Autonomy research, Call Me Out, volunteer work

An expanded collaboration for self-driving vehicle research, an investment in a facility for autonomous driving tests, an app designed to scold people who try to use their phone while driving, and a global volunteer effort were among the items promoted by automakers recently.

• Toyota has expanded its partnership with Uber as part of an effort to develop autonomous ride sharing services and introduce them at scale. The automaker said technology from both companies will be integrated into Toyota Sienna minivans built specifically for Uber's ride-sharing network. The companies said they expect the mass-produced driverless vehicles to be owned and operated by autonomous fleet operators. Toyota is also investing $500 million in Uber.

• Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has invested $30 million in its Chelsea Proving Grounds facility for the development and testing of autonomous vehicles. The facility now includes a dedicated track for testing autonomous systems in highway conditions, a 35-acre safety feature evaluation area, and a command center. The proving grounds will be used to test and evaluate features related to all levels of autonomy, including automated parking and automatic emergency braking. The track includes a variety of environments, including tunnels and on-ramps, while the command center holds computer equipment to test vehicle communications and GPS capabilities.

• In response to studies showing that people often use their phones for secondary tasks while driving despite knowing that it poses risks, Chevrolet has debuted a smartphone app specifically designed to scold drivers who try to use a phone while driving. Call Me Out invites users, or a friend or family member, to record a personalized message to discourage someone from using their phone. The app plays this message when it detects that a person has picked up the phone when a vehicle is traveling faster than five miles per hour.

• More than 10,000 Ford employees are participating in a number of volunteer efforts as part of Ford Global Caring Month in September. The automaker describes this month as a signature event performed by the Ford Volunteer Corps each year. Employees in 40 countries are helping with projects such as converting a pub to a new community center in Germany, building a new kitchen at a Brazilian cancer center, and improving a school water system in Thailand. In the United States, the month's efforts will include more than 100 activities in 14 states, with efforts including the planting of 6000,000 daffodils in Detroit and cleaning up blighted residential areas, vacant lots, and alleys.