Of Special Interest:

From the Secretary-General 1

The RCAR Network 23

Important Notice to 23

Members

Inside this issue: Welcome to Malaysia 2

Welcome to Kuala Lumpur 3

Banking & Exchange 9

Business Hours 10

Clothing 10

Weather 11

Plugging In 12

Getting Around 13

Rail System Diagram 14

About MRC Malaysia 15

Helpful Contacts 15

The Grand Hyatt 17

RCAR Technical Program 18

September 2013

From the Secretary-General

Hello again! Welcome to the 2013 RCAR Annual Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia! Our host for this year, MRC Malaysia, has been working very hard over the past few months to ensure that the event is a complete success. Part of that effort has involved putting together this special edition of the Newsletter, which contains a great deal of information that you will find useful during your stay in Kuala Lumpur. This year, we are hosting a number of special guests from the industry on the second day of the Conference, some of whom will be presenting on our theme that day of vehicle and road safety. I am sure we will find their presentations, which are based on the Malaysian experience, interesting and informative. Once again, we have specially-designed Social and Partner Programs that are guaranteed to enrich your Malaysian experience, whether your interests be in history, culture, or even shopping! The Technical Program is shown on pages 18 to 22 of the Newsletter. As usual, particular attention has been paid to ensure that the Program adequately reflects our interest in vehicle design, material damage, personal injury, and vehicle safety. As well, the Program will feature Working Group reports on progress in the various areas over the past year. Based on what I have seen so far, I am confident that we will once again have an interesting and informative Conference. This is our opportunity to network with fellow delegates whom we may not have seen for some time, as well as to meet new delegates attending for the very first time. For those of you falling into that category, welcome! If you need to contact me for any reason, please use one of the following e-mail addresses: rcarorg@hotmail.com, or wilf bedard@hotmail.com. I hope you enjoy the Conference, and look forward to seeing you! Wilf Bedard

Page 2

WELCOME TO MALAYSIA SELAMAT DATANG!

About Malaysia To know Malaysia is to love Malaysia - a bubbling, bustling melting-pot of races and religions where Malays, Indians, Chinese, and many other ethnic groups live together in peace and harmony. Our multiculturalism has made Malaysia a gastronomical paradise and home to hundreds of colorful festivals. It's no wonder that we love celebrating and socializing. As a people, Malaysians are very relaxed, warm, and friendly. Geographically, Malaysia is almost as diverse as its culture. 11 states and 2 federal territories (Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya) form Peninsular Malaysia, which is separated by the South China Sea from East Malaysia, which includes the 2 states (Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo) and a third federal territory, the island of Labuan. One of Malaysia's key attractions is its extreme contrasts, which further add to this theme of ‘diversity’. Towering skyscrapers look down upon wooden houses built on stilts, while five-star hotels sit just meters away from ancient reefs. Rugged mountains reach dramatically for the sky, while their rainforest-clad slopes sweep down to floodplains teeming with forest life. Cool highland hideaways roll down to warm, sandy beaches and rich, humid mangroves. For the perfect holiday full of surprises, the time is now, the place is Malaysia.

Page 3

Page 4

Page 5

Page 6

Page 7

Page 8

Page 9

Information for the Annual Conference in Kuala Lumpur

General Information

Banking and Exchange Facilities

With regard to Malaysian currency, it is best to use the Malaysian Ringgit (abbreviated RM or MYR). At current rates of exchange, 1 USD is equal to RM3.25. All hotels and banks offer currency exchange services. The best available exchange rate can be found at smaller currency exchange desks in shopping malls. Foreign currency is NOT generally accepted. However, in some places, such as Duty Free Shops, five-star hotels, and higher-end retailers, you may be able to use Euros or US dollars – but at a highly unfavorable exchange rate! The smaller exchange desks may look less dependable, however, in Malaysia it is quite common to exchange money at these small offices. You'll save quite a bit on exchange fees there.

Special Notes: Some of the ‘exotic’ currencies of the world may not be easily recognized in Malaysia. So, if you are not from one of the countries listed below, it is better to convert your money to US dollars or Euros, which are universally recognized in Malaysia, before arriving here.

