Toyota using skateboard technology to craft commuter car of tomorrow

Most manufacturers have their own telematics systems such as Ford’s SYNC. GM’s OnStar, Toyota’s Entune and Lexus Enform. To cope with the trend of more and more apps from phones and tablets, plus minimizing, if not eliminating, driver distraction is something all brands are working to achieve.

“One of our many approaches is using a skateboard,” Lentz said. “I’m not saying people should travel by skateboard, but rather we can learn from one.”

He explained a vision of the future in which the dashboard is devoid of buttons, and has no touchscreen allowing a driver to remain focused on the road. That’s the kind of vehicle/driver interface Toyota is working to create.

“The Board of Awesomeness (that’s what it’s called) is an electric skateboard run by hand gestures,” he stated. “As a benefit of our partnership with Microsoft, the board is equipped with a Windows 8 tablet and Windows Kinect motion-sensing software.

“By raising and lowering your hand,” he motioned, “you control the throttle and the closer your hand gets to the board, the faster the motor goes.”

How this would work in a car, perhaps with mode selection via voice command, you would raise your hand to increase audio volume or drop your hand to lower it. Unlike voice recognition, hand gestures are not hindered by accents or mispronunciations.

“Hand gestures are pretty universal,” Lentz remarked, inviting the audience to supply their own punch line.

“The INSECT is our next-generation communications-linked concept model that supports the driver and keeps them connected to his or her home,” he said. “It’s an ultra-compact, single-passenger electric vehicle that’s equipped with a bevy of technologies like motion sensors, voice recognition and behavior predictions.”

The CEO characterized the concept as a high-tech update of Herbie, the Love Bug.

Motion sensors and facial-recognition technology detect and authenticate the owners approach, flashing its front lights in recognition. With a wave of his hand the driver opens the doors.

Upon entry, the owner is welcomed back with ‘Hello’ or any custom phrase. Using voice recognition, the INSECT will talk to the driver to establish a destination and set various functions such as audio mode and levels.

The future bug led to a brief discussion of autonomous cars. Lentz pointed out how this technology has been coming for a long time in systems like anti-lock brakes and vehicle stability control, plus features added to new models annually. Tech that enables pre-collision systems, lane keepers, blind spot alerts and even automatic parking.

“The new 2013 Lexus LS offers the industry’s most advanced pre-collision active safety system,” he said. “It’s designed to assist the driver in avoiding or mitigating collisions with vehicles and pedestrians under a wide range of city and highway speeds, day or night.”

Nevertheless, Toyota’s view of coming autonomous technology may differ from other brands.

“We believe the driver must ALWAYS be engaged and this technology must be introduced slowly due to major legal, regulatory and consumer hurdles that need to be made.”

“At Toyota, one idea we’re exploring is like Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak,” he smiled.

Rear view cameras are becoming fairly common on cars today, but they’re not foolproof. Toyota is working on a way to be absolutely sure you are not going to hit anyone or anything.

At Keio University in Japan, researchers have developed optical-camouflage technology that makes the back seat – the entire back of the car disappear, totally eliminating blind spots.

This system was showcased at Tokyo’s Digital Content Expo in a See-Through-Prius last September.

“How it works seems like magic, but the cloak is made of reflective materials that capture footage from cameras behind the car which then projects the image onto the cloak visible to the driver,” Lentz announced with pleasure. “The illusion of invisibility is amazing. One of the developers said, ‘It will feel like you’re driving a glass car.”

 

Courtesy of Torque News

A Positive Review from Edmunds.com!

Check out this great review of Toyota World of Lakewood!

"I just bought a 2010 Toyota Venza. My salesman was Bob E. and the sales manager is Jim. Both were professional and very friendly. I usually dread buying a new car, but Bob and Jim just made it a pleasant experience. I highly recommend this dealership for their honesty, integrity and professionalism."

Thanks for taking the time to leave such positive feedback!

See more reviews on Edmunds.com here: http://edmu.in/116vEvc

Toyota Prius: High gas mileage, low theft rate

Not only do Toyota Prius hybrids save you money on gas, they are also less likely to be stolen. A new study by the National Insurance Crime Bureau shows that the Prius theft rate in 2008-2010 model years was one in 606 of those on the road vs. one in 78 for all cars.

