In 2015, the Inkas Armored Sentry APC was quite the capable machine. Able to shrug off machine gun rounds and hand grenade blasts with ease, the “tactical attack and defense vehicle” could handle just about anything the world could throw at it. In 2016, however, the APC has gained a few new toys.
The upgraded, next-generation Sentry now features potent riot-control technology, including a powerful acoustic hailing device that can be used to address and deal with unruly crowds. If the horde happens to bring earplugs, the Sentry has a backup plan — a removable, vehicle-mounted barrier to simply push dissenters out of the way.
“We are proud to announce the upgraded Sentry in the Inkas APC family,” said Major General David Fraser, COO of Inkas. “This machine is unique in terms of technical specifications, design and assembly. We know how important it is to securely and comfortably transport the passengers within an APC in various challenging environments and have implemented the latest innovations to ensure this.”
The additions give the Sentry a heightened ability to confront large throngs of people, but the APC is far from helpless without them. Based on a heavy-duty truck platform, the vehicle’s high ground clearance and 362-horsepower diesel V8 are aimed at helping ii survive even the harshest environmental conditions, and its impressive armored skin is built to keep all eight passengers safe from harm.
Fitted with all the trimmings, the Sentry boasts BR7-level armor protection, which is tough enough to withstand 7.62 mm high-powered rifle rounds, as well as two DM51 hand grenade explosions. The armor lines the perimeter of the passenger compartment, however the engine bay and other mechanical components are reinforced as well.
The glass is multilayered and resistant to ballistics, but if you’re going against someone with perfect aim, the invulnerable beast features Inkas’ proprietary overlap system to keep bullets from sneaking through the door seams. In addition, the Sentry offers options like an escape hatch, 360-degree cameras, a smart ventilation system, and an emergency light package. If the going gets really tough, the vehicle can be configured as a mobile command center or medical evacuation vehicle.
Apocalypse, you may have met your match.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?
Update (October 22 23:54 PT): In response to our query, GM clarified that offline recording support is already available on eligible vehicles. Like Tesla's Sentry Mode, it requires owners to connect a USB drive to save incident recordings, which can be viewed on the vehicle's infotainment screen. The upcoming Connected Cameras feature will build on this by giving owners remote access to these recordings via the revamped OnStar app, allowing them to check footage without walking out to their car.
General Motors has announced plans to add a new Connected Cameras feature to its OnStar service starting next year, giving drivers a way to monitor parked vehicles remotely and capture footage of certain incidents.