Automotive

Conquering Mt. Malasimbo with the Nissan Navara and its Around View Monitor

It has the brawns and brains to take on a mountain

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As a celebration of Navara’s third year in the Philippine market, Nissan recently rounded up media representatives and flew them to Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. The Navara is one of Nissan’s most successful vehicles, and is already part of the top three in the local pickup segment.

This event was also the perfect chance to put to test its new feature: the Around View Monitor (AVM). This is part of the Nissan Intelligent Mobility initiative which we heard a lot of during the recent Nissan Futures in Singapore.

Kicking off from the southern-most tip of the island, we embarked on our eight-hour drive to Mt. Malasimbo. Each 2.5-liter Navara carried two to four persons. While some took turns driving, others braved the driver’s seat from start to finish.

The roads our convoy took were a combination of gravel, unfinished roads, remote paths with blind spots, steep inclines, and narrow lanes. I’ve already spent hours on Nissan’s zero-gravity seats in the past so I had no issues with ride comfort. These seats plus the truck’s multi-link suspension system actually made the drive comfortable — too comfortable that one of our passengers was asleep in the back seat almost the entire time (no, not dropping names!).

Once at Mt. Malasimbo, we got to finally make the most out of its AVM and other safety tech. An obstacle course was set up in different areas of the mountain which we took turns strategically maneuvering around.

It was during this time that the Around View Monitor proved the most useful. Blind spots — which would usually require an additional person to stick their head out and check how much room you still have — are now comfortably seen right at the monitor.

There’s also an option to have an even closer view of how far your tire is from an obstacle just by pressing one button. This made it easy to take accurate and calculated turns at the site’s steep and narrow inclines.

Other features that were in action while navigating through the twists and climbs of Mt. Malasimbo were Hill Start/Descent Assist, Traction Control, and Vehicle Dynamics Stability Control.

At this event, not only did everyone have fun catching up and driving, the Navara also proved itself as a vehicle that can keep up with your adventures, whether you’re sailing on a smooth highway or treading the road less traveled.

SEE ALSO: Nissan Futures 2018: Electrifying the Future

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Automotive

Xiaomi EV sets world’s 1st official autonomous driving lap at Nürburgring

Pilotless Xiaomi YU7 completes 20.8-kilometer “Green Hell” track

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June 25, 2026

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Xiaomi EV has just made a historic automotive milestone, with a pilotless Xiaomi YU7 GT completing a lap at the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit on its own.

Equipped with the brand’s premium Track Package, the EV conquered one of the most brutal racetracks on the planet without a human driving it, clocking a certified lap time of 10:29.483 across the grueling 20.8 km loop.

The achievement validates the comprehensive capabilities of Xiaomi’s autonomous driving system under dynamic conditions. At the same time, it demonstrates the potential unlocked through the deep integration of AI and advanced vehicle control technologies.

This historic run is the culmination of years of machine learning development. Xiaomi first debuted its Hyper Autonomous Driving (HAD) system back in 2024, but the real breakthrough came earlier this year.

In March 2026, Xiaomi rolled out a next-generation platform driven by its new Xiaomi XLA architecture and the advanced MiMo-Embodied foundation model.

With enhanced understanding and reasoning capabilities, the new system further improves its ability to interpret complex environments, dynamic traffic participants, and vehicle states.

The driving system is built on an end-to-end architecture and vehicle dynamics model, enabling real-time perception of vehicle states and road conditions.

It makes control decisions through dynamic prediction, and continuously coordinates steering, braking, and power delivery to maintain vehicle stability.

Such system accelerates the evolution of autonomous driving from behavior imitation to deeper environmental understanding and autonomous decision-making.

Taming the “Green Hell” with AI

Conquering the Nordschleife is no small feat for a human racing driver, let alone software.

The track is widely regarded as the ultimate proving ground for vehicle development due to its punishing layout: 73 distinct corners, roughly 300 meters of radical elevation changes, wildly inconsistent grip levels, and zero room for error.

