engine

“We recognize that we have done things wrong.” Peugeot apologizes for the PureTech and presents the engine that wants to make us forget it

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Peugeot has decided to close one of the most uncomfortable chapters in its recent history. The lion brand gathered the motoring press in Madrid a few days ago to do two things at the same time: apologize for PureTech engine problems and introduce your substitutethe new Turbo 100, a block designed from scratch that is in fact already available. Bad reputation. For years, the PureTech 1.0 and 1.2 gasoline engines that the Stellantis Group installed in brands such as Peugeot, Citroën and Opel have had a considerable bad reputation for two of their most common breakdowns: their oil dipped strap deterioration and excessive oil consumption. Now Peugeot has come forward and publicly acknowledged that it was wrong. “We recognize that we have done things wrong,” admitted those responsible at the press event, according to collect I amMotor. And, above all, that They took too long to respond to clients and workshops. Figures. In Spain alone, around 500,000 units of these engines were sold, adding the three affected brands, and more than five million were manufactured throughout Europe. Furthermore, Spain is more affected than other territories by how things go for Peugeot, since as they mention Our colleagues at Motorpasión, Stellantis produces up to 14 models here in its plants in Vigo, Figueruelas and Villaverde. The brand closed 2025 with more than 81,000 cars sold in our country, so regaining trust is a priority for the company. Issues. On the one hand, the timing belt deteriorated due to chemical aggression, because on short, daily city trips (3 to 5 kilometers), the fuel mixed with the oil, swelled the belt and ended up releasing fragments that clogged the oil pump, which led to quite serious breakdowns. On the other hand, in the first generation PureTech (2014 to mid-2018) the repeated cycles of cold and heat accumulated carbon in the piston rings, which increased oil consumption. As the Stellantis engineers explained, the determining factor was not the total kilometers of the car, but the “quality” of those kilometers. Between the lines. Peugeot insists that this was not cost cutting. Its engineers denied that controls were eliminated to save and they remembered that “non-quality in the end is very expensive”, alluding to what extended guarantees now cost. The real failure, according to the brand, was in testing protocols that did not take into account the intensive urban use that a good part of the drivers in Spain, Portugal, France or Italy do. The wet belt, by the way, was chosen around 2010 because it was then a technically sensible solution, being quieter and with less friction than a chain, and useful for balancing the internal pressures of a three-cylinder engine. A decision that other manufacturers madeincluding Japanese (like Honda, although in a much more conservative way, until it turned out that it was not a good idea). The new engine. Here enters the Turbo 100presented by Fabien Gouzonnat, Director of Engine Development in Europe at Stellantis, and Vincent Jaquier, Engine Project Manager at Peugeot. At first glance it looks similar to the PureTech, because it had to fit in the same cars, but inside it is something else. In fact, the brand states that 70% of all the components that make up the engine are completely new and of the above the only thing they say is preserved is screws and some gaskets. The most notable change is that it dispenses with the belt and adopts a silent and maintenance-free distribution chain throughout the life of the car. And not just the chain. The Turbo 100 is a 1.2 three-cylinder engine with 100 HP and 205 Nm that debuts technology that has hitherto been unusual in high-volume gasoline. It works with a Miller cycle, direct injection at 350 bars and a variable geometry turbo (the first that Peugeot uses in a mass-produced gasoline engine). To reduce oil consumption, the pistons have been completely redesigned, with an internal cooling gallery and reinforced segments, as well as a new oil separator with a more resistant membrane. The brand assures have reduced mechanical wear up to 80%. To validate it, he says that he has subjected the block to more than 30,000 hours of bench tests and more than three million kilometers in real conditions. The guarantees. The other front is customer trust. New cars with the Turbo 100 extend the usual coverage up to 8 years or 160,000 km through the Peugeot Care program, as long as maintenance is carried out on the official network. For those who already have a PureTech, there are a web tool that reimburses for repairs paid between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2024, providing the invoice for the repair and the three previous maintenances. And if the engine has not failed, the Check Plus certificate (free) covers up to 10 years or 180,000 km, even for second-hand cars or those with maintenance carried out in independent workshops, as long as they can be accredited. And now what. The Turbo 100 is already available in the Peugeot 208 and 2008, and serves as the basis for the 110 and 145 HP hybrid versions that are fitted to the 308, 408, 3008 and 5008, in addition to being extended to the rest of the group’s brands. It’s clear that Stellantis is making a monumental effort to eliminate the footprint left by its PureTech engine. Time will tell us if this new engine lives up to its promise. Cover image | Xataka and Stellantis In Xataka | Europe promised them a happy time by turning off 2G and 3G. He did not take into account that there are 64 million cars that need it

Google search engine is killing blue links. So more and more users are finding refuge in DuckDuckGo

