Latest news with #Trekker
Daily Express
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Express
Google Maps Trekker spotted walking through Bukit Bintang
Published on: Saturday, August 16, 2025 Published on: Sat, Aug 16, 2025 Text Size: Stills from the video. - Social media KUALA LUMPUR: Navigation apps such as Waze and Google Maps have become part of everyday life in Malaysia and around the world, helping people plan their journeys more easily. In addition to maps, Google also offers features such as Street View on both Google Maps and Google Earth, allowing users to see streets and buildings through panoramic images. Most people are aware that these images are usually captured by specially equipped Google Street View cars fitted with 360-degree cameras. However, not many realise that in areas inaccessible to vehicles, the images are collected on foot by individuals carrying portable camera systems. Recently, a video went viral showing a man walking around Bukit Bintang in Kuala Lumpur carrying a large backpack camera system for Google Maps. The video, uploaded on TikTok by @wbbb_ttt, showed the man crossing pedestrian walkways and using an overhead bridge, attracting the attention of passers-by. The TikTok user remarked that the backpack looked heavy but admitted being excited at the thought of possibly appearing on Street View. Google refers to the portable system as the Trekker, a backpack-mounted 360-degree camera designed to capture narrow streets, pedestrian areas, and other locations only accessible on foot. Social media users responded with a mix of amusement and curiosity, with some joking that it looked like a fun job, while others asked how they could apply to be a Trekker. For many, the sight of Google Maps 'walking' through Bukit Bintang was a reminder of how digital technology continues to map even the busiest corners of the city. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
United News of India
22-06-2025
- United News of India
Bengal: Six killed in Trekker-dumper collision in Murshidabad Distt
Kolkata, June 22 (UNI) At least six people were killed, of them four women and a child, and over dozen sustained multiple wounds in a head-on collision between a Trekker and a dumper in West Bengal's Murshidabad district on Sunday, official sources said. All the victims were occupants of the Trekker, who were returning home after having a holy dip at a water body in Birbhum's Sainthia, police said. The mishap occurred at Gokarna village on Kandi-Baharampur State Highway when the Trekker, with some 22 people on board including the driver, met with the accident. The impact of the collision was so severe that the four-wheel Trekker vehicle turned into a mangle of steel. The injured have been admitted to the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital with critical wounds of several people, all the residents of Rukunpur village under Harihar police station. The victims had hired the Trekker early this morning and travelled to Ahmedpur under Sainthia in Birbhum district for taking holy bath there. The dead include four women, a child and the driver. The driver of the dumper and his assistant abandoned the heavy loaded vehicle on the road and fled. UNI PC SS
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Volkswagen's Quirky 'Thing' Roars Back to Life After Decades
In a recent video, the team at WD Detailing uncovered a remarkable piece of automotive history: a Volkswagen Type 181, affectionately known in the U.S. as the "Thing." This particular vehicle had been tucked away in a barn for over five decades, accumulating a mere 6,800 miles (approximately 11,000 kilometers) since new. Its pristine condition and unique backstory offer a fascinating glimpse into automotive design and history. The Volkswagen Type 181, introduced in 1969, was initially developed for the West German Army. It later entered civilian markets under various names: "Kurierwagen" in Germany, "Trekker" in the UK, and "Safari" in Mexico and South America. In the United States, it earned the quirky moniker "Thing" during its brief availability in 1973 and 1974. This vehicle's design drew inspiration from the World War II-era Kübelwagen, sharing mechanical components with the Volkswagen Beetle and Microbus. Notably, the Thing featured removable doors, a fold-flat windshield, and a convertible roof, embodying a utilitarian yet playful aesthetic. Upon discovering the Thing, the WD Detailing team faced the challenge of reviving a vehicle that had been dormant for 50 years. Despite its long slumber, the car's body was in exceptional condition, with minimal rust and all original parts intact. The interior, though dusty, showed no significant damage, preserving its original charm. The restoration process began with a thorough exterior wash, revealing the vehicle's original paintwork. Attention then turned to the engine bay, where the team carefully cleaned and inspected the air-cooled flat-four engine. The interior received a meticulous cleaning, preserving the original seats and fixtures. The Volkswagen Thing holds a unique position in automotive history. Its unconventional design and military origins set it apart from other vehicles of its era. Built on the Beetle's platform, it combined reliability with a rugged, off-road-ready appearance. The Thing's versatility and distinctive look have earned it a cult following among enthusiasts. This barn find underscores the importance of preserving automotive history. Vehicles like the Volkswagen Thing offer insights into past engineering practices and cultural trends. For enthusiasts and collectors, such discoveries highlight the potential value hidden in forgotten garages and barns. The revival of this 1970 Volkswagen Thing by WD Detailing is more than just a restoration; it's a journey into the past, bringing a piece of automotive history back to life. It serves as a reminder of the timeless appeal of unique vehicle designs and the stories they carry through the years.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Toyota 4Runner Sales Have Been on Quite a Ride over 40-Plus Years
