Bamboo, the flexible perennial grass, to the rescue

Yes it’s back. If you’ve been a regular reader, you might remember we had already published the final report of this particular Kushaq Monte Carlo. Thing is though, a lot of us really love this bright red SUV. So when we asked Skoda if we could keep it a bit longer, they very kindly obliged. These days it’s rare to find a mass-segment offering that’s high on driving pleasure. Most are set up to deliver a comfortable but anaesthetised drive. Not this one. And that’s why we all love driving it.

Shapur loves the 1.5-litre TSI engine that’s strong and makes the Kushaq quick off the line as well as in roll-ons. Hormazd took it to his favourite haunt – Mahabaleshwar – and came back proclaiming this to be the best mass segment DSG by a long shot. And I am really smitten with its ride and handling balance. These traits have really come in handy during the monsoons – overtaking black-and-yellow cabs, struggling through rain-ravaged streets with fogged up windscreens is a breeze. Flex your right foot and you get by in an instant, and if you need to, tug on the paddle and the gearbox is super quick to respond. The best part is it rarely second guesses you, so it does exactly what you want and that’s what Hormazd really liked. Coming down through the ghats, one to two successive paddle pulls, and gear changes are delivered quickly and without hesitation. A side note: in very-low-speed traffic, it does trip up, fumbling between first and second gears.

The monsoons have also put the suspension to the test. While I like the ride and handling overall, my preference leans towards handling, with a firmer setup. And although this means you don’t have a cushy ride over the rough stuff, it also means it does not bottom out on the many potholes and sharp edges that are literally everywhere.

The wet stuff has managed to trip up the rearview camera though. On two occasions – both during a heavy downpour – the feed began to stutter rapidly, making it impossible to see and judge your parking. It’s most likely moisture or water related and might disappear come drier days, but in any case, we will have the dealership inspect the connections as it’s not a screen issue.

That aside, the monsoons have been a breeze for the Kushaq. Even the AC, which used to struggle maintaining low temperatures in the summer heat, does just fine in weather like this. Fuel efficiency has not dropped too much, either. A slower pace overall has seen me get single-digit figures – around 7kpl – but in freer-moving traffic, it does rise to low two digits. That’s thanks to the cylinder-deactivation function, which, during steady low-load cruising, shuts down two cylinders for better efficiency. I’m definitely going to hang onto this one until the rains stop. I’ve got an out-of-town trip planned, and so far I’ve not had to contend with water-logged and flooded streets. But if I do, the Kushaq’s 155mm laden ground clearance will certainly come in handy.

Skoda Kushaq Monte Carlo long term review, 12,200km report

Skoda Slavia, Kushaq prices down by about Rs 1 lakh

It was one of those perfect drives, a rare window of relative emptiness on India’s busiest highway. A mid-morning dash to the BU Bhandari showroom for the launch of the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 was the easiest Mumbai-Pune trip I’ve done in a long time. Making the drive particularly relaxing was the new addition to Autocar India’s fleet, the all-electric Mercedes EQE SUV, which got its first highway outing.

It took just two hours and six minutes in the ultra-smooth (and quick) EQE SUV to go from the Autocar HQ to the BU Bhandari Showroom on the Pune bypass. That’s less than what many office folks take to get home on a typical working day in Mumbai. It does help that the AtalSetu has brought our office closer to the edge of Mumbai, and a 10:15am departure was a sweet spot (or time). The early-morning highway rush was over, the toll plazas had no long queues, and even the Lonavala Ghat, which is choked most of the day (and night) on Google Maps, was surprisingly ‘blue’. Traffic flowed without holdups, even on the steepest sections where trucks otherwise block all lanes while trying to ‘overtake’ at a crawl.

