Latest news with #MEB
The Star
12-08-2025
- Politics
- The Star
RM4.8mil spent on procuring Jalur Gemilang badges for 5.14 million students, Fadhlina tells Parliament
KUALA LUMPUR: A total of RM8.4mil has been allocated for the procurement of Jalur Gemilang badges for approximately 5.14 million students in schools, Matriculation Colleges, Form Six Colleges, and teacher training institutes (IPG), says Fadhlina Sidek. The Education Minister explained that the wearing of the Jalur Gemilang badge on students' uniforms is one of the ministry's initiatives to instil the spirit of patriotism and love for the country among students from an early age. "This effort is also aligned with the Malaysian Education Blueprint (MEB) 2013–2025, which emphasises character building and national values as key pillars in shaping students' identity," she said in a written parliamentary reply to a question from Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman (PN-Kuala Krai). Abdul Latif wanted to know the total cost borne by the government to Jalur Gemilang badges to all students under the Education Ministry's institutions, and which companies were appointed as suppliers. Fadhlina said that the allocation was disbursed to all state education departments and relevant educational institutions in February 2025, based on student enrolment figures. "The procurement process was carried out by the state education departments, district education offices, and respective institutions via the ePerolehan system, either through tenders or quotations, subject to the allocated budget," she said. Fadhlina added that the state education departments were also authorised to implement zonal procurement to expedite the supply process and to encourage wider participation from eligible suppliers. "In total, 91 suppliers were involved in supplying the Jalur Gemilang badges nationwide," she said. Starting April 21, all public school students were required to wear the Jalur Gemilang badge on their school uniforms as part of a national initiative to promote patriotism and national resilience. This followed a circular issued on March 24 by Education Director General Azman Adnan, stating that students must wear a 5cm x 2.5cm badge displaying the national flag on the right side of their chest.
The Advertiser
02-08-2025
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
Cupra "pushing really hard" for connected services in Australia
Cupra Australia says it's "pushing really hard" with its Spanish global parent to bring factory-backed connected services Down Under, in direct response to customer feedback. Speaking with CarExpert, head of product for Cupra Australia – Jeff Shafer – said the lack of connected services in the brand's vehicles locally is something his team is directly looking to address soon. "Yeah, we're definitely looking to go with a factory-backed solution – it's a really hot topic," Mr Shafer said. "We feed back a lot of the local market needs [to global] and what we hear from customers. It's an issue that exists at a Group level, not just a Cupra level, but we're pushing really hard. I don't have timing I can share right now, but things are moving in a positive direction." CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The Volkswagen Group in Australia has been unable to implement a factory-backed connected services feature set, something that has also impacted the specification of its products – particularly, its range of electric vehicles (EVs) based on the dedicated MEB architecture. While online navigation and live traffic updates are potentially features that most Australian buyers could live without, the lack of proper app functionality like most EV rivals – including to check charge status and toggle remote features like cabin pre-conditioning and the like – stands out in a market where this is becoming increasingly common. Moreso, the MEB platform requires a connected services module for certain features which are currently left out of Australian models, like inbuilt satellite navigation and emergency call functions, which also tie to functionality in other available features like head-up displays, as well as over-the-air software updates. In the case of the Cupra Born, it also missed out on the Group's clever Travel Assist semi-autonomous highway mode as a result too, as it offers connected functionality. Earlier this year, Volkswagen Australia's passenger and commercial divisions rolled out a third-party solution in lieu of proprietary services, in the form of Goconnect. Via the Goconnect phone app, owners can view their parking position, visualise the vehicle's most recent trips, interact and book appointments with their dealer, view important errors and warnings, see the high-voltage battery status, and see the driving speed. At the launch of the ID. Buzz electric van range, Volkswagen Group Australia director of commercial vehicles, Ryan Davies, said: "Australia is currently one of those [markets] we don't have a true picture of when the connectivity that's available in Europe will make its way into Australia". Audi Australia, while also under the VW Group banner locally, has long offered its own connected solutions via the Audi connect plus feature which offers a range of online features and remote functions. However, the MEB-based Q4 e-tron misses out on these features, at least initially, due to the embedded connected module in the platform. While premium brands and Tesla have had forms of connected services and app functionality for some time, mainstream manufacturers have made strides in this space of late, as have many new Chinese challenger brands. Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda and Toyota all offer connected services and app-based remote functions, as do the likes of BYD and MG. All offer complimentary subscriptions with purchase, though length and available functionality can vary depending on the brand and subscription type. Not all of a brand's models are always compatible, either. MORE: Explore the Cupra showroom Content originally sourced from: Cupra Australia says it's "pushing really hard" with its Spanish global parent to bring factory-backed connected services Down Under, in direct response to customer feedback. Speaking with CarExpert, head of product for Cupra Australia – Jeff Shafer – said the lack of connected services in the brand's vehicles locally is something his team is directly looking to address soon. "Yeah, we're definitely looking to go with a factory-backed solution – it's a really hot topic," Mr Shafer said. "We feed back a lot of the local market needs [to global] and what we hear from customers. It's an issue that exists at a Group level, not just a Cupra level, but we're pushing really hard. I don't have timing I can share right now, but things are moving in a positive direction." CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The Volkswagen Group in Australia has been unable to implement a factory-backed connected services feature set, something that has also impacted the specification of its products – particularly, its range of electric vehicles (EVs) based on the dedicated MEB architecture. While online navigation and live traffic updates are potentially features that most Australian buyers could live without, the lack of proper app functionality like most EV rivals – including to check charge status and toggle remote features like cabin pre-conditioning and the like – stands out in a market where this is becoming increasingly common. Moreso, the MEB platform requires a connected services module for certain features which are currently left out of Australian models, like inbuilt satellite navigation and emergency call functions, which also tie to functionality in other available features like head-up displays, as well as over-the-air software updates. In the case of the Cupra Born, it also missed out on the Group's clever Travel Assist semi-autonomous highway mode as a result too, as it offers connected functionality. Earlier this year, Volkswagen Australia's passenger and commercial divisions rolled out a third-party solution in lieu of proprietary services, in the form of Goconnect. Via the Goconnect phone app, owners can view their parking position, visualise the vehicle's most recent trips, interact and book appointments with their dealer, view important errors and warnings, see the high-voltage battery status, and see the driving speed. At the launch of the ID. Buzz electric van range, Volkswagen Group Australia director of commercial vehicles, Ryan Davies, said: "Australia is currently one of those [markets] we don't have a true picture of when the connectivity that's available in Europe will make its way into Australia". Audi Australia, while also under the VW Group banner locally, has long offered its own connected solutions via the Audi connect plus feature which offers a range of online features and remote functions. However, the MEB-based Q4 e-tron misses out on these features, at least initially, due to the embedded connected module in the platform. While premium brands and Tesla have had forms of connected services and app functionality for some time, mainstream manufacturers have made strides in this space of late, as have many new Chinese challenger brands. Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda and Toyota all offer connected services and app-based remote functions, as do the likes of BYD and MG. All offer complimentary subscriptions with purchase, though length and available functionality can vary depending on the brand and subscription type. Not all of a brand's models are always compatible, either. MORE: Explore the Cupra showroom Content originally sourced from: Cupra Australia says it's "pushing really hard" with its Spanish global parent to bring factory-backed connected services Down Under, in direct response to customer feedback. Speaking with CarExpert, head of product for Cupra Australia – Jeff Shafer – said the lack of connected services in the brand's vehicles locally is something his team is directly looking to address soon. "Yeah, we're definitely looking to go with a factory-backed solution – it's a really hot topic," Mr Shafer said. "We feed back a lot of the local market needs [to global] and what we hear from customers. It's an issue that exists at a Group level, not just a Cupra level, but we're pushing really hard. I don't have timing I can share right now, but things are moving in a positive direction." CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The Volkswagen Group in Australia has been unable to implement a factory-backed connected services feature set, something that has also impacted the specification of its products – particularly, its range of electric vehicles (EVs) based on the dedicated MEB architecture. While online navigation and live traffic updates are potentially features that most Australian buyers could live without, the lack of proper app functionality like most EV rivals – including to check charge status and toggle remote features like cabin pre-conditioning and the like – stands out in a market where this is becoming increasingly common. Moreso, the MEB platform requires a connected services module for certain features which are currently left out of Australian models, like inbuilt satellite navigation and emergency call functions, which