Thieves likely are not attracted to the Prius because the complex hybrid parts are not much use to chop shop thieves who prefer widely interchangeable parts. "It could be that auto thieves are going to steal something for which there generally a market need for the parts," says Frank Scafidi, spokesman for the NICB. In a separate NICB report, the 1994 Honda Accord was the most stolen car in 2011 and the 1998 Honda Civic second. Parts from those cars fit into several model years and are thus valuable on the underground parts market.

The low theft rate is one of two new arguments for the advantages of gas-electric hybrid cars despite their extra cost vs. all-gasoline counterparts. Hybrids like Prius (rated 51 MPG in the city, 48 on the highway) save money on gas but  take several years to offset the extra cost. But the government agency that compiles the official gas mileage ratings proposes that because of low auto loan rates and high gas prices, the addition to the monthly payment for a hybrid is more than offset by the savings on gas.

 

Courtesy of CBS News.

2013 Toyota RAV4 Next Generation Preview

Toyota World of Lakewood Thanksgiving Specials

Toyota World of Lakewood Employee Cast in Discovery Channel Documentary

New Jersey resident and South Boston native Bill Kelly has been cast to portray the infamous Boston Irish Gangster James “Whitey” Bulger in a Discovery ID documentary called “The Making of a Monster.” Bill will portray "Whitey" chronologically from the 1980s to the time of his capture on June 22, 2011. The crew shot in various locations around Boston. The project is currently still in production, though filming was finished last week.

Bill is a senior sales adviser at Toyota World of Lakewood NJ. He is known for his comedy writing and his celebrity impressions on KISS 108S, “The Matty in the Morning Show” and “The JR in the Morning Show” on WZOU FM back in Massachusetts.

Bill presently resides on the Jersey shore where he is an actor and screenwriter. Between gigs, he is currently re-writing the Boston-area film classic “Friends of Eddie Coyle” in order to modernize the story for younger generations.  Also, he has several finished screenplays, of various genres, that are ready for production. Bill is available for radio or press interviews.

Contact him at: actorbillkelly@aol.com

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE

The Tundra Endeavour - Extreme Towing Power

2013 Toyota RAV4 to Debut at L.A. Auto Show

http://wot.motortrend.com/2013-toyota-rav4-to-debut-at-l-a-auto-show-292129.h...

Toyota Smart-Car Technology Let Autos 'Talk' To Each Other, Sense Pedestrians And Red Lights

SUSONO, Japan  — Toyota Motor Corp. is testing car safety systems that allow vehicles to communicate with each other and with the roads they are on in a just completed facility in Japan the size of three baseball stadiums.

The cars at the Intelligent Transport System site receive information from sensors and transmitters installed on the streets to minimize the risk of accidents in situations such as missing a red traffic light, cars advancing from blind spots and pedestrians crossing the street. The system also tests cars that transmit such information to each other.

In a test drive for reporters Monday, the presence of a pedestrian triggered a beeping sound in the car and a picture of a person popped up on a screen in front of the driver. A picture of an arrow popped up to indicate an approaching car at an intersection. An electronic female voice said, "It's a red light," if the driver was about to ignore a red light.

The 3.5 hectare test site looks much like the artificial roads at driving schools, except bigger, and is in a corner of the Japanese automaker's technology center near Mount Fuji in Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan.

Toyota officials said the smart-car technology it is developing will be tested on some Japanese roads starting in 2014. Similar tests are planned for the U.S., although details were not decided. Such technology is expected to be effective because half of car accidents happen at intersections, according to Toyota.

Managing Officer Moritaka Yoshida said Toyota sees preventing collisions, watching out for pedestrians and helping the driving of the elderly as key to ensuring safety in the cars of the future.

"We offer the world's top-level technology," he told reporters.

Toyota also showed a new feature that helps the driver brake harder to prevent bumping into the vehicle in front. Toyota officials said drivers often fail to push hard on their brakes in such situations because they get into a panic.