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Search things on Google it’s not the same anymore. The technology giant is turning its traditional search engine into something very different in which AI is taking control whether we like it or not. The good news is that if we don’t like it, we have alternativesand precisely in DuckDuckGo They are taking advantage of this opportunity very well. Times change. For nearly three decades, Google has been the gateway to that traditional list of blue links that the search engine presented as results. In recent years, the search engine is becoming an AI engine that tries to anticipate the user’s intentions and autocomplete queries with long answers. AI Overviews. The arrival of AI Overviews (AI Summaries) has made the search engine answer questions directly at the top of the page, but that move is being heavily criticized. The reason is simple: Google is killing those blue links it defended for more than 25 years. The new AI Mode goes in that same direction and points to a future in which we will not ask the Google search engine things, but simply talk to it. DuckDuckGo takes advantage of its opportunity. DuckDuckGo CEO Gabriel Weinberg recently stated that “Google is imposing AI with no way to disable it.” This has not pleased a certain sector of users who are beginning to use alternatives that give them back control. That’s good news for DuckDuckGo, which has seen more and more users start using its services: Downloads of the DuckDuckGo app in the US grew by an average of 18.1% weekly, and peaks of 30.5% were reached on May 25 The adoption rate on Apple devices was even higher, with an average rise of 33% and a peak of 69.9%. Visits to specific page free of AI, noai.duckduckgo.comincreased on average by 22.7% from week to week. Searches like before, and private. The advantages of DuckDuckGo are striking for those looking for alternatives to the Google search engine. To begin with, DuckDuckGo has that aforementioned page that avoids any trace of AI. If you want to use AI canbut in that case you will have access to somewhat more modest models (Claude 4.5 Haiku, GPT-5 mini, Llama 4 Scout, you can pay to access better models) but with which your conversations will remain private. In addition, DuckDuckGo deletes IPs and prohibits the use of those conversations to train models. It is an extension towards AI that iron defense of privacy that since its inception has differentiated this search engine… although there have been some controversy about it. Google doesn’t even flinch. Despite this growth in downloads and visits to its search services, DuckDuckGo remains an alternative with an anecdotal market share in the search segment. Worldwide it has a 0.71% share compared to Google’s 90.02% and Bing’s 5.14%. Anti-AI shelter. Google’s dominance here is absolute and it seems almost impossible for that to change, but even so DuckDuckGo is clearly positioning itself as the refuge for those who see AI as an unnecessary—or unwanted—complication when performing searches. Kamyl Bazbaz, head of company policy, explained it with a simple statement: “people simply want to be able to choose.” Business model at play. The shift towards AI seems to be beneficial for Google, whose search revenue grew by 19% in the first quarter of 2026. It is a striking fact considering that theoretically AI results make it difficult for advertising to enter the search engine, but Google seems to be solving it with native advertising from AI Overviews or Keyword auctions in AI Mode. This is added to the recommendations of affiliate products that also seem to be working and promoting a business model that is being renewed in parallel to what the search engine is doing. In Xataka | Google already knows how to make its AI Overviews more human: use Reddit content ruthlessly

What if the combustion engine of tomorrow was French?