also tie to functionality in other available features like head-up displays, as well as over-the-air software updates. In the case of the Cupra Born, it also missed out on the Group's clever Travel Assist semi-autonomous highway mode as a result too, as it offers connected functionality. Earlier this year, Volkswagen Australia's passenger and commercial divisions rolled out a third-party solution in lieu of proprietary services, in the form of Goconnect. Via the Goconnect phone app, owners can view their parking position, visualise the vehicle's most recent trips, interact and book appointments with their dealer, view important errors and warnings, see the high-voltage battery status, and see the driving speed. At the launch of the ID. Buzz electric van range, Volkswagen Group Australia director of commercial vehicles, Ryan Davies, said: "Australia is currently one of those [markets] we don't have a true picture of when the connectivity that's available in Europe will make its way into Australia". Audi Australia, while also under the VW Group banner locally, has long offered its own connected solutions via the Audi connect plus feature which offers a range of online features and remote functions. However, the MEB-based Q4 e-tron misses out on these features, at least initially, due to the embedded connected module in the platform. While premium brands and Tesla have had forms of connected services and app functionality for some time, mainstream manufacturers have made strides in this space of late, as have many new Chinese challenger brands. Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda and Toyota all offer connected services and app-based remote functions, as do the likes of BYD and MG. All offer complimentary subscriptions with purchase, though length and available functionality can vary depending on the brand and subscription type. Not all of a brand's models are always compatible, either. MORE: Explore the Cupra showroom Content originally sourced from: Cupra Australia says it's "pushing really hard" with its Spanish global parent to bring factory-backed connected services Down Under, in direct response to customer feedback. Speaking with CarExpert, head of product for Cupra Australia – Jeff Shafer – said the lack of connected services in the brand's vehicles locally is something his team is directly looking to address soon. "Yeah, we're definitely looking to go with a factory-backed solution – it's a really hot topic," Mr Shafer said. "We feed back a lot of the local market needs [to global] and what we hear from customers. It's an issue that exists at a Group level, not just a Cupra level, but we're pushing really hard. I don't have timing I can share right now, but things are moving in a positive direction." CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The Volkswagen Group in Australia has been unable to implement a factory-backed connected services feature set, something that has also impacted the specification of its products – particularly, its range of electric vehicles (EVs) based on the dedicated MEB architecture. While online navigation and live traffic updates are potentially features that most Australian buyers could live without, the lack of proper app functionality like most EV rivals – including to check charge status and toggle remote features like cabin pre-conditioning and the like – stands out in a market where this is becoming increasingly common. Moreso, the MEB platform requires a connected services module for certain features which are currently left out of Australian models, like inbuilt satellite navigation and emergency call functions, which also tie to functionality in other available features like head-up displays, as well as over-the-air software updates. In the case of the Cupra Born, it also missed out on the Group's clever Travel Assist semi-autonomous highway mode as a result too, as it offers connected functionality. Earlier this year, Volkswagen Australia's passenger and commercial divisions rolled out a third-party solution in lieu of proprietary services, in the form of Goconnect. Via the Goconnect phone app, owners can view their parking position, visualise the vehicle's most recent trips, interact and book appointments with their dealer, view important errors and warnings, see the high-voltage battery status, and see the driving speed. At the launch of the ID. Buzz electric van range, Volkswagen Group Australia director of commercial vehicles, Ryan Davies, said: "Australia is currently one of those [markets] we don't have a true picture of when the connectivity that's available in Europe will make its way into Australia". Audi Australia, while also under the VW Group banner locally, has long offered its own connected solutions via the Audi connect plus feature which offers a range of online features and remote functions. However, the MEB-based Q4 e-tron misses out on these features, at least initially, due to the embedded connected module in the platform. While premium brands and Tesla have had forms of connected services and app functionality for some time, mainstream manufacturers have made strides in this space of late, as have many new Chinese challenger brands. Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda and Toyota all offer connected services and app-based remote functions, as do the likes of BYD and MG. All offer complimentary subscriptions with purchase, though length and available functionality can vary depending on the brand and subscription type. Not all of a brand's models are always compatible, either. MORE: Explore the Cupra showroom Content originally sourced from:
7NEWS
01-08-2025
- Automotive
