WeeklySA_AdminLEWIS HAMILTON MATH AND SCIENCE MISSION
A foundation set up by Formula One champion and only black driver Lewis Hamilton announced its first initiative Tuesday, seeking to recruit 150 black school teachers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects. Hamilton’s Mission 44 and the educational charity Teach First will work together over the next two years to help schools serving disadvantaged communities in England.
The Mercedes driver set up a commission last year to help boost the number of black people in British motorsport and promote diversity. One of the findings of a report was that the lack of Black STEM teachers limited the number of black students engaging with those subjects, affecting the numbers then pursuing STEM careers. “We know representation and role models are important across all aspects of society but especially when it comes to supporting young people’s development,’ said Hamilton.
AUSSIE GP USES OWN NISSAN R35 GT-R AS EMERGENCY VEHICLE
Dr Michael Livingston is not your run-of-the mill GP. Not only does he work in a remote part of Western Australia, he also drives a Nissan R35 GT-R which he has put to use on numerous occasions to save people’s lives. Earlier this year, Dr Livingston drove “at speed” in his GT-R to reach a toddler who was turning blue. The mother of the toddler now credits the doctor with saving her daughter’s life, which all came down to quick thinking and – crucially – quick driving. “I had to put myself at risk [and] drive at speed,” Dr Livingston told the ABC. With every moment counting, there are few vehicles better for the job than a super-quick, all-wheel-drive GT-R, though it’s not exactly a practical ambulance substitute.
Dr Livingston has lobbied to get his GT-R fitted with lights and sirens, saying “Why can’t I be afforded the same protection as any other emergency service?” He has since applied for an Emergency Vehicle Status (EVS) for the GT-R, which authorises any vehicle to be fitted with lights and sirens After lodging an application back in April, Dr Livingston’s EVS was recently refused-Chasing Cars.
VW SAYS AS’NAVALO
FRANKFURT- Germany’s Volkswagen is not concerned by any Apple plans for a passenger vehicle that could include the iPhone maker’s battery technology, its chief executive Herbert Diess said. Reuters reported in December that Apple may have progressed enough to build a vehicle for mass markets by 2024, helped by cost cuts in battery technology.
“The car industry is not a typical tech-sector that you could take over at a single stroke,” Diess was quoted as saying an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung. Apple will not manage that overnight,” he added.
While Apple’s plans are not public, Diess said its intentions as such were “logical” because the company had expertise in batteries, software and design, and that it had deep pockets to build on these competencies.
“Still, we are not afraid,” he said. Volkswagen plans to develop software needed for autonomous cars in-house to ensure it can compete against tech firms in the field of electric car data.
TOYOTA NEW KING OF THE US
The automotive sales race in the US is heating up, and there’s a chance that General Motors might not be the country’s full-year sales leader when the calendar turns over to January 2022. It would be the first time in 90 years for The General not to have the crown, and Toyota might become the new king.
As of the third quarter of 2021, Toyota Motor North America moved 1,857,884 vehicles for the year so far. In comparison, GM delivered 1,777,483 in the same period. As you might expect if you follow the auto industry even in passing, the microchip shortage is the main culprit for GM falling behind Toyota in deliveries.
It’ll be an interesting race to the finish, but with decades of experience, not count GM out of this fight just yet. Motor 1.com