The Atal Setu is always a great place to try out the ADAS system on any car. The wide and perfectly marked lanes and the gentle curves on this 21km sea bridge were perfect for checking out the EQE SUV’s ‘Level 2’ ADAS capability. That meant letting the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), which I have set at 99kph (just below the 100kph speed limit), and the Lane Keep Assist do the work while I sat back and relaxed with just a light hand on the wheel, enjoying the harbour’s breathtaking views.

The Lane Keep Assist worked brilliantly, keeping the big Merc centred nicely in the fast lane. When changing lanes, I was impressed with how the ACC reacted smoothly. When you signal and shift into the overtaking lane, the ACC provides strong and linear acceleration without abrupt power surges to match the new lane’s speed.

While the ADAS in the Mercedes EQE SUV is highly advanced, it has some limitations, especially when dealing with erratic drivers who slice across lanes like it’s a normal thing to do. If some idiot abruptly cuts into your lane from a sharp angle, the ADAS can struggle to react promptly. This is not the case with just the EQE SUV – no ADAS is fully capable of handling such unpredictable events, which is a reminder of why the tech can only assist and not replace the driver.

Mercedes’ Active Brake Assist, while a great safety feature on paper, can become a nuisance – and even a potential hazard – in Mumbai’s chaotic traffic. Designed for controlled environments, it doesn’t quite account for the unpredictability of pedestrians darting across roads or scooters weaving through tight gaps. The system often triggers unnecessarily, slamming on the brakes at the slightest hint of an obstacle. In such congested conditions, this overly sensitive response can be more dangerous than helpful. These fierce and abrupt stops are hugely unnerving for the passengers and could catch a driver behind you off guard, increasing the risk of rear-end collisions. It’s best to switch the Brake Assist off, which you have to do every time you start the car.

The monsoons have made mincemeat of the Nhava Sheva road, which connects the Atal Setu to the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, and on such surfaces, the EQE SUV is out of its comfort zone. To be honest, it doesn’t quite live up to its SUV credentials and isn’t comfortable dropping in and out of potholes like its IC engine brethren. That’s because the softly sprung EQE SUV uses up its suspension travel quite easily, and deep ruts and craters crash through. In fact, it’s best to use ‘Sport’ drive mode as the default setting. The suspension feels overtly soft in Comfort and Normal modes, which is fine when you are crawling in rush hour, but up the pace a bit on even a slightly smooth road, and you’ll find the EQE SUV tends to wallow and feel floaty. In Sport mode, the suspension tightens nicely to give a more settled ride, which is what you want on the highway.

Two areas where the EQE SUV stands out are performance and range, and both are interlinked because, with great range, you can enjoy the performance without keeping an eye on the SOC meter.

Plant your foot down, and this big and heavy SUV lunges forward with an intensity that can take you aback but in a very pleasing way. The EQE SUV gathers with velvet smoothness, and before you know it, you’ve sailed past the speed limit. On the Mumbai-Pune expressway, which is now infested with speed cameras, it is hard not to get a speeding ticket. To stay out of trouble, I limit my indulgence to short jabs of the accelerator pedal just to enjoy all the 408hp and 858Nm of torque that puts most IC engine SUVs to shame.

I averaged 66kph on the 140km drive to BU Bhandari, which is pretty good if you consider that this included slow, non-expressway sections. Not that the expressway raises your average speed dramatically because with so many cameras staring at you, I’m forced to show a lot of restraint! With 332km range left, I didn’t need to use the Pune Mercedes dealers’ on-site 180kW fast charger, but it’s good to know that it’s there and that the dealership is happy to let non-Merc owners plug in as well. Located just off the Pune bypass, it’s an incredibly convenient place for EVs on a long-distance trip to Mahabaleshwar or beyond to quickly top up their batteries.

The return journey was equally uneventful. Using the regen down the Lonavala Ghat, I could extend the range even further, which, on this round trip, I calculated to be 504km. That is a truly impressive figure, considering how hard I was driving the EQE SUV. In fact, there was enough charge left in the battery (36 percent) for me to make another trip to Pune!

