Toyota develops new rear window airbag for small cars

Safety technology has improved by leaps and bounds over the last few decades, and just about every automaker now knows how to score a five star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Toyota is looking to keep the stars coming by developing a new rear window airbag that will be standard equipment on its upcoming iQ micro car. A quick glance at micro-vehicles like the iQ shows that there is very little space between the back seat and the rear window, which means there won't be as much metal to absorb the impact of a rear collision. With Toyota's new rear window airbag, the rear air bag is ejected from the roof lining during a fender bender. Toyota says it will help protect the heads and necks back seat passengers, which is all the more important in smaller vehicles like the iQ. In addition to this new bag, Toyota wants to improve its safety reputation by making side curtain and shield airbags standard for all of itsmodels.


PRESS RELEASE

TOYOTA DEVELOPS WORLD'S FIRST REAR WINDOW CURTAIN SHIELD AIRBAG

Toyota announced today that it has developed the world's first* SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) rear window curtain shield airbag to protect rear passengers' heads in the event of a rear-end collision.

The innovative airbag deploys from the roof lining above the rear window in the form of a curtain-like barrier. Together with the headrests, the airbag minimises impact to the head from a colliding vehicle or parts of the hit vehicle, thus helping to reduce the severity of injuries. Its use in the soon-to-be launched "iQ" ultra-compact four-seater is expected to approximately double the car's rear passenger head protection performance.

Toyota has continued to actively develop and make available its collision safety technologies – resulting in such achievements as the swift market introduction of SRS curtain shield and knee airbags – to enable its vehicles to better respond to a greater range of accidents.

As a part of its efforts to realise sustainable mobility, Toyota intends to strengthen its traffic safety initiatives in the future through: 1) the development of even safer vehicles and technologies; 2) participation in the creation of a safe traffic environment and 3) activities designed to educate people on traffic safety, thereby contributing to the complete elimination of traffic casualties, which can be viewed as the ultimate hope of a society that values mobility.

*According to TMC research, as of September 2008


[ Via: Autoblog (Toyota) ]
[ Tag: rear window airbag, RearWindowAirbag, safety, toyota ]

SEMA Preview: Toyota's Vegas-bound Venzas

Click either image for a gallery of Toyota's Vegas-bound Venzas

[ Via: Toyota Open Road Blog ]
[ Tag: five axis, FiveAxis, sema, sema 2008, Sema2008, street image inc., StreetImageInc., toyota, toyota venza as v, toyota venza sportlux, ToyotaVenzaAsV, ToyotaVenzaSportlux, venza ]

LA Preview: Toyota to display CNG fueled Camry Hybrid concept

Hybrid vehicles are increasingly becoming mainstream, but so far all of the production units available on the market have used gasoline exclusively as the fuel for the internal combustion engine. Various manufacturers have also shown concept and one-off test hybrid vehicles with diesel and E85 capable flex-fuel engines. One combination we don't recall seeing is a CNG fueled hybrid. Toyota plans to address that oversight at the LA Auto Show in November with a CNG fueled Camry Hybrid. Vehicles running on compressed natural gas are nothing new, although the only one currently offered by a major automaker in the US right now is the Honda Civic GX. Since CNG vehicles have a shorter range, they have primarily been used by fleets with centralized filling stations. Toyota has built this vehicle as part of its wide ranging sustainable mobility strategy. With domestic supplies of CNG being comparatively plentiful, something like a CNG hybrid sedan could be a good option for someone who does most of their driving locally. Combine it with the Phill home fueling station and you'd never have to go to a gas station again. Press release after the break.
PRESS RELEASE

TOYOTA TO DISPLAY CNG-POWERED CAMRY-HYBRID CONCEPT AT 2008 LOS ANGELES AUTO SHOW

PORTLAND, Ore., Sept. 24, 2008 – Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., announced here today at its Sustainable Mobility Seminar that it will display a compressed natural gas (CNG) Camry Hybrid concept vehicle at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November.

