Toyota profiles leadership in autonomous driving technologies

TORONTO, ON., (September 10, 2013) –  Building on decades of advanced safety research, Toyota profiles  its commitment to innovative transportation solutions and delivers a session about autonomous driving at  Meeting of the Minds – the leading international summit on urban sustainability. The session will focus on autonomous driving in the urban environment and what it means for the future of cities.
As a part of Toyota’s research in autonomous driving and the impact on urban environments, the company has developed a guiding strategy called the Integrated Safety Management Concept.  The approach views traffic safety as a holistic blend of people, vehicles and the driving environment. The strategy carries through all five phases of operation:
  • Initial time the driver and car begin a journey from a parked position
  • Active safety systems designed to avoid a crash
  • Pre-crash aimed at preparing for a collision
  • Passive safety to help survive a crash Rescue and response after a crash has occurred
This strategy informs research that could lead to a fully autonomous car in the future, although the vision is not necessarily a car that drives itself.  Instead, Toyota envisions technologies that enhance the skills of the driver, believing a more skillful driver is a safe driver.
 
Autonomous driving is about more than robotic cars that know your name and your destination. A long list of ‘intelligent transport systems’ are maturing and converging — and they’re bringing to drivers a menu of new options that help reduce city congestion and facilitate vehicle flows.
 
With a dedicated team of engineers, Toyota is leading the automobile industry into a new era of innovation. This commitment to providing new solutions has allowed the company to deliver the advancements in automated technologies to customers today.  Some of the features that have been developed as a result of this research include Anti-lock Braking Systems, Traction Control, Smart Stop Technology, Blind Spot Monitors, as well as Lane-Keep and Pre-Collision systems.
 
As a result of this ongoing research in autonomous driving technology, earlier this year Toyota launched an advanced active safety research vehicle. The research vehicle builds on the company’s long history of innovation and will allow for continued research into technologies that enhance the skills of the driver and respond to a vehicle’s surroundings.
 
Additionally, Toyota has committed to new research towards developing an Intelligent Transportation System, which will help connect people, vehicles, traffic environments and infrastructure in order to move toward safer and more efficient traffic environments. A part of this includes research at Toyota’s Higashi-Fuji Technical Center in Susono City, Japan, which is modeled after urban roads and simulates real-life traffic situations. This testing ground will provide the opportunity to conduct research that can be difficult to perform on public roads, providing insight for future advancements in autonomous driving technology.
 
About Toyota Canada Inc.
 
Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI) is the exclusive Canadian distributor of Toyota, Lexus and Scion cars, SUVs and trucks. Toyota offers the most fuel efficient passenger car fleet in Canada, led by the industry’s largest selection of advanced technology vehicles such as the Toyota Prius. With a rich history of respect for the environment, Toyota Canada Inc. and its Dealerships align with like-minded organizations including Evergreen and through the Toyota Canada Foundation, Earth Day Canada, Scientists in School and the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF), to make things better where we live, work and play. TCI’s head office is in Toronto, with regional offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Halifax and parts distribution centres in Toronto and Vancouver.
 
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