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The European Union is committed to the electric car. It is a plan that has been around for years and, although some modifications have been made, it is not going to change. The decision led manufacturers to jump to “all electric.” The final objective was clear: simplify ranges adapting to the most restrictive regulation, the European one, trusting that the public would embrace the technology at a good pace. Although the growth of electric car It is evident, this embrace of the public has not gone at the pace that was expected. This has made manufacturers rethink their objectives.. Europe is a smaller market than the North American market (where the electric car is advancing at a very low rate) and the South American market (where the combustion engine seems to continue to be indispensable for many years to come. China is committed to the electric car but its own idiosyncrasies makes electric cars designed to please Europe unsaleable. As a result, manufacturers have lobbied as hard as they can to force the European Union to change the rules of the game. They have achieved itbut in a minimal way. And from 2035, cars with combustion engines can continue to be sold but they will be limited to units for the rich. Meanwhile, there was someone who was betting on the combustion engine, to maintain a wide range of technologies where the heat engine for “the popular classes”. That country has been France. We have the case of Horse Project, supported by Renault and the Chinese group Geely. But the last thing, the French colleagues from L’Automobile It is that of Aramco, who are clear that the future of the combustion engine involves simplifying what we already know. A simpler engine to keep combustion alive As we said, relevant projects have been emerging from France to keep the combustion engine alive. With direct consequences in our country. Or that they should have them. As we said, Horse Project born as a result of the collaboration between Renault and the Chinese manufacturer Geely. This last group owns purely electric brands such as Smart but its own cars, The Geely Starray EM-iwill use plug-in hybrid engines when they arrive in Europe. Lotus, which also belongs to Geely and also had made the leap to “all electric”has reversed its strategy and will also have a new launch supported by a plug-in hybridization platform. It is the latest example but by no means the only one. At the last Beijing Motor Show, the company presented the latest evolution of an electrified V6 engine with three- and four-cylinder configurations that, they say, guarantee minimal consumption and can offer power of up to 400 kW (544 HP) and 700 Nm of torque. The company has part of its future in Valladolid where the R&D&I center in Europe is located for the development of more efficient combustion engines. The situation is not chosen randomly since there it produces the Renault Captur and Symbioz that continue to use combustion engines and very close by, in Palencia, large models of the group such as Southern, Space and Rafale. For Renault, the thermal engine has become essential. While other companies jumped into the arms of the electric car, those with the rhombus have remained faithful to having one foot in the combustion engine and are based on it to make the leap into new markets such as South Korea with the Renault Filantethe company’s most ambitious car in many years and a bet that aims directly at the premium segment. The other big French commitment to a combustion engine is one that comes from the Aramco headquarters. The Saudi oil company is the most valued in the world and has partnered with Pipo Moteursa small company specialized in engine development. This company has been chosen by Aramco to develop a combustion engine that is as simple as possible to adapt it to different needs. The idea is that the engine will be developed directly as a solution for hybrid vehicles. That is, it is a car designed from scratch under this concept, not with the idea of ​​adapting an existing combustion engine to hybrid technology. The final objective is clear: do not oversize the engine. And that happens by going back to the past. With the idea that a good part of the weight will be carried by the electric motor and the power stored in the battery, a single camshaft is chosen for the engine. That is, there are only two valves per cylinder instead of four, as has been the industry standard for decades. Besides, the classic push rod system is used omitting the use of a timing chain. This makes the whole even cheaper in a solution that once again looks to the past. Additionally, the engine (at least on paper) is easily adaptable to different configurations. Thus, to begin with, it is a 1.6-liter three-cylinder that can be converted without many modifications into a 1.1-liter two-cylinder, a 2.1-liter four-cylinder and a 3.2-liter V6, naturally aspirated or with a turbo, as stated in motor.es. All this comes from the offices that Aramco has in the United States but it is Pipo Moteurs, this small company specialized in motors for competition, that is in charge of making the prototypes. The proposal is even more interesting if we take into account that Aramco is a partner of Horse Projectthe aforementioned company mostly owned by Renault and Geely. Photo | Aramco In Xataka | Keeping combustion engines alive in 2035 leaves us with clear winners. Some called BMW, Porsche and Ferrari

Mercadona’s engine is not the white label, but crushing its rivals in profitability by earning less per product

