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May Mobility announces A2GO autonomous shuttle in Ann Arbor, Mich.

PONTIAC, Mich. — Today, at the Motor Bella auto show, May Mobility announced it would launch its A2GO autonomous shuttle service in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where the company is headquartered. The free service launches on October 11, and users can hail a ride through an app. The program will employ four Lexus RX 450h vehicles, servicing Ann ArborÂ’s downtown, Kerrytown district, the University of MichiganÂ’s Central Campus, and the State Street Corridor, covering a service area of 2.64 square miles. Each car will have a supervisor in the driverÂ’s seat to intervene if needed. The on-demand service keeps accessibility in mind with a wheelchair-accessible vehicle in the fleet. May Mobility and its partners will collect anonymous data to “help the city identify the weak and less safe zones in order to better plan infrastructures,” according to Bastien Beauchamp, CEO of !important Safety Technologies, a partner of the A2GO pilot. “Our vision is to transform cities through autonomous mobile to change the way people get around,” said May Mobility CEO Edwin Olson. “ItÂ’s especially exciting to be launching in our hometown. Ann Arbor is the eighth city to host a May Mobility shuttle service. So far, May Mobility has provided more than 285,000 autonomous rides globally. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Green Detroit Auto Show Misc. Auto Shows Lexus Transportation Alternatives Emerging Technologies Crossover SUV Autonomous Vehicles Hybrid

Toyota Hilux gets heart transplant from Lexus IS F

The Toyota Hilux might not be sold in the US, but Toyota's venerable pickup has an international reputation of being able to go anywhere and do just about anything. The trucks aren't really known for their speed, though, at least until Toyota South Africa Motorsport's new, one-off project. This bruiser ditches the usual diesel engine and replaces it with an unrestricted 5.0-liter V8 from a Lexus IS F making 449 horsepower. Of course, it takes more than power to handle the rigors of high speed off-roading. The motorsport team also adds bigger, competition-spec brakes, fully adjustable dampers, new springs, and retuned gearing to make the truck look practically ready for the Dakar Rally. The gearbox is really the only part that carries over. The V8 gives the special Hilux quite a mean growl, too. With the new Tacoma just launching in the US, maybe the engineers at TRD need to apply this same concept over here for its own Lexus-engined, one-off pickup.

J.D. Power: Mini, Lexus again offer most satisfying sales experience

JD Power has released its annual Sales Satisfaction Index Study, and once again Mini and Lexus have taken top honors. Overall, buyers are more satisfied with the auto-buying sales experience than they were last year, with those surveyed reporting an average score of 664 points on a 1,000-point scale. That's up from 648 in 2011. Dealer satisfaction also increased by five points over last year as well.
All told, Lexus brought home an index score of 737, which was high enough to put it atop the luxury brands for the second year in a row. JD Power says Infiniti came in second in that category with a score of 728 and Cadillac rounded out the podium with it's rating of 725. Speaking of Infiniti, that brand saw the single largest jump in sales satisfaction of any brand on the survey, popping up 52 index points over 2011.
Among mass-market brands, Mini ranked highest with a score of 712, followed closely by Buick with 706 and GMC farther down the line with 683. You can check out the full press release below for more information.