Toyota Showcases Driving Safety Systems

Toyota Motor Corporation is continuing its driving safety systems display started in late 2008 in the Aichi Prