The driverless car revolution is still a long way down the road.
That’s according to Jeff Bracken, Group Vice President at Lexus, who told Cheddar that autonomous vehicles won’t take over the industry for another “five or 10 years.”
But when we get there, he said, there “will be huge safety benefits.”
His comments come in light of Uber’s fatal driverless car crash last week, which has left the industry reeling. Late Wednesday, a top exec at the company’s autonomous unit reportedly stepped down.
Meanwhile Lexus unveiled its new UX model at the New York International Auto Show earlier in the day. It will be the company’s first car fitted with Amazon’s Alexa system. Other features include a “predictive efficient driver.”
“This vehicle, from a technology standpoint, will get to know you,” explained Bracken.
“So if the vehicle recognizes it’s on a similar route and you’re going up a hill [for example], it will actually move into the electric motor mode so that it saves the gas.”
The carmaker hopes this model will attract millennials and is even considering offering a subscription-style financing model to do that.
Though still in planning phases, Bracken revealed that the subscription could include things like “maintenance on the vehicle.”
The new UX model is scheduled to hit dealerships in December.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/lexus-unveils-a-new-compact-crossover-for-the-urban-explorer).
Cheddar News' Need2Know is brought to you by Securitize, which helps unlock broader access to alternative investments in private businesses, funds, and other alternative assets. The private credit boom is here and the Hamilton Lane Senior Credit Opportunities Fund has tripled in assets under management in just six months from November 2022 through April this year. Visit Securitize.io to learn more.
Stocks opened lower after the opening bell and on track for its first decline in 10 days after a recent winning streak.
Tesla drivers in the U.S. were in more accidents than drivers of any other car brand this year, according to a study.
The promise of self-checkout was alluring: Customers could avoid long lines by scanning and bagging their own items, workers could be freed of doing those monotonous tasks themselves and retailers could save on labor costs.
Monsanto was ordered to pay $857 million to students and parent volunteers at a Washington school.
A federal judge has struck down hundreds of lawsuits filed against the makers of Tylenol and generic acetaminophen.
California regulators are preparing to vote on new rules for turning recycled wastewater into drinking water.
Hackers accessed Xfinity customers’ personal information by exploiting a vulnerability in software used by the company, the Comcast-owned telecommunications business announced this week.
Some folks want to leave the cold for a quick getaway. Bobby Laurie, travel expert, joined Cheddar News to provide tips on how and when to look for a winter escape.
Julia Pollak, chief economist with ZipRecruiter, joined Cheddar News to provide tips on navigating a job loss and explain the benefits of working with a recruiter to find new employment.