The other area where the EQE SUV shines is refinement. The EQE SUV is not just quiet; it’s like being inside a luxury vault on wheels. The adaptive air suspension noiselessly glides over any surface, and then there’s the acoustic insulation, which Mercedes has absolutely nailed. Road, tyre and wind noises, even the electric motor’s faint whir, are gone. The cabin is like a calm oasis, and that’s what makes the EQE SUV special. It is luxury in its most serene form.

Also see:

Mercedes EQE SUV vs Audi Q8 e tron vs BMW iX vs Jaguar I Pace comparison video

Mercedes CLE review: Breezy cruiser

New Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E Performance to launch on November 12

The Q3 will be the fifth Audi to be locally produced, with the Audi A4, Audi A6, Audi Q5 and Audi Q7, at the brand’s plant in Aurangabad, Maharashtra

These updates have been released ahead of the October 2023 deadline that requires all cars and SUVs to come with six airbags and three-point seatbelts as standard

The bike does win when it comes to its look and sound, but, is that enough?

Despite a few teething issues, this heavy bike is bound to win hearts

Its flavour and aroma are a combination of the quality of ingredients — the cooking method, and as in all things creative, the experienced hand of the Khansama, meaning cook.  

Amninder Sandhu is using open-fire cooking and indigenous ingredients in her regional Indian restaurant

Both the farmers and the agriculture department are striving to get the GI tag for the coconut, locally called as Ayyampalayam Nettai

1. US defense contractor to pay former Iraqi detainees $42 million for its role in torture at notorious Abu Ghraib prison  CNN
2. Abu Ghraib torture survivors win US civil case, $42m damages  Al Jazeera English
3. US jury awards $42m to ex-detainees at Iraq's Abu Ghraib  BBC.com
4. How a Troy lawyer convinced U.S. jury to award $42 million to 3 Iraqi prisoners  Detroit Free Press
5. U.S. Jury Awards $42 Million to Iraqi Men Abused at Abu Ghraib  The New York Times

1. 'Taking revenge on society': Deadly Zhuhai car attack sparks questions in China  BBC.com
2. Man Upset About Divorce Allegedly Rams Car into Crowd, Killing 35: Reports  PEOPLE
3. Video: 35 killed in mass hit-and-run in Zhuhai, China  CNN
4. Driver rams his car into crowd in China, killing 35. Police say he was upset about his divorce  The Associated Press
5. Zhuhai car attack: China clears memorial as government scrambles to respond  Reuters

Personality. You’ve got one; your friends have one—everyone has one! But what does it say about you and your social tendencies? In the early 1900s, Carl Jung coined the terms “introvert” and “extrovert” to describe personality traits and behaviors. Introverts tend to be more reserved, whereas extroverts thrive on social interaction. So, where do you fall? Are you an introvert, extrovert, or something in between? Answer these questions about what you would do in any given situation to find out.

We all have blind spots, especially when it comes to the ways we treat others (and ourselves). Unfortunately, it can be pretty tough to take a really objective look at what your own weak points are. We’re here to help. Hit “Start Quiz” to rip off the Band-aid and see what your blind spots really are. Keep in mind, though—this quiz is just for fun!

Do you remember how to find the circumference of a circle? What about the capital of New Jersey? We’re about to quiz you game-show style with a variety of elementary school trivia questions, from math and science to history, geography, and language arts. Answer these 12 “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” questions to test your knowledge and see if you come out on top!