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You may like it more or less your cataloghis business strategy or even the forecasts culinary-apocalyptic of its president, but there is something undeniable: Mercadona long ago stopped being a chain of stores to become a social phenomenon. One who depends about 30% of the food distribution market, 51% of the business of prepared dishes and that sets the pace for trends as relevant as that of the merchants. Hence everything that revolves around your finances be interesting. Especially because when studying them in detail and comparing them with other competing chains there is one fact that draws attention: Although its gross margin per sale is lower than that of other rivals, its profitability ratio is much higher. The data: 41,858 million. When Mercadona presented its 2025 economic balance, two months ago, there was a figure that made headlines: 41,858 million of euros. That was the company’s consolidated turnover, an interesting fact because it shows an annual growth of 8%, but it actually hides other even more revealing values. One of them is the turnover, net sales, which amounted to 38,178 million. In that case the increase was 7.2%. If we subtract from that figure what it cost the company to supply its merchandise (28,639 million), we obtain the first relevant piece of information: its gross marginthe money that the company earned after deducting the costs directly attributable to production and sale, such as raw materials or expenses generated during manufacturing. In this case it stood at 9,539 million. Is it important information? Yes. Above all to understand how the Valencian chain makes money and where it has its strengths (and weaknesses) compared to the competition. At first, those 9,539 million may not tell us much, but a few days ago Five Days subjected him to an analysis which does leave a couple of interesting ideas. The first is that this figure shows that Mercadona’s gross margin represents 25% of its sales. That means that of every 100 euros you earn, the supply costs take 75. From the remaining 25 euros you must get enough money to cover other bills and, above all, generate profits. It is not a bad percentage (25%) if we compare it with what the Valencian firm registered in recent years, but it is significantly lower than that managed by other competing companies. The calculations of Five Dayswhich are based on the accounts published by the companies, conclude that this margin rises to 26.2% in Dia, 27% in Eroski and 30.1% in Consum. In theory, this comparison leaves a clear reading: any of these three chains has a larger cushion, once the supply costs have been deducted, to pay the rest of the company’s bills and generate profits. And the surprise comes. The curious thing is that this ‘photo’ changes when we delve a little deeper into the accounts of Mercadona and its competitors. If we look at the operating resultwhich deducts all operating expenses, including for example salaries, rents, advertising, depreciation, transportation or energy, Mercadona is left with 2,061 million of euros. Given that Juan Orig’s chain invoices significantly more than Dia, Eroki or Consum, that operating result is also much higher in net terms. That’s logical. The curious thing is that it is also true in relative terms, based on the total income of each firm. In Mercadona this margin is 5.4% while in the case of Día it drops to 2.6%, in Eroski to 4.6% and in Consum to 2.7%. That’s the first surprise. The second comes when we go one step further and look at the net profitalready discounted the financial and fiscal expenses. It is relevant data because it basically shows what the company ‘earns’, the remainder from which the company takes the money with which it then pays dividends to its shareholders and makes reinvestments. In 2025 that benefit was almost 1,729 million, which is equivalent to 4.5% of its turnover. In Dia this percentage of global sales is 2.3%, in Consum it is 2.6% and in Eroski it remains at just 0.9%. Beyond the numbers. This mixture of percentages can be somewhat confusing, but it is very simple to read: beyond the business volume of each chain, whether it closes the year with more or less millions invoiced, Mercadona has achieved an important milestone. Despite ‘earn’ less per product Than Dia, Eroski or Consum (gross margin), their profitability ratios are much better. How have you done it? In your annual report The firm assures that it has improved its profitability thanks to the “optimization of processes”, which includes energy savings, “elimination of expenses without added value” and “advances in operational efficiency.” Only the use of ovens in ECO mode saved him two million. Outrunning the giants. Mercadona’s formula has not only allowed it to stand out from its most immediate competitors. It has also done so in comparison with other heavyweights in the sector internationally. At least in relative terms. a few weeks ago Expansion public an analysis which shows that the Valencian chain has skyrocketed its net profit margin to such a level that it surpasses giants such as Walmart, Costco or Tesco in profitability. While Mercadona’s net margin is 4.52% (4.52 euros profit per 100 euros in sales), at Walmart it is 3.1%, at Costco 3%, at Tesco 2.52%, at Ahold Delhaie 2.45%, at Dia 2.26%, at Sainsbury’s 0.73% and at Kroger it remains at 0.69%. And that’s just to name a few cases. The Valencian firm not only stands out in the photo finish With respect to its competitors, the figure for 2024 also significantly improves, when the net margin was 3.88%. Images | M. Peinado (Flickr) and Mercadona In Xataka | The gap between what pork costs on farms and in supermarkets does not stop growing. The ranchers have said enough

NASA’s new ion engine, a fundamental piece to reach Mars

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Ion engines are not new. There are many satellites that have used them to stabilize themselves in their orbit. It has also been used in small ships like that of the Psyche missionwhose objective was to explore the asteroid with the same name. However, NASA wants to go further and create an ion engine so powerful that in the future it can be used to take humans to Mars. There is still a long way to go; But, according to their latest evidence, they could be on the right track. The most powerful ion engine. Until now, the most powerful ion engine that has been used to go to space has been that of the Psyche mission. With it, a speed of 200,000 kilometers per hour has been reached. Instead, NASA scientists have recently tested a much more powerful engine on Earth. It is a lithium-powered magnetoplasmadynamic thruster, which uses an electric current, which interacts with a magnetic field to accelerate a lithium-ion-based propellant. All this is done in a vacuum chamber 8 meters long. After the tests, 120 kilowatts of power have been reached: 25 times more than with Psyche. It is still not enough to travel to Mars, but, after the success of the tests, these researchers hope to be able to scale the process until they achieve 4 megawatt engines. Several of those could be used to conquer the red planet. Different ions. Broadly speaking, an ion engine consists of a vacuum chamber in which an electromagnetic field accelerates electrically charged atoms through a nozzle, generating thrust. Those charged atoms are the ionic propellant. Traditionally, xenon is used, although metallic plasmas have also begun to be explored. That’s where lithium comes into play. Advantages. Ion-powered engines use 90% less propellant than chemical ones. That, in itself, is already a great advantage. On the other hand, although they start with a very low speed, they have the advantage that, in the absence of friction, as occurs in the vacuum of space, they keep accelerating for a long timeso they can reach very high speeds. This is how has been achieved that many satellites can adjust their orbit. A key piece is missing. In order to start this electromagnetic field, an energy source is needed, which is normally obtained through solar panels. However, to go to very distant places where the Sun does not reach so easily, it would be necessary to look for alternatives. For this reason, NASA scientists consider that this ion engine should be complemented with the nuclear thrusters that Both this agency and others have been studying for some time. In the case of NASA, They have made a lot of progress with Space Reactor-1 Freedoma nuclear-powered spacecraft, whose first launch is scheduled for 2028. Investment is needed. In order to scale what has been achieved so far, strategic investments will have to be made, as NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has already pointed out. in statements collected by Space. The scale they want to make is not small, so they are still waiting to receive adequate financing. In the meantime, you can at least be proud that the first 5 firings of this initial prototype went perfectly. Image | POT In Xataka | The West stopped building nuclear power plants because they were too expensive: China is teaching it a lesson

