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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.

Ford, Toyota clean up in Best Car For The Money Awards

The U.S. News Best Cars for the Money Awards picks winners by looking at the average transaction price, five-year total cost of ownership, the regard a car has from the automotive press, reliability figures from J.D. Power and Associates and safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The result, according to the magazine, is "the best combination of critical acclaim and long-term value."
Ford nabbed six of the 21 categories that received awards this year, the Focus, Fusion, Fusion Hybrid, Taurus, Escape and Edge getting trophies. Toyota and its Lexus and Scion sub-brands took another five, the Tacoma and Tundra owning the two categories given to pickup trucks. The other ten awards were split between Honda with three, Buick with two, and one each for Subaru, BMW, Hyundai, Chevrolet and Mazda.
Follow the link to see all the winners and read about why they were chosen.

Lexus adds RC 200t, RC 300 AWD for 2016

Do you really like the Lexus RC 350, but wish it had just a bit lower cost of entry? Good news for you then, as Lexus has just added a pair of new models to its two-door lineup. The RC now mimics the powertrain options for the 2016 IS. The new RC 200t slashes the cost of entry for the two-door Lexus, but it's unclear by how much. Lexus hasn't published pricing for the 241-horsepower, 258-pound-foot 200t, although we can come up with a ballpark based on the four-door model. The IS 200t starts at $38,265 compared to the IS 350's $41,810 price. Assuming the cars are similarly scaled, there's roughly a $3,500 price difference between the 350 and the 200t, so our best guess for the RC 200t is $40,200. As for the new RC 300 AWD, it uses the same 3.5-liter V6 as the IS 300, offering up 255 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque with standard all-wheel drive. As for the RC's other V6 option, the RC 350 will continue to be offered up with both rear- or all-wheel drive. Power output remains pegged at 306 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. Scroll on for the full press blast on the new RC, which will also come with a smattering of smaller changes for 2016. Related Video: LEXUS RC COUPE ENHANCED FOR 2016 WITH TRIO OF ENGINE CHOICES - NEW TURBOCHARGED ENGINE AND V6 AWD Three Engine Options: 241 hp Turbocharged 4-Cylinder, 255 hp V6 and 306 hp V6 Ultra-Stiff Platform for Exceptional Handling F SPORT Model with Electronic Suspension Damping and Rear-Wheel Steering Available Lexus Enform Service Connect Offers Peace of Mind October 02, 2015 -- The RC luxury sport coupe was introduced to Lexus' stable for the 2015 model year and it returns for 2016 model year with new engine variants. The new RC 200t and RC 300 AWD join the RC 350 for a more extensive luxury coupe line-up that offers drivers more horsepower options to fit their needs. In addition, the Lexus RC features several other changes for 2016. The RC 200t F SPORT and 350 RWD F SPORT now offer optional orange brake callipers and Limited Slip differential. Performance dampers are standard for RC 200t and available for RC 350 RWD F SPORT. Eminent White Pearl exterior paint replaces Starfire Pearl. Drivers can now opt in for additional peace of mind with Lexus Enform Service Connect. Lexus Enform Service Connect (one-year complimentary subscription) allows customers to remotely view information about certain aspects of their Lexus vehicle via the MyLexusandBeyond mobile application for iOS smartphone users or LexusDrivers.com.