- 7NEWS
Cupra "pushing really hard" for connected services in Australia
Cupra Australia says it's 'pushing really hard' with its Spanish global parent to bring factory-backed connected services Down Under, in direct response to customer feedback. Speaking with CarExpert, head of product for Cupra Australia – Jeff Shafer – said the lack of connected services in the brand's vehicles locally is something his team is directly looking to address soon. 'Yeah, we're definitely looking to go with a factory-backed solution – it's a really hot topic,' Mr Shafer said. 'We feed back a lot of the local market needs [to global] and what we hear from customers. It's an issue that exists at a Group level, not just a Cupra level, but we're pushing really hard. I don't have timing I can share right now, but things are moving in a positive direction.' CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The Volkswagen Group in Australia has been unable to implement a factory-backed connected services feature set, something that has also impacted the specification of its products – particularly, its range of electric vehicles (EVs) based on the dedicated MEB architecture. While online navigation and live traffic updates are potentially features that most Australian buyers could live without, the lack of proper app functionality like most EV rivals – including to check charge status and toggle remote features like cabin pre-conditioning and the like – stands out in a market where this is becoming increasingly common. Moreso, the MEB platform requires a connected services module for certain features which are currently left out of Australian models, like inbuilt satellite navigation and emergency call functions, which also tie to functionality in other available features like head-up displays, as well as over-the-air software updates. In the case of the Cupra Born, it also missed out on the Group's clever Travel Assist semi-autonomous highway mode as a result too, as it offers connected functionality. Earlier this year, Volkswagen Australia's passenger and commercial divisions rolled out a third-party solution in lieu of proprietary services, in the form of Goconnect. Via the Goconnect phone app, owners can view their parking position, visualise the vehicle's most recent trips, interact and book appointments with their dealer, view important errors and warnings, see the high-voltage battery status, and see the driving speed. At the launch of the ID. Buzz electric van range, Volkswagen Group Australia director of commercial vehicles, Ryan Davies, said: 'Australia is currently one of those [markets] we don't have a true picture of when the connectivity that's available in Europe will make its way into Australia'. Audi Australia, while also under the VW Group banner locally, has long offered its own connected solutions via the Audi connect plus feature which offers a range of online features and remote functions. However, the MEB-based Q4 e-tron misses out on these features, at least initially, due to the embedded connected module in the platform. While premium brands and Tesla have had forms of connected services and app functionality for some time, mainstream manufacturers have made strides in this space of late, as have many new Chinese challenger brands. Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda and Toyota all offer connected services and app-based remote functions, as do the likes of BYD and MG. All offer complimentary subscriptions with purchase, though length and available functionality can vary depending on the brand and subscription type. Not all of a brand's models are always compatible, either.
Perth Now
01-08-2025
- Automotive
- Perth Now
Cupra "pushing really hard" for connected services in Australia
Cupra Australia says it's 'pushing really hard' with its Spanish global parent to bring factory-backed connected services Down Under, in direct response to customer feedback. Speaking with CarExpert, head of product for Cupra Australia – Jeff Shafer – said the lack of connected services in the brand's vehicles locally is something his team is directly looking to address soon. 'Yeah, we're definitely looking to go with a factory-backed solution – it's a really hot topic,' Mr Shafer said. 'We feed back a lot of the local market needs [to global] and what we hear from customers. It's an issue that exists at a Group level, not just a Cupra level, but we're pushing really hard. I don't have timing I can share right now, but things are moving in a positive direction.' CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The Volkswagen Group in Australia has been unable to implement a factory-backed connected services feature set, something that has also impacted the specification of its products – particularly, its range of electric vehicles (EVs) based on the dedicated MEB architecture. While online navigation and live traffic updates are potentially features that most Australian buyers could live without, the lack of proper app functionality like most EV rivals – including to check charge status and toggle remote features like cabin pre-conditioning and the like – stands out in a market where this is becoming increasingly common. Moreso, the MEB platform requires a connected services module for certain features which are currently left out of Australian models, like inbuilt satellite navigation and emergency call functions, which also tie to functionality in other available features like head-up displays, as well as over-the-air software updates. In the case of the Cupra Born, it also missed out on the Group's clever Travel Assist semi-autonomous highway mode as a result too, as it offers connected