We are increasingly looking for human answers on Reddit. That is the reason why the Google search engine is now a Reddit in disguise

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Google has updated its search platform for the umpteenth time, but it has done so with an especially significant change. The user experience in its AI search engines (both AI Overviews and AI Mode) attempts to become more “human”. And to do this, in these searches Google will add more context to the links, such as extracts from internet forums and blogs. And if there is a beneficiary (or harmed) of that movement, it is Reddit. Google was already a gateway to Reddit. There is a behavior that Google has been seeing in its data for years and that for a long time it preferred not to publicly acknowledge: when someone wants a real answer to a real question, add “Reddit” to the end of the search. Not because Reddit is necessarily a reliable source, but because Reddit brings together real people who have experienced this issue, tried to solve it, and written about it without anyone paying them to do so. Google, with all its infrastructure and all its algorithms, had not managed to replicate that. So instead of trying it’s going to incorporate those answers directly. What exactly has changed. The search engine update will make in AI Overviews Fragments from forums, social networks and other “first-person sources” appear. When someone searches for something for which there is no single objective answer, Google’s AI will include perspectives and opinions found in all kinds of (supposedly) human sources online. Doing so will add the name of the creator of that content (or their avatar) and the origin from which said perspective comes. Google also promises to add more context about the origin of its AI-generated answers, similar to how ChatGPT or Claude include links supporting their answers. Tired of so much SEO. The reason is obvious: Google’s organic results for practical and subjective questions—”what vacuum cleaner should I buy”, “how do I cure my dog’s ear”, “what is the best neighborhood to live in in Valencia”— They are dominated by SEO and those techniques optimized to appear on Google. It is important to position, not answer the question well. That is precisely where Reddit, like other forums or personal blogs, has something that this content usually does not have: the real experience of someone who was in the same situation. Google sums it up in its own statement bluntly: “For many searches, people are increasingly looking to other people for advice.” The contradiction that Google has not resolved. There is a potential problem in this new way of conceiving these searches with AI. AI Overviews were designed to answer questions directly and thus save the user the work of clicking, reading and researching. Now they will include diverse and even contradictory perspectives from forums and social networks. So, will AI Overviews answer the question, or will it make us go back to the sources to find the answer? If it is the latter, it will not be very different from what I already did the traditional Google search engine. There is an interesting imbalance here between “we give you the answer” and “we give you context so you can find the answer.” In a sense, Google’s decision complicates searches. AI models are becoming less prone to failure. The famous cases of add glue to pizza are much less common now, and new models often boast a significant reduction in “hallucination” rates that they have. GPT-5.5 Instant, released this week, “produced 52.5% fewer hallucinations than GPT-5.3 Instant,” OpenAI indicated in its official announcement. The problem is that these hallucinations are increasingly difficult to detect because these chatbots hide these mistakes very well. That the system now includes unverified or validated content from networks like Reddit can be problematic: community votes do not always measure how truthful or useful a certain thread is. Using Reddit has its drawbacks. This platform has value precisely because it is not optimized for Google algorithms: It is chaotic and contradictory.. Sometimes there are brilliant responses from people, but other times there are completely wrong comments. When a user adds “Reddit” to their search and reads the results, they are automatically weighing which comments are useful and which are not. But that step disappears if Google extracts fragments of those discussions to include in an AI Overview. Eliminate that human filtering step and presents those answers with an authority that perhaps they should not have. Google will have much more difficulty than a human in distinguishing the comment of someone who has been working in plumbing for twenty years from that of someone who tinkers as a hobby. The shadow contract. This is not just an editorial or technological decision. In 2024 Google signed a deal worth $60 million a year with Reddit to access their data and train their models. You are not incorporating content from this social network as a public service: what you are doing is monetizing a commercial contract. Your message that you are highlighting those “original voices” is really saying that you have paid for that privileged access to Reddit content and now you are going to take advantage of that access and make it profitable. That revenue is interesting for Reddit, no doubt, but there is a problem: clicks. The Stack Overflow Precedent. There is no need to speculate much about what may happen because it has already happened. Stack Overflow is the largest technical Q&A community on the internet, but has lost most of its traffic in two years because AI companies They started collecting all those answers. to train your models and then serve them to your users directly. That caused users to stop visiting Stack Overflow and experts to stop answering questions. The quality of the new content on this network was clearly affected, and it became clear that if the AI ​​already gave you the answer without having to enter Stack Overflow, why enter? The danger for Reddit is exactly the same. Google didn’t have many alternatives. ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity They have been capturing … Read more

