Tag Archives: access

ToyotaUk

Toyota Adopts the North American Charging Standard to Expand Customer Charging Options

  • Toyota and Lexus customers will have access to more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers in North America
  • Toyota and Lexus to incorporate North American Charging Standard (NACS) ports in certain Toyota and Lexus battery electric vehicles (BEVs) starting in 2025

PLANO, Texas (Oct. 19, 2023) – Toyota Motor North America, Inc. (TMNA) today announced it has reached an agreement with Tesla, Inc. to adopt the North American Charging Standard (NACS) on its battery electric vehicles (BEVs) beginning in 2025. In line with Toyota’s vehicle electrification strategy that offers a plethora of options for electrified powertrains, Toyota and Lexus customers will have convenient access to more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers across North America.

Toyota will incorporate the NACS ports into certain Toyota and Lexus BEVs starting in 2025, including the all-new, three-row, battery-electric Toyota SUV that will be assembled at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK). Additionally, customers owning or leasing applicable Toyota and Lexus vehicles equipped with the Combined Charging System (CCS) will be offered access to an adapter to enable NACS charging starting in 2025.

Dedicated to delivering a seamless charging experience, whether at home or in public, Toyota aims to provide convenience no matter where customers choose to charge their vehicles. Through the Toyota and Lexus apps, customers have access to an extensive charging network, comprising over 84,000 charging ports in North America, including level 2 and DC fast chargers. With NACS, customers will have access to more charging options, especially DC fast chargers, allowing greater confidence to travel to even more destinations.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 26 electrified options. For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

For Toyota customer inquiries, please call 800-331-4331.

Artificial Intelligence, News

Google Introduces AI Image Generation through Search Bar

Google has announced a new feature that allows users to generate AI images directly from the search bar. As part of this update, Google is also providing a new tool for writing inspiration. An example given by Google is a scenario where someone is researching contractors to convert their garage into an office. In this case, the person can simply type, “Write a note to a contractor asking for a quote to turn my garage into a home office,” and the AI will generate a draft to inspire them.

Once the draft is generated, users have the option to make some edits. They can choose to shorten, lengthen, or make the draft more casual. Once satisfied with the AI’s work, users can export the draft to Google Docs or Gmail and make further edits themselves.

However, it’s important to note that this feature, known as the SGE program, is currently only available to a limited number of users in the U.S., India, and Japan. Additionally, access to the image generation capabilities is restricted to U.S. Google account holders who are 18 years or older.

Source: SlashGear

Smartphones

Unlock Your iPhone Using Just Your Voice with This Hidden Feature

The idea of unlocking your iPhone without physically touching it and using only your voice may seem convenient, but there are some important things to consider when using this method. First, you need to be in close proximity to your iPhone for the device’s microphone to pick up your voice commands. Additionally, Voice Control turns off automatically when your iPhone screen is dim, so you have to wake it up by summoning Siri to start listening again. If you have manually disabled Voice Control, you can ask Siri to turn it on before speaking your unlock phrase.

It’s important to understand that leaving Voice Control enabled means your iPhone’s microphone is always on and listening for your commands. This means you may unintentionally trigger actions, regardless of which app or page is currently open on your iPhone. It’s also worth noting that others might be able to unlock your iPhone if they know your unlock phrase. To avoid these risks, consider turning off Voice Control when you don’t need it and only enable it when you anticipate needing hands-free control.

Gaming, Streaming Devices

Sony Pictures Core Movie Streaming Service Is The Latest Perk For Some PS Plus Members

Sony Pictures Core is a new movie streaming service that offers early access windows for some Sony Pictures movies. Currently, one of the movies available to stream is “Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story.” This service is currently available in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, with plans to expand to the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan in the near future. As an added bonus, anyone who purchases the movie through Sony Pictures Core will receive a voucher code for extra in-game points to use in the game “Gran Turismo 7” for both the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.

For subscribers of PlayStation Plus Premium, the rotating bundle library of movies is one of the perks included in the plan. In the United States, the subscription costs $17.99 per month for month-to-month billing, $15.66 per month if billed quarterly, $49.99 every three months, or $13.33 per month if billed annually at $159.99.