functionality. Earlier this year, Volkswagen Australia's passenger and commercial divisions rolled out a third-party solution in lieu of proprietary services, in the form of Goconnect. Via the Goconnect phone app, owners can view their parking position, visualise the vehicle's most recent trips, interact and book appointments with their dealer, view important errors and warnings, see the high-voltage battery status, and see the driving speed. At the launch of the ID. Buzz electric van range, Volkswagen Group Australia director of commercial vehicles, Ryan Davies, said: 'Australia is currently one of those [markets] we don't have a true picture of when the connectivity that's available in Europe will make its way into Australia'. Audi Australia, while also under the VW Group banner locally, has long offered its own connected solutions via the Audi connect plus feature which offers a range of online features and remote functions. However, the MEB-based Q4 e-tron misses out on these features, at least initially, due to the embedded connected module in the platform. Supplied Credit: CarExpert While premium brands and Tesla have had forms of connected services and app functionality for some time, mainstream manufacturers have made strides in this space of late, as have many new Chinese challenger brands. Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda and Toyota all offer connected services and app-based remote functions, as do the likes of BYD and MG. All offer complimentary subscriptions with purchase, though length and available functionality can vary depending on the brand and subscription type. Not all of a brand's models are always compatible, either. MORE: Explore the Cupra showroom
Top Gear
24-07-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Cupra Tavascan Driving, Engines & Performance
Driving What is it like to drive? Acceleration is brisk, but not with that step-off jolt some fast EVs give you on the first micron of pedal travel. That's fine. Who wants to be slammed in the back of the skull by the headrest every time a traffic light goes green? More importantly, the acceleration is enough to give decent overtaking gumption, and to give the tyres something to think about on the exit from a corner. In numbers, the AWD version is 5.5 seconds 0-62mph. Advertisement - Page continues below The front motor is called into play when rear traction is close to its limit, but in any case it's the weaker of the pair. Bottom line, this feels rear driven. A point you can emphasise by selecting a sports AWD mode which defers the front motor's arrival, and a sports setting for the ESP. You can also tauten the dampers. We're glad to say there's now a screen shortcut to turn off the electronic assistance features. The lane keep can yank at the wheel when the road lines are inconsistent, and the speed limit warnings are irritating too. On motorways the lane centring and radar cruise work well and smoothly, although the displays could do more to reassure you by telling you what they're up to. What about in the corners? With the right settings, the Tavascan is definitely more amusing than its rivals. You can use the regen paddles to slow it progressively, but even so too much ambition at the start of a tight bend will see you lost in understeer and steering wheel numbness. That's your 2.3 tonnes right there. Advertisement - Page continues below But then when you add the power it feels engaging, giving you a sense of the tyres working for you. The steering is precise and well weighted. The brake pedal is a bit soft underfoot, with a mild sense of delay as regeneration hands off to friction, but which of its rivals isn't like that? I hope they didn't ruin the ride? The Tavascan copes well with bumps, with the caveat that it's a particularly firm ride overall. A button on the steering wheel cycles between drive modes, which affects damping among other things. And a second one shortcuts you to the Cupra mode that puts all settings to their most aggressive. Cupra has lowered the ride height by 15mm compared to the related VW Group MEB crossovers, and made adaptive dampers standard with the AWD version. And done its own software for steering and brakes and damping and ESP. And given the option of light 21-inch wheels. It all helps. What's the charging like? Peak DC recharge rate is 135kW which isn't too fancy, but Cupra says it can sustain that for a long time, so you can make good use of, say, a 150kW charge post and get from 10-80 per cent in as little as 28 minutes. There's three-phase AC charging, but disappointingly it's only 11kW not 22kW, so you're still taking eight hours to fill the battery from empty. That said, 7kW is likely the maximum power your home can deliver anyway. So call it 11 hours on one of those home or street charge ports from dead flat to 100 per cent juiced. And efficiency? How far can I really go on that battery? We drove the range-topping VZ2 AWD for a couple of hundred miles or so round a selection of UK roads during warm weather and got... 3.6 mi/kWh out of it. Not amazing, but we've seen a lot worse. That would make for total range of 277 miles against a promise of 323 – and that'll drop in the winter, especially without the (non-standard) heat pump. If range anxiety is a thing you suffer from, stick with the RWD Tavascan: that'll get close to 300 miles real world. Highlights from the range the fastest 250kW VZ2 77kWh AWD 5dr Auto [Winter Pack] 0-62 5.5s CO2 0 BHP 335.3 MPG Price £62,115 the cheapest 210kW V1 77kWh 5dr Auto 0-62 6.8s CO2 0 BHP 281.6 MPG Price £47,285 the greenest 250kW VZ2 77kWh AWD 5dr Auto [Winter Pack] 0-62 5.5s CO2 0 BHP 335.3 MPG Price £62,115