Mercadona has gotten rid of its search engine and replaced it with its own. They did it in a month with Claude Code and saved 90%

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Mercadona’s online store processes 4.4 million searches a week. Until recently, that volume was managed Algoliaa well-established search service used by companies like Sephora or LVMH. They had been with him for eight years. Now They have replaced it with their own search enginebuilt largely by José Ramón Pérez Agüera, CTO of Mercadona Tech. He has done it largely by himself, from his home, over a long weekend. This is how he told it in a successful LinkedIn post which now extends us in a video call with Xataka. “I’m going to be very honest and I know that this is going to look tacky, but it’s the truth,” says Pérez Agüera. “70% of the work (implementing the search engine, improving search quality and laying the foundation) took three days. One weekend plus an extended Monday.” The result: an 85% improvement in the quality of the ranking, the complete elimination of searches without results (previously 4% of the total) and a reduction in the monthly cost of between 9,000 and 15,000 dollars with Algolia to less than 900. That is, a saving of between 90% and 94% depending on the month. A decision that had been on hold for years The idea of ​​abandoning Algolia is not new at Mercadona Tech, it had been ruminating for a long time. The reasons are not surprising either: the search engine directly moves between 30 and 35% of the products that end up in the cart, which makes it a critical piece of business. And Algolia, like most SaaS services, has a pricing model that scales with use: as the company grows, the cost grows, with no way to stabilize it. “In the end you end up in a vendor lock-in of very critical software that is then difficult to get rid of,” explains Pérez Agüera. But Every time the team considered building something of their own, the work estimate was pushed back.. “The most optimistic vision we had, and with a much more basic version than the one we are going to release now, was five months. And it already seemed fast to me.” Then came the era of AI agents in software development. Pérez Agüera used Claude Code as the main tool and began to experiment on his own, without a formal project or assigned team. More out of curiosity than anything else. For playing. What AI did and what it didn’t The technical process combines hybrid search (by keywords and semantics) with a machine learning system that optimizes the ranking of results. AI made it possible to iterate on dozens of experiments in hours, analyze 479 MB of catalog and analytics data in days, and explore different ranking configurations by chatting with the agent instead of manually implementing them one by one. “I easily did 40 or 50 experiments in a weekend. That would have traditionally taken me weeks,” he explains. But the speed has a precise limit: the 29 technical decisions that AI did not make. Documentation generated during the experimentation process with Claude Code: the 14 parameters that Mercadona’s search engine evaluates to order results (from the popularity of a product to how well it fits semantically with what the user is looking for), its relative weight in the final ranking (popularity and semantic similarity account for two thirds of the decision) and the configuration of the machine learning model used to train it, based on click and purchase data from the last four weeks. Each of those parameters was discussed and validated with the AI ​​agent, but the final selection was made by the human team. Image provided by Mercadona Tech. The most representative was the choice of the indexing engine. Most systems, and probably any AI agent consulted, would have recommended Elasticsearch, the most widespread solution. Pérez Agüera chose Tantivy, a much smaller library written in Rust that integrates as an embedded component, without the need for a separate Java virtual machine. An impossible decision without knowledge of the Mercadona ecosystem. “The AI ​​always recommends the most generic option,” he says. “I made that decision because I have the context and the knowledge to make it.” The transfer to the team When the core of the search engine was ready, the project passed to the engineering team. What they found was not bad code, but it was ccode that did not follow Mercadona Tech’s internal standards. The architecture was hexagonal, as is the company’s style, but it used a different approach than usual. The tests existed (Pérez Agüera applied TDD during development) but some did not make sense or were missing cases. The agent had written thousands of lines of code in a few hours and reviewing them all was unfeasible. “The team’s Tech Lead took two or three days to adapt the project to our good practices,” he summarizes. “Not because the code was wrong, but because it didn’t meet our standards as a company.” In total, adding the initial phase and the launch into production, which includes load testing, infrastructure adjustment and integration into the Mercadona Online architecture; The project has taken approximately a month of work. And “two and a half people” have been in charge of it: Pérez Agüera, the Tech Lead of the Shop team and a part-time Staff Engineer for infrastructure. The original five-month estimate required five or six people. “FWe have easily done a x5 to the speed of the projectand what we have now is much more advanced than what we would have had in five months,” he says. What changes for the teams For Pérez Agüera, the search engine is one more experiment within a larger transformation that Mercadona Tech continues to process internally. The question on the table is not whether to use AI in development, but how to redesign the entire development process based on it. His diagnosis of the profiles is forceful: “AI is going to mean that fewer developers are needed and more engineers are needed. Coding loses value per se; the … Read more

A gasoline engine that uses 3L per 100km is a dream come true. And only Spain could manufacture it.