In addition to the basic perks of PlayStation Plus Essential, such as monthly downloadable games, discounts, cloud storage for saved games, and online multiplayer access, Premium offers a subscription library of games. This includes a downloadable catalog of hundreds of PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 games, a streaming library of PlayStation 3 games, and a collection of PlayStation 1, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation Portable games available for both download and streaming. Additionally, there are time-limited trials of various games available.

Smartphones

Missed A Message? Here’s How To Access Your Android’s Notification Log

Notification history has been available on Android phones for several years now. However, the method to access this setting may vary depending on the smartphone you’re using. Some phones, like the Google Pixel, have a stock version of Android, while others, like OnePlus and Samsung, use their own user interface on top of Android. Regardless of which version of Android your phone is running, here’s how you can find and enable this feature:

  1. Open the Settings app on your Android phone.
  2. Select the Notifications option.
  3. Look for either Advanced settings or More settings and tap on it.
  4. Tap on Notification history.
  5. Enable the toggle switch on the next page.

If you own a Google Pixel phone, you can find the Notification history option within the main Notifications settings menu. If you can’t locate this option on your Android phone, you can use the search bar in the Settings app. Simply search for Notification history, tap on the option, and enable the toggle switch next to it.

Motorsport

Automakers found to be inadequate in protecting personal data and privacy

In today’s world, cars are equipped with advanced technology that allows them to function like computers on wheels. They offer access to apps, entertainment, and even the internet. However, this convenience comes at a cost, as these modern vehicles have the ability to collect personal data about their users’ activities and whereabouts. A recent study conducted by the Mozilla Foundation reveals that automakers are not doing enough to ensure the privacy and security of this data.

The non-profit organization investigated 25 car brands and assigned all of them its “Privacy Not Included” warning label, indicating a lack of data management and security practices. The study went so far as to label cars as the worst category of products it had ever reviewed. The findings were published in a series of articles discussing personal data and privacy in vehicles.

Which Cars Have Android Auto Or Apple CarPlay

The study revealed that all car brands surveyed collect excessive amounts of personal data. In addition to the necessary data for operating the vehicle, information about how people use their cars, their driving speed, locations visited, and other details were found to be collected. Auto companies also obtain data through connected services used in the vehicle, including third-party sources like Google, Meta, or Sirius XM.

According to the study, 84 percent of car companies share or sell customer data to third parties, which may include service providers, data brokers, and other businesses. Furthermore, 56 percent of automakers stated that they share information with government or law enforcement officials in response to court orders, warrants, or informal requests.

The Mozilla Foundation discovered that most car companies offer limited or no control over personal data. Allegedly, 92 percent of the surveyed companies either do not allow or make it extremely difficult for individuals to delete their personal information. Renault and Dacia were mentioned as exceptions, but it should be noted that these two brands fall under Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) privacy laws.

The Mozilla Foundation spent over 600 hours researching the privacy practices of car brands. However, it was unable to obtain a complete understanding of how consumer data is used or shared. The foundation reached out to all the car companies involved in the study but received responses only from Ford, Honda, and Mercedes-Benz. Even with these responses, the organization’s questions remained unanswered.

Motor1.com has also contacted automakers for their comments on the study. Stellantis, one of the companies contacted, responded with a statement refuting some of the claims made in the study and asserting their commitment to data privacy.

“Multiple claims in this document are incorrect as they relate to Stellantis brands. We carefully and diligently consider data privacy and act accordingly. Customers with questions may call our Customer Care center.”

This article will be updated with any additional statements from automakers as they become available.

Technology

You Might Want To Block OpenAI’s New GPTBot – Here’s Why

OpenAI claims that allowing GPTBot to access your website can enhance the accuracy and capabilities of AI models and improve their safety. However, this benefits OpenAI more than the owners of the websites from which the data is scraped.

AI chatbots like GPTBot gather information from websites, absorb it, and then reproduce it without acknowledging the source. This is different from Google’s Bard AI chatbot and Microsoft’s Bing Chat, which started providing citations in May 2023. But ChatGPT still does not offer citations. For instance, when I asked ChatGPT about recent innovations in solid-state batteries for electric cars, it provided examples but failed to provide any sources such as academic journals or news publications. An experiment conducted by Indiana University revealed that ChatGPT may even omit or misquote citations despite being given ample information in the prompt.