It's doubtful that the engineers behind the first Toyota 4Runner ever thought their creation would be much of a sales success. It was, after all, a pretty odd vehicle by 1984 standards, not a conventional sport-utility vehicle as we would come to know them, but more a pickup truck with the back of its cab cut away and a removable fiberglass top fitted. The first of them didn't even have rear seats mounted in the bed. But by the mid-1990s, Toyota was selling well over 100,000 4Runners a year in the U.S., a trend that has continued pretty steadily into the current day. With the new one here and still sharing its roots with the Tacoma pickup, here's a look at how the 4Runner grew from a niche hunting and camping rig to Toyota's mainstay off-roader in the United States. Elsewhere around the globe, it's the Land Cruiser that flies the flag for Toyota 4x4 prowess. While the nameplate has returned to the U.S. for the current model, it hasn't always been available in American showrooms. When Toyota first announced it was discontinuing the original FJ40, pulling it from the U.S. market, there was a space to fill. At first, it wasn't Toyota itself that filled the gap. In spite of the importance of the Land Cruiser in establishing the company's presence in the U.S. (Land Cruiser sales kept the books in the black when the Toyopet sedan was floundering), the thought was that the same job could be done by the Toyota pickup. It could, but not without a little help. A Wisconsin Toyota dealer contacted Winnebago and asked it to come up with something. Winnebago's solution was to take the short-wheelbase version of Toyota's pickup, remove the back of the cab, then fit a permanently fixed fiberglass canopy and a rear bench seat. The pickups came direct from Japan as cab and chassis as a workaround to avoid the so-called chicken tax, and most conversions were done at the Winnebago plant. Winnebago called it the Trekker. (One sold via Bring a Trailer auction a few years ago.) Over about three years, the Trekker steadily sold in several hundred examples a year. Once totals hit more than 1000 (somewhere between 1200 and 1500 when production ceased), Toyota's marketing division figured there was proven demand. It launched the first 4Runner in 1983, and by 1984 the truck was selling in its familiar recipe, with bench seats and a removable rear canopy. The first four years of 4Runner sales were solid but unremarkable: between 3600 and 6500 units per year. In 1988, demand exploded, and Toyota sold more than 20,000 4Runners for the first time, and then a third more on top of that for the next year. A V-6 was now available, and the 4Runner was thus a little more pleasant to drive in everyday use and on the highway. Starting with the 1990 model year, the second-gen 4Runner was a complete departure from the original formula. You could still get a two-door variant, at least until 1993, but these were a complete steel body riding on a ladder frame shared with the pickup. More important, especially for sales figures, there was now a four-door version. As with the previous generation, this new 4Runner was sold in other markets, including Japan, as the Hilux Surf. It could hardly be better named, as it was timed just right to catch the swell of demand for SUVs in the 1990s, with U.S. sales starting the decade in the high 40,000 mark and hitting just under 130,000 by 1997. All told, the second-generation 4Runner accounted for a hair under 270,000 trucks, as compared to just over 42,000 for the first-gen machine. The third-generation 4Runner, sold from 1996 to 2002, was even more successful, more than doubling the sales performance of its predecessor. These third- and fourth-generation 4Runners are quite popular with Toyota enthusiasts, as they're far more comfortable than earlier models while still being entirely rugged. There was also a V-8 version available, with stout towing capabilities. Unfortunately, the arrival of the financial crisis of 2007 and 2008, combined with rising fuel prices, cut 4Runner sales off at the knees. 2009 was a particularly bad year, with just 19,675 4Runners finding homes. Introduced for the 2009 model year, the fifth-generation 4Runner began slowly clawing its way up the sales chart year by year. Sales were again over 100,000 by 2016, and they stayed level. At first, the 4Runner was still very similar to Toyota's pickup, now branded as the Tacoma in the U.S. market. However, the SUV was built in Japan while the pickup was built in Mexico and Texas, and began to diverge when the Tacoma was updated for 2015 with a new 3.5-liter V-6. The 4Runner soldiered on with the old 4.0-liter V-6 and five-speed automatic transmission combo. And on. And on. For a decade and a half, the only real change was Toyota adjusting the trim levels, issuing a few special editions, and facelifting the truck once. In spite of this unchanging nature, or perhaps because of it, 4Runner sales never wavered. The 4Runner finished out 2024 with over 90,000 trucks sold, a slight reduction over previous years. However, this is largely due to supplies of the old model being drawn down as it was still hovering around an average of 10,000 4Runners a month sold until September. There's plenty of interest in the new model, but how the faithful will greet the two new turbo-four powerplants, one a hybrid, is an open question. The Tacoma has been selling well, but the 4Runner may lose a little of its market share to the Land Cruiser it shares a showroom with. But at least it still has the roll-down rear glass in the rear, something 4Runners have had since the get-go. The engineer behind that original two-door truck might be surprised to see the size, complexity, and technology carried by this new SUV. But some of the same 4Runner spirit is still there too, and that's both what Toyota fans want, and what they vote for with their wallets. You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
