Seigo Kuzumaki, Toyota’s Chief Safety Technology Officer
The Toyota Advanced Safety Seminar has revealed the company’s latest advances in driver technology.
The seminar, hosted ahead of Toyota’s participation in next week’s Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress in Detroit, provided an early insight into the company’s latest safety research and development work and the progress it is making in securing safer mobility for all in the future.
Laser detection systems that can track objects on the road day and night and 3D information displays that transform the way traffic information is delivered to drivers were some of the highlights in the innovation programme, revealed at the fourth Toyota Annual Advanced Safety Seminar in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
“Toyota’s vision is of a world without traffic fatalities, and these advanced connected and automated vehicle technologies have the potential to revolutionise automotive safety, said Seigo Kuzumaki, Toyota’s Chief Safety Technology Officer.
The full list of upcoming innovations from Toyota include:
- Automated Highway Driving Assist (AHDA)
First revealed last year in Japan, Toyota’s AHDA system is designed work with the driver to achieve safe car control. The latest version of the system, unveiled at today’s seminar and to be shown at the ITS World Congress, has been programmed according to real-world traffic conditions in the USA and can operate at speeds up to 70mph integrating three core technologies: Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Trace Control and Predictive and Interactive Human-Machine Interface (HMI). - Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC)
This system allows drivers to maintain speed and make more comfortable progress while reducing accident risk by keeping a safe distance from the vehicle ahead. It uses a 77GHz millimetre-wave radar to detect and monitor vehicles in front of the Toyota and maintain specific speeds and distances. - Lane Trace Control (LTC)
Lane Trace Control helps the driver keep the car safely within its lane, using signals relayed by a front-mounted camera and a millimetre-wave radar. The sensors detect lane markings on the road surface and vehicle ahead. The system calculates the right driving path, automatically adjusting the vehicle’s steering angle so the Toyota keeps within its lane, within an appropriate margin from surrounding vehicles. - Predictive and Interactive HMI
While the improved automation provided by the Dynamic Radar Cruise Control and Lane Trace Control contribute to making driving safer and more comfortable, it remains essential to keep the driver – the most important element in the driving process – focused. For this reason, AHDA includes a predictive and interactive HMI to help there is a smooth, safe transition as the car moves from automated and manual driving.
