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Lexus let skateboarders put its hoverboard to the test
After weeks of teasing, Lexus is finally showing off its latest Amazing in Motion project in full. The Slide video posted today shows skateboarders riding the company's superconducting hoverboard at a specially built skate park in Spain. Similar to the $10,000 Hendo hoverboard before it, this board only works if you have the combination of a liquid nitrogen cooled cryostat onboard and a special magnetic track, so no -- it's not for sale. As you can see in the video, skaters who got their crack at it pulled off some cool gliding tricks (including one across a stretch of water), but it's still not quite the same thing as the decks that they're used to, and seemed to have less control available than the Hendo board. Back to the Future it ain't, but it's real, and it's cool (-197°C).
Lexus will officially unveil its hoverboard on August 5th
On August 5th, Lexus will finally reveal its hoverboard, which has been in development for the past 18+ months, to the public. Let that sink in for a bit: Lexus has created a working hoverboard in 2015, the year Marty and Doc Brown jumped to in Back to the Future...! Unfortunately, we don't know if you'd be able to buy one before October 21st -- or at all, really -- but even if it does become available for purchase in the next few months, you can't ride it to a B2F anniversary screening. See, it can only levitate over metallic surfaces, so it's pretty much useless in most places. That's about the extent of what we know about the device, though Lexus is bound to divulge more info during the event.
Google tests self-driving cars in Austin, Texas
Plenty of folks in Austin, Texas have spotted Google's distinctive self-driving Lexus cars recently, and now we know why. The company revealed that it's now rolling the vehicles in downtown Austin in order to "(test) our software in different driving environments, traffic patterns and road conditions." While Google could also test its self-driving cars in Nevada and elsewhere, Austin is the first city outside of Mountain View where it's actually done so. The reason? "We've loved how much Austin embraces innovation," a Google spokesperson told the Austin American-Statesmen. She added that with Google Fiber and several company offices in the city, it was a natural fit for self-driving cars.
ICYMI: Street view climbing, a "real" hoverboard and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-880458{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-880458, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-880458{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-880458").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: Tesla's teased a prototype car charging station powered by strangers' footsteps; Lexus released a video of a hoverboard that's "rideable now," (psst ... it still needs magnets and isn't as cool as this); and Google used mountain climbing's most famous men and women to take street view to Yosemite's El Capitan in this trippy video.
Lexus video teases a 'real' magnetic hoverboard
Yes, we know - it's 2015, the year Marty jumped to in Back to the Future 2 and you still don't have a hoverboard. Right on time, Lexus has presented the latest example from its "Amazing in Motion" series of video spectacles: the Lexus Hoverboard. As you can see in the video after the break, it certainly appears to hover, and smoke, but no one actually hops on the magnetically-levitating device for a ride. Gizmodo heard from the carmaker that this project has been in development over the last 18 months, but couldn't get more specific info on how it works.
Toyota is bringing automatic braking to lower-priced cars
You won't have to splurge on a luxury car (or a pricey option package) just to get a vehicle that will brake by itself in a crisis. Toyota has launched a strategy that will bring automatic braking to most of its lineup, not just premium rides. The technology will be a relatively low-cost ($300 to $635) option for just two vehicles at first, the RAV4 Hybrid SUV and Lexus' RX crossover, but the automaker hopes to have it available or included in "nearly all" of its models by the end of 2017. It'll be easy to find in the near future, too. The Avalon sedan is next in line, and a total of seven additional Toyota and Lexus models are on deck this year. Toyota certainly isn't the only company hoping to popularize smart braking, but this plan could be one of the most ambitious.
Slacker Radio hits select Toyota and Lexus models with voice control
Toyota's Entune and Lexus' Enform infotainment systems already have access to several music streaming services like Pandora and iheartradio. But if Slacker remains your internet radio of choice and you drive a 2011 to 2015 model from either automaker, look out for software updates, because the app is coming to select vehicles from within that timeframe. Even better: since both these systems have voice recognition tech, this new app will have voice-enabled song and station search, as well. Plus, it will let you create personal stations, browse other people's, and play music that matches your mood.
Now you can test drive a Lexus RC F with the Oculus Rift
Wondering what it's like to get behind the wheel of Lexus' high-performance 2015 RC F sports coupé? Now you can find out -- well, sort of. The company has built a virtual reality RC F using the car's actual steering column, foot pedals and an Oculus Rift DK2 headset. It calls the setup the Lexus RC F Rift, naturally, and it'll be at select auto shows across the nation for the next several months. The player can race the car around a virtual track, but it's not clear if the VR test drive is an accurate representation of how the real vehicle handles. At the very least, it's a novel way to get a feel for the car's interior, and a good look at how companies outside of the gaming industry may use virtual reality technology in the future.
