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Lexus ES 300h gets optional side-view cameras and monitors in Europe

In select European markets, Lexus is expanding the availability of one of its newest and most futuristic features. Starting in March, 2020, the ES 300h will have an option for digital side-view cameras and monitors.   Lexus first introduced its side-view cameras and monitors on a production car when it added the tech to the Japanese-market 2019 ES sedan in 2018. Typical side-view mirrors are replaced with camera stalks, which feed video into small five-inch digital displays attached to the front corners of the car's interior.  To ensure an optimum high-definition view at all times, the cameras have numerous weather-proofing features. Built-in heaters prevent freezing, and the aerodynamic design is also shaped so that rain and snow should not affect the quality of the recording. The cameras also have demisters that have their own dashboard switches, as well as a light sensors that help curb headlight glare.  In addition to maintaining quality, the tech has built-in driver aids. When a turn signal is activated, the monitors will automatically show an "extended view" that helps eliminate blind spots. That feature can also be manually activated. Guidelines are also introduced to the monitor when the car is parking or in traffic.  Like normal mirrors, the cameras can be adjusted through controls on the doors. The system has adjustable brightness and the option for automatic camera retraction, too. As pointed out by CarScoops, the option is already available on the ES 300h Takumi on the United Kingdom Lexus configurator. The total package is priced at roughly $2,000, with each of the cameras and monitors accounting for a quarter of the cost. Lexus plans to show off the ES 300h with side-view cameras at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show in March, and the option will be available immediately in the U.K., Germany, Spain, and Poland. The rest of Europe will get it before the end of 2020. Meanwhile in the U.S., the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is still testing and debating the safety of the technology. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Kia Blindspot Monitoring System | 2020 Autoblog Technology of the Year Disclaimer: Autoblog accepts vehicle loans from auto manufacturers with a tank of gas and sometimes insurance for the purpose of evaluation and editorial content.

Is your new-car warranty good at the race track?

We've all heard the horror stories. Your buddy knows a girl that was dating a guy whose best friend's brother once broke his brand-new, recently purchased performance car while making runs at a drag strip or laps at a track day, and the manufacturer wouldn't cover the repair under warranty. True story? Urban legend? Complete crap? Yes, no, maybe. One thing's for sure: Automotive warranties have always come with caveats. In 1908, an ad in the Trenton Evening Times clearly stated: "All Ford Cars Guaranteed for One Year." Although it changed over time, by 1925 the Ford New Car Guarantee only covered 90 days on material and 30 days on labor, and it clearly stated that that there was "No guarantee whatever on Fan Belts, Glass, Bulbs, Wiring, Transmission, Bands, Hose Connections, Commutator Shells, Rollers, Spark Plugs or Gaskets." Whether or not Ol' Henry would pay to fix your Model T if you broke it shaving a tenth off your lap time at the local board track seems to be lost to history. We're guessing no. But what about today? Do new-car warranties in 2017 cover cars when they are driven on race tracks? We researched the warranties of 14 auto brands to find out, and the answer is yes, no, maybe, depending on the brand, in some cases the model, and whether or not your car is modified from stock. Acura has been out of the high-performance car game for a number of years, but jumps back into the party in 2017 with its hybrid-powered $173,000 NSX supercar. And Acura's warranty, as well as Honda's, clearly states that it does not cover "the use of the vehicle in competition or racing events." View 33 Photos So we asked Sage Marie, Senior Manager of Public Relations for Honda and Acura. "If the car is stock, the warranty covers it on a track just as it does on the street. No question," he told us. "However, if the car is modified, say with slick tires or other components that would put higher stresses on the vehicle's parts and systems, then we would have to investigate the circumstances further." Marie went on to say the same would be true for any Acura model or Honda vehicle, including the new 2017 Honda Civic Si. This became a common theme. Chevrolet actually started this practice with the fifth-generation Camaro on the high-performance ZL1 and Z/28 models.

These cars are headed to the Great Crusher In The Sky

It happens every year. We bid adieu to some cars and trucks that will be missed, and say good riddance to others wondering how they stayed around so long. Whether they're being killed off for slow sales or due to a new product coming along to replace them, the list of vehicles being discontinued after 2012 is surprisingly long and diverse.
CNN Money has compiled a list of departing vehicles, to which we've added a few more of our own. In the slow sales column, cars like the Lexus HS 250h, Mercedes-Benz R-Class and the full Maybach lineup appear, while the Ford Escape Hybrid, Mazda CX-7 and Hyundai Veracruz are all having their gaps filled with more modern and more fuel-efficient alternatives. Obvious exceptions to the rule include models that still sell in decent numbers like the Jeep Liberty and the Chrysler Town & Country (which will eventually be replaced by a crossover-like vehicle).
Check out our gallery of discontinued cars above, then scroll down for more information.