"With the combination of plentiful long-term supplies in North America, improved and more efficient recovery methods, favorable pricing and clean-burn/low emissions characteristics, CNG has become a prime energy-source for the future," said Irv Miller, group vice president, TMS Corporate Communications. "With this concept, we are confirming our interest in pursuing CNG within our broad and comprehensive R&D scope."

In 1999 Toyota marketed a CNG-powered four-cylinder Camry to fleet customers in California. However, in an era of relatively cheap gasoline, customers were not attracted to a vehicle that required special refueling techniques and a limited refueling infrastructure and the program was discontinued a year later. Currently, there are only about 1,000 CNG refueling stations nationwide, with less than half open to the public.

The benefits of CNG are currently being amplified by rapidly changing market conditions and an increase in consumer environmental awareness. At the same time its drawbacks are being mitigated by a growing awareness that advanced technologies will require investment in appropriate infrastructure. The U.S. CNG pipeline system is an approximately 1.8 million mile network and expanding.

"Natural gas," adds Miller, "and an expanded retail-friendly CNG infrastructure could be seen as a model for future hydrogen infrastructure."

[ Via: Autoblog (Toyota) ]
[ Tag: cng, cng camry hybrid, CngCamryHybrid, compressed natural gas, CompressedNaturalGas, la 2008, la auto show, la autoshow, La2008, LaAutoShow ]

The gauntlet is thrown: VW Jetta TDI vs. Toyota Prius

Clean diesel or hybrid drive? It's an intriguing question, and one that's not quite so easy to answer. There's the price of diesel fuel to consider, which runs a few dimes over that of regular gasoline. Then there is fuel mileage. Does the Volkswagen Jetta TDI have a shot at dethroning the Toyota Prius as the undisputed mileage champion of the U.S.? To get a preliminary answer to some of these questions, Popular Mechanics put almost 500 miles on both cars, dividing up their miles between the city and the highway. It's not a knock-out for either car, but it may offer some early answers to a few questions.
First, the mileage. In the city, there's just no beating a hybrid, which uses its electric motor to good effect and scores over ten mpg better in the stop-and-go traffic of Los Angeles. On the highway, though, the Jetta TDI is able to eke out a narrow victory, scoring less than one mile per gallon better. Once the price of crude is factored in, the Prius remains the overall cheaper car to keep filled up. Of course, there is more to the story than that, including which car is a better to drive -- according to PM, the Jetta. Finally, the TDI qualifies for a $1,300 tax credit that the Prius can't claim. It's too close to call. Expect a rematch soon enough.
Read our First Drive of the 2009 VW Jetta TDI and full review of the Toyota Prius to see what we think.

[ Via: Popular Mechanics ]
[ Tag: jetta tdi, jetta tdi mileage, jetta tdi prius, jetta tdi test, jetta tdi vs prius, JettaTdi, JettaTdiMileage, JettaTdiPrius, JettaTdiTest, JettaTdiVsPrius, prius mileage, prius test, prius vs jetta tdi, prius vs. jetta tdi, PriusMileage, PriusTest, PriusVs.JettaTdi, PriusVsJettaTdi ]

Toyota to Tundra factory workers: Get thee to a park!

As reported recently, even though Toyota halted Tundra production for a while, the company pledged not to lay off its workers. At a total cost of potentially $1 billion to the company, Toyota instead placed the employees in retraining and civic works programs during a Kaizen and Development Period.
What kinds of civic programs? One of them, in San Antonio, is called the City-Toyota Green Clean-Up Project, which has put up to 340 workers on the streets to "clean, paint, and plant." Factory staffers have painted curbs, picnic tables and trash cans, trimmed trees and plants, and cleaned up lots. While employees do want to get back to the factories, they're enjoying the time away and being able to give back to the city -- all the while earning their regular wages and benefits.
A second round of city improvement will begin next month. After that, Toyota expects to have all hands on deck again at the factory in November, building 2009-model-year Tundras. Thanks for the tip, Mike!

