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Google shares more details on self-driving car accidents

Google has pledged to release monthly reports on the status of its self-driving car program, and says these updates will include information on accidents involving the vehicles. But the company won't release the actual accident reports, a sore point for activists who recently have clamored for the company to be more transparent in the way it tests this promising technology on public roads. "Google is dribbling out bits of information in the hope to silence legitimate calls for full transparency," said John Simpson, privacy director for Consumer Watchdog, a nonprofit that has asked Google to release reports from the 12 accidents the company says it has been involved in over the past six years. "They are testing on public roads, and the public has a right to know exactly what happened when something goes wrong." Under California law, the accident reports are not considered public records. Google has attributed all accidents to human error, and says drivers of the other cars involved caused 11 of the 12 accidents. In eight of those, the Google cars were rear-ended, and the autonomous vehicles were sideswiped in two other crashes. One of the accidents occurred at an intersection when a human driver failed to yield at a stop sign, and in one incident, a Google driver accidentally rear-ended another car while manually driving. Google had previously provided those details. The first monthly report installment sheds new light on which types of self-driving vehicles were involved, directions of travel, locations, and whether the cars were operating in autonomous or manual mode. Update: Google says this information comes directly from the OL 316 forms used to report accidents involving autonomous cars in California, though it has "edited the summaries lightly to protect other drivers' information." But Google still will not release the original OL 316 forms, nor the "traffic collision report" forms used in California to report accidents. Another company that has been involved in a single self-driving car accident, Delphi Automotive, has released this information, which verified its car was not at fault. Regarding Google, Simpson said, "We now know a few more details of what happened. The problem is that it's Google's version and they want us to take their word for it." The Google self-report adds information that goes beyond accidents, with further details on the company's overall program.

Lexus CT 200h gets four changes for 2016

As Toyota rolls out its updated 2016 model range, it's clear that some refreshes are fresher than others. Whereas the 2016 Scion tC got breathed on, the 2016 Lexus CT 200h gets a mere glance, and only for a moment. Just four items differentiate the coming model from the one currently on sale, and three of those are optional: a chrome surround for the grille is standard; a moonroof, Lexus Enform Remote, and Lexus Service Connect are options. Lexus Enform Remote gives owners control of the car through an iOS or Android smartphone app so they can do things like unlock and lock the doors, remote start the engine, and locate the vehicle. Lexus Service Connect works through iOS or LexusDrivers.com site only and provides notes on vehicle health. Both services are by subscription. The CT 200h doesn't make a lot of headlines but it's a good performer for Lexus. It wins awards, it's the only luxury hybrid to get more than 40 miles per gallon, it's put up consistent sales numbers for the four years it's been on the market, and it's the brand's second-best-selling hybrid globally after the RX hybrid. We've already told you what's new, the press release below can tell you everything else you'd want to know. Related Video: 2016 Lexus CT 200h Offers Compact Attitude With Impressive MPG - 42 MPG EPA Estimated Combined Fuel Economy - F SPORT Package Delivers Sporty Performance - Peace of Mind with Lexus Enform Remote and Lexus Enform Service Connect July 24, 2015 - What do you get when Lexus melds a sporty luxury compact with an environmentally conscientious attitude? The 2016 CT 200h. With an EPA-estimated 42 MPG combined fuel economy the CT 200h is one of six hybrid models Lexus offers for 2016. Lexus has been the hybrid luxury leader since it introduced the first luxury hybrid more than 10 years ago. The CT 200h broke new ground for Lexus, introducing the brand to a younger generation of highly discerning customers. They, too, quickly discovered the refinement and driving pleasure that characterize the progressive luxury inherent in every Lexus. A sporty chassis keeps the CT 200h connected to the road's curves, and for 2016, the dashing look is enhanced with a chrome surround grille. Drivers can also now opt in for additional peace of mind with Lexus Enform Remote and Lexus Enform Service Connect. Lexus Enform Remote (subscription required), allows the owner to remotely view and control certain vehicle features using a mobile app for iOS and Android devices.

Lexus RC F GT3 Racing Concept is green-flag ready

Lexus is hardly the first brand that comes to mind when comes to motorsports. In fact, it's not even the first Japanese brand. But Toyota's premium marque is showing new signs of understanding that it will need to at least pay racing further lip service if it wants to be viewed as a more emotionally connected brand with the wherewithal to challenge the Germans on every level.
Lexus has already made it clear it wants to race its RC F coupe, and at least philosophically, the new model certainly strikes us as a more appropriate racecar conversion than the SC 430 that preceded it. This just-unveiled RC F GT3 Racing Concept looks properly menacing sitting on the carpet at the Geneva Motor Show, and it while it's officially labeled as a concept, it's a model Lexus promises will be made available to racing teams in 2015.
Designed run in Group GT3 events, this 2,756-pound coupe has a front-mounted V8 derived from the production RC F tuned to deliver over 540 horsepower. Lexus' plan is to commit to a season's worth of testing this year before building them to order, and we expect to see them in the Japan's Super GT and Super Taikyu Endurance series, along with endurance events like the 24 hours of Nürburgring.