Connect with us

Automotive

H1 2025: Škoda Auto Posts Solid Financial Results and Expands Regional Presence in the Gulf

Published

on

A front-angle shot of a Skoda Octavia RS and Skoda Kodiaq parked outdoors

Škoda Auto has reported strong financial and sales performance for the first half of 2025, delivering 509,400 vehicles globally – a year-on-year increase of 13.6%. The strong sales are also reflected in the company’s financial results: revenue rose to €15.07 bn (+10.4%), operating profit reached €1.285 bn (+11.8%) and net cash flow stood at €1.453 bn (+3.2%). In the Middle East, Škoda has made strategic strides in the first half of 2025 with its official entry into Oman in February, restarting operations in Qatar in April, as well as signing an agreement to expand the brand’s footprint to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the region’s largest automotive market. In the UAE, Škoda opened two new state-of-the-art showrooms in June, reinforcing its focus on accessibility and next-level retail customer experience. The most successful models in the regional Škoda line-up continue to be the 7-seater Kodiaq and value-packed Kushaq, joined by the newly launched Octavia RS, delivering the perfect blend of performance and functionality.

Skoda H1 Sales Illustration 2025

Klaus Zellmer, CEO of Škoda Auto, comments: “Škoda Auto is thriving, delivering solid financial results for the first half of 2025 despite significant challenges across our industry. Once again, we have achieved growth across our core KPIs and demonstrated that we are one of the most profitable automotive brands in the volume segment. These fantastic results are a testament to a resilient business model. It is notable that our success in the first six months has been spread across powertrains, confirming we are on the right course by offering freedom of choice in this era of transition. We go into the second half of the year in peak form while always remaining focused and vigilant.”

“We’re proud to see Škoda Auto’s global performance reflected in our momentum across the GCC,” said Lukas Honzak, Managing Director at Škoda Middle East. “From entering high-potential markets to expanding our retail footprint in the region, we’re laying the groundwork for long-term growth. Customers in the region continue to respond strongly to our versatile line-up, which offers quality, inventiveness and great value for money. We aim to bring Škoda’s advanced European automotive technology and exceptional customer service even closer customers in the Middle East.”

The latest regionally launched models of 2025, the all-new 7-seater Kodiaq and the new and even more powerful Octavia RS models have been well received this year. The Kodiaq posted strong H1 sales of 905 units in 2025, compared to 669 in the same period in 2024, underscoring its status as a favourite among families seeking comfort, space, and top safety, being the ideal partner for all family explorations. Europe’s most loved Škoda model – the iconic new Octavia, introduced in May, was received strongly for its ideal combination of performance and functionality.

Škoda’s second best-selling model in the region, the Kushaq, continues to appeal to cost-conscious drivers looking for a safe, efficient and stylish drive – a segment that is rapidly gaining traction in the region.

As Škoda Auto celebrates its 130th anniversary, the brand continues to blend its long-standing heritage with modern innovation – building a strong foundation for success both in Europe and across the Middle East.

Automotive

Emarat Showcases Emojet’s Aviation Fuel Leadership at Dubai Airshow 2025

Published

on

Emarat Showcases Emojet’s Aviation Fuel Leadership at Dubai Airshow 2025

Emirates Petroleum Company PJSC (Emarat), a pioneer in the UAE’s oil and gas industry, will highlight the strength of its aviation fuel business at Dubai Airshow 2025 through its aviation subsidiary, Emojet, one of the leading into-plane fuel service providers at Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport (Dubai World Central). Emojet will host airline, airport and industry partners at Chalet A52 from 17–21 November 2025, between 10:00 AM and 5:30 PM at Al Maktoum International Airport.

A key pillar of Emarat’s portfolio, aviation fuel is delivered through Emojet, which has proudly served the UAE’s world-leading aviation industry since 1992. Today, Emojet supplies aviation fuel to many of the world’s leading international airlines at Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport, delivering award-winning into-plane services built on safety, reliability and service excellence.