[ Via: My SA News ]
[ Tag: city toyota green clean up project, CityToyotaGreenCleanUpProject, factories, kaizen, layoffs, san antonio, SanAntonio, toyota, toyota layoffs, toyota san antonio, toyota tundra, ToyotaLayoffs, ToyotaSanAntonio, ToyotaTundra, tundra ]

F1 teams spent over $3 billion, Toyota the most

While we knew Formula 1 racing was an expensive venture, leave it to the 2008/2009 edition of Formula Money to spell-out the jaw-dropping finances for us. According to their latest guide, the supporting cast will shell out over $3 billion this year in team resources -- with Toyota dropping more than $445 million of it alone. McLaren is a close second at $433 million, while Ferrari rounds out the top three with $414 million coming out of pocket. If you take a look at team resources divided by points scored, each point cost Ferrari $1.9 million in 2007 (while each point cost Honda a staggering $57.2 million during the same period!). With the financial markets around the world roiled in turmoil, many are wondering when the F1 budgets are going to feel the pinch... Thanks for the tip, Keith!


[ Via: F1 Fanatic ]
[ Tag: budget, F1, F1 Guide, F1Guide, Ferrari, Ferrari F1, FerrariF1, finances, Formula 1, Formula Money, Formula1, FormulaMoney, Honda F1, HondaF1, Season budget, SeasonBudget, Spending, Toyota F1, ToyotaF1 ]

Toyota considers building A-BAT truck, cancels small diesel

Despite the fact that its full-sized truck competitors from Ford, General Motors and Dodge will all offer new small-displacement diesel engines within the next year or so, Toyota has reportedly canceled plans for a similar powertrain for its Tundra. Instead of dumping money into the stalled full-size market, the automaker has reportedly contacted key suppliers for quotes on systems for its radical A-BAT concept truck from the Detroit Auto Show. Powertrain choices for the trucklet would include a traditional four-cylinder option along with a hybrid drivetrain, possibly sourced from the Camry hybrid. If it went into production, the A-BAT would join the lonely Ford Ranger in the small pickup market and would use a uni-body platform in lieu of a full frame, which is standard fare on most other trucks. Then again, it may never be given the green-light for production at all.

[ Via: Autoblog (Toyota) ]
[ Tag: a-bat, a-bat concept, A-BAT hybrid, a-bat hybrid truck, a-bat-concept, a-bat-hybrid, A-batConcept, A-batHybrid, A-batHybridTruck, toyota a-bat, toyota a-bat concept, ToyotaA-bat, ToyotaA-batConcept, tundra diesel, TundraDiesel ]

Toyota iQ platform will spawn new compact cars

Toyota developed an all-new architecture for its iQ city car, but in an effort to defray the costs the automaker will be using the platform to underpin three new models.
The first will be the next-generation Yaris, due out in 2011, which will be packaged more efficiently to improve interior volume and be a more competent competitor to the Honda Fit. A new hybrid model is also in the works that takes aim at another Honda – the new 2009 Insight – while a seven-seat people mover is also slated to be built atop the iQ's architecture.
MotorTrend sat down with the iQ's chief engineer, Hiroki Nakajima, to discuss a half-dozen innovative packaging solutions employed on the city car, including a differential moved to the front of the engine to allow more interior room, a higher-mounted steering rack and wiper motor assembly, a smaller, more efficient climate control system and a flat, thin fuel tank that lies beneath the passenger seats.
All these innovations have cost some serious coin to develop, but over the iQ's lifetime, along with the implementation of these systems on other models, Toyota is confident that the expense is worth it for both the automaker and consumers.

[ Via: MotorTrend ]
[ Tag: 2011, 2011 toyota yaris, 2011ToyotaYaris, iq, platform, toyota, toyota hybrid, ToyotaHybrid, yaris ]

