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See the resemblance? This sneaker is inspired by the 2021 Lexus IS

We can all rest easy at night, now that one of the world's great questions — What would a Lexus IS look like if it were a shoe? — has been answered. Lexus has collaborated with streetwear brand RTFKT to make a sneaker inspired by the 2021 Lexus IS. The project is part of a Lexus campaign called "All In" that celebrates people who are passionate about their craft. For the cynical, you can read this as a campaign that uses influencers in non-automotive fields to put the IS in front of a new audience and attract younger customers to the Lexus brand.   RTFKT calls themselves the first sneaker company to spring from the world of gaming. Their footwear leans towards the fanciful and futuristic styles typically found in video games, and a quick glance at their website presents the shoes as digital items of varying rarity that you might find in a game. RTFKT's creative director Chris Le said, “We wanted to make sure when the audience looks at the sneaker they instantly know it is the IS.” We're not so sure about that, though. If it weren't for the Lexus F Sport logo on the side, Lexus badge on the Velcro strap and the model name embossed across on the back, we'd have a hard time guessing it had anything to do with a now-472 hp Japanese sports sedan. RTFKT explains that certain design elements inspired by the car. The chunky sole in black evolved from a tire, for example. The front of the shoe is said to be a version of Lexus's trademark spindle grille (though we're not really seeing it). A 3D-printed carbon fiber-pattern "spoiler" on the back of the sneaker gets closer to the Lexus's actual decklid wing.  The sneaker's sides use the Black NuLuxe material of the car's interior with light gray stitching from the seats. The middle silver stripe was "inspired by the details of the headlights," though given the "L" shape of the "L" DRLs on past Lexus IS sedans we're surprised the collab isn't with Nike. To be fair, the new IS's DRL integration is much more pleasant to look at. Lastly, the Grecian Water blue color, one of the signature paints on the new IS, features throughout the shoe. “All the intricate design elements come together, and at a first glance itÂ’s a neckbreaker,” said RTFKT CEO Steven Zaptio. We are probably in no place to comment the veracity of that statement, but then neither is anyone else. As it turns out, no one will ever wear it, because it's a one-off that will never go on sale. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party.

Toyota may return to F1 under Lexus banner

A new report in from the website Club Lexus claims to have insider knowledge about a return to Formula One racing by Toyota, this time under the auspices of the Lexus brand. Toyota competed in F1 from 2002 through the 2009 season. That final year saw the team return competitive, if inconsistent results, but the larger economic woes in the automotive market made a decision to pull the plug relatively easy at the time.
Now, citing recent interviews with Toyota executives and insider sources, Club Lexus says that the move to re-enter F1 for the 2014 season is "all but finalized." The choice to go with the Lexus nameplate over Toyota makes some sense, too, considering the success that rival Infiniti has had in recent years through its partnership with Red Bull Racing. Further, the emerging Lexus identity as a performance car builder, with a strong background in hybrid vehicles, could help the F1 move resonate with buyers.
A few technological factors and formula changes within F1 offer some credence to the Lexus rumor, too. F1 will increase the available capacity of KERS from 60kW to 120kW, a change that theoretically benefits the hybrid-savvy Toyota. What's more, 2014 will see a switch from the current 2.4-liter V8 engines to 1.6-liter turbocharged V6s. A Lexus team that goes racing in 2014 will be on a level playing field with the rest of the grid then, with all teams adjusting to and continuing to develop the new engines.

Google self-driving Lexus crashes into a bus

Google's self-driving cars have been in accidents before, but always on the receiving end... at least, until now. The company has filed a California DMV accident report (PDF) confirming that one of its autonomous vehicles (a Lexus RX450h) collided with a bus in Mountain View. The crash happened when the robotic SUV had to go into the center lane to make a right turn around some sand bags – both the vehicle and its test driver incorrectly assumed that a bus approaching from behind would slow or stop to let the car through. The Lexus smacked into the side of the bus at low speed, damaging its front fender, wheel and sensor in the process. This was a minor incident, and we're happy to report that there were no injuries. However, this might be the first instance where one of Google's self-driving cars caused an accident. If so, the Mountain View crew can no longer say it's an innocent dove on the roads -- while this wasn't a glitch, its software made a decision that led to a crash. We've reached out to Google to see if it can elaborate on what happened. No matter what the response, it was always going to be difficult to avoid this kind of incident. Until self-driving cars can anticipate every possible road hazard, there's always a chance that they'll either be confused or make choices with unexpected (and sometimes unfortunate) consequences. However, the hope at this early stage isn't to achieve a flawless track record. Instead, it's to show that self-driving cars can be safer overall than their human-piloted counterparts.Related Video:This article by Jon Fingas originally ran on Engadget, the definitive guide to this connected life. Image Credit: AP Photo/Eric Risberg Green Lexus Safety SUV Autonomous Vehicles Videos California transportation gear