United States United Kingdom European Union Japan Australia Canada USD GBP EURO JPY AUD CAD

Singapore Hong Kong Thailand Phillipines Taiwan South Korea

SGD HKD THB PHP TWB KRW

Cambodia New Zealand India Vietnam Pakistan Indonesia

KHR NZD INR VND PKR IDR

China Saudi Arabia Brunei United Arab Emirates Switzerland

CNY SAR BND AED CHF

Page 10

Debit Cards On your arrival at the airport in Malaysia, you'll be able to withdraw cash from an ATM using your debit card. ATM's are operational 7 days a week, but are not in service after 12.00 a.m. Well-known banks that allow you to withdraw cash using a debit card are Maybank and HSBC. Credit Cards It is safe to use a credit card in larger hotels and, for instance, at diving schools on the small islands. Traveller Cheques Traveller Cheques can be cashed at most banks and currency exchanges in smaller cities. The benefit of using Traveller Cheques is that they are insured, and, in the event of loss or theft, you'll usually have new ones in your possession within 24 hours.

Business Hours Usual business hours in Malaysia are:

Banks - Monday to Friday ( 10:00 am to 4:30 pm )

Department Stores - Monday to Friday ( 10:00 am to 8:00 pm )

Government Offices - Monday to Friday ( 8:00 am to 4:15 pm )

Shops - Monday to Saturday ( 9:00am to 8:00 pm )

Shopping Malls - Everyday ( 10:00 am to 10:00pm )

Clothing

The city is open to contemporary fashion, and here, people wear almost every type of clothing. Considering that the city observes an equatorial climate marked by high levels of humidity, one should opt for light cotton clothes to escape the heat and sweat. For instance, clothes like t-shirts, short pants and Bermuda shorts are quite suitable in such climatic conditions. Rain showers are common in KL, so it's better to wear light clothes that can dry up easily. To shield yourself from the bright sun, wear a cap and sunglasses. Also, be sure to use enough of sunscreen lotion whenever you are out. Since shopping malls, stores, and restaurants are usually covered and air-conditioned, while you are inside, you need not worry about sunscreen.

Page 11

Weather Weather in Kuala Lumpur is hot and humid. There are essentially two seasons. There is a dry season (May to September) and a wet season (mid-November to March). However, rain can fall at almost any time of the year. Kuala Lumpur receives rain on about 200 days of the year. Temperatures in Kuala Lumpur are fairly steady throughout the year, averaging between 22°C and 32°C.

Weather History of Kuala Lumpur for the Week of 22-27th September 2012

Length of Visible Light 12 hr 46 min Length of Day 12 hr 5 min

Sunrise 5:50 am Sunset 7:15 am

Temperature Average

Max Temperature 33 C (91.4 F) 32 C (89.6 F)

Min Temperature 23 C (73.4 F) 24 C (75.2 F)

Precipitation

Precipitation (Max) 4.1 mm 0.8 mm

Precipitation (Min) 0.0 mm

Page 12

Plugging In Electrical outlets in Malaysia generally only accept one type of plug, with two parallel flat pins and one

ground pin perpendicular to the two flat pins, referred to as the ‘Type G’ British BS-1363 plug, as

shown below:

If your plug-in electrical device does not conform to this shape, you will need a plug adapter. However, the shape of the socket is only half the story! Electricity in Malaysia is 220/240 volts,

alternating at 50 cycles per second – the same as in the UK.

If your plug-in electrical device does not accept 240 volts at 50 hertz, you will also need a voltage

converter, as shown:

To avoid damage to your valuable plug-in electrical devices, make sure they conform to both the

socket shape and voltage, before you attempt to plug them in!

Page 13

How to Get Around Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Cheaply and Easily Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is a wonderful destination for anyone. With one of southeast Asia's best public transportation systems, it's easy to get around Kuala Lumpur (KL) with minimal effort and small cost.