Lexus creates an Oculus Rift-powered virtual test drive
Lexus wants to put you in the seat of its 2015 RC F, even if it means you're sitting in a virtual version of its latest performance vehicles. The car manufacturer recently launched a beta version of the RC F Rift, a virtual reality representation of the car's interior using the Oculus Rift Development Kit 2 at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in Monterey, California. The motion-controlled driving simulator includes "genuine RC F elements," such as the car's steering wheel and foot pedals, and has players driving around a virtual racetrack. Lexus said it took less than eight weeks to build the 360-degree virtual environment. The company provided a demo video as well as a schedule of events for fans to take the Oculus demo for the spin in person in the coming months, both found after the break.
Connected car model gives us a glimpse of the automobiles of the future
Your dream car is (choose one): A.) A bumper-to-bumper candy-color paint-job, ostrich seats and 22-inch chrome rims. B.) One with everything connected cars can offer, such as in-car 4G LTE and WiFi. If you chose B, then you have to see the Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association's connected car demo. In addition to having an internet connection, it also features wireless charging capability, 360-degree proximity sensors, as well as (we're saving the best for last here) gesture control and anti-drunk driving technology. We assume the car has an onboard breathalyzer of some sort, as you wouldn't even be able to start it if you've had one too many.
IRL: the iPad mini and racing the Lexus IS with Google Glass
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. Like every good sitcom family, we've got friendly neighbors who sometimes drop in to say hello. This week, at least, that neighbor is none other than SlashGear Editor-in-chief Vincent Nguyen, who played wingman to Darren Murph as he attempted to use Google Glass to film a first-person test drive in the 2014 Lexus IS. Also after the break, Andy Bowen makes a case for why the 4G iPad mini makes a better hotspot than a run-of-the-mill MiFi device.
Lexus' autonomous Advanced Active Safety Research Vehicle and why we're not ready for self-driving cars
Self-driving cars aren't just the future, they're the present. Sort of. They're out there, but you can't buy one just yet. Google of course has made waves with its driverless car and not too long ago Nissan impressed us at CEATEC with its self-driving NSC-2015. Toyota, perhaps feeling a little left out, has taken to CES to show off the Lexus Advanced Active Safety Research Vehicle, a machine capable of self-driving that, regardless, is still quite reliant on a fleshbag driver behind the wheel. Join us after the break for an explanation. %Gallery-174953% Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub. Myriam Joire contributed to this report.
Lexus LF-CC Concept shows the future of touchscreen interiors
We're boots on the ground at the 2012 Paris Auto Show and Lexus is one of the first auto makers to roll out its concept hardware for the show. The company had a few machines to unveil, but the highlight is definitely the curvaceous LF-CC. It is, alas, just a concept that is intended more to show the future design direction of the company than give a clue into an actual production model to come, but more interesting is the clues this is hinting about both interior design and electrification on the powertrain front. Join us after the break for more details -- and more pictures.%Gallery-166707%
Inhabitat's Week in Green: gigantic LED cube, synthetic bones and a playground from recycled wind turbines
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. Happy April 1st! In honor of the day, we've rounded up some of Inhabitat's best April Fools stories for your reading pleasure. Our collective jaws dropped this morning when we were sent an anonymous photo from a tipster which hints at intergalactic plans for Apple's new Cupertino campus. Google also surprised us today when it announced a partnership with the city of New York to replace NYC taxis with driverless Google Cabs. In other NYC news, it was revealed today that New York City's ever-popular High Line park is going to bring a train back on the High Line to keep up with the growing crowds, and satellite photos divulged that Dubai appears to be building a series of Dubai-shaped islands off of its coast. In more serious news, the New York Auto Show is hitting Manhattan next week, and in preparation this week Fisker released the first sketch of its highly anticipated Nina Plug-in Hybrid. Inhabitat will be on-scene at the reveal on Tuesday to bring you the first photos of its unveiling, so stay tuned for Inhabitat's live Fisker Nina coverage on Tuesday! We also brought you a sneak peek at several more innovative eco vehicles that will displayed at this year's New York Auto Show -- including NYC's taxi of tomorrow and Infiniti's new Nissan Leaf-based EV. Meanwhile, Lexus divulged that it is considering producing the sexy LF-LC hybrid sports coupe, and Chevy Volt's sexier European twin the Opel Ampera racked up 7,000 orders, putting it well on its way to meeting sales targets. In two-wheel transportation news, bicycles kicked into high gear as Specialized launched the world's fastest E-bike and Jose Hurtado designed a hubless 'Twist Bike' that can be turned into a tandem in a snap.