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With gasoline and absolutely shot dieselsreduce a few tenths (or liters) to 100 It is the wish of practically every Spaniard. Although the efficiency of current engines is increasing, and gasoline consumption is not as high as it was two decades ago, giants like Repsol are struggling to develop ultra-efficient engines that run on renewable fuel. And they have achieved it. They are not alone. Repsol has the fuel, but needs a partner to develop the engines. That partner is horse powertrain, a Joint Venture between Renault and the Chinese group Geely. This is dedicated to designing, manufacturing and selling thermal and hybrid propulsion systems, something that allows both Renault and Geely to continue exploring the combustion vehicle of the future without abandoning their electrification plans. Horse H12 Concept. This is an engine that promises less than 3.3 liters per 100km in the WLTP cycle, with a reduction in consumption according to the company of 40% compared to the average of new gasoline vehicles registered in the last two years. The best of all? The engine has been developed in Spain, and runs on 100% renewable Repsol gasoline. Horse has its operational headquarters in Madrid, engine factories in Valladolid and gearbox factories in Seville. Why is it important. The Horse H12 Concept is not a shot in the dark. It is an evolution of an already existing engine: the HR12. It is a 1.2-liter three-cylinder produced in Romania, and used in models such as the Dacia Duster. What makes this Concept version special is its exhaust gas recirculation system, a specially optimized ignition system and a hybrid gearbox. This Concept version, in alliance with Repsol, shows how far these engines can go with the help of synthetic fuel. It is not an experiment with an engine designed from scratch, it is the refinement of something that already exists. The other 50%. Repsol is now capable of producing gasoline of 100% renewable origin on an industrial scale at its Tarragona plant. According to what it indicates, it is compatible with all current gasoline vehicles, without requiring any type of modification. It’s your Nexa fuelcurrently available at 30 of Repsol’s stations. The same happens with its diesel, which promises to reduce net CO₂ emissions by up to 90%. And if you’re wondering how much the joke costs, approximately 10 euro cents more per liter compared to conventional fuels. Combustion is not dead. The comings and goings of Europe with combustion cars in 2035 They make it clear that the future will involve electrification. But the plans of giants like Geely and Repsol to try to keep more environmentally responsible combustion solutions alive are a clear indication that gasoline and diesel still have life ahead of them. In Xataka | The question is no longer whether diesel will continue to rise: it is whether it will become an expensive fuel forever.

an engine for all speeds

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For decades, engine development has set a pretty clear limit on what a plane or missile can do in the air. Achieving hypersonic speeds does not depend only on materials or aerodynamic design, but on solving a much more complex problem: how to maintain a stable propulsion system from takeoff to beyond Mach 6. China has been working in this direction since the mid-nineties, and now claims to have completed a prototype that seeks to cover that entire range without resorting to switching between propulsion systems in mid-flight. That objective takes shape in what researchers describe as a “contra-rotary ramjet engine“, an air-breathing engine designed to operate continuously from startup to speeds above Mach 6. The team, linked to the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and led by Xu Jianzhong, maintains that the prototype has already been completed and verified experimentally after more than three decades of work. Even so, the development is in a preliminary phase: the next steps involve adapting it to different platforms and subjecting it to real flight tests that allow its behavior to be validated outside the laboratory. The engine that can mark a before and after in defense The traditional solution to hypersonic and high-speed flight usually combines two propulsion systems: a turbine engine for speeds up to around Mach 3 and a ramjet for higher speeds. On the one hand, turbine engines cover takeoff and the first phases of flight, while ramjets can only operate when the device is already moves at high speed. This division of labor solves part of the problem, but it introduces other complications. As the researchers explainthe system drags unnecessary mass when one of the engines is inactive and adds technical complexity when changing regimes, a process that can become unstable in demanding phases of flight. The Chinese team’s proposal introduces changes on several fronts, but the core is in its compressor. Unlike conventional designs, it uses two sets of blades that rotate in opposite directions, one for high pressure and the other for low pressure, this configuration reduces centrifugal forces on the components. It would also improve rotation efficiency. Added to this is an unusual approach: instead of minimizing shock waves, the design takes advantage of them to compress the air flow, which would reduce its size and weight. The road to this prototype has not been quick. According to SCMPXu Jianzhong began focusing on hypersonic propulsion in the mid-1990s and by 2000 had outlined the concept of the counter-rotating compressor. For years, the project progressed until andn 2009 obtained institutional supportwhich made it possible to build experimental platforms from scratch. From there, the team spent nearly a decade resolving technical bottlenecks, especially in blade cascade design, before reaching the experimental verification now announced. If this architecture were to be transferred to operational systems, its implications would be direct in the design of hypersonic aircraft and missiles. Reduce the weight of the motor in this type of weapons open the door to increase the amount of fuel, payload or range, in addition to improving maneuverability. For reusable aircraft, a single propulsion system would simplify integration and reduce the risks associated with mid-flight mode changes. Even so, these advantages are presented for now in potential terms, awaiting validation in real conditions. Despite the scope of the announcement, development is still in an early phase when viewed from an operational point of view. The tests carried out so far have been limited to experimental settings. The next challenge, according to the researchers, will be precisely that, adapting the engine to real aircraft or missiles and checking its behavior outside the laboratory. Images | Xataka with Nano Banana | CAS In Xataka | Japan has dozens of “forgotten” islands off the coast of China: it is now preparing for the worst scenario