Kuala Lumpur Monorail System - One public transportation option in Kuala Lumpur is the monorail system. Cheap and accessible from many downtown areas, it also links up with KL's train system in several areas, making it easy to switch from one rail line to another, or from a bus line to a rail line. With the average price of a ticket being only 1.30-1.60 ringgit (40-45 cents), it's a cheap form of transportation. You also get to see much of the city as you travel, as the train is so high up. If you want a hair-raising but fun ride, stand at the front of the train behind the driver, where you can see the road and traffic whizzing along on the road directly below. The best place to get on is at the main train station, KL Sentral.

Kuala Lumpur Rapid KL Light Rail - The other popular train system in Kuala Lumpur is the KL Light Rail Line. This is a traditional train that runs two lines to and from separate areas of the city. The train system's two lines are the Ampang Line, and the Kelana Jaya Line; with both lines, they cover much of the downtown area and some of the outskirts. There are 48 stations on the two lines, which cover around 55 kilometers of line, so, as you can imagine, most of the important or interesting tourist destinations are accessible from there. Again, the best place to get on the train is the main train station, KL Sentral, as both lines come through there. Tickets go for 1 ringgit (35 cents) and up.

Bus Systems in Kuala Lumpur - There are several bus companies running buses throughout KL and beyond. Metrobus and Rapid KL run most of the local buses, with stops around every area of the city. Main bus interchange areas include the Central Market area, (next to the Rapid KL line, where you'll see lots of bus shelters and buses coming and going), Medan Pasar (near the Masjid Jamek train station), and the Titiwangsa station (which connects to KL's Monorail and train systems). To figure out how to ride the KL buses, buy a bus map at any convenience store or book store. They are easy to read, and list bus numbers for every route. Fares begin at 1 ringgit (35 cents).

KL Ekspres and KL Transit - These two train systems are set up to get to KL International Airport (KLIA) and back. The only difference is the KL Ekspres goes directly to KLIA with no stops. The KL Transit train stops at Bandar Tasik Selatan, Cyberjaya/Putrajaya, and Salak Tinggi so, whereas, the KL Ekspres takes only 28 minutes to get to the airport or from the airport to Kuala Lumpur, the KL Transit line takes 36 minutes.

Taxis - Taxis in Kuala Lumpur are everywhere, and easy to either flag down on the street or climb into at taxi stands all over the city. Fares start at around 3 ringgit ($1) and go up, depending on distance and time in the taxi. This means that, during rush hour, you'll likely spend more, as the taxi will be sitting in traffic. Make sure the driver turns on the meter. It's mandatory in Malaysia, although some drivers do try to overcharge tourists!

Page 14

Page 15

About MRC Malaysia

MRC was formed on 1st November 1998 to undertake the project of building a database that would provide standards and reduce subjectivity in claims estimations and assessments. Shareholders of MRC are HeiTech Padu Berhad and MNRB Holdings Berhad (formerly known as Malaysian National Reinsurance Berhad (MNRB)), which are both publicly-listed companies on the first board of the Malaysian Stock Exchange.

MANAGEMENT TEAM

Professor Khairuddin Sudharmin Diana Lee Geok Chin Managing Director, MRC Malaysia General Manager, MRC Malaysia

Mohd Hairul Khaidzir Abdul Majid Svahril Abdullah Khiew Wai Lam Head of Automotive Research Head of CEO’s Office Head of IT & Audit Division Database Division

Page 16

Your Helpful Contacts for the Conference:

From Left (Behind): Muhammad Yamani bin Che Jid, Rais Ratha bin Abdullah, Jami’un bin Kushairi, Anas bin Hasan, Ng Yuet Seng, Shahul Nizam bin Omar

From Left (Front): Norazian binti Alias, Norazieda binti Saniman, Khairunnisa bin Ismail, Noor Azlina binti Mohd Nor Azmi, Khainira bte Khalil (Not in the picture : Nicholas Tham, Jagvinder Singh)

Melaka Historical Site Visit Team

From Left: Syahril Abdullah, Jagvinder Singh, Khainira Khalil, Noor Azlina, Muhammad Yamani, Hairul Majid,

Shahul Nizam, Azian Alias, Nicholas Tham

Technical Support Team

From Left: Tan Kar Wai, Anas bin Hasan, Ng Yuet Seng, Christopher Gui

For any enquiries during the Conference, please contact:

Wilf Bedard +1 204 771 3582

Event Hotline 1 +6 017 331 6835

Event Hotline 2 +6 017 331 6935

Page 17

The Grand Hyatt

The Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur is located in the Kuala Lumpur central business district, within a

few minutes of the city’s shopping and entertainment district.

