AUTONEWS

The best car mechanic in Spain reveals which models break down the least

A few years ago, when any problem or doubt arose with a vehicle, the only option was to go to the service station and rely on the opinion of a trusted mechanic. Today, many of these experts have gone a step further, sharing their experiences from the jack on social networks. The topic that interests drivers the most is the reliability of new cars and breakdowns in the service station, and Javier Sendin(image above), officially declared the best car mechanic in Spain in 2023, decided to open the cards.

In an interview with the reputable “Mundo Deportivo”, Sendin gave answers that could seriously disappoint fans of expensive and famous German brands. The Spanish expert explains that the quality of workmanship that we were used to 15 or 20 years ago no longer exists in that form today and that new models are more prone to problems than before.

The city access factor...Sendín also pointed to Spain’s environmental label system, where some drivers now face real limits if their car does not qualify for the cleaner categories. In practical terms, that can affect where people park, where they drive, and whether a downtown trip turns into a headache.

Spain’s traffic authority says its “Cero Emisiones” label includes plug-in hybrids with a minimum electric-only range of about 25 miles. That label can matter in restricted urban zones, where a sticker on the windshield may decide whether a driver gets easy access or a fine.

This is why the question is bigger than fuel economy. For some families, especially in cities, the choice is not just what engine they like. It is what car still lets them move around without checking a rulebook before every errand.

The expensive repair warning...Then comes the part many buyers do not see at the dealership. Modern cars are safer and smarter, but Sendín warned that they are also far more expensive to maintain than cars from just a few years ago.

Also Read: A new report ties the mystery drones grounding European flights to Russia’s shadow fleet, with the ships’ activity raising fresh alarm

He gave two examples that jump off the page. A multimedia screen can cost about $10,260 to $11,400, while a matrix headlight can reach about $2,850, based on the European Central Bank’s July 8, 2026 reference rate of 1 euro to $1.1404.

That changes the math after a crash. As Sendín explained, a simple front impact involving two headlights and airbags can be enough for an insurer to declare the vehicle a total loss.

Safety has a price...To be fair, Sendín did not dismiss modern cars. He acknowledged that today’s vehicles are much safer, more comfortable, and easier to drive thanks to driver-assistance systems and safety technology.

That matters. Anyone who has driven through stop-and-go traffic, heavy rain, or a noisy school pickup line understands why better visibility, automatic braking, and comfort features are not just luxuries.

But every sensor, screen, camera, and lighting system adds another expensive part. The car may protect its occupants better, but the owner also has to live with the cost of repairing all that technology when something goes wrong.

What buyers should keep in mind...Sendín’s advice is not a blanket order for everyone to buy a plug-in hybrid. It is more like a mechanic’s reality check. The best choice depends on where someone lives, how much they drive, whether they can charge at home, and how much risk they can absorb when repairs arrive.

For drivers with predictable daily routes and access to a charger, a plug-in hybrid can cut fuel use while keeping long-distance flexibility. For drivers without easy charging, the benefit may be much smaller.

The word of the master ignites the networks...The truth is that today there is no longer a brand that is extremely reliable as it used to be. In general, reliability has declined for almost all manufacturers, and practically any vehicle can have faults, regardless of segment or price, Sendin began.

Speaking of the cars that most often appear in service channels, Sendin did not hesitate to mention the largest European concerns:

We see vehicles from the Stellantis group quite often in the service, which includes brands such as Peugeot, Citroen, Opel, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, DS, Jeep, Chrysler and Dodge. We also see a lot of vehicles from the VAG group (Volkswagen, Audi, SEAT, Škoda), as well as BMW and Mercedes, both due to the large volume of sales and the complexity of their electronic systems.

Mechanics "love" Fiat, Peugeot, Volkswagen, Mercedes...

However, there are exceptions that prove the rule. When asked which cars are least often seen in the workshop due to serious faults, the Spanish mechanic had a ready and very clear answer:

Japanese vehicles come to the service the least often. The cars that come to the workshop the least often due to breakdowns are Japanese, and they still stand out for their reliability and durability.

Talking about what kind of car he would choose when buying a new vehicle, Sendin admits that he is cautious by nature, but that he has his favorites when it comes to modern technology:

''Honestly, I don't feel like buying any new cars these days. But if I had to, I would definitely opt for a plug-in hybrid, preferably a Japanese one. This type of vehicle combines the best of both technologies: thermal and electric engines. It allows you to move around the city in 100% electric mode, at very low costs and without emissions, while at the same time offering the possibility of longer journeys thanks to the internal combustion engine. In addition, since it is a plug-in, it has the CERO label, which makes it easier to move in zones with limited traffic and brings tax and parking benefits'', Sendin concluded.

