Future Toyota Integrated Safety Systems (2015 Edition)

Link to 2018 Edition

I found these tidbits in the Toyota Global Newsroom. Some are for launch in Japan-only, while others aren't specified (I wonder how many of these might make it into the new Prius and how many will stay with Lexus for the first few years).

I'll list the links to the 4 press releases immediately below. I'll go into detail further down the page so you don't have to scroll to find all the links.

1. Toyota to Roll Out Brand New Active Safety Packages from 2015
2. Toyota to Launch Enhanced Parking Support Systems
3. Toyota Vehicles to Feature Next-Generation LED Array Lighting from 2015
4. Toyota to Bring Vehicle-Infrastructure Cooperative Systems to New Models in 2015

1. Toyota to Roll Out Brand New Active Safety Packages from 2015

• Two types of safety packages - Toyota Safety Sense - C and Toyota Safety Sense - P
• "C" uses camera and laser radar (lidar?) for PCS (30km/h speed reduction), LDA and AHB
• "P" uses camera and millimeter-wave radar and offers PCS w/ Pedestrian Detection (40km/h reduction for potential vehicle collision and PCS works up to the vehicle's top speed, 30km/h speed reduction for potential collisions with pedestrian), LDA w SA, AHB and DRCC

2. Toyota to Launch Enhanced Parking Support Systems

• Systems include Intelligent Park Assist 2, Intelligent Clearance Sonar (ICS) and Panoramic View Monitor
• IPA2 improvements include actually positioning the car for reverse stall parking (currently on the Prius/Prius v, if we use the Pre-Support Function, there are on-screen instructions on how to position the car. See video starting at 1:00min mark). IPA2 will also pull out of a parallel parking stall if the space is tight.
• ICS looks similar to Volvo's CitySafety but works for both forward and rearward travel. It'll stop the car if it thinks you're going to hit an object (like a wall or another car)
• PVM is similar to Nissan's "AroundView" Monitor but has two cool tricks. In addition to the "basic" function of viewing your car from a bird's-eye-view perspective, you can do two types of 360° views/movies of your car. One will show you the outside of your car as if you walking around. It'll spin the car on your MFD. The other mode will spin the car from the perspective of sitting inside the car as if your car is transparent. See video for clarification.

Intelligent Park Assist 2 & Intelligent Clearance Sonar

Panoramic View Monitor

3. Toyota Vehicles to Feature Next-Generation LED Array Lighting from 2015

• Similar in concept to Audi's "Matrix LED" lighting system, this will selectively shade certain angles of the headlight system to minimise glare from oncoming and preceding traffic while keeping full high beam elsewhere
• It includes adaptive lighting to see around corners
• It'll have speed-sensitive illumination. Short and wide for low-speed residential areas to illuminate the side to better see pedestrians and long and narrow on the highway to throw light down the road to minimise overdriving the headlights

4. Toyota to Bring Vehicle-Infrastructure Cooperative Systems to New Models in 2015 (Japan)

• Brings together several technologies such as "Right-Turn Collision Caution" (Left-Turn for us), "Emergency Vehicle Notification", "Signal Light Advisory" , "Red Light Caution" and "Vehicle-to-Vehicle Radar Cruise Control Communication"
• If the vehicle is equipped with V2I Cooperative Systems approaches an intersection with ITS (Intelligent Transportation System), the car will notify you that the system is active for this intersection.
• The system will warn about approaching cars if you move and the ITS senses and approaching car, it'll notify you of a red light if you don't slow down, notify you of emergency vehicles approaching from behind and let you know when the light will turn green.
• V2V communications with DRCC enables smoother acceleration and deceleration of DRCC as the vehicle ahead communicates its intentions to the vehicle behind before action is taken so that the convoy can slow down and speed up together.

Right-Turn Collision Caution

Emergency Vehicle Notification

Signal Light Advisory

Red Light Caution

Vehicle-to-Vehicle Radar Cruise

 

Based on the video, the bar becomes empty a few seconds before the light actually turns green so you have time to refocus. In addition, as a driver, it's your responsibility and duty to ensure the intersection is clear (to the best of your abilities. If you can't see because of a large vehicle beside you, then don't gun it out the gate) before proceeding.

 

The right-turn (left-turn) collision caution system is unnecessary if you do the "S-Manoeuvre" and the intersection allows you to perform the S-Manoeuvre. I learned this in driving school.

(For Left-Hand Drive) As you approach the intersection, position your car slightly to the right of the lane you'll be using to enter the intersection. Once you've cleared the centre divider or whatever solid piece of road material separates you from oncoming traffic, do a slow left-then-right manoeuvre (like an S-shape) so that now you're left-aligned to your lane (and closer to the oncoming lane, obviously stay within your lane and don't stick so far out that oncoming traffic doubt your intentions). Now you can see down the road on the oncoming side for traffic. This works well when both your side and the opposing side have left-turn lanes. This allows you to see "around" the cars/trucks facing you that are turning left. If you've done it right, when you look in the mirror at the car behind you, you should be offset by about half a car's width or less.

 

It depends. I assume it'll be standard on some Lexus models and maybe some Toyota models (like the Land Cruiser or Sienna Limited) but this just gives you an idea of the cost of the package (which means those packages with these options now will drop in price. Camry XLE Technology Package anyone?). The Camry's Tech Pack costs $750 right now so if it gets TSS-P, it'll be down to $500 whenever Toyota offers it.

At least it's an option (even if it's factory). You can't get PCS/DRCC in a CT here and PCS/DRCC is a new option on the IS and ES (even though it was available on the previous gen ES in the U.S.).

When I got my Prius in 2010, the next car up with PCS/DRCC was the RX350 at $60k (Ultra Premium Package)

 

Nope but like I said, the 2015 Camry currently offers it as a stand-alone package for $750 (but the way that it works in the U.S., it looks like certain states or regions like to bundle packages depending on what they think will be popular in their region). I'm not gonna go through all the zip codes but based on what I've seen so far, it's either not ordered by the dealers/regional warehouse (so you have to factory order) or it's bundled with Entune Premium JBL Audio and everything under the sun so it's a $4k+ package.

 

Corolla Axio & Corolla Fielder will have the TSS C beginning April 1.

It looks like TSS C includes Moving Vehicle Alert (what Subaru has with its EyeSight). Basically, it tells the driver that the vehicle ahead has moved forward.

トヨタ トヨタの最新技術 | Toyota Safety Sense C | トヨタ自動車WEBサイト

(In Japanese. It's near the end)