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Here are this year's top 5 automaker April Fools’ jokes

April 1 is the wonderful day when PR departments really push themselves to top the zany jokes they came up with the previous year. And it's not just fast-food chains competing with each other, or breweries announcing they have released stuff like a fermented herring flavored beer: carmakers' media teams rarely miss out on the opportunity to play a little joke on their audience. Here are a few of our favorites from this year:1) Porsche Porsche announced that it's launching a Mission E tractor, styled to resemble its 1950s tractor models. "With a power output in excess of 700hp, the Mission E Tractor will be the fastest accelerating agricultural vehicle in the world, enabling farmers to harvest crops in record time with the added environmental benefits of zero emissions at source and significantly reduced operating noise."2) Lexus Lexus actually jumped the gun, telling us on March 28 that it's combining cars and drivers using DNA matching. The kicker was that with DNA-matched cars, owners would be able to start their Lexuses by licking the steering wheel.3) McLaren Automotive McLaren said it's boosting efficiency by quite eccentric measures, such as measuring the technology center's lake and floor tiles daily, and by synchronizing the staff's tea breaks.4) BMW Motorrad BMW's motorcycle arm is solving parts availability issues in remote locations by offering a 3D printer mounted permanently on the bike's rack: If you need to replace a broken-off gear lever, you can just print one. "The new system will mean that even very rarely required parts not generally stocked by BMW Motorrad sales partners can be supplied on a just-in-time basis." BMW even went to the lengths of announcing that the "BMW Motorrad iPart 3D Mobile Printer" was tested on the Antarctic, by erecting a tent whose poles were produced onsite.5) Honda Last but not least, Honda UK purportedly cut the roof off a new CR-V, calling it the CR-V Roadster. Tellingly, no convertible top was even offered for the concept, "making it a no-top rather than a drop-top. This innovative design makes it a vehicle purely for sunnier climates and therefore completely useless for the two-day British summer which traditionally occurs in May."Related Video: Featured Gallery Top 5 April Fools 2018 Image Credit: Porsche Green Humor Weird Car News BMW Honda Lexus McLaren Porsche bmw motorrad mclaren automotive

Toyota aims to build autonomous car around 2020 [w/videos]

The race is on to get increasingly sophisticated forms of autonomous driving technology on the road, and brands like Tesla are bringing these solutions to some drivers now. But as one of the world's largest automakers, it's no surprise to see Toyota competing in the field, as well. By 2020, the company thinks a person could be largely unnecessary for freeway trips. With a suite of tech called the Highway Teammate, a modified Lexus GS is already showing what's possible. Using a combination of millimeter wave radar, LIDAR, and cameras, the GS gets a full view of the road, and software processes all of the info to make decisions. The result is a ride on the freeway without human interaction. The system can merge, change lanes, make passes, take curves, and maintain a safe distance from other vehicles. Accurate map data is a necessity to make this work, so the system currently only being tested on Tokyo's Shuto Expressway. While Highway Teammate might not be the best name, it accurately communicates the way Toyota thinks of the tech. The company is making big investments in artificial intelligence to assist drivers, not completely replace them. You can see the system in action in the video below, and the second clip's gravely serious narrator explains the company's idea of having a fully connected road someday. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. New Toyota Test Vehicle Paves the Way for Commercialization of Automated Highway Driving Technologies Toyota City, Japan, October 6, 2015-Toyota has been testing a new automated driving test vehicle called Highway Teammate, with the aim of launching related products by around 2020. In addition to demonstrating the capabilities of next-generation safety technologies, the vehicle represents Toyota's view of the evolving driver-car relationship in the age of artificial intelligence. Toyota believes that interactions between drivers and cars should mirror those between close friends who share a common purpose, sometimes watching over each other and sometimes helping each other out. Toyota refers to this approach as the Mobility Teammate Concept, and Highway Teammate represents an important first effort to give form to this concept.

Lexus UX crossover photo and video released ahead of Geneva

At long last, we have eyes on the production version of the Lexus UX compact crossover that will debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month. The retail-ready model was previewed by the UX concept shown at the 2016 Paris Motor Show, which looked like Batman's loaner vehicle while his Tumbler was in the shop. As one would expect, the UX that customers will be able to buy has filtered out all of the bizarro, leaving what looks like a little Lexus NX sprinkled with unique design cues, such as the upright vents in front and the full-width taillight. Lexus calls the UX its "first urban crossover," for reasons we can't imagine; even the Lexus LX, which could probably drive from Boston to Reykjavik if given a long-enough snorkel, only gets dirty in Jackson Hole or at Whole Foods. More reasonably, Lexus promises "exceptional body rigidity," a low center of gravity thanks to a hunkered-down platform borrowed from the Toyota C-HR, and handling that "will be as agile as a hatchback." This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Engine specifics will likely wait until Geneva, but we do know that Lexus trademarked UX 200, UX 250, and UX 250h a couple of years ago. The big-brother NX comes in 300, 300 F Sport, and 350h guises, but is equipped with a 2.0-liter turbo putting out 235 hp in standard spec. Lexus will need room between the UX and NX, but UX competitors like the Audi A3 pump out 200 hp, and the BMW X1 serves up 228 hp. The teaser video above reveals the instrument panel, topped by a widescreen infotainment center that looks like a minimalist rework of the Lexus RX interior. The gauge cluster has physical dividers but appears to be completely digital. You can watch Lexus' livestream from Geneva for all the details we don't have now, or just check back here on March 6 for the particulars and the photos. Related Video: Motorsports Geneva Motor Show Lexus Crossover Luxury Videos lexus ux