 

VW

How the VW Constellation 26.280 works—Volkswagen’s "trash-powered" truck used for urban waste collection in the northern and northwestern regions of São Paulo, Brazil

Volkswagen Trucks and Buses has officially entered the Brazilian market for heavy-duty trucks powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) or biomethane.

Fifty-six gas-powered VW Constellation 26.280 units were sold to Loga, the company responsible for urban waste collection in the northern and northwestern regions of São Paulo, serving 1.6 million households and over 700 neighborhoods in the city.

The vehicles are equipped with a 6.7L, six-cylinder, 280-horsepower Cummins engine running on biogas via the Otto cycle—similar to the engines found in flex-fuel, ethanol, or gasoline cars.

This type of engine can run on standard CNG found at gas stations or on biomethane derived from industrial or agricultural processes. In the case of Loga’s trucks, the gas comes from the landfill itself, which is rich in organic matter. Thus, the truck operates on fuel derived from waste.

Thanks to this fuel source, Loga’s Constellation 26.280 trucks operate with up to 90% lower carbon emissions, as their energy comes from a renewable, non-fossil source.

Volkswagen’s Constellation 26.280 models are equipped with gas cylinders boasting a 240-cubic-meter capacity, giving the truck a range of up to 300 km.

These gas-powered trucks meet the same Euro 6 pollutant emission standards as diesel vehicles and deliver similar power and torque, yet they produce up to 30% less noise. “We created this solution for Loga and presented the concept in 2024, when we began operational testing to make improvements and adapt the truck to the maximum load capacity required by the client. As a result, we developed a platform suited to this type of operation, which can be used by other clients for the same application,” explains Ricardo Alouche, Vice President of Marketing and Sales at Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus (VWCO).

Adopting biomethane-powered vehicles for waste collection directly contributes to emission reductions, improves the city's environmental quality, and strengthens the circular economy. Aligned with both companies' sustainability and circular economy guidelines, this model offers significant environmental benefits: annually, it prevents pollutant emissions equivalent to the consumption of 35,000 liters of diesel fuel. Through this initiative, VWCO and Loga solidify a strategy aligned with ESG principles, demonstrating that it is possible to combine technology, operational efficiency, and environmental responsibility.

The biomethane-powered Constellation was developed to combine high performance with sustainability. Featuring an automatic transmission and an Otto-cycle engine, it delivers performance equivalent to the diesel version, ensuring excellent start-up, agile acceleration, superior traction, and a comfortable ride—qualities essential for tackling the challenges of urban waste collection. Its reinforced structure allows for intensive operation without compromising load capacity, even under adverse conditions. The engine also contributes to a quieter work environment, with reduced noise levels thanks to insulating materials and an efficient exhaust system, thereby minimizing noise impact in urban areas. With a simple, robust architecture, the engine utilizes a three-way catalytic converter for exhaust after-treatment, ensuring low maintenance and high durability—characteristics that reinforce its suitability for sustainable, long-term operations.

Gas-powered trucks for other applications...Alouche revealed to Autonews that the gas-powered Constellation truck for waste collection is already the subject of negotiations in other cities, such as Curitiba (PR) and Goiânia (GO). “We are offering the truck to other clients as well. This is the first 'offspring' to be born, and there will certainly be derivatives of this truck for other operations and applications, including highway versions suitable for industrial transport and bulk cargo hauling,” the executive said.

He continued: “Everything will happen in due time. Right now, we are focusing on the gas-powered Constellation for waste collection. Next, we will continue studies and product development for other segments, including an analysis of the extra-heavy truck market. We are being very precise and strategic.”

Waste transformed into clean energy...The fuel that will power Loga’s new fleet of Volkswagen gas trucks comes from the Caieiras landfill, located in the northwest of the São Paulo Metropolitan Area.

The site receives between 8,600 and 11,000 tons of waste daily across an area of ​​35 million square meters, surrounded by a protective green belt that accounts for 40% of its total area.

The site houses a biomethane production and refining plant that utilizes gases generated by the decomposition of organic waste material. The plant has the capacity to produce 67,000 cubic meters of pure fuel gas per day and serves various companies that already use gas-powered highway trucks in their daily operations.

Using biomethane from the landfill not only provides a source of clean, sustainable, non-fossil energy but also benefits the environment by repurposing a gas that would otherwise be a harmful pollutant if released into the atmosphere.

The biomethane-powered Constellation stands out for having the largest gas storage capacity in its segment—240 m³ (960 liters) in carbon steel tanks—combined with a more powerful engine and performance comparable to diesel. This configuration ensures a range of up to 300 km, enabling operations with fewer refueling stops. The model also excels due to its low noise levels and potential to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90%, combining robustness, efficiency, and sustainability into a single solution.

