2009 Toyota Tacoma White 4x4 Access Cab V6 6 Speed Manual Sr5 With Backup Camera on 2040-cars

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Toyota FV2 Concept is a single-seat mood ring for the road

Of all the vehicles Toyota brought to the Tokyo Motor Show, the FV2 might be the most creative. The minimalist single-seat concept is a glimpse at Toyota's idea of a "fun to drive" vehicle in the future.
The FV2 is essentially a pod with a diamond-shaped wheel array (what powers said wheels has not been disclosed), and Toyota says that the technology of the vehicle allows it to gauge the driver's mood and suggest possible destinations. The interaction between driver and vehicle is also displayed in an augmented reality screen on the windshield, and the car can also act as a mood ring of sorts with exterior colors and patterns that can change based on the driver's mood. We can just see it now: "Don't mess with Jim today, his car is red."
Scroll down for a brief press release on the FV2.

2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback, Volvos earn IIHS Top Safety Pick rating

It's time for another round-up of recent IIHS crash tested cars. The trio this time include the 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback, 2019 Volvo XC90 and 2018 Volvo S90. All three have earned one of the highest ratings from the IIHS, the Top Safety Pick. And all three continue a trend of very safe cars having slightly below-par headlights, preventing them from earning the highest Top Safety Pick+ rating. Of these three cars, the Corolla Hatchback has the most impressive scores. It earned the highest "Good" rating in every single crash test, including the difficult small-overlap passenger-side collision. It also received the top score for access to LATCH anchors for child seats. The standard forward collision prevention technology also brought home the best score possible, stopping the car before a crash at speeds up to 25 mph. The headlights themselves weren't particularly bad either, earning the second-highest score of "Acceptable" with both the standard and optional LED headlights. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Both Volvos shared similar scores to the Corolla Hatchback, with "Good" ratings for all crash tests they participated in, and top rank for their standard forward collision technology. Both vehicles were not tested for the passenger-side small overlap collision, so there is no score in that area. Both also received the "Acceptable" rating for LATCH anchor access. In the headlight department, the XC90 earned "Acceptable" scores for both of its available headlights, and the S90 received an "Acceptable" for its optional lights, while the standard ones were rated as "Marginal." Related Video:

Toyota finds 10% MPG improvement in hybrid PCU

Keeping up its from-all-angles approach to efficiency, Toyota has found yet another way to eke out up to ten percent more precious MPGs in its hybrid vehicles, this time electronically. The automaker has announced the development of new silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors for use in power control units, which it will begin testing on Japanese roads within the next year. The PCU using the silicon carbide compound offers less electrical resistance, which improves efficiency when passing current between the battery and electric motor. It also loses less power after shutting off, and can operate at a higher frequency. The net power loss of the new PCU is just one-tenth of the current silicone-only version (the latter accounting for 20 percent of total electrical power loss in today's hybrids). The result, so far, is a claimed five-percent improvement in fuel economy in test vehicles, with the potential of ten percent by the time the new SiC power semiconductor comes to market. Additionally, the carbide wafers allow for smaller a power module, coil and capacitor, thus allowing the entire PCU to be 80 percent smaller (see the side-by-side comparison in the accompanying photo, which you can click to enlarge). We've got a while to wait before we start to see the carbide technology to start making a real-world impact. Toyota aims to begin using the SiC units in 2020. By then, with improvements in the company's other key efficiency factors - engine technology and aerodynamics - cars like the Prius will likely see significant gains in fuel economy. Read more in the press release below. Toyota Develops 'Diamond-like' Computer Chips to Boost Hybrid Mileage May 20, 2014 Toyota City, Japan – Toyota is using one of the hardest materials in nature after diamonds to develop a semiconductor chip it hopes will improve the fuel efficiency of its hybrids, such as the Prius, by as much at 10 percent. The company and its partners announced today that they have developed a silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductor for use in automotive power control units. Toyota plans to begin test-driving vehicles with the technology on public roads in Japan within a year. The chips, made from carbide - one of the hardest materials in nature, theoretically have superior characteristics such as one-tenth the electrical power loss and 10 times the drive frequency. Toyota said the chips would also allow it to reduce the size of current automotive power control units by 80 percent.