Your Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur hotel experience begins with charming Malaysian hospitality the

moment you are welcomed by our lobby ambassadors at the ground floor lobby. You are then

guided to the express lifts that take you directly to the Sky Lobby for your check-in. Upon arrival

at the Sky Lobby, the magnificent view of the iconic Petronas Twin Towers greets you from this

hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

As you enter your spacious guestroom, you’ll discover unique touches such as a sizeable work

desk, dedicated WAP for high-speed Internet access (included in your room package) and a

liquid crystal glass (LCG) enclosed bath and rain shower cube that provides guests with a privacy

option at the touch of a button by turning the glass opaque.

Enjoy an invigorating workout at the 24-hour fitness center, followed by a pampering session at

Essa Spa. Whether on business or pleasure, you’ll experience authentic hospitality and a

memorable stay. From exclusive business meetings to gala occasions, the Grand Hyatt Kuala

Lumpur offers six unique meeting and event venues with a variety of layouts.

Page 18

RCAR Technical Program 2013 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia September 23 - 27, 2013

Monday, September 23, 2013

DAY 1

Session 1 9:30 – 10:50

9:30 Welcome & Opening Remarks K. Sudharmin

9:45 Steering Committee Report by Chairman Robert McDonald 10:15 Secretary General’s Report Wilf Bedard

10:30 Research Motor Bike Crash Test Cesvi France

10:50 Break for Refreshments (20 minutes)

Session 2 11:10 – 12:30

11:10 Crash Tests R32, R34 Cesvi Argentina

11:30 Lower Load Path in Front Bumper Systems AZT 11:50 Malaysian Claims Monitor 2012 MRC

12:10 Geographical Identification of Critical Points of Accidents

Cesvi Mexico

12:30 Lunch (60 minutes)

Session 3 1:30 – 2:50

1:30 Reparability of AEB Systems Thatcham

1:50 Forward Collision Prevention Systems Rating IIHS 2:10 Electronic Information Database Generali

2:30 EDR & Telematics Working Group Report B. Zhand

2:50 Break for Refreshments (20 minutes)

Page 19

Session 4 3:10 – 4:30

3:10 Comparison of Headlight Systems for Night

Visibility and Glare

Samsung

3:30 Immobilizer Program: Code Capture MPI 3:50 Repair Quality Inspection IAG

4:10 Private Vehicle Inspection MRC

END OF DAY 1

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

DAY 2

Session 5 9:30 – 11:00

9:30 Guest Arrival & Informal Greeting 10:00 Formal Introduction of Guests and Keynote

Address

K. Sudharmin

10:20 MIROS: ASEAN NCAP Project Khairil Anwar Abu

Kassim 10:40 JKJR: Promotion of Vehicle Safety Features Sim Say Kiong

11:00 Break for Refreshments (30 minutes)

Session 6 11:30 – 12:30

11:30 MAI: Current Situation on the National Automotive

Policy (NAP)

Madani Sahani

11:50 Bumper Working Group Report J. Nolan

12:10 P-Safe Working Group Report M. Avery

12:30 Lunch (90 minutes)

Page 20

Session 7 2:00 – 3:00

2:00 Influence of Crash Test Results on Vehicle Sales IIHS

2:20 ABS-Antilock Braking Systems for Motorcycles Cesvi Brasil 2:40 RCAR Bumper Testing Program IAG

3:00 Break for Refreshments (30 Minutes)

Session 8 3:30 – 4:50

3:30 A Study to Reduce Neck Injury Loss KART 3:50 VW Up! Reparability and Safety After Several

