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Toyota constantly preaches that safety is a top priority. To further back up those claims, the automaker has announced a new research program: The Collaborative Safety Research Center. Located at the Toyota Technical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the CSRC examines the science of safety with the goal of reducing the number of traffic fatalities and injuries on American roads. The best part about the program is related to the first word in its name – collaboration. Toyota isn’t keeping this data in-house, instead sharing it with top universities, hospitals, research institutions, federal agencies and other projects or groups whose goal is to make driving a safer experience.

Researchers from North America and Japan will work together at the Michigan location testing everything from driver-distraction to vehicle, passenger and pedestrian safety. Toyota estimates that it will spend $50 million on the CSRC over the course of the next five years. A full press release is posted after the jump.

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Toyota launches Collaborative Safety Research Center in Michigan

Toyota launches Collaborative Safety Research Center in Michigan originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 15 Jan 2011 15:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Etc., Chevrolet, UK

Homer-Barney butt handshake

Just like Toyota Australia does things differently than “our” Toyota, Chevrolet Europe does things that make us go, “That’s not the Chevy we know…” The latest example is a handshake study, headed by a professor of psychological sciences at the University of Manchester, that seeks the formula for the perfect handshake. And what is the driving force behind such obscure academia? Creation of a “handshake training guide for [Chevy] staff to prepare them ahead of the launch of the new 5 Year Promise offer, which aims to offer peace of mind and reassurance to its customers.”

Alrighty then. This is the formula:

PH = (e² + ve²)(d²) + (cg + dr)² + π{(4<s>2)(4<p>2)}² + (vi + t + te)² + {(4<c>2 )(4<du>2)}²

If you need more help figuring out how to apply it – hint: pay close attention to the ‘dr’ part – follow the jump for the press release, which explains the formula’s gobbledygook in detail, lists ~~useless~~ related facts like the Top 10 Handshake Turn-Offs, and somehow manages to work in a Frankie Valli reference.

Note that the Top 10 Handshake Turn-Offs rundown doesn’t include, “Absurd and contrived scientific formulas on how to correctly shake hands.” Maybe it ought to be a Top 11.

[Source: Chevrolet UK]

Continue reading Get A Grip: Chevy UK sponsors research to find perfect handshake

Get A Grip: Chevy UK sponsors research to find perfect handshake originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 18 Jul 2010 11:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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