Toyota sees more struggles in 2009, blue skies next decade

The US auto industry has hit a serious slump in 2008, with overall sales estimated drop by two million vehicles compared to 2007. Even the mighty Toyota has seen sales slip by 7.8%, which is better than the industry average, but a far cry from annual increases of 10%. And times may not improve in 2009 either, as the credit crunch and mortgage crisis have conspired to kick the auto industry in the pants. Toyota sales boss Jim Lentz says the mortgage crisis is the main culprit of tough sledding for the Japanese automaker. Florida and California, which account for 30% of overall Toyota Sales, have been especially hard hit by decreased home values. Lexus sales have been hit hard, too, as one third of all of purchasers in the Sunshine State use home equity to buy their luxury vehicles. It doesn't take an accounting degree to know that houses are typically assets and cars are almost always liabilities. That large amounts of people who were using home equity to purchase cars is disturbing, and it's likely a trend that isn't unique to Toyota.
Toyota does see light at the end of the tunnel, as the Japanese automaker expects the US population to grow by 32 million in the next decade. Toyota also expects the rate of affluent customers to rise, which means more people with more money will want to buy a new car or truck. For the near term, since housing has gone nowhere but down and lenders are having trouble coming up with money, we're guessing the car market will be taking a hit for quite a while.


[ Via: '+replyToUndo+' ]
[ Tag: auto market, AutoMarket, california, car buying, CarBuying, florida, lexus, toyota ]

In The Autoblog Garage: 2009 Toyota Camry XLE

A recent night of excitement: driving the Camry XLE to the Super Wal-Mart. So lame, but that's not the car's fault. Like Wal-Mart, the Camry has been excoriated as a work of Satan, antithetical to all that is American, never mind where it's built. Despite the gleeful way everyone always lobs shots at Toyota's midsizer, there's a lot of virtue here. After all, there has to be some kind of hook to this car attaining such vaunted status, besides the bounce-lending automotive cult of personality. Since nobody actually reviews the Camry – we just complain about it as it outsells everything else – we rustled up an XLE powered by Toyota's 2.4-liter four cylinder and tried it out.

[ Via: Autoblog (Toyota) ]
[ Tag: camry autoblog garage, camry garage, camry review, camry xle, CamryAutoblogGarage, CamryGarage, CamryReview, CamryXle, featured, in the autoblog garage, InTheAutoblogGarage, toyota camry, ToyotaCamry ]

Toyota attacks potential Volt-only tax break

Automotive News reports that Toyota is preparing a statement for a congressional hearing on the progress of EVs, the results of which could influence legislation that gives a big $7,500 tax credit to any hybrid with a battery pack rated at 6 kilowatt-hours of electricity or more. Toyota argues that the legislation is too restrictive and redefines what a hybrid is since the only vehicle eligible (that we know about) would be the 2011 Chevy Volt with its 16 killowatt-hour battery pack, though Toyota never calls out the series hybrid by name.
For reference, the current Toyota Prius uses a battery pack that generates 1.3 killowatt-hour, and judging by the Japanese automaker's reaction to this legislation, we doubt that its plug-in hybrid electric Prius currently under development uses a battery pack powerful enough, either. Nevertheless, there could be other hybrids being developed besides the Volt that would be eligible, which would poke a big hole in Toyota's argument. Also, as AutoblogGreen points out, this legislation will likely change many times before it becomes law.
The government is right, however, to put higher restrictions on what is eligible for a tax credit of this size. Current hybrid tax credits have topped out around $3,000, with the largest on record being for the Prius itself at $3,150. If the government is considering offering more than twice that amount for future hybrids, then we think it's fair they raise the bar on what should be eligible.

[ Via: Automotive News ]
[ Tag: 2011 chevy volt, 2011ChevyVolt, chevy, chevy volt, ChevyVolt, gm, hybrid tax break, HybridTaxBreak, toyota, volt tax break, VoltTaxBreak ]

Toyota considering Prius sub-brand, dealerships

There could soon come a day when you waltz into a local Prius dealership to purchase your next hybrid car. As Toyota did with the Scion brand, the Japanese giant is still said to be considering making an entirely new brand just for hybrids out of its popular Prius hatchback. We are certain to get a redesigned Prius after it debuts in Detroit in 2009, and after that, the rumormill indicates that a smaller hybrid model is on the way that would more closely compete with the new Honda Insight, which will undercut the standard Prius by a scooter-sized chunk of change. Toyota previewed a hybrid model powered by a smaller gas engine when it introduced the world to its 1/X concept at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. With a bit of mild speculation, we could envision a slightly larger model than the current Prius as a replacement for the Camry hybrid, giving Toyota a three-pronged answer to the likes of the Volt from GM and the Insight from Honda.