The primary demand generators for Bengaluru’s office market are anticipated to be the technology, engineering, manufacturing, and BFSI sectors.  The Confederation of Indian Industry and CBRE report projects that Bengaluru, the country’s IT hub, will maintain its dominant position in … Continue reading →

Bengaluru’s rental housing market saw an average price correction of 5-10% during the April-June quarter of the current calendar year, according to local brokers who spoke with HT.com. This news should cheer up tenants in the city. The primary reasons … Continue reading →

According to officials, the Noida Authority projects that in the fiscal year 2024-2025, it will sell group housing plots for a maximum of Rs 1,080 crore and commercial land parcels for Rs 1,010 crore.  According to people who know the … Continue reading →

그룹 '티아라' 멤버 화영의 왕따설이 재점화된 가운데 티아라 멤버 겸 배우 함은정이 팀 전성기 시절 비화를 공개했다. 함은정은 12일 방송된 SBS TV 예능 '신발 벗고 돌싱포맨'의 '본업 잘하는 여성' 특집에서 '롤리폴리' 등 티아라 복고 콘셉트에 대한 에피소드를 전했다. 이날 '돌싱포맨' 호스트인 MC 이상민은 티아라의 복고 콘셉트를 언급하며

폐동맥 고혈압 등을 앓고 있는 소아중환자가 배우 수지의 후원을 받아 계속 치료를 받게 된 사실이 뒤늦게 알려져 화제를 모으고 있다. 지난 10일 한 누리꾼은 수지의 사회관계망서비스(SNS) 게시물에 “수지님 안녕하세요 배○○ 환우 엄마예요”라고 자신을 소개했다. 그는 이어 “저희 아기 병원비 도와주셔서 잘 치료받고 있습니다. 너무 감사합니다. 이 은

내달 26일 넷플릭스 시리즈 ‘오징어 게임’ 시즌2를 공개하는 황동혁 감독은 그룹 빅뱅 출신 배우 최승현(탑)을 캐스팅한 데 대해 “다시 일을 시작할 수 있는 시기라고 판단했으나 많은 분이 우려를 표하셔서 제가 생각이 짧았구나 싶었다”고 말했다. 황 감독은 ‘오징어 게임’ 시즌2 후반작업이 한창이던 올해 8월 서울 종로구 한 호텔에서 언론간담회를 갖고

배우 윤세아가 매니저가 빌려준 300만 원을 10배로 갚았다는 미담이 전해진다. 지난 12일 오후 8시 40분 방송된 SBS Plus·E채널 예능물 '솔로라서'에서는 윤세아가 20년 지기 친구인 자신의 매니저, 보컬 선생님으로 인연을 맺은 절친한 동생과 함께 '촌캉스'를 떠나는 여행기가 펼쳐진다. 이날 윤세아는 두 절친과의 인연을 소개한 뒤, "한

미국이 러시아 쿠르스크로 파견된 북한군의 전투 참여를 공식화했지만, 한국 정부는 아직 단정할 수 없다는 입장이다. 국방부와 외교부는 13일 북한군의 전투 참여 여부에 대해 "실제 가능성을 염두에 두고 예의주시하고 있다"고 밝혔다. 군 소식통은 "북한군의 전투 참여가 아직 단정할 수준이 아니다"라고 전했다. 이런 반응은 베단트 파텔 미 국무부 부대변인이

국가정보원은 13일 러시아에 파병된 북한군이 "이미 전투에 참여 중인 것으로 평가하고 있다"고 밝혔다. 국정원은 이날 북한군 참전 개시 보도와 관련해 "러시아에 파병된 북한군이 지난 2주간 쿠르스크 지역으로 이동하여 전장에 배치를 완료했다"면서 이같이 말했다. 이어 "추가적인 관련 첩보와 정보를 수집, 분석 중에 있다"고 덧붙였다. 국정원의 이

대한의사협회(의협)는 13일 비상대책위원회 위원장 선거에서 박형욱 대한의학회 부회장이 당선됐다고 밝혔다. 임기는 내년 초 차기 회장 선출 전까지다. 의협에 따르면 박 당선인은 이날 오후 늦게 진행된 1차 투표에서 총 유효 투표수 233표 중 123표(52.79%)를 획득, 과반을 넘겨 당선이 확정됐다. 선거권이 있는 의협 대의원은 총 244명이다