Frontal Crashes and Repairs

AZT

4:10 Influence of Driver Assistant Systems on Repair KTI

4:30 Incidence of Parking Crashes Thatcham

END OF DAY 2

Thursday, September 26, 2013

DAY 3

Session 9 9:30 – 10:50

9:30 Comparative Study and Crash Results of AM and

OEM Core Supports

Allstate

9:50 Spare Parts Compatibility in Light Commercial

Vehicles

CESVIMAP

10:10 Windscreen: Installation and Spare Parts Quality Generali 10:30 Ball Joint Failure Update MPI

10:50 Break for Refreshments (20 Minutes)

Page 21

Session 10 11:10 – 12:30

11:10 Automotive Window Films Cesvi Brasil 11:30 Aftermarket Parts Working Group Report:

Proposed RCAR Position Paper

J. Carcas

11:50 Activities to Promote Improvement of R & D with

Effective Materials to Automobile Manufacturers

JKC

12:10

12:30

New Training Session: How to Repair Safely by

Bonding, Welding, and Riveting

Lunch (60 Minutes)

Cesvi France

Session 11 1:30 – 3:10

1:30 Carbon Fiber Repair CESVIMAP

1:50 Motorcycle Cosmetic Damage IAG 2:10 Activities to Standardize the Repair Methods of

New Materials to Automobile Manufacturers

JKC

2:30

2:50

Applying UK Sectioning Guidelines to US Model

Ford Fiesta Reparability Working Group Report

Allstate

M. Woiral

3:10 Break for Refreshments (20 Minutes)

Session 12 3:30 – 4:50

3:30 A Global Tool to Evaluate the Repair Market Cesvi Colombia

3:50 The Whiplash Injury Risk Estimator Generali 4:10 Pedestrian Case Study Based on Accident Data

Analysis

KART

4:30 Pilot Study on Abbreviated Injury Scaling (AIS) MRC

END OF DAY 3

Page 22

Friday, September 27, 2013

DAY 4

Session 13 9:30 – 11:10

9:30 Driver Assistant Systems – Pedestrian Test

Scenario

KTI

9:50 New Rules and Requirements for Cars in Mercosur Cesvi Argentina

10:10 Customer Satisfaction Index (Bodyshops) Cesvi Colombia 10:30 IIHS VRC Expansion Update IIHS

10:50 SAICA – Optical 3D Measurements of Car Body Damage

AXA

11:10 Break for Refreshments (20 minutes)

Session 14 11:30 – 1:30

11:30 RCAR Business Meeting – 1 ½ hours Wilf Bedard

1:00 RCAR Conference 2014 Mauricio Ruiz

1:30 Lunch (60 minutes)

End of RCAR 2013 Technical Program

Page 23

The RCAR Network: AXA-Winterhur Switzerland www.axa.ch AZT Germany www.allianz-azt.de Centro Zaragoza Spain www.centro-zaragoza.com Cesvi Argentina www.cesvi.com.ar Cesvi Brazil www.cesvibrasil.com.br Cesvi Colombia www.cesvicolombia.com Cesvi France www.cesvifrance.fr Cesvi Mexico www.cesvimexico.com.mx Cesvimap Spain www.cesvimap.com FNH Norway www.fnh.no Folksam Auto Sweden www.folksamauto.com Generalicar Italy www.generalicar.com IAG Australia www.iagresearch.com.au ICBC Canada www.icbc.com IIHS USA www.iihs.org JKC Japan www.jikencenter.co.jp KART Korea www.kidi.co.kr KTI Germany www.k-t-i.de LVK Finland www.liikennevakuutuskeskus.fi MPI Canada www.mpi.mb.ca MRC Malaysia www.mrc.com.my Samsung Korea www.samsungfire.com State Farm USA www.statefarm.usa Tech-Cor USA www.tech-cor.com Thatcham UK www.thatcham.org

Important Notice: If you need to contact us for any reason, please be sure to use one of the following e-mail addresses: rcarorg@hotmail.com or wilf_bedard@hotmail.com

The RCAR

Newsletter

Publisher: Wilf Bedard

Editor: Larry Roberts

Technical Coordinator:

Alida Meyer