The main issue here is that once users obtain answers from ChatGPT, they may no longer feel the need to conduct their own Google searches or visit various websites for information. This means that publishers lose out on crucial web traffic, which is vital for their survival, especially if ChatGPT provides incorrect information.

Technology

5 Of The Best Apps For Fantasy Football In 2023

DraftKings is a popular platform for fantasy football, offering its users access to leagues and more through its DraftKings Fantasy Sports apps for Android and iPhone. This app not only supports football but also other sports like hockey, basketball, and baseball. It features thousands of public contests, unlimited lineups, team drafting, and more.

In addition to fantasy sports, DraftKings now offers a multisport sportsbook service and an online casino with traditional casino games as well as sports-themed offerings. However, it’s important to note that sports betting and online gambling may not be legal in all 50 states. You can use their interactive map to check if it is available in your location. For the upcoming fantasy football season, DraftKings is advertising over $10 million in prize money, with a minimum buy-in of $5.

Interested users can download the DraftKings Sportsbook and Casino mobile app for free on Android and iOS through the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store. According to feedback from Android users, the app has received a high rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars. The app allows users to join free pools, place bets on teams, play casino games, and manage their financial transactions, including withdrawal requests. DraftKings is known for its app design quality, placing it near the top of the list alongside FanDuel.

Technology

Android’s Guided Access Alternative: What It Is And How To Enable It

Android’s alternative to Guided Access is called Screen Pinning or App Pinning. Like Guided Access, it allows you to lock the device’s screen to a specific app, keeping your information private and allowing uninterrupted media playback.

To enable this feature, follow these steps:

  1. Go to the Security (or Security & Location) menu in your device’s main settings and activate App Pinning. In older versions of Android, this feature may be called Pin Windows and can be found in the Other Security Settings menu, under Biometrics and Security.
  2. Open your list of recently accessed apps and scroll to the app you want to pin open.
  3. Instead of directly opening the app by clicking on its icon, select the icon displayed above it.
  4. This will open a menu with options to lock the selected app, use it with split screen view, and access other advanced features.
  5. Select “Pin This App” or the Pin icon button.
  6. To unpin the app, enter your administrator’s PIN (if your device has one), or hold the Back and Recents buttons simultaneously if you’re using the classic three-button scheme.

This feature can be handy if you want to stay focused on a specific app, like a note-taking app, while working.

News

Update: Aston Martin partners with Lucid for 2025 electric SUV

Aston Martin has announced a partnership with Lucid to develop their 2025 electric SUV. As part of the agreement, Aston Martin will have access to Lucid’s electric drive units. These units integrate the motor, invertor, and transmission and boast a power density of 9hp per kg. This is more than double Tesla’s power density and eight times that of Hyundai’s motors. Additionally, Lucid is working on motors for racing that have an impressive 17hp per kg.

Aston Martin’s electric cars will utilize four motors, potentially reaching power outputs of up to 1500bhp. Lucid CEO and Chief Technology Officer, Peter Rawlinson, highlighted the difference in their approach: “Aston will use four motors, we’re three. Aston Martin is taking it to the next level.” Aston Martin’s four motor technology will feature a twin-motor front axle that will be unique to their vehicles.

Lucid will also supply battery cells and modules, which Aston Martin will incorporate into a battery pack of their own design. All components will be manufactured at Lucid’s factory in Arizona and then shipped to the UK.

Rawlinson noted that the technology is derived from Lucid’s Air model but with significant software changes. The main differences lie in thermal integration and battery layout. Aston Martin’s technical chief, Roberto Fedeli, aims to have the first electric Aston drivetrain operational on a test bench by the end of the year and a prototype running on the roads by early 2024.

The powertrain will be installed in a “fully flexible BEV platform, modular in height and wheelbase” that is designed to endure until the 2030s, according to Fedeli. This platform will allow Aston Martin to create a sports car that is 2cm lower than their current Aston Martin Vantage, thanks to the compact size and design of Lucid’s cells. Fedeli emphasized the importance of maintaining Aston Martin’s tradition of producing low, sports cars.

However, Aston Martin’s first electric vehicle will not be a sports car but an electric SUV crossover, as hinted in a teaser sketch released alongside the news about the partnership with Lucid. It is expected that an electric GT model will follow by 2030, but for now, the focus is on the SUV crossover.