전교조와 충돌해 쓰러져 입원했던 신경호 강원특별자치도교육감이 13일 업무에 복귀했다. 신 교육감은 이날 오후 1시 도 교육청 집무실로 출근, 하루 앞으로 다가온 2025학년도 대학수학능력시험(수능) 준비 상황을 점검했다. 신 교육감은 치료가 끝나지 않아 더 입원해야 한다는 의료진의 권유를 고사하고 수능 상황을 챙기고자 복귀한 것으로 알려졌다. 신

Roberto J. Rodriguez, et al., Office of Educational Technology, Nov 13, 2024

This is a longish (79 page PDF) resource from the U.S. government's Office of Educational Technology. "The Department heard educators say that AI is here to stay, AI will keep changing, and safely integrating AI in educational settings will require informed leadership at multiple levels across the education system." The toolkit is divided into three sections: migitating risks, strategy for AI integration, and guiding its use. The risks considered include privacy and data security, student civil rights, accessibility, and digital equity. The second section is weaker, focusing on the 'instructional core' (credited to Elmore, but basically Moore (1989)), with a corresponding focus on instruction. The third section begins with a discussion of AI literacy (limited to "includes the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to engage with AI safely") and promotion of "responsible use". 

맨체스터 유나이티드의 주장 브루노 페르난데스가 비행기에서 승객을 구한 사연이 전해져 화제가 되고 있다. 12일(현지시각) 영국 데일리메일에 따르면 멘체스터 유나이티드의 주장이자 포르투갈 국가대표 축구 선수인 브루노 페르난데스가 비행기에서 실신한 승객을 구했다. 11일 페르난데스는 팀 동료인 디오구 달로와 함께 포르투갈 대표팀에 합류하기 위해 영국 맨체스

토니 블링컨 미 국무장관은 13일(현지시간) 북한의 우크라이나 전쟁 파병에 단호히 대응하겠다고 경고했다. 블링컨 장관은 이날 오전 벨기에 브뤼셀 나토 본부에서 열린 북대서양이사회(NAC) 참석에 앞서 "북한군이 전투에 투입됐고 현재 말 그대로(quite literally) 전투 중"이라며 "이것은 단호한 대응을 요구하며 그렇게 할 것"이라고 말했다. 전

러시아는 13일(현지시간) 우크라이나 '특별군사작전'이 신속히 진행 중이라면서도 북한군의 참전에 대해선 언급하지 않았다. 타스, 리아노보스티 통신에 따르면 드미트리 페스코프 크렘린궁 대변인은 이날 브리핑에서 특별군사작전의 진전에 만족하느냐는 질문에 "특별군사작전은 발전이 매우 신속하고 전격적으로 계속되고 있다"고 답했다. 전날 미국 국무부는 러시아 쿠

“마지막 한 명의 실종자를 찾을 때까지 최선을 다해 수색하겠습니다.” 135금성호(부산 선적·129t) 침몰 사고 발생 엿새째인 13일 오전 10시쯤 제주항에서 제주해양경찰서 경비함 525함(태극 25호)이 사고 해역을 향해 출항했다. 금성호가 가라앉은 제주 비양도 북서쪽 22㎞ 인근 해상에 도착하기까지 걸린 시간은 50여분 남짓. 눈앞에 펼쳐진 광경은

문화체육관광부(이하 문체부) 고위 관계자는 11일 이기흥 대한체육회장 직무 정지 배경에 관해 "차기 대한체육회장 선거와는 별개의 문제"라고 선을 그었다. 아울러 "직무 정지를 하지 않으면 오히려 법률 위반 행위를 방조한 것이 될 수 있는 상황"이라고 설명했다. 문체부는 이날 국회에서 열린 문화체육관광위원회 전체회의 직후 보도자료를 통해 이기흥 회장에게

As I sit at my computer tapping out this article, the sun is shining in beautiful Brisbane, capital of Queensland, Australia. We are moving into summer and the sun is up long before I am. When I awake, the house battery is filling up and charging the car. Soon, the ... [continued]

The post Renewables Gallop Ahead Down Under — A Queensland Sample appeared first on CleanTechnica.

