Toyota Reveals Future Technologies For Safer Driving

Cool.

Worse case scenario: You get a heart attack activating the Emergency Response Technology and the PCS with Collision-Avoidance Assist steers the car out of the way only to deploy the Pop-up Bonnet when it hits a pedestrian head on, after he's taken by surprise by not detecting your light thanks to Adaptive Driving Beam.

 

lmao!!!!

 

And because the pedestrian bonnet is aerodynamic/pedestrian-dynamic, this occurs all while still maintaining the Prius's class-leading mpg!

*patented pedestrian deflection technology

.

 

"Zeronize" traffic injuries. They made up a word!

 

What ever happened to Night View?

Many of the new technologies showing up in the `12 cars—PCS is a case in point—have the unfortunate prospect of reducing the felt urgency of alert driving. Just as improved handling and braking have aggravated aggressive driving, so will technologies that merely compensate for inattentive or impaired driving foster more of those—with no net safety benefit or perhaps even reduced safety. It will encourage a teenager-like illusion of invulnerability. It will provide a rationalization for getting behind the wheel while unfit to drive. Like a little knowledge, a half-self-driving car is a dangerous thing.

It is a great thing when technology enhances the driver's command of the vehicle, as antilock brakes, traction control—and adaptive driving beam for that matter—do. However, it seems that the manufacturers have given up on night vision systems—an innovation that really could make a huge contribution to safety—after making good progress with those a few years ago. (See: [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_night_vision"]Automotive night vision - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame] )

Ours has become a driving environment where disadvantaged young people think it admirable to run in front of traffic. I have been on the scene when a thirteen-year-old was struck and killed shortly after encounters with police trying to get him to stop running onto the busy highway. I would pay a lot for a device enabling me to detect the likes of him in time!

 

ound: That did it for me.

 

A heads up display, like GM used, is better yet.

 

I'm aware of the FLIR PathfindIR. The kit before installation is about $2,500.00. I might go for it, when I get my next car in a year or two.
FLIR Systems Thermal Imaging FLIR PathFindIR Le 30-Hertz NTSC Camera

 

Here's a bit of advanced materials technology I wish they would work on:

Finding ways to make the pillars curving up from the back and front thinner, without making them weaker, so as to reduce the blind spots in the Prius. I've been worried about rear vision (on both sides) and there's been another thread recently about the front A-beam (I think that's what it is called) creating a blind spot for some folks.

 

Yep I meant pillars. Or whatever you call them.

 

Notably absent: self driving cars.