Ali Khalifa Al Shamsi, Chief Executive Officer of Emarat, said, “Dubai Airshow is a natural platform for Emarat and Emojet. For more than three decades, we have been privileged to fuel the growth of the UAE’s aviation sector and support Dubai’s rise as a global hub for passengers and cargo. Through Emojet, we combine best-in-class infrastructure, rigorous safety and operational discipline with a partnership mindset that puts our customers’ network and growth ambitions at the centre. At Dubai Airshow 2025, we look forward to reinforcing our commitment to the aviation ecosystem and exploring new collaborations that will help shape the future of air connectivity in our region.”

At Dubai Airshow 2025, Emojet will focus on deepening existing relationships and building new partnerships with airlines, cargo operators, airports, and logistics players from across the region and beyond. This follows Emojet’s July 2024 agreement with Emirates SkyCargo to supply aviation fuel for the airline’s cargo operations at Al Maktoum International Airport – a model of the strategic collaborations the brand aims to replicate and expand during the show.

Salem Bin Suloom, Vice President – Aviation Sales at Emarat, said, “Emojet’s promise is simple – safe, reliable and efficient fueling, every time. Our customers operate in highly demanding environments, and they rely on us to deliver on-time performance, technical excellence and responsive service across every flight and every turnaround. At Dubai Airshow 2025, our focus is on listening to our partners, understanding their evolving operational needs and identifying new ways we can support them – whether through long-term supply agreements, expanded into-plane services, or new collaborations with airports and operators across the wider region. We warmly invite existing and prospective partners to visit us to discuss how Emojet can fuel their future plans.”

Emojet stands apart through its modern fleet of refuelling equipment, advanced control systems and highly trained operational teams. The company utilises the latest electronic data capture and interface systems to drive efficiency, accuracy and transparency, ensuring that its operations and equipment exceed mandated IATA standards.

Continue Reading

Automotive

How Machine Learning Makes Super Cruise Smarter Every Day

Published

on

An over the shoulder shot of the GM SuperCruise in action in a GM-branded vehicle.

When technology works effortlessly, it’s easy to forget the incredible engineering behind it. That was the goal with GM’s Super Cruise hands-free driver assistance technology. Super Cruise is designed to execute precise lane centering, perform smooth lane changes, interact with a driver’s requests and handle steering maneuvers. These advanced capabilities are managed by a single, modular software stack called the Unified Lateral Controller, or ULC. Looking inside, GM engineers built a self-learning system made up of machine learning algorithms to update the vehicle’s dynamics and controls. The algorithm makes quick decisions to ensure efficiency.

Imagine you’re driving with Super Cruise engaged, and you initiate a left lane change with the turn signal. Super Cruise then starts to shift the vehicle into the left lane. But let’s say you then decide to stay in the current lane, so you signal to the right. Super Cruise will respond by bringing you back to the center of the original lane – a seemingly effortless transition, but one that requires complex and rapid calculations.

Super Cruise needs to maneuver as naturally as possible for drivers to remain comfortable and confident as they drive hands free. Diving deeper, the ULC must consider many data inputs: The curvature of the road from the LiDAR map data, lane geometry from the cameras, trajectory of the vehicle based on current speeds, vehicle load, current weather conditions, and the behavior of surrounding vehicles–all in a matter of seconds.

One of the unique features of Super Cruise is its ability to maintain precise hands-free lane centering while towing a trailer – a capability unmatched in the industry. One of Super Cruise’s standout features is its ability to maintain precise, hands-free lane centering even while towing a trailer—a capability unmatched in the industry and currently available on select GM vehicles. With a trailer attached, ULC automatically accounts in real time for the additional mass and its effects on vehicle dynamics, optimizing steering commands to control both the vehicle and the trailer.

The self-learning system analyzes real-time sensor data, enabling Super Cruise to make more accurate decisions and perform proactive adjustments, improving driver comfort and confidence over time. That allows Super Cruise to adapt for each vehicle and each driver in different environmental conditions.

