Need to Know
22 : 11 : 21

Seoul – Pushing a new direction in nostalgia, car-maker Hyundai has re-imagined its iconic Grandeur model, creating an electric car fit for future-facing lifestyles.

Turning the boxy sedan into a more flexible lifestyle vehicle, the 35th anniversary edition of the Grandeur replaces dials and buttons on the dashboard with an ultra-wide, touch-enabled flat-screen display, while its upgraded 4way4 sound system takes cues from concert hall acoustic theory to ensure clarity and depth of sound. The centre console, meanwhile, features a hidden compartment for storing valuables.

Of note, Hyundai has embraced what it describes as a ‘newtro’ approach to the Grandeur redesign, merging newness with retro aesthetics. Crucially, the car is built on an all-electric powertrain, making it a desirable electric vehicle (EV) for a new generation of car enthusiasts. ‘Our designers have re-interpreted an important part of Hyundai’s history as a wonderfully unique blend of vintage and contemporary that reflects the boundless possibilities of our EV era,’ explains Hak-soo Ha, head of interior group of the Hyundai Design Centre.

Greece – Combining technology with travel, the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports has teamed up with Microsoft to create a digital reconstruction of Ancient Olympia. One of the country’s most significant cultural sites, the project aims to connect users with Greek history through virtual guided tours.

By accessing the project’s website or app, users can travel back 2,000 years and explore the original Olympic Stadium, a temple dedicated to Greek Gods Zeus and Hera, as well as a gymnasium where athletes used to train. In a bid to create an educational tool as much as an entertainment experience, Microsoft used AI technology and drones to ensure that the cultural sites were as realistic and historically accurate as possible. ‘This contributes to the research and documentation of monuments [and] supports the tourism and extroversion of the country as a modern and strong democracy with a long historical and cultural past,’ explains Lina Mendoni, Greece’s minister of culture and sports.

Gesturing towards a future in which de facto time travel will be possible from one’s home, this project aligns with the principles of Imagination Travel.

After 18 consecutive months in the top spot, Coronavirus is no longer the world’s greatest concern. A global survey by Ipsos Mori reveals that poverty and social inequality, and unemployment are now the world’s top worries.

Even as winter causes a spike in Covid cases in the northern hemisphere, global anxiety about Coronavirus is changing. Among people surveyed across the world, 33% cited poverty and social inequality as primary concerns – the highest number recorded since February 2020. Notably, the countries that are most worried about social inequality and poverty are Hungary and Russia, followed by Colombia and Brazil. Coming in second, 30% of those surveyed cited unemployment as a top worry, with 67% of South Africans ranking this as a principal concern.

Although 64% of respondents in Malaysia still cited Coronavirus as their primary worry, there has been a significant shift globally in the proportion of countries that classify the virus as their most pressing problem. As global mindsets change, and the Great Acceleration continues, businesses must be mindful of the world’s largest worries.