Toyota Motor North America said its second generation Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) package of active safety features will begin to be fitted standard equipment on some models from mid-2018.
The automaker said it had been trying to reduce the cost of advanced safety technologies and widen availability, especially on cheaper variants.
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The initial version of TSS, along with the Lexus equivalent (LSS+), added Pre-Collision System (PCS) with Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) and Lane Departure Alert (LDA) to about 5m vehicles sold in North America, Japan, and Europe and, by the end of 2017, will be standard on almost every model.
The second generation TSS has been expanded to help improve driver situational awareness while providing additional protections for a pedestrian or cyclist in front of the vehicle. New or updated technologies will include:
- Pre-Collision System (updated) with enhanced deceleration capabilities and the ability to help detect a collision with a pedestrian in front of the vehicle during the day and at night, and cyclist in front of the vehicle during the day
- Lane Departure Alert (updated) enhanced with road edge detection to increase the vehicle's ability to help drivers stay in their lane
- Road Sign Assist (new), which is designed to display road sign information in an easy to understand format on the dashboard meter display and Head-Up Display if fitted. The vehicle's onboard camera can detect and recognise certain common road signs in the US, Japan and Europe (road sign type varies by market)
- Lane Tracing Assist (new), which provides steering support to help the driver keep the vehicle centred in its lane when Dynamic Radar Cruise Control is in operation
- Full Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (updated, not manual transmission) with enhanced forward recognition and acceleration/deceleration performance across a wide range of speeds
"We are committed to making high-level driver assistance systems more widely available and even more affordable across a broader range of our vehicles," said Chris Nielsen, head of product support and chief quality officer of Toyota Motor North America. "The second generation takes our industry-leading suite of safety technologies to the next level, delivering new advanced and intuitive protections that are another step toward a future without traffic injuries or fatalities."
There are three grades of TSS which vary according to vehicle price.
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By GlobalData