San Francisco, CA — Ever, a premier retailer specializing in high-quality electric vehicles (EVs), is thrilled to announce an exciting new partnership with CleanTechnica, aimed at making EV ownership even more accessible and affordable. This partnership brings CleanTechnica readers a unique, limited-time offer: a $500 discount on any Ever Certified ... [continued]

The post Ever Launches CleanTechnica Partnership: $500 Off Quality, Certified EVs appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Following Hurricane Helene, I had difficulty getting a dual-motor e-bike shipped to me in Asheville that I so wanted to review. So, as it went back to the company after more than a week of not being able to be delivered in devastated Western North Carolina, they shipped me another ... [continued]

The post The Extraordinary Traction & Torque of LANKELEISI MG740PLUS Dual-Motor Electric Bike — CleanTechnica Tested appeared first on CleanTechnica.

They Hyundai IONIQ 5 and Hyundai IONIQ 6 are two of my favorite electric vehicles. The IONIQ 9 is a coming much larger EV from Hyundai for those who need more space, or at least feel like they need more space. The problem: we don’t really know what the IONIQ ... [continued]

The post Hyundai IONIQ 9 Interior Teased (Slightly) appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Everybody loves to enjoy the look and feel of the Lightbox JavaScript Effects and since the time of innovation of the Lightbox Script there have been several Lightbox clones that are generated for the famous JavaScript Libraries. Lightbox is a jQuery and Ajax solution for showcasing the images and other content on the web page …

Add WOW-SOME Lightbox Effects with jQuery and Ajax Lightbox Plugins Read More »

HTML5 is a technology that is all the rage in the web world with a great potential to considerably ease the process of video playback, enhance the web application user interface and boost the offline or online synchronization of web applications. video plug-ins. You can find so many websites over the World Wide Web that …

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As third-party risk continues to be a critical concern for enterprises, the need for effective risk management strategies has never been more pressing. We spoke with Bob Maley, CISO of third-party risk management specialist Black Kite, to get his insights into effective strategies for managing this challenge along with the nuanced risks and necessary tactics to secure enterprise environments against sophisticated threats. BN: How can organizations assess and manage risks associated with emerging technologies? BM: Organizations need a proactive approach that begins with detailed assessments to identify potential risks. These assessments should focus on the technology’s architecture, possible attack vectors,… [Continue Reading]

When it comes to protecting sensitive information like financial data, personal information, and intellectual property, encryption has become a must. By scrambling data through the use of algorithms, only those with access to decryption keys are able to read what's being secured. Encrypted traffic has fulfilled its intended mission: to lock down data. But, could it simultaneously be helping bad actors slip by undetected? And could encrypted traffic actually make it harder for network defenders to spot threats before it's too late? To find out, we sat down with Phil Owens, VP of customer solutions at Stamus Networks. Phil believes… [Continue Reading]

A new report finds that 75 percent of the 100 most visited websites in the US and Europe are not compliant with current privacy regulations. The study from privacy solution provider Privado.ai shows despite stricter privacy enforcement in Europe a surprising 74 percent of top websites do not honor opt-in consent as required by Europe's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Although top websites in the US have a similar non-compliance rate of 76 percent for not honoring opt-out consent as required by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), Privado finds the median volume of compliance risks to be three times… [Continue Reading]

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Scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have discovered an ingenious new way to recycle Lithium Ion batteries, and it’s so simple that even your mum could do it. Maybe. The problem with battery recycling has always been that it’s rather cumbersome. Traditional methods involve breaking down batteries into their constituent parts, then extracting the valuable materials such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel. The process works, but it’s not exactly what you’d call efficient, and it can be quite costly....

The post Quick-Release Binder – Recycling Lithium Ion Batteries Just Got Super Easy appeared first on The Red Ferret Journal.