Digest of the day: ChatGPT in DS cars, Chery on Ozone and other industry events
In cars of the brand DS (owned by the Stellantis concern), an artificial intelligence ChatGPT appeared. With its help, the manufacturer hopes to improve the driver’s communication with the car’s systems and simplify the voice control of the media system. ChatGPT will be added to the Iris head unit on DS 3, DS 4, DS 7 and DS 9 models. In the pilot mode, access to artificial intelligence will be opened to the first 20 thousand registered users in the UK, Spain, France, Germany and Italy.
Automakers continue to transfer their electric vehicles for the American market to the charging connector NACS (North American Charging Standard), developed by Tesla. Earlier, this was announced by General Motors, Ford, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and others. A few days ago, BMW joined them: NACS connectors will appear on BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce electric vehicles for the US and Canadian markets from 2025. Now Toyota (together with its subsidiary Lexus brand) has made a similar decision. The first model with a NACS connector will be a three-row crossover that has not yet been presented, which will be produced at a factory in Kentucky. Owners of electric vehicles of the mentioned brands will have access to Tesla Supercharger chargers, of which there are already about 12 thousand in the USA.
The compact SUV Toyota Corolla Cross has changed the base engine for the Japanese market. The 1.8 atmospheric engine (140 hp, 170 Nm) has been replaced by a two-liter engine with a recoil of 170 hp and 202 Nm. At the same time, the hybrid Corolla’s power plant has not changed: a deformed atmospheric 1.8 with an electromechanical variator with a total capacity of 140 hp. In addition, the multimedia system and the electronic assistant complex have been updated. Prices — from $ 15,500.
Five months after the debut in South Korea, the upgraded sedan Genesis G70 has reached the US market. The place of the basic two-liter turbo engine (252 hp, 353 Nm) was taken by the Smartstream family unit with a volume of 2.5 liters (304 hp, 422 Nm). Also now in the base G70 has reinforced Brembo brakes. In addition, there are minor changes in the interior and several new trim colors. Prices have not been announced yet.
The Russian branch of the company Chery has expanded the geography of car sales through the online store Ozon. If until now buying online with car delivery was available only to residents of the capital region, now you can buy Chery cars through Ozon all over Russia. Delivery time in the Central Federal District is from one to four days, and in other regions of the country (including Kaliningrad) — from 21 to 38 days. You can only buy cars with gasoline engines without an electric suspension through the marketplace. For hybrids, as before, you need to go to the dealership.
For Voyah cars officially sold on the Russian market, wireless connection of mobile devices via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto protocols is now available in the basic equipment. So far, we are talking only about hybrid cars — the Voyah Free EVR crossover and the Voyah Dream PHEV minivan. Customers who have already bought such hybrids from authorized dealers can contact them for a free upgrade of the head unit and installation of CarPlay/Android Auto. Later, these functions will become available for the entire Russian model range of the brand.
Also today we talked about the pickup truck Changan CD701, the upcoming restyling of the sedan Kia K5 and the crossover Leapmotor C10.