Gran Turismo 5 gives away a Toyota, releases new DLC Pack 2
Don't you hate those "car as a gift" commercials this time of year? If you're in the US, you'll probably know what we're talking about: There's a certain car company that shows commercials during the holidays with an actual car being given as a gift, as if there was some world out there where it was completely appropriate and practical to buy a whole vehicle, put a bow on it, and give it away as a gift. Whatever, Mr. Moneybags. That said, Gran Tourismo 5 is breaking all the rules, and recently released not only Functionality Update 2.02 with some "community-inspired" improvements, but also the gift of a virtual Toyota 86 GT '12 vehicle (above) for all users. You don't have to pay insurance or registration on it, which, unlike a real car, makes it totally appropriate as a gift. And Polyphony Digital has also released DLC Pack 2, which brings four new models to the game, including a Nissan GT-R, a Mini Cooper, and a VW Golf, and is available for $3.99 on the PlayStation Store. Four cars for four bucks is also a great gift. An actual vehicle and all of the responsibilities and payments that come with it? Just put the money in a gift card and we'll figure things out ourselves, thanks.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: solar panel roads, floating golf, and the 2,564.8 MPG race car
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. Building technology got a tremendous boost this week as Inhabitat reported on a new type of graphene super paper that is 10 times stronger than steel and six times as light. We also took a look at several remarkable new infrastructure projects popping up around the world - from a self-sufficient floating golf course in the Maldives to London's gleaming new cable car system, to the Netherlands' plan to supercharge its roadways with solar panels. Speaking of hot asphalt, this week the ultra-efficient Alerion race car blazed a trail at the Shell Eco-Marathon, clocking in an incredible 2,564.8 miles per gallon. Meanwhile, Fisker announced that its sexy electric Karma sedan will hit the road this summer, and we were surprised to hear that Marcelo da Luz was forced to pull his solar-powered X of 1 car across Ontario due to road regulations. The New York Auto Show also kicked off with a blast this week as Lexus unveiled its next-gen LF-Gh concept hybrid and Porsche rolled out a 911 GTR 3 in a Facebook colorway that got a lot of "likes". Finally, we looked at several futuristic example of wearable technology this week including a pair of RoboCop-like glasses that are capable of scanning 400 faces per second at public events. We also brought you a brilliant LED backpack that lets cyclists send signals to drivers, a pollution-detecting t-shirt, and a clock that tells time by knitting a new scarf every year.
The in-dash tape deck is dead, mixtape memories will live forever
The rattling of naked cassettes in the glove box. The crunching of plastic cases in the footwell. That satisfying clunk when a tape got pulled down into the dash. For those who drove in the '80s and '90s those are memories of in-car audio, the ubiquitous tape deck, and it's now dead. Well, dead as a factory option, anyway. The 2010 Lexus SC 430 was the last car to offer one, no longer available in the 2011 edition. Thank goodness we'll always have Tape Deck Mountain.
Lexus breaks a champagne glass with a $375,000 hammer, so to speak
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/autos/Sticking_Accelerator_I_Hope_So'; The older among you might vividly remember Lexus' old ad campaign from the company's early years whereby they'd run a car on a dyno with an unbreaking, unfaltering pyramid of champagne glasses perfectly balanced on the hood. To celebrate the launch of the $375,000 LFA supercar, Lexus put a new twist on the theme by setting out to break the glass -- with sound alone. Apparently, Lexus matched the champagne glass' resonant frequency to that of the LFA's exhaust note, bursting the flute to shards just as the car comes up on 200mph -- all with no CGI involved. The way we see it, if you can afford the car, you can certainly afford to replace your drinkware, right? Follow the break for the full video.
Lexus shows off hybrid bicycle, won't sell you one
This Lexus bicycle has apparently been quietly making the rounds since the last year's Tokyo Motor Show, but the automaker has rolled it out again to coincide with the Great British Bike Ride, and it's taken the opportunity to dish some details on it. While it's still just a concept, it does exist in prototype form, and packs a 240-Watt electric motor that's powered by a 25.9-volt lithium battery pack, which promises to give you a little extra push when you're tired of pedaling. Being a Lexus, it also follows the "L-finesse" design language, and it relies on the same principles of the Lexus Hybrid Drive system found in the company's hybrid vehicles to recharge the battery through regenerative braking. Unfortunately, Lexus says it doesn't have any plans to put the bike into production -- but that may be for the best, we're pretty sure the future of transportation is one-wheeled anyway.
Lexus LF-Ch concept wants to bring Prius hybrid utility to sporty hatchbacks
Feast your eyeballs on this little beauty. Lexus, Toyota's luxury arm, has stopped teasing and gone fully official with the LF-Ch concept you see before you, which is being billed as a "BMW 1 series, but hybrid." All we know so far is that it'll run on some version of the Hybrid Synergy Drive found in the Prius, with the concordant ability to be run exclusively in EV mode. Well okay, we also know that it's damn gorgeous and heading toward production next year, but the all-important price point remains a mystery. Look for the prototype to make its first appearance at the Frankfurt Motor Show coming up later this month.
