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Ford is developing a virtual child to improve safety research

Researchers at Ford have started constructing a "virtual" six-year-old child that will help them research future safety devices. It will take years to build the complex, multilayer digital dummy, Ford said on Thursday. And the finished computer model won't be used for vehicle validation or crash testing.

Lexus wants more hybrids and a better performance image

Lexus plans to introduce hybrid versions of existing vehicles with each full model change, the brand's r&d chief says. Leveraging the electric-gasoline drivetrain technology of Lexus' parent company, Toyota, will be key to differentiating the brand from European rivals, said Kiyotaka Ise, Toyota Motor Corp. managing officer in charge of Lexus development.

Concept Car of the Week: Chevrolet Express (1987)

A fantastic selection of concept cars from the ‘80s were featured in Back to the Future II such as the Pontiac Pursuit, the Ford Probe or the Saab EV-1, but my personal favorite was the Chevrolet Express that almost ran over Marty upon his arrival in the year 2015. Before being a movie extra, the Express was presented in 1987 as another attempt from GM to adapt aircraft engineering to automotive requirements. GM had been experimenting with gas turbines for more than 20 years, dating back to the 370hp XP-21 Firebird from 1954, but that concept was quite primitive compared to its younger brother.