During the certified high-speed time trial, Xiaomi’s autonomous system successfully navigated every single one of these complex hazards in real time.

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Automotive

Mercedes-Benz holds a Welcome Home campaign to celebrate 140 years

Get freebies and discounts from now until the end of July.

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June 22, 2026

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Mercedes-Benz has been an important part of Filipino car culture. Stylized as the “Chedeng,” the brand’s cars are still worthy choices today. Now, to celebrate their 140th anniversary, Mercedes-Benz is launching the Welcome Home Campaign, offering treats and discounts for Filipino drivers.

From now until the end of June, new Mercedes-Benz owners can get an exclusive 1886 Benz Patent Motorwagen Replica. The limited-edition replica represents the history of brand’s innovations in the motoring space.

Similarly, until the end of the month, interested customers can start their Benz journey for downpayments as low as PhP 140,000. Discounted prices, however, will go on until the end of July:

MODEL
Original Price
Discounted Price
CLA 200 Progressive
PhP 3,990,000
PhP 3,490,000
C 180 Avantgarde
PhP 3,990,000
PhP 2,990,000
GLB 200 AMG Line
PhP 4,590,000
PhP 4,090,000
GLC 200 4MATIC
PhP 5,190,000
PhP 4,690,000
EQB 250+ Electric Art
PhP 4,290,000
PhP 4,090,000
EQE 300 Electric Art Sedan
PhP 5,590,000
PhP 3,990,000
EQE 350+ AMG Line Sedan
PhP 6,290,000
PhP 4,690,000
EQS 450 4MATIC AMG Line Sedan
PhP 9,990,000
PhP 7,490,000
Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 4MATIC
PhP 5,719,000
PhP 5,519,000
Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4MATIC
PhP 5,719,000
PhP 5,219,000

 

If you already own a Chedeng, Mercedes-Benz will show some love by offering special aftersales initiatives throughout the campaign period. Additionally, there will be more roadshow activations happening the entire year to showcase the latest in the Benz lineup.

Finally, if you have a Chedeng story of your own, Mercedes-Benz is inviting long-time fans to share their stories on social media by tagging the official Mercedes-Benz Philippines account and using the hashtags #Chedeng and #140YearsofInnovation. Featured users can win exclusive Benz merchandise.

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Computex 2026

Acer introduces new e-bikers, e-scooters at COMPUTEX 2026

Acer expands into smart e-mobility solutions

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June 1, 2026

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Acer is showcasing its new range of e-bikes and e-scooters at COMPUTEX 2026, as part of its expansion into smart e-mobility solutions.

These offerings are powered by integrated software to deliver connected and intuitive riding experiences for evolving urban mobility needs.

Part of the new lineup are the Acer Nitro eCity Plus (e-bike) and Acer ES Series 3 Select (e-scooter). Both designed for urban commuting, these products feature versatile configurations, optimized performance, and enhanced portability for everyday use.

The Nitro eCity Plus comes with multiple riding modes and responsive power delivery for a smooth and stable ride. It also has a removable battery design for convenient charging.

Meanwhile, the ES Series 3 Select is about portability and efficiency. It has features for daily urban travel, and is lightweight, compact, and foldable.

It likewise boasts of multiple riding modes and comes with optimized braking and lighting systems.

Both of these electric mobility solutions can be controlled via the Acer eMobility app. Riders can check battery status and control lighting easily on the go with voice controls.

The app also provides a unified interface for e-bikes and e-scooters across Acer’s portfolio. It allows users to monitor vehicle status, battery levels, and riding data. Riders can also access functions like lighting control, device settings adjustment, riding history, and performance insights.

For peace of mind, several security features are also integrated. For instance, riders can activate an e-lock function via voice commands on compatible e-scooters. On e-bikes, the app also provides alert-based anti-theft notifications.

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