"The partnership with Loga marks a significant milestone in expanding the use of sustainable solutions within the waste collection sector. Our biomethane Constellation demonstrates in practice that it is possible to combine high operational performance with a significant reduction in emissions, contributing to cleaner, more efficient mobility," says Ricardo Alouche, Vice President of Sales, Marketing, and After-Sales at VWCO. "We are closely monitoring market shifts and the demand for more sustainable practices," he adds.

Designed to meet the specific needs of solid waste collection companies, the model features configurations typical of the "Compactor" vocational family. High-tech features, superior performance, and the ability to handle the most demanding operations are combined with this new fuel alternative, expanding the brand's sustainable portfolio.

"Our goal is for future acquisitions to consist of vehicles powered by clean energy, such as biomethane and electricity. This investment combines operational efficiency, innovation, and reduced environmental impact, helping to make waste collection increasingly sustainable for the city of São Paulo," comments André Meira, Operations Director at Loga.

Autonews and Mundoquatrorodas

 

ALFA ROMEO

The day Alfa Romeo lost its soul: how the takeover of Fiat saved the Milanese giant, but changed everything!

Although almost forty years have passed since that historic moment, the sale of Alfa Romeo to Fiat in 1986 is still the subject of heated debate among motoring enthusiasts. It was a turning point that forever changed the fate of the famous Milanese brand, saving it from economic collapse, but also depriving it of the authentic technical identity that true “Alfistas” adored.

In the mid-1980s, Alfa Romeo was owned by the state-owned IRI institute and was struggling with huge debts. The factories were recording heavy losses, so the Italian state was desperately looking for a buyer. First in line was the American giant Ford with an extremely ambitious plan for investment, development of new models and a global revival of the Milanese brand. Ford’s then president, Donald Petersen, believed that the job was practically done.

Ford was on the verge of taking over, and then politics intervened... However, the very thought that a powerful American concern could enter Italian soil and threaten the primacy in Turin alarmed Fiat. The Agnelli family and the Turin group put strong pressure on political and trade union circles to find an "Italian solution". In the end, the head of IRI, Romano Prodi, accepted Fiat's offer - Alfa was sold for 1,050 billion lire, with a very favorable deferred payment that caused controversy years later.

While on the economic front, joining the Turin group brought salvation and stability, on the engineering front an era of costly rationalization began. Solutions that were the very core of Alfa's philosophy gradually disappeared, such as rear-wheel drive and the specific "Transaxle" scheme that adorned legendary models like the Alfa 75, or four-cylinder engines with two camshafts (Twin-Cam).

Alfa was sold for 1.050 billion lire...Also, the unique mechanical platform developed exclusively in Milan disappeared. The Alfa 155 is often cited as a symbol of this transformation, which, under its beautiful and sporty bodywork, shared a complete architecture with popular models such as the Fiat Tipo and Tempra. However, the era under Fiat did not only bring negative things. From this collaboration, fantastic, extremely successful models such as the Alfa 164 were born, and later the 156 and 147, which won over both customers and the expert jury for the Car of the Year, while maintaining their recognizable charm and excellent driving characteristics.

Bright spots and the wait for the Giulia for 30 years...However, the "Alfisti" had to wait until 2016 for a real return to their roots and a rear-wheel drive sedan to see the light of day.

Today, Alfa Romeo is part of the mega-conglomerate Stellantis, and new models like the Tonal and Junior bring the necessary sales and survival of the brand in the market. However, for many car history lovers, 1986 still remains a reminder of the moment when Alfa lost a part of its rebellious soul.

Does the Alfa Romeo soul still beat? Magneto heads to Varano to find out...There is a distinct romance to the Varano de’ Melegari circuit when the Emilia-Romagna skies open up and deliver a steady, clinging drizzle. It’s here, deep in Italy’s Motor Valley, that the ghosts of motor sport past seem to hang in the tyre smoke. Memories of past glories, victories and battles across the Tarmac. Nostalgia indeed – it’s the life blood that keeps Alfa Romeo going. It’s also here that the marque has renewed its ties with Scuderia de Adamich, creating the Alfa Romeo Driving Academy.

Building on a collaboration that stretches back to 1991, when former Formula 1 driver Andrea de Adamich helped establish the Centro Internazionale Guida Sicura, the long-established driving school has been rebranded as Alfa Romeo Driving Academy powered by Scuderia de Adamich. With professional instructors overseeing Safe, Advanced, Sports and Advanced Driving programmes, it is now a showcase for Alfa’s current line-up, blending road-safety nous with high-performance driving. But as we arrived at the damp paddock in a fleet of new Tonales, a rather poignant question hung in the humid air: just how much pure, unfiltered Alfa-ness is actually left in the cars you can go out and buy today?