The legendary Renault plant in Valladolid is “reinvented” with an old acquaintance: the combustion engine

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The historical map of car factories in Spain is blurring with the evolution of the industry and the transition towards electrification, which has brought an unequal destiny for all of them: uncertain future of Ford in Almussafes to the Cupra bastion in Martorell. In the middle of the peninsula and emulating the village of Asterix and Obelix, an irreducible combustion engine factory that still resists: the Renault of Valladolid. But staying with the combustion engine does not mean staying stuck in the past: the historic Valladolid plant, which has such iconic models behind it as the Renault 4 CVpromises to continue writing history with Tilting Gravity Die Casting, the technique that changes how the heart of hybrid engines is manufactured. And Valladolid is the first factory in Spain to use it. New technology and more production. Horse Powertrain has invested 45 million euros at the Valladolid plant to install a head gasket manufacturing line using the Tilting Gravity Die Casting process, the first with this technology in the state. The new facility, which will occupy 3,500 square meters, will increase cylinder head manufacturing by 20% (from 300,000 to 360,000 units) and will require 150 new permanent jobs. Context. We are talking about the old Renault from Valladolid, but it has little of that 1953 Renault: today it is powered by Horse Powertrain, a joint venture formed by Renault 45%, Geely 45% and Aramco 10%. The formation is not coincidental: Geely provides the Chinese technological muscle, Renault its experience in the sector and the Saudi oil company is more than just financial muscle: it is interested in the combustion engine having the longest possible run. In Valladolid, Horse does not manufacture cars: it manufactures the hybrid E-Tech engines of the Captur, Symbioz, Clio, Austral and Rafale, the “heart” of a good part of the Renault range in Europe. And not only from Renault, but also from the group’s brands, which makes it strategic in that a single engine can end up in several different models. Why is it important. The bet is not minor: Valladolid is one of Horse Powertrain’s most strategic plants, which confirms that this is not a local experiment but a first-class industrial decision. The new technology allows engines to be manufactured with a more precise design and greater durability, something essential for hybrids, whose constant start-stop cycle subjects the components to greater thermal stress than a conventional engine. And the context justifies it: although almost one in five cars sold in Europe is already electric96% of those circulating they still have a non-plug-in motor. An inertia of more than 250 million vehicles that will not disappear in a decade. At a business level, the support is unquestionable. Its CEO highlighted that this investment “further demonstrates Valladolid’s leadership as a world-class automotive plant.” On the other hand, it is the first plant of this type in Spain and has been considered as a Priority Industrial Project by the Government of Castilla y León. What is Tilting Gravity Die Casting. Head gaskets are traditionally made of aluminum through a molding process, which leads to the possibility of air bubbles forming inside. And if there are bubbles, there will be microporosities and the structure will therefore be weaker. The TGDC solves this in a seemingly simple way: the aluminum no longer falls into the mold, but rather the mold is tilted so that it flows slowly and uniformly, thus minimizing turbulence and the risk of air. Bridging the distances, like when you pour beer into a glass. The result is a more homogeneous and structurally more integral piece that better withstands use and deterioration. In addition, this method requires less machinery and shortens production cycles. The push of Spain in the European industry. At the 2024 Paris motor show, then-Renault CEO recognized that the French unions were demanding the hybrid vehicle projects in Valladolid and Palencia due to the lack of demand for their electric models in the Douai and Maubege factories, however this latest movement is a complete “non, merci”: Spain not only does not give up production but also expands and modernizes it. Spain is the second state that manufactures the most vehicles in the old continent and this operation reinforces that position in the segment that endures the most: the hybrid. The question that remains in the air is whether De Meo’s successor will maintain the same commitment to Spanish plants in the face of French union pressure. Renault’s roadmap, which the brand plans to update soon, will give clues. In Xataka | Renault is a firm defender of the hybrid car and has its key factory in Valladolid. We have been there to know your future In Xataka | Given the tariffs on China, the CEO of Renault is clear who the European electric car should imitate: China Cover | Xataka

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