2014 4Runner- Why Tease When You Can Also Inform?

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When automakers want to drop the hint about their new car, they usually provide teaser photos to the public, where a tiny section of the vehicle is photographed so as to only give away a glimpse of it. You know the kind- they're usually a close up shot of the grille, or a headlight. I'll go out on the record and say I'm not the biggest fan of those (or maybe my imagination is just lacking!)

Need an example? Here you go:

In other cases, automakers might leak so-called "spy shots" where the vehicle is seen outside during a road test while covered up with protective material.

Toyota could have certainly gone with either option in previewing the new 2014 4Runner, but they decided to mix it up a bit in hyping us for their next SUV. In addition to the teaser photos, they also made an infographic! I like the idea- get us excited for something new by highlighting the vehicle's past achievements.

What do we know so far about the new 4Runner? The 2014 version will be a face lift of the fifth generation mid-size Toyota SUV. It will feature more aggressive looking front headlights and tail lamps, going with Toyota's recent trend of giving their vehicles a more sleek and stylish appearance (just take a look at the redesigned Avalon for further proof).

The official reveal of the 4Runner happens at the StageCoach Music Festival in Indio, California, which will coincidentally be the first-ever major vehicle reveal at a large concert!

Self-Driving Cars Not Available Yet, But Some of the Technology is

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Who's ready for the day when we can hop into our car, tell it where to go, and then sit back and enjoy the ride as the car drives itself? When we'll no longer have to worry about traffic and road rage because self-driving cars will communicate with others on the road to make our trip as efficient as possible? We might not even need to honk anymore! How soon is that happening, exactly? Well, not quite as close as we were initially thinking, the experts from the Society of Automotive Engineers say. Many had hoped we'd see the self-driving car available in around 5 years, at least according to predictions by Google. However, a realistic time frame is looking to be more in the 10-15 year range, or around 2025, to ensure the technology is perfected (and to minimize accidents).

On the plus side, elements of self-driving technology are already making their way into cars to give us all a taste of what's to come. Lots of newer vehicles, such as the Toyota Avalon, are being equipped with sensors and cameras that can detect when you're at risk of colliding into an object, as well as radar-based cruise control that automatically adjust speed based on the distance between your car and others. Adaptable headlights are also quite useful- they can detect when other cars are coming up to a certain distance away, and automatically switch between regular and hi-beam lights, giving you more visibility while not blinding others nearby.

Most interesting of all is park assist, available on the advanced technology package of the Prius V. This technology uses a combination of everything: computer processors, backup cameras, and sensors, to help navigate a vehicle into a parking spot. It's pretty amazing to watch as the steering wheel turns and the vehicle calculates exactly how to reverse itself! To use it, you pull forward as if you were getting ready to parallel park, and then use the backup camera and arrows on the touch screen to choose where the car is parking. Once you align the shape on the screen correctly, it becomes blue, signaling that the car is clear to park into the space. Then, the car will start backing itself up into the space as you control the brakes.

Check out the video below-

Do you know of any other self-driving features that are available, or that you'd like to see available soon? 

2012 vs 2013 Toyota Avalon: Why "Only the Name Remains"

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If you're a fan of The Wire or The Office, you might recognize Idris Elba- he's a Golden Globe winning actor known for his roles as Baltimore drug kingpin Stinger Bell, and Dunder Mifflin corporate big-wig Charles Miner. Toyota recruited him for a new series of videos featuring the Toyota Avalon and a bunch of high adrenaline stunt driving scenes, which are featured on Youtube as well as the interactive OnlyTheName.com site. The car chase scenes on the Toyota site are pretty exciting- they feel like they could have been ripped straight out of something like a James Bond or Bourne Identity film!

According to David Chung of Toyota Motor Sales, the "Only the Name" title being used for these spots is meant to reflect just how different the new generation Avalon is from its predecessor. "Everything’s dramatically improved, from the technology inside the vehicle to the driving characteristics to the sexy styling of the vehicle", he added.

One of the big changes with the redesigned Avalon is the modern instrument-panel layout, with Intellitouch buttons for the radio and climate controls—doing away with the physical buttons of older models. You can also get features like a backup camera, blind spot monitor with rear cross traffic alert, and dynamic radar cruise control, which helps to maintain distance from vehicles ahead of you.

No matter which trim you go for (Base, Premium, Touring, or Limited) you're getting a ride that competes well with other full sized luxury sedans. Just look at the comparison shot below to see how much has changed, design wise. Which one would you rather drive?

Toyota and Teen Vogue Partner Up for Teen Safe Driving Contest

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What goes together better than peanut butter and jelly, gear heads and fast cars, or warm weather and baseball? As popular as all these things are, they're trumped by teenage girls and smartphones. According to a study done by Huffington Post in 2012, the average 12-17 year old girl sends 100 texts a day! When you also consider the fact that roughly 58 percent of teenagers own a smartphone, it's no surprise that so many awareness and safety campaigns of late have been focused on the arch enemy of every parent out there, distracted driving. Whether it's getting behind the wheel while tired, eating, or texting, Toyota is one of the automakers that has been active in trying to get young people to make a conscious effort to drive more safely.

One of the recent campaigns they put forth was a partnership with Discovery Education in the form of a contest for teen drivers to help create awareness for driving while texting. While the deadline for that ended in February, Toyota has already launched their next youth program with Teen Vogue magazine. This new initiative- to get young female drivers and their parents to "be safe, be fabulous, and arrive in style" involves signing a pledge online together and submitting a photo.

Some of the pledge guidelines include "I will never ride in a car with someone who has been drinking" and "I will not participate in any behavior that makes me look away from the road or distracts me from driving".
It's nice that Toyota is getting parents involved with this, as often times kids can be influenced by bad driving habits of the ones they learn to drive from.

So, what can you win for taking the pledge? One person will be chosen at random each month through December, and get:

• A trip to New York City for a professional photo shoot
• A tour of the Teen Vogue offices
• $1000 shopping spree
• Name recognition by Teen Vogue and Toyota as a "role model" for safe driving.

For more information and to enter, visit the Arrive in Style site. Is this something your teenage daughter would be interested in? Or do you think Toyota should use a different idea to promote safe driving in the form of a contest? Share your thoughts below!