[ Via: Reuters ]
[ Tag: chevy volt, ChevyVolt, honda insight, HondaInsight, prius brand, prius dealer, prius dealers, prius dealership, prius sub brand, PriusBrand, PriusDealer, PriusDealers, PriusDealership, PriusSubBrand, toyota prius, ToyotaPrius ]

Toyota launches plug-in Prius hybrid in UK

Toyota has been testing plug-in versions of its Prius hybrid sedan on public roads in Japan for quite some time and the models have made it Stateside for testing, as well. Now Toyota has begun testing its PHEV in the U.K. Along with EDF Energy, the Japanese automotive giant and undisputed hybrid development leader plans to run the plug-in Prius on public roadways for at least a year, starting today. As the car, with its very unfortunate paint job, is driven by EDF employees as part of the energy company's fleet of vehicles, both its capabilities and the cost savings to run the PHEV will be recorded and hopefully provide some sort of useful data to Toyota. Seriously guys, enough teasing. The real question is when Toyota will find enough reason to actually start offering the plug-in Prius for sale.

[ Via: Autoblog (Toyota) ]
[ Tag: edf energy, EdfEnergy, phev, phev prius, PhevPrius, plug in prius, plug-in, plug-in hybrid, plug-in prius, Plug-inHybrid, Plug-inPrius, PlugInPrius, plugins ]

Noise-cancelling Toyota Crown zeroes out sounds at head height

As astutely pointed out by our friends at The Red Ferret Journal, it's a bit odd to see hybrid car makers cutting down on noise while electric car makers are looking to add it back in, but Toyota's silence isn't of the kill-a-biker sort. Toyota has worked internal noise-canceling into its new Crown hybrid, with microphones to pick up engine and road noise, and then speakers to blast out antiphase versions of those noises at head height. Toyota claims it can cut noise by around 5 to 8dB.

[ Via: TRFJ ]
[ Tag: crown,hybrid,noise cancelling,NoiseCancelling,toyota ]

Toyota to build hybrid batteries in North America

Even with the $5,000 difference between the Prius and non-hybrid Toyotas, there was a time when Toyota lost money on the car. Even when the car entered the black, and even though they halved the cost of the hybrid system from one generation to the next, Toyota still didn't make the margins on it that they did with their go-to sedans. Yet with plans to start making batteries for the Hybrid Synergy Drive in the U.S., Toyota says it should be able to halve costs again, and bring the next-gen Prius profit to near parity with the Corolla.
Toyota doesn't know where or when it will start building batteries in the States. The company says "it's difficult to make the main parts of batteries outside of Japan," but didn't explain why that was the case. From 2010, the Prius will be manufactured in Toyota's Mississippi plant, however, that doesn't mean the battery plant will be nearby.
Toyota moved up the date to offer the plug-in Priuses to government and fleet operators to the end of 2009. Right now, Toyota says the Prius gets 13 miles on battery power alone. If the plug-in Prius does arrive in a year or so, and with a substantially higher range -- and that is a ginormous "if" -- then it has a chance of upstaging the Chevy Volt, which appears to be what Toyota is aiming for.

[ Via: Automotive News ]
[ Tag: batteries, hybrid batteries, HybridBatteries, prius, prius batteries, prius battery, PriusBatteries, PriusBattery, toyota, toyota plant, toyota plants, toyota prius, toyota prius hybrid, toyota prius touring, ToyotaPlant, ToyotaPlants, ToyotaPrius, ToyotaPriusHybrid, ToyotaPriusTouring ]

