Lexus & Toyota Making Automated Braking Standard on Nearly Every Model by End of 2017
Advanced automatic safety technology that was once available on only the most expensive new vehicles is about to be included as standard equipment on almost every Lexus and Toyota model and trim level in the United States. Announced today at the New York Auto Show, Toyota will begin to include the Lexus Safety System+ and Toyota Safety Sense packages, anchored by automatic emergency braking (AEB), on almost every new vehicle by the end of 2017.
The announcement marks a major commitment by Toyota to help save lives and reduce highway injuries. Making Lexus Safety System+ and Toyota Safety Sense standard equipment on almost every model by the end of 2017 will make AEB technology widely available four years ahead of the 2022 industry target announced last week by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
“At Toyota, we are committed to creating better ways to move for everyone,” said Jim Lentz, CEO of Toyota Motor North America. “High-level driver assist technologies can do more than help protect people in the event of a crash; they can help prevent some crashes from ever happening in the first place. We are proud to help lead this industry in standardizing these systems and bring automated braking to our customers sooner rather than later.”
Already available as a low-cost option on a broad range of Lexus and Toyota vehicles, Lexus Safety System+™ and Toyota Safety Sense™ are designed to help address three key areas of driver assistance: preventing or mitigating frontal collisions – including pedestrians; helping keep drivers within their lane; and enhancing road safety during nighttime driving. Technologies include Toyota’s Pre-Collision System, Lane Departure Alert, and Automatic High Beams.
Twenty-five out of thirty Lexus and Toyota models will include Lexus Safety System+ or Toyota Safety Sense as standard equipment. Model-specific target dates for offering these advanced, active safety packages as standard equipment will be announced at a later date. Models that will not offer the systems standard by the end of 2017 include Lexus GX, Toyota Mirai, 4Runner, and 86 (jointly developed with Subaru), and Scion iA (developed by Mazda). Mirai and Scion iA currently provide pre-collision including AEB as standard equipment.
TOYOTA SAFETY SENSE
The Toyota Safety Sense C (TSS-C) package features three proprietary active safety technologies and combines a camera and laser beam for enhanced performance and reliability. The package can help prevent or mitigate collisions in a wide range of vehicle speeds.
- Pre-collision System (PCS) – Vehicle Detection
- Lane Departure Alert (LDA)
- Automatic High Beam (AHB)
- Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Pre-collision function – Vehicle and Pedestrian Detection
PCS uses millimeter-wave radar and a camera to help detect the vehicle ahead of the vehicle. When the system determines there is a possibility of collision it prompts the driver to take evasive action and brake, by using an audio and visual alert. These alerts operate when the vehicle’s speed is between approximately 7 miles-per-hour and the vehicle’s top speed. If the driver notices the hazard and brakes, the system may provide additional braking force using Brake Assist*3. If the driver does not brake in a set time and the system determines that the possibility of a frontal collision with another vehicle is extremely high, the system may automatically apply the brakes, reducing speed in order to help the driver reduce the impact and in certain cases avoid the collision. For potential collisions with vehicles, the enhanced PCS system included with the TSS- P package operates at relative speeds of between 7 miles-per-hour and the vehicle’s top speed, reducing speed by approximately 25 mph*2.
Pedestrian Detection
In certain conditions, the PCS system with the TSS-P package may also help to detect pedestrians. The in-vehicle camera of PCS detects a potential pedestrian based on size, profile, and motion of the detected pedestrian. If PCS determines that the possibility of a frontal collision with a pedestrian is high under certain conditions, it prompts the driver to take evasive action and brake by using an audio and visual alert, followed by Brake Assist. These alerts operate when the vehicle’s speed is between approximately 7 and 50 miles-per-hour. If the driver does not brake in a set time and the system determines that the risk of collision with a pedestrian is extremely high, the system may automatically apply the brakes, reducing speed in order to help the driver reduce the impact and in certain cases avoid the collision. The PCS included with the TSS-P package may operate automated brake for potential collisions with a pedestrian when vehicle speeds are between 7-50 mph, and may reduce vehicle speed by up to 19 mph.
- Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
- Lane Departure Alert (LDA) with Steering Assist function
LEXUS SAFETY SYSTEM+
Lexus Safety System+ integrates several of Lexus’s existing active safety technologies: under certain conditions, the Pre-Collision System (PCS) helps prevent and mitigate collisions; Lane Departure Alert (LDA) helps prevent vehicles from departing from their lanes; and Automatic High Beam (AHB) helps ensure enhanced forward visibility during nighttime driving. As part of a multi-faceted approach to active safety, the Lexus Safety System+ package combines millimeter-wave radar with a camera, achieving high reliability and performance.
- Pre-collision System – Pedestrian and Object
- Lane Departure Alert (LDA)
- Automatic High Beam (AHB)
- Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC)
[…] Automatic Emergency Braking will be required on all vehicles starting in 2022, but many vehicles will have it as standard equipment before then. […]