News

This content is imported from YouTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Honda’s Research Institute has started a pilot program to check for faded or missing highway lane markings, with the aim of making roads safer using its vehicles’ driver-assistance camera and GPS systems.The automaker will gather the information, analyze it, and pass it along to the state Department of Transportation to use in prioritizing road maintenance.The pilot program is currently operating only in Ohio with two Honda cars gathering information. They classify road markings on a scale that includes green (Ideal), yellow (Good), red (Needs Repair), and gray (no lane lines).Honda’s Research Institute USA has invented a system that uses Honda vehicles to evaluate the condition of roads they travel on. The system will monitor and grade lane markings on a scale from Ideal to Need Repair, using GPS coordinates and onboard cameras to collect information in real time. The two vehicles in the pilot program, initially only in the state of Ohio, will capture location coordinates (longitude and latitude), along with images and video clips of the roads. The system views and classifies lane lines to the left and right of the vehicle and color-codes them by condition: green (Ideal), yellow (Good), red (Needs Repair), and gray (no lane lines). The collected data will be anonymously sent to a secure platform where it can be analyzed and then shared with the state DOT.

Honda via YouTube

The automaker is collaborating with the Ohio Department of Transportation, using the anonymized data coming from the driver-assist systems of Honda vehicles that travel the roads there. The data will start being available in early 2022, Honda said, and will initially be used by the state of Ohio to improve its road maintenance. Later, Honda could use the data to adjust settings within Honda and Acura vehicles’ driver-assistance technology. For instance, in the future the vehicle could warn drivers in advance that there are faded lane markings or areas in need of repair on the road ahead.

Honda via YouTube

A Honda spokesperson told Car and Driver that although the program is small, with data coming from only two vehicles driven by research engineers, it is “the beginning of an effort to build out our road testing capabilities.” Later, the spokesperson said, they may expand the program with more vehicles. As for commercializing the technology, Honda is not yet disclosing any plans.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

Toyota unveiled the Sports EV concept, an athletic-looking electric sports car with mid-engined proportions.No specifications were given for the Sports EV concept, but given the instant torque from the electric powertrain, the concept should be fairly quick.There have previously been rumors of an electric MR2 revival, and the Sports EV could end up taking that direction if it ever reaches production.Toyota has shown a proficiency for sports cars in recent years. The resurrected Supra won two 10Best awards, and the redesigned version of the more affordable GR 86 earned a spot on this year’s list. Now the Japanese automaker is showing off an electric sports car concept that previews the future of fun, fast Toyotas.

Toyota

No specifications were provided for the Sports EV concept, but we could imagine it using an electric powertrain similar to that of the electric Lexus supercar also unveiled today. Toyota claims that the Lexus can dash to 60 mph in just over two seconds and can travel 435 miles on a charge, although the Toyota Sports EV would likely be dialed back a bit for the sake of usability and cost.

Visually, the Sports EV takes on mid-engined proportions and looks fairly compact, with short front and rear overhangs. C-shaped LED headlights dominate the front end, and the concept appears to have a removable roof section. There’s no word on whether the Sports EV is destined for production or when it could arrive, but there has been speculation in the past of electric rebirth for the iconic MR2. If the Sports EV does make it onto public roads, don’t expect to see it for a few years at least.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

Toyota showed off the Compact Cruiser EV concept today, which channels the essence of the Land Cruiser into a smaller package.Toyota didn’t reveal any specifications about the electric powertrain, but the Compact Cruiser looks properly prepared for the outdoors.There’s no word on when, or if, the Compact Cruiser EV will reach production, but Toyota has teased a compact off-roader in the past with the FT-4X concept. The Toyota Land Cruiser may have departed the U.S. market (unless you count its Lexus sibling), but it appears that Toyota is looking to bring back its ethos in the form of a small EV crossover. This Compact Cruiser EV concept car revealed during Toyota’s presentation about its future EV plans looks like the Land Cruiser’s mini-me and appears to capture a similar vibe as the popular Ford Bronco Sport.

Toyota

We don’t have any concrete information on the Compact Cruiser’s powertrain or platform, but its design speaks wonders. With four doors, a tall and boxy body, short front and rear overhangs, and big fender flares, the Compact Cruiser looks off-road-ready and adventurous. It reminds us of Toyota’s boxy FT4X concept from several years ago, but with even more FJ Cruiser–esque retro charm thrown into the mix.

It’s a battery-electric vehicle that will likely ride on one of Toyota’s new EV architectures, but we don’t know when—or if—it will reach production. Look for more information to come as Toyota continues to flesh out its EV product plan within the next year or so.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

Lexus has revealed an electric supercar concept that it says will carry on the spirit of the legendary V-10–powered LFA.Lexus hasn’t given the concept a name, but the company did say that it will reach 60 mph in the “low 2 second range.”The EV supercar has a theoretical range of 435 miles, and Lexus says it will use solid-state batteries. The legendary Lexus LFA will be a difficult model to follow up, but Lexus says that this upcoming EV sports car will inherit the “secret sauce” from that V-10–powered supercar. That’s a heady claim, but the preliminary performance numbers that Lexus has shared are impressive: it claims this model will get to 60 mph in the “low 2 second range” and that it will use solid-state batteries to provide a driving range of around 435 miles.

Lexus

We don’t yet have a name for this new model other than “Electrified Sport,” and these images show just a concept version of its design, but it looks to be fairly close to production. Interestingly there’s no spindle grille to be seen, and the low-slung silhouette is reminiscent of the Toyota FT-1 concept that ultimately previewed the Supra.

This information about Lexus’s EV supercar was shared during Toyota’s presentation detailing its future EV plans. We don’t know anything about a possible timeline for the arrival of this Lexus sports car, but we do know Lexus is planning to launch its first EV, called the RZ, sometime in 2022. Stay tuned for more information on these developments as we find out more about Lexus EVs.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

Toyota revealed a concept for an electric pickup truck with a four-door crew cab setup and a what appears to be a fairly short bed.Toyota didn’t provide many details on the truck, but it appears to be in between the mid-size Tacoma and full-size Tundra in terms of dimensions. With several electric trucks due to hit the market soon, we expect the Toyota EV truck to be revealed within the next year or so. Toyota has stated previously that it plans to eventually build an electric pickup truck, and now we have further proof that this model could soon become reality. This concept car, revealed during Toyota’s presentation about its future EV plans, looks remarkably close to production and is exactly what you would imagine a Toyota EV truck to look like.

Toyota

While we have very little information at this point—Toyota has not stated a name or any specifications for this truck—its appearance alone gives us a fair amount of information. It’s a four-door crew-cab configuration with what looks like a short bed, and it has chunky off-road tires that suggest it could be some sort of TRD Pro model. The styling is similar to what we’ve seen on the new Tundra, except for the blocked-off grille that is typical of EV front ends.

It’s also difficult to tell the size of this truck from these images, but it may fit in between the mid-size Tacoma and full-size Tundra in the lineup. That said, we wouldn’t be surprised if this truck is actually a preview of the next Tacoma, albeit in EV form. We’ll have to wait and see when Toyota decides to release more info on this future model, which could be within the next year or so.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More