Let’s go back to our trailering example: Tight lateral control is important for keeping both the vehicle and the trailer centered in the lane. The model learns how the presence of the trailer changes the vehicle’s steering response and works with the ULC to optimize its responses and keep the vehicle and trailer centered in the lane. This model also scales Super Cruise enabled by OnStar , and is now available across 13 vehicle models on select trims, and counting . No matter the shape, size, or weight of the vehicle, the ULC and our self-learning algorithms can adapt, reducing complexity. We’re bringing Super Cruise to consumers on more models, offering consistent, predictable, safe hands-free driving.

Continue Reading

Automotive

Goodyear and Peugeot Drive the Future of Intelligent Mobility with the Polygon Concept Car

Published

on

A side-angle shot of the tire of the Polygon Concept Car made in partnership by Goodyear and Peugeot.

Goodyear and Peugeot have partnered to shape the future of intelligent mobility with the unveiling of the Peugeot Polygon concept car. This next-generation vehicle features Goodyear SightLine—an advanced suite of intelligent tire technologies—integrated directly into the cockpit for the first time alongside three bespoke Goodyear tires tailored to the car’s versatile configurations.

The Peugeot Polygon is designed to adapt to a range of driving styles through three distinct configurations, Urban, Player and Explorer, and Goodyear’s tires and solutions are uniquely designed to support the vehicle’s purpose.

The collaboration marks a milestone moment and a bold move toward seamless connectivity between vehicle and tire, delivering enhanced safety, performance, and driver confidence.

Goodyear SightLine Technology: Intelligence at Every Turn

Goodyear SightLine is a proprietary suite of smart tire technologies that provides real-time insights for safety and performance improvements in vehicles, from tire properties estimation, tire health information to road conditions. These insights can be displayed directly on the driver’s heads-up display, ensuring clarity and control throughout every journey, or it can be integrated into other advanced systems of a vehicle, allowing it to mitigate situations that are driver dependent today.

Across all Polygon configurations, SightLine features are accessible from the cockpit, offering:

• Tire Maintenance: Integrated tire wear monitoring enables vehicles to automatically adjust performance settings as tires age—helps ensuring optimal handling and safety throughout their lifecycle.

• Safe Driving: SightLine predicts and detects aquaplaning risks, allowing vehicle control systems to respond instantly and maintain stability, even in challenging conditions.

Goodyear delivers insightful journeys to Polygon drivers thanks to its integration with Peugeot Drive-by-Wire technology.

Ben Glesener, senior technology director, Product Development, Consumer EMEA, commented:

“SightLine represents more than technology—it’s a vision for connected mobility. By partnering with Peugeot, we are envisioning an ecosystem where tires become active contributors to vehicle intelligence, shaping a smarter future.”

Already available in several global markets, Goodyear SightLine is not just a concept—it’s a proven smart tire service ready for real-world applications.

Goodyear Tires: Built for Today’s Roads and Tomorrow’s Possibilities

As part of this visionary collaboration, Goodyear engineered three unique tires—each custom-designed to match the aesthetic and performance needs of the Polygon’s configurations:       

  • The Urban and Player tires feature the legendary Eagle F1 tread pattern, celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2025—a symbol of high-performance heritage.
  • The Explorer tire pays tribute to the iconic Goodyear Wrangler, incorporating its rugged tread design to deliver traction to unleash unforgettable off-road experiences.

Beyond performance, the sidewall designs were crafted to visually express a new era of automotive innovation using coloring and laser technologies —where tire aesthetics and functionality converge to push the boundaries of design.

This collaboration showcases Goodyear’s long-standing expertise in combining craftmanship with premium manufacturing technologies to deliver the highest levels of customization from product performance to aesthetics.

Together, Goodyear and Peugeot are setting new trends and driving a new era—where every journey is smarter and more expressive.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2023 | The Integrator