Toyota said the technology will be available "soon," without giving a date, and hinted it will be offered for Lexus luxury models. Luxury models already offer similar safety features such as automatic braking. Technology involving precise sensors remains expensive, sometimes costing as much as a cheaper Toyota car.

Toyota has also developed sonar sensors that help drivers avoid crashing in parking lots. One system even knows when the driver pushes on the gas pedal by mistake instead of the brakes, and will stop automatically.

Rear-end collisions make up 34 percent of car accidents in Japan, comprising the biggest category, followed by head-on collisions at 27 percent.

Cars that stop and go on their own, avoiding accidents, are not pure science fiction, experts say.

Alberto Broggi, professor at the University of Parma and an expert on intelligent transportation systems, said the idea of the accident-free cars is "very hot," and probably within reach on some roads within several years.

"I'm sure we will arrive to such a technology even if I don't know when exactly," he said.

 

Courtesy of Huffington Post

Toyota World of Lakewood Supports Toys for Tots

A gift as simple as a new, unwrapped toy can put a smile on a child’s face this holiday season thanks to Toyota World of Lakewood. In conjunction with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program, we are collecting toys for children who might otherwise go unnoticed this holiday season.         
  
Each holiday season, Toys for Tots unites local communities in a common cause during their annual toy collection and distribution campaign. The goal is to deliver a message of hope to needy youngsters through the delivery of a shiny new toy this holiday season.

Visit our website for more details. http://www.lakewoodtoyota.com/

2013 Motor Trend Car of the Year Contender: Toyota Avalon

For 2013, the new Toyota Avalon has aimed itself at becoming the world’s best front-drive Lexus. The Avalon is an all-out comfort-mobile with rich interior textures and an expressive exterior design. Toyota is trying to replace the oldest Avalon buyers with new, sub-Boomer-aged suburbanites.

“What’s this? Paddle shifters and a sport mode? Clearly this thing isn’t being aimed at oldsters anymore,” technical director Frank Markus said. The audio system dates Motor Trend’s Car of the Year soundtrack CD mix — like the Tesla Model S, there’s no compact disc slot. And interior designers managed to place the front center armrest on the same plane as the front door armrests, one of many surprise-and-delight features.

“The Limited trim level’s interior is a genuinely special place,” guest judge Jim Hall wrote. “The car is comfortable, has great ride and handling, and is appropriately quiet.” 

Perhaps the biggest surprise is that the big car’s chassis won’t embarrass Gen-X buyers. “Sliced through Cameron Road at higher speeds than in the midsize sedans. Steering is light and precise,” guest judge Chris Theodore said. 

As for the Hybrid version, even with its compact-car fuel efficiency, guest judge Jim Hall concluded, “The 3.5-liter V-6 and six-speed auto just worked too well to consider the gas-electric I-4.”

-Courtest of Motor Trend

Report: Toyota Considers Changing Prius’ Iconic Style

There are a handful of vehicles throughout history that have an instantly recognizable, seldom-changing style that becomes one of its defining characteristics. One recent example is the Toyota Prius.

 

Since the debut of the second-generation model that debuted its famous wedge-shaped hatchback style, it has become the most instantly-recognizable hybrid cars on the road, to the point where Prius has almost become synonymous with hybrid to the extent Kleenex has with facial tissue. So, any changes to that nearly decade-old look are approached with an abundance of caution, even though Toyota’s hybrid poster-child has legions of loyal fans, and has only grown in popularity with the addition of the C compact and V crossover wagon variants.

 

Bloomberg is reporting a more distinctive, emotional look is being considered for the next-generation Toyota Prius. But in terms of a wholesale change of the overall profile is unlikely, as the Prius’ aerodynamic shape also contributes to its high fuel economy, one of the key marketing attributes of the brand. The change is reportedly due to a directive from Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda to make the company’s cars more exciting, and to appeal to buyers beyond the Prius’ traditional customer base.

 

-Courtesy of Motor Trend

At Toyota World of Lakewood, we are here to help you

Lakewood.pdf Download this file

Throwback Thursday- The ultra-rare Toyoda (Toyota) AA