Lexus releases details on updated 2009 range

Lexus has some changes in store for most of its model lineup in 2009, though there doesn't appear to be anything in store for enthusiast drivers to rejoice over. Also cause for jeers instead of cheers: price increases from .8 to 1.1 percent, depending on model. The IS 250 and 350 do get revised suspension and steering tuning to go with exterior styling tweaks and the revised interior carries a new center cluster and an off switch for the VDIM stability control. The IS F uber-IS also gets a new interior rendered in terra cotta and black that's termed "sporty."
The only news in the GS department is a 40% increase in trunk space for the GS 450h hybrid, which sounds fantastic but only amounts to 10.6 total cubic feet. The big LS sedans stay largely the same, though some new variants join the party. AWD versions of the LS 460 and LS 460 L tuck a Torsen differential onto the transmission's output shaft, which then marshalls torque between front and rear axles. Slick. The AWD LSes come standard with air suspension, variable-ratio steering, and adaptive suspension. Hit the jump for the full press release with detailed pricing info.
September. 5, 2008 - Torrance, CA. - Lexus announced Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Prices (MSRP) today for the 2009 IS 250 and IS 350 luxury sport sedans, IS F high-performance luxury sport sedan, ES 350 luxury sedan, GS 350 and GS 460 luxury sport sedans, GS 450h luxury hybrid sport sedan, LS 460 and LS 460 L premium luxury sedans, the recently added LS 460 and LS 460 L all-wheel drive versions, and the LS 600h L premium hybrid luxury sedan.
The 2009 IS 250 and IS 350 will receive significant enhancements to both its exterior and interior. Exterior changes include newly designed 17- and 18-inch wheel, front and rear bumpers, a revised front grille, and side rear-view mirrors with incorporated turn signals. The interior will receive a newly designed center cluster and foldable rear headrests.
Mechanically, both the IS 250 and IS 350 receive a revised suspension and steering tuning, further enhancing the cars' handling. In addition, the IS 250 will come standard with Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) with a cutoff switch, which had been available only on the IS 350. The 2009 IS 250 manual and automatic, IS 250 all-wheel drive, and IS 350 receive a 0.8-1.0 percent increase or $300. The IS 250 with a manual transmission will carry a base MSRP of $31,155, the IS 250 with an automatic transmission will have a base MSRP of $32,325, the IS 250 all-wheel drive will carry a base MSRP of $34,785 and the IS 350 will have a base MSRP of $36,605.
Launched earlier this year, the Lexus IS F also will receive a few enhancements for the 2009 model year. New features include a revised instrument panel cluster design, illuminated mirror controls, a new open/close moonroof switch, and a piano-black center-cluster finish for navigation-equipped vehicles. A sporty new terra cotta and black two-tone interior will also be offered in 2009. The IS F will have a base MSRP of $56,610, an increase of 1.1 percent or $610.
The 2009 ES 350 will carry over unchanged with a base MSRP of $34,320, an increase of 0.6 percent or $200.
The 2009 GS 350, GS 350 all-wheel drive, and GS 460 luxury sport sedans carry over unchanged, with each receiving a 0.6-0.7 percent increase or $300. The GS 350 will have a base MSRP of $44,850, the GS 350 all-wheel drive will be $46,800, and the GS 460 will be $53,320. The 2009 GS 450h hybrid luxury sport sedan receives an increase in trunk capacity of more than 40 percent, yielding 10.6 cu. ft. of space. It will have a base MSRP of $56,400, an increase of 1.1 percent or $600.
The 2009 LS 460 and LS 460 L luxury sedans carry over with the addition of front-passenger-seat memory. The LS 460 will have a base MSRP of $63,675, an increase of 1.2 percent or $775; the LS 460 L will have a base MSRP of $73,585, an increase of 0.9 percent or $685. The newest additions to the LS lineup are the all-wheel drive versions of the LS 460 and LS 460 L, and they will carry base MSRPs of $67,200 and $77,110, respectively. The AWD system features a highly compact center TORSEN® Limited-Slip Differential (LSD) that distributes drive torque between the front and rear wheels. In addition to the luxury, convenience and safety features found on the current LS 460, both AWD versions will come standard with air suspension, Variable Gear-Ratio Steering (VGRS), and Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS).The 2009 LS 600h L flagship hybrid luxury sedan adds front-passenger-seat memory to a long list of luxury features and will have a base MSRP of $105,885, an increase of 0.9 percent or $985. The MSRP does not include a delivery, processing and handling fee of $825.

