units, moving down from fourth in the year-ago month when it sold 15,243 units.

Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) lived up to its tag as the second largest PV manufacturer in the country with three of its models -- Elite i20, Grand i10, and Creta -- coming in at number seven, eight and nine, respectively.

In July, HMIL's premium hatchback Elite i20 moved up one place to seventh last month by selling 10,822 units from eighth last year when it sold 11,390 units.

The company's compact car Grand i10 came in at number eight last month with 10,775 units. The model was in the seventh position last year with 12,002 units.

HMIL's popular SUV Creta occupied the ninth position with 10,423 in July 2018, as against 10,556 units in the same month last year, when it was the tenth best selling model.

Honda Cars India's newly launched compact sedan Amaze made it to the top ten list last month with 10,180 units.

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