It’s a question that Alfa Romeo itself seems to be wrestling with. Recent months have seen Stellantis step back from its EV-only assumptions, with Alfa’s next Giulia and Stelvio now expected to retain combustion options. As part of this Stellantis-era soul-searching, Alfa recently confirmed something that made dyed-in-the-wool Alfisti breathe a collective sigh of relief: the return of the hatchback. Promising to channel the spirit of the 147 and Giulietta, the upcoming C-segment STLA One-based hatch feels like an attempt to reclaim the hearts and minds of the core faithful. And frankly, it needs to. Because walking through the Varano pitlane to our Tonales felt a bit like walking through a museum of Alfa’s lost soul.

Parked tantalisingly nearby were modern classics of wildly different stripes. While the carbon-clad 8C Competizione and the brutally magnificent ES30 SZ are obviously rarefied exotica, it was the sight of a 156 GTA Sportwagon, a wedge-profiled 916 GTV, a Brera and a 4C Spider that truly twisted the knife. They served as a glaring, beautiful illustration of how atomised the current Alfa line-up has become.

Today, the Alfa Romeo showroom consists of the Junior and Tonale, the Giulia saloon, the Stelvio SUV and the limited-run 33 Stradale hypercar, which is entirely sold out. We’re told that the cold, hard mathematics of modern economies of scale mean there is simply no room for an attainable two-door coupé, a sweeping estate or a wind-in-the-hair Spider. These are the very cars that provided the emotional scaffolding for the Alfa Romeo mythos over the past half-century. Today, unless you have near-six-figure money to spend on a Giulia or Stelvio Quadrifoglio, or a seven-figure sum for a 33 Stradale, that visceral, synapse-sizzling Alfa spirit of 25 years ago feels frustratingly out of reach. 

You can book a day at Varano to wring out the historic fleet, but alas, the drizzle meant the classics remained static for us. So, back to the Alfa Romeo of today. To find the pulse, we were let loose with professional drivers guiding us around the twists and turns of the circuit. Unsurprisingly, the primary car for our track session was the Giulia Quadrifoglio, although we also sampled the full range minus the 33 Stradale.

The Giulia is an old-stager now, a car currently celebrating its tenth birthday and enjoying a stay of execution as Alfa’s EV-only ambitions have been revised. But my word, what a stay of execution it is. The twin-turbocharged 2.9-litre V6 remains a masterpiece, providing the lion’s share of the day’s joy. We’ve recently driven far newer, objectively faster rivals from BMW and Mercedes-Benz, cars that pack even more horses under their heavily sculpted bonnets. Yet, stepping into the Giulia, its relative simplicity is intoxicatingly refreshing. Where a modern BMW M car will batter your optic nerve with digital screens and an adjustability overload that is more baffling than genuinely useful, the Alfa just asks you to drive it. It hasn’t been entirely ignored over its decade on the planet, either. A mechanical rear limited-slip differential has recently been added to the mix, and you’re still offered the choice between steel and carbon-ceramic brakes, a not-inconsiderable four-figure option. Not one I’d go for…

While the optional carbon ceramics possess ferocious, face-distorting stopping power, the pedal itself remains slightly wooden. It lacks that final, granular degree of hydraulic feedback, forcing you to trust the mathematics rather than feel the bite. However, get over that and there’s a lot to love. The Giulia Quadrifoglio dances on its toes in a way the belies its size. Fling it into Varano’s tighter hairpins and the mechanical limited-slip differential – which thankfully replaced the electronic-controlled diff of old a few years ago – allows you to ride the throttle with deliciously analogue predictability. With the optional Akrapovič exhaust howling a sonorous raspy aria, it is a visceral experience in a distinctly Alfa way.

For those venturing beyond the entry-level Safe driving tier, the academy’s Advanced, Sports and intensive two-day Advanced Driving programmes offer a wonderfully tactile deep dive into car control. Participants are thrown into emergency-braking simulations, wrestle with pneumatic slide machines designed to induce sudden rear-wheel skids and tackle an artificially wet, low-grip GT Track to highlight the limits of the cars’ active safety systems. As the syllabus progresses into the Sports and Advanced tiers, the focus sharpens onto pure track craft. You’re paired with professional racing instructors who ride shotgun to help finesse your cornering trajectories, braking modulation and throttle application. It’s all backed by pit-linked telemetry systems that mercilessly dissect your steering angles and pedal inputs in real time, aiming to transform raw speed into genuine, repeatable pace.

Despite Varano being a bit too short and frantic to fully unbridle the Giulia’s 500bhp-plus, we certainly gave it our best shot at the Alfa Romeo Driving Academy. In the passenger seat was Giampiero Simoni, a name that will instantly spark joy for anyone who remembers the golden Super Touring heyday of the 1990s British Touring Car Championship. He was part of the squad that took the 1994 title for Alfa Romeo – the kind of grassroots motor sport programme marketing that Alfa is badly lacking.