[ Via: Autoblog (Toyota) ]
[ Tag: 2009 changes,2009Changes,lexus,lexus 2009,lexus 2009 price,lexus changes,lexus price,Lexus2009,Lexus2009Price,LexusChanges,LexusPrice,toyota ]

400 owners can be wrong: NHTSA closes Tacoma unintended acceleration investigation

As is usually the case when complaints of unintended acceleration are levied against a vehicle, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has concluded that no specific vehicular defects have been found in 2004-2008 Toyota Tacomas. The mid-sized truck had been under fire from over 400 owners who claimed their trucks had accelerated without them touching the gas resulting in 51 crashes and 12 injuries. According to Toyota, however, the truck features a drive-by-wire system and its computer records any event of a mismatch between the gas pedal and the engine's throttle. None of the trucks involved in accidents reported any such codes. The NHTSA has closed its investigation and believes that driver error is the most likely cause for the vast majority of complaints while a few could be attributed to loose floor mats.
While the fact that the Tacoma has received so many specific complaints is worrisome, we are not big believers in unintended acceleration and tend to agree that publicity of the issue may well have attracted more erroneous claims. Debris stuck under the brake or pedals that are just closer together than some drivers are used to remain possible explanations, but could hardly be considered defects.

[ Via: The Detroit Free Press ]
[ Tag: sudden acceleration,SuddenAcceleration,toyota tacoma,ToyotaTacoma,unintended acceleration,unintended-acceleration,UnintendedAcceleration ]

Lotus gives hybrids a V8 soundtrack

Hybrid vehicles have the potential to save a few bucks at the pump, but advocates for the deaf have continued to warn about their potential to harm to the hearing impaired. Lotus' automotive consultancy arm is trying to avert the risk of hybrids quietly running in electric mode with its "Safe and Sound" demo car.
This specially equipped Toyota Prius has been fitted a waterproof speaker mounted above the radiator that can emit a sound similar to a flat-six or V8, based off the vehicle's speed and throttle position. Once the internal combustion engine kicks in, the system is muted, allowing the 1.5-liter inline four to sing its siren song.
Hit the jump to read the press release and see a video of the "Safe and Sound" demo car in action. Also keep in mind that we've yet to run across a report of a blind person being hit by a hybrid car, though there was that one kid who got knocked off his bike.

[ Via: Autoblog (Toyota) ]
[ Tag: engine noise,EngineNoise,hybrid,lotus,lotus safe and sound,LotusSafeAndSound,safe and sound,SafeAndSound,speaker,toyota prius,ToyotaPrius ]

Spy Shots: Next-gen Prius gets caught testing

New spy photos of Toyota's next-gen Prius have surfaced on the web, and for the first time we're looking at an actual prototype rather than a mere mule built out of pieces and parts from the current-gen Prius. The new spy shots reveal that the 2010 Prius will indeed retain the current five-door hatchback shape of the current model but will grown in both length and width. While NextAutos is reporting that the Prius will become more powerful with a larger engine (Car and Driver reports that a 1.6L Atkinson four-cylinder will replace the current 1.5L from the old Echo), we're hearing that it will continue to use nickel-metal hydride batteries rather than newer lithium-ion batteries. Toyota is, after all, building a whole new factory in Japan to produce more nickel-metal hydride batteries that should be operational in 2010. Even with the larger engine, the new Prius will get better gas mileage than the current model, and the Prius range is expected to grow at some point with new models like a station wagon and convertible. The next-gen Prius that will kick things off is expected to debut at this year's Detroit Auto Show in January

[ Via: Autoblog (Toyota) ]
[ Tag: 2010 toyota prius,2010ToyotaPrius,next-gen prius,Next-genPrius,prius,spy pics,spy shots,SpyPics,SpyShots,toyota,toyota prius,ToyotaPrius ]

Pics Aplenty: the production Toyota iQ

By naming its impending city car the iQ, Toyota makes no bones about who it's after. And with an extra set of seats fitted into its diminutive little runabout, the Japanese auto giant looks to one-up the smart fortwo with a vehicle that measures about the same size. Ahead of its European release, Toyota decided to release a few new shots of the production iQ, and we've gone ahead and assembled them into a high-res gallery for your viewing pleasure. After looking things over again, we like what we see. The look is obviously Toyota and we think that the flowing but angular lines translate a bit better in this small package than in some of the marque's larger vehicles. There are four seats inside, though Toyota considers the iQ a 3+1 seater, as the fourth seat is suitable only for wee children. Production will begin shortly and vehicles will begin showing up in Europe at the start of the new year.

[ Via: Autoblog (Toyota) ]
[ Tag: european iq, european toyota iq, EuropeanIq, EuropeanToyotaIq, iq, production iq, ProductionIq, toyota iq, ToyotaIq ]

Japan's Subarus get Stereoscopic Vision

Both Honda and Toyota have been toying with laser-based Active Cruise Control systems for over a decade now, while the German luxury car makers have offered more expensive radar-based gizmos for almost as long. The premise of both is that an electronic copilot keeps an eye on the road ahead maintaining a safe distance from the car in front, even slamming the brakes at the last moment in an emergency should the driver fail to react.
Now, Subaru has come up with a third system, which while not quite as advanced as KITT, is as close as we've ever seen. For a premium of $3,000 a new JDM Legacy or Outback can be fitted with twin cameras, one on each side of the rear view mirror, that use human like stereoscopic vision to judge distances and generally keep tabs on the driver. Not only does "EyeSight", as the system is called, can help you keep your distance on the highway (which would have been handy for the McRae convoy on Sunday) and in stop start traffic, but also incorporates a lane departure warning system, a wake up call should everyone pull away from the lights but you (put your iPhone down), and even keeps an eye out for pedestrians while you look for that illusive break in traffic at a T-junction. Best of all, EyeSight will stop you driving through your own garage door because you selected Drive instead of Reverse – a shockingly common occurrence according to Subaru.

Click through to Subaru's Japanese website to see a cool Flash presentation and video of the system in action. First click "Pick Up – EyeSight" then the engine start button, then (once the Intro finishes) EyeSight TECHNOLOGY Movie.

Three thousand bucks may sound like a lot of money, but how much do garages charge to repair even a minor fender bender these days?

[ Via: Autoblog (Subaru) ]
[ Tag: active cruise control, ActiveCruiseControl, auto stop, autonomous cruise control, AutonomousCruiseControl, AutoStop, eyesight, jdm, subaru ]

Toyota throws hat into all-electric ring

Toyota is the undisputed leader in the hybrid space, and the Japanese automaker is looking to expand its kingdom by adding an all-electric vehicle to the mix. While there are few details available, Toyota has said the EV would likely be an urban city-type vehicle that will be available in the "early 2010s". Hopefully it will be more accommodating than Toyota's last attempt at an EV: the eCom (above), which used the innards of the RAV4 EV to achieve a top speed of 62 mph and a range of just 60 miles. Toyota's new EV, however, will be preceded in 2009 by the arrival of the brand's first plug-in Prius hybrid.

[ Via: Bloomberg ]
[ Tag: electric vehicle, ElectricVehicle, ev, imiev, plug-in, toyota, volt ]

Ford, Toyota adopt Netflix technology for bill paying

The long-time comeback for inquiring creditors has always been the once fail-safe "The check is in the mail." That oldie but goodie won't work anymore if you've purchased a new vehicle from Ford or Toyota's credit arm. The two automakers have adopted bar code scan technology that tells each company whether or not your check actually is in the mail. The same technology is used by Netflix to determine when a subscriber has sent back a DVD, which enables the cloud-based DVD rental service to send that customer another DVD before the first actually arrives back.
Though the bar code scan technology can be a hassle for people trying to get credit companies off their backs, it actually helps them, as well. If a payment was lost in the mail or some unforeseen natural disaster like a hurricane puts your check under five feet of water, the credit companies will know and you won't have to pay a late fee. Also, if your check really is in the mail then they won't bother with the annoying phone call all together, as they'll already know it's headed their way.

[ Via: CC2.0 ]
[ Tag: credit arm, CreditArm, Ford, ford credit, FordCredit, netflix, toyota, toyota credit, ToyotaCredit ]