There wasn’t much time to ruminate on that, because I was first out on a very damp track in 500bhp of someone else’s car. After a first corner neither of us will look back on with much fondness, Simoni was utterly adept at getting me to finesse the Giulia along the damp Tarmac, coaxing out the chassis’s inherent balance. Well, when I wasn’t getting on the throttle just that little bit too early.

Once back at base, checking the data-logging to see just how far off the reference lap set by the professionals I actually was, complete with a general mark out of ten, it clicked. Each of us had several bites at the cherry, our confidence and pace building as the damp track gradually yielded to a drying line. I posted an average telemetry score of 7.22 in the Giulia Quadrifoglio. Frankly, this was a pleasant surprise; I’ve never been a huge advocate of carbon-ceramic brakes paired with brake-by-wire systems. Call it a personal quirk, but I crave the granular, analogue feel of traditional set-ups. That’s my excuse for such a low score, and a braking graph that looked like a bad day in the Bay of Biscay. Still, a 7.22 was nothing to sniff at, even if it remained a somewhat humbling distance away from the 8.2 laid down by a rather talented French journo in another group.

Autonews

 

LEXUS

Lexus LFA: a Japanese electric car to rival Ferrari, McLaren, Lamborghini...

Lexus has revealed the final image of the LFA Concept prototype—the model we saw a few weeks ago undergoing camouflaged testing on the Goodwood Festival of Speed ​​hillclimb, appearing alongside the Toyota Gazoo Racing GR GT and GR GT3. That appearance was a surprise, as the car was originally intended only for a static display in the supercar paddock, though it left us eager to see its final design. Now, that curiosity has been satisfied.

The LFA aims to be more than just a stylish sports car. Only 500 units of the original LFA were hand-built between 2010 and 2012, each featuring a 4.8-liter V10 engine so lightweight and responsive that it could rev from idle to 9,000 rpm in a mere 0.6 seconds. In fact, the acceleration was so rapid that the analog tachometer had to be replaced with a digital one because the needle on the instrument cluster couldn't keep up (or so Lexus claims). That car, which cost just over €375,000 when it left the factory, now commands prices exceeding one million euros on the used market. You can understand, then, that inheriting this nameplate means playing in a different league; the new LFA arrives as an alternative to models from brands like Ferrari, Porsche, McLaren, and Lamborghini, albeit with a specific focus on combining 100% electric propulsion with a two-seater philosophy.

Different proportions... We have limited information about the new LFA. For now, we know it measures 4,690 mm in length, 2,040 mm in width, and just 1,195 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,725 mm. These dimensions make it several centimeters longer and wider than its predecessor, and considerably lower to the ground. It has also been revealed that it utilizes the same aluminum platform as the GR GT.

However, the biggest difference compared to the original LFA—as previously mentioned—lies beneath the bodywork; the new model bids farewell to the naturally aspirated V10 (developed jointly with Yamaha) in favor of an all-electric powertrain, which, at first glance, seems far less exciting. Lexus is keeping all data regarding power output and battery capacity under wraps—a mystery that will be unveiled as we approach the mass production date, slated for 2027.

The cabin retains a strict two-seat layout, eschewing even the token rear seats that other sports cars include merely to tick a box. The entire space is focused on the driver, featuring a driving position inherited from the GR GT and GR GT3, a steering wheel that eliminates the need to shift hand positions during turns, and a control layout designed for operation without taking one's eyes off the road.

Behind the project is Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda, who is determined to ensure that the brand's artisanal techniques are passed down from one generation of engineers to the next. The car's development ran parallel to that of the Gazoo Racing GR GT and GR GT3; the LFA Concept shares aluminum construction techniques, weight distribution, and much of its aerodynamic design with these models.

 

Autonews

AUTONEWS

Dynamic pitch shifts in vehicle sounds could help pedestrians assess collision risk earlier

To improve pedestrian safety in urban areas, researchers are developing technologies that alert pedestrians to potential hazards via smartphones or earbuds. However, loud warning sounds and strong vibrations can induce stress, and repeated alerts may eventually be ignored. To address this challenge, the researchers proposed a method that uses auditory augmented reality, which overlays information onto environmental sounds through earbuds, to slightly modify the sound of an approaching vehicle and naturally draw attention to it.

Human hearing perceives approaching sound sources based on multiple cues, such as increased loudness and frequency (pitch). Changes in frequency are particularly effective for distant sound sources that are difficult to judge by loudness alone. Using this mechanism, the researchers investigated how pedestrians perceive a vehicle's speed, distance and time to collision by artificially increasing the frequency of the vehicle's sound as it approaches.

The researchers conducted an experiment in a virtual reality urban environment with 30 participants. As the frequency shift increased, participants judged the vehicle as moving faster and closer than it actually was and predicted an earlier collision. Furthermore, with target upward frequency-scaling ratios of up to 3×, realism ratings remained comparable to those for unmodified vehicle sounds in most conditions. This may reflect a learned association between higher-pitched vehicle sounds and higher speeds.

These findings suggest that dynamically shifting a vehicle's sound frequency could offer a less intrusive way to draw pedestrians' attention to approaching vehicles without requiring a separate alarm tone.

Overview of the proposed AAR interface. The interface monitors collision risk via V2P communication and sensor data. When the risk exceeds a threshold, the approaching vehicle sound undergoes a dynamic frequency shift (upward modulation). This design emphasizes perceived proximity over actual distance or speed, effectively capturing pedestrian attention and enabling appropriate avoidance actions(University of Tsukuba)

Ensuring pedestrian safety in urban environments is a critical challenge, particularly when attention is fragmented by smartphone usage. While conventional warning systems utilizing strong alerts offer immediate noticeability, they often induce annoyance and alert fatigue, potentially leading to system disuse. To address this, we propose an Auditory Augmented Reality (AAR) interface that leverages environmental sound itself as a natural cue for attention guidance without adding explicit alarms. Our approach employs a risk-based modulation scheme that dynamically shifts the frequency of approaching vehicle sounds when the Time-to-Collision (TTC) falls below a threshold. By exploiting the human “Auditory Looming Bias,” this upward frequency shift amplifies the perception of the vehicle as approaching “closer and faster,” thereby inducing earlier collision prediction and avoidance actions while maintaining ecological realism. This demonstration presents a high-fidelity VR simulation with spatial audio, allowing users to experientially validate the effectiveness of this method by comparing natural Doppler effects with the proposed dynamic frequency shifting intervention.

Ensuring pedestrian safety in urban environments is a critical social challenge from the perspective of accident prevention. Particularly in situations where attentional resources are fragmented due to smartphone usage, support for Situation Awareness (SA) is required to enable early detection of surrounding hazards (e.g., approaching vehicles) and to facilitate avoidance actions. Recently, pedestrian warning systems utilizing Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P) communication to present strong visual, auditory, and haptic alerts on smartphones and wearables have been investigated. 

However, while strong alerts offer immediate noticeability, they can induce annoyance, psychological burden, alert fatigue, and reduced trust caused by false alarms, potentially leading to long-term system disuse. Therefore, an interface design that achieves early attention guidance without adding explicit alarms—and without disrupting the daily experience—is necessary.

The fundamental approach of this research lies in utilizing environmental sound itself as a natural cue for attention guidance. It is known that humans easily direct attention toward approaching objects, and that not only intensity changes  but also frequency changes (upward shifts) strongly evoke looming perception. Thus, rather than presenting the approaching vehicle sound as recorded, we dynamically shift the frequency of the vehicle sound in accordance with the decrease in Time-to-Collision (TTC). This causes the vehicle to be perceived as approaching closer and faster, thereby inducing attention earlier in a non-invasive manner. Crucially, the design does not add new warning sounds for danger notification but embeds salience into the existing soundscape, enhancing situation awareness while maintaining ecological realism. Our previous validation, utilizing VR listening experiments, demonstrated that manipulating the frequency shift ratio (2 ×, 3 ×) induces more conservative (safety-sided) predictions—specifically, earlier collision prediction and faster speed estimation—without significantly impairing realism.

Building on these findings, this demo presents a VR simulation of the proposed Auditory Augmented Reality (AAR) interface concept. Instead of real-time risk monitoring, the simulation places users in a specific high-risk scenario to experientially validate the effectiveness of the “looming sensation” amplification. Through the demo, attendees will experience: the sensory conflict between visual constancy and auditory acceleration, the retention of directionality via spatial audio, and a real-time comparison of different shift intensities to understand the trade-off between urgency and naturalness.

Provided by University of Tsukuba

WRC

WRC: Sami Pajari brings Finland its 200th anniversary triumph

Pajari, accompanied by co-driver Marko Salminen, finished 26.7 seconds ahead of Swede Oliver Solberg (Toyota Yaris), while Briton Elfyn Evans (Toyota Yaris) took third place, 1 minute 19.5 seconds back, completing a clean sweep of the podium for the Japanese manufacturer.

Toyota driver Sami Pajari won the WRC rally in Finland today, moving up to second place in the overall standings with four races to go.

This is the 24-year-old Finn's second WRC victory, after he celebrated in the previous race in Estonia, and he brought his country its 200th anniversary triumph in the World Rally Championship.

Pajari celebrated with a total time of two hours, 27 minutes and 58 seconds, and two other Toyota drivers climbed the podium - Swede Oliver Solberg (26.7 seconds behind) and Briton Elfin Evans (1:19.5 minutes behind).

On Saturday, the current world champion, Frenchman Sebastien Ogier from Toyota, finished the race after an accident, having successfully passed the medical examinations.

Evans leads the overall standings with 201 points, Pajari is 30 points behind in second place, while Japanese driver and Toyota member Takamoto Katsuta is third with 160 points.

The Finnish driver began the final day with a 46.4-second lead and chose to manage his pace during the two passes through the 30.02-kilometer Himos-Jämsä stage, finishing fifth in the event-closing Power Stage.

"I don't know what to say. Winning in Estonia was very important, but a home victory is always something special," said Pajari, who was greeted at the end of the final stage by former Finnish world champion Ari Vatanen.

Pajari's triumph marked the 200th victory by a Finnish driver in the World Rally Championship—following his own 199th win in Estonia—and made him the 14th driver from the country to win the event since its inclusion in the WRC.

"It hasn't always been easy for the Finns, but after a truly crazy rally, we did it. A huge thank you to the team and also to all the fans for their support," he added.

Pajari also became the first Finn to win two consecutive World Championship rallies since Kalle Rovanperä's victories in Poland and Latvia in 2024.

Following Rovanperä's 2025 victory, Finland saw a home driver on the top step of the podium in two consecutive editions for the first time since Jari-Matti Latvala's wins in 2014 and 2015.

Toyota secured its eighth Rally Finland victory in the last nine editions. With 11 wins since the championship's inception, the Japanese brand overtook Ford to become the most successful manufacturer in the Finnish event. Pajari inherited the lead on Saturday following the crash of Frenchman Sébastien Ogier (Toyota Yaris), who had been leading since Friday but went off the road at high speed during the second pass through Västilä.

Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia exited the car unaided and were taken to the hospital for precautionary checks; both later revealed on social media that they were fine, despite remaining hospitalized overnight.

Solberg won the first stage on Sunday and was the fastest overall on the final day, despite suffering severe back pain from a heavy landing. The Swede received medical attention before the final section and finished just 25 thousandths of a second behind Evans in the ‘power stage’.

This second-place finish mirrored the result Toyota achieved in Estonia, where Pajari had also finished ahead of Solberg.

Evans recovered to third place after rolling his car on Saturday. Spectators helped put the Toyota back on the road, and team mechanics repaired the damage during the service break.

The Briton won the ‘power stage’ and extended his championship lead to 201 points, now holding a 30-point advantage over Pajari. Takamoto Katsuta (Toyota Yaris) dropped to third in the standings with 160 points, while Solberg sits fourth with 156.

Adrien Fourmaux (Hyundai i20) finished the race in fourth place, 16.4 seconds behind Evans, while Belgian driver Thierry Neuville (Hyundai i20) moved up to fifth following Katsuta’s off-road excursion on the final stage.

The Japanese driver hit a tree and reached the finish line with the front of his car heavily damaged, dropping to sixth place—ahead of Irishman Josh McErlean (Ford Puma). Jari-Matti Latvala finished eighth overall and won the RC2 category, while Estonian Robert Virves secured his fourth victory in as many WRC2 appearances this season following a 30-second penalty handed to Finn Teemu Suninen.

The winning duo headed into the final day with a 46.4-second lead over their pursuers, opting to manage their pace during the two passes of the Himos–Jämsä stage to avoid unnecessary risks and secure the top spot. At the finish, Sami Pajari made no secret of his immense emotion at winning in front of his home crowd, celebrating at the finish line where he was greeted by the sport's living legend, Ari Vatanen: “I don’t know what to say. Winning in Estonia was huge, but a home victory is always something special. It hasn’t always been easy for Finns, but after a truly crazy rally, we did it. A huge thank you, first and foremost, to the team, and also to all the fans for their support. It’s simply incredible. Kiitos paljon – thank you everyone!”

Historical significance and Saturday’s incidents...Sami Pajari’s triumph holds profound statistical significance, marking the 200th victory by a Finnish driver in WRC history and making him the fourteenth representative from the country to win his home event during the World Championship era. The lead fell into Sami Pajari’s hands on Saturday afternoon when the previous leader, Sébastien Ogier, suffered a terrible crash on the Västilä stage. The French driver and his stand-in co-driver, Julien Ingrassia, emerged from the vehicle unharmed, though they underwent hospital checks as a precaution.

Oliver Solberg’s resilience and Elfyn Evans’s recovery...Despite severe back pain resulting from a violent landing, Oliver Solberg showed remarkable pace to secure second place and win the "Super Sunday" classification. Afterward, the Swede described the physical difficulties he faced: “I’m in so much pain inside. I was braking so hard for the jumps because of the pain. I knew I’d lose the Power Stage. I tried, but I wasn’t good enough.” For his part, Elfyn Evans staged an exceptional recovery after rolling his GR Yaris Rally1 on Saturday. The car was quickly righted by spectators and fully repaired by the team's mechanics during the service break. The British driver acknowledged the collective effort by setting the fastest time on the Power Stage and securing third place overall: “It was a surreal set of circumstances. More than anything, we owe a thank you to the guys who fixed the car yesterday at lunchtime. We always know we can count on them.” Ironically, this recovery allowed Elfyn Evans to extend his championship lead over Sami Pajari to 30 points.

As for the remaining points-scoring positions...Adrien Fourmaux drove his Hyundai to fourth place overall, overcoming weather-related setbacks experienced early in the rally. Thierry Neuville capitalized on a mistake by Takamoto Katsuta on the Power Stage—where the Japanese driver hit a tree and dropped to sixth—to move up to fifth place overall.

Josh McErlean placed his M-Sport Ford Puma seventh, while Jari-Matti Latvala rounded out the top eight and won the RC2 class. In the WRC2 category, Robert Virves claimed his fourth victory of the season. The World Rally Championship returns soon for the eleventh round, Rally Paraguay, scheduled for August 27–30.

Sami Pajari turned his Estonian dream into an epic reality in Finland, securing back-to-back WRC victories with a thrilling home win, finishing 26.7 seconds ahead of a stoic Oliver Solberg. This marks the 200th victory by a Finnish driver in a WRC event since 1973: Marcus Grönholm, 30; Tommi Mäkinen, 24; Juha Kankkunen, 23; Markku Alén, 19; Jari-Matti Latvala, 18; Hannu Mikkola, 18; Kalle Rovanpera, 18; Mikko Hirvonen, 15;

Timo Salonen, 11; Ari Vatanen, 10; Timo Makinen, 4; Henri Toivonen, 3; Esapekka Lappi, 2; Sami Pajari, 2; Pentti Airikkala, 1; Kyosti Hamalainen, 1; Harri Rovanpera, 1.

The World Championship continues from August 27 to 30 with Rally Paraguay, the 11th round of the season.

by Autonews

TATRA

Tatra 613: the jewel in the crown of the former Czechoslovak

The Tatra 613 is a large luxury car featuring rear-wheel drive and a rear-mounted, air-cooled engine; it was manufactured by the Czechoslovak company Tatra from 1974 to 1996 as the successor to the Tatra 603 series.

It featured an all-new body designed by the Italian firm Vignale in 1968  and was powered by a 3.5-liter, DOHC, air-cooled V8 engine producing 168 hp (124 kW). Later fuel-injected versions reached 200 hp (147 kW), with a top speed of 230 km/h (143 mph). The design underwent five further updates before being replaced by the Tatra 700 in 1996, which was essentially a restyled T613-5.

Tatra 613 vehicles were primarily used by government officials and industry executives, and—to a limited extent—as police cars and rapid-response vehicles for firefighting and rescue operations at motorsport events.

This is a large luxury sedan, manufactured by the Czechoslovak manufacturer Tatra. It had a relatively minor success on the market, but is still regarded as one of the most technologically-advanced vehicles from the Soviet Bloc.

Production started in 1974 and the last example rolled off the assembly line in the city of Koprivnice in 1996, more than 20 years after the model was launched.

When it was first introduced, the 613 featured a 3.5-liter V8 naturally-aspirated, air-cooled, DOHC petrol engine, delivering 165 horsepower (123 kilowatts) to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual gearbox with floor-mounted gear change lever. The motor is longitudinally mounted and has four cylinders ahead of the rear axle line and four cylinders behind it, described by many as a semi-mid-engine layout.

Stopping power is provided by a dual-circuit, servo-assisted braking system with ventilated disc brakes on all four wheels. McPherson strut front suspension and semi-trailing arms at the back were used.

Let’s talk design. This well-proportioned luxury sedan featured a body styled by the famous Italian coachbuilder Vignale – a name, which was resurrected by Ford of Europe in 2013 for the Ford Vignale series. The Italians started designing the 613 in 1968 and were ready with the final product a few years later.

At first, it had a double headlights layout, much similar to the later 603 models. The overall shape of the two large cars from different generations is similar, but the 613 features more edgy and modern forms with longer hood and slightly shorter overhangs.

Just like its predecessor, the car was mostly used by government officials and industry executives. Limited numbers were handed to the secret police of Czechoslovakia and even North Korea ordered a few thousand for its police.

Later during the model’s life, it was exported to the United Kingdom as a rival for some BMWs and Jaguars, at least on paper. Despite its many upgrades over the standard version, including a five-speed gearbox and electronic fuel injection for a maximum output of 200 hp (149 kW), it never had a massive success, mainly because of its high starting price of around £30,000. The car was even featured in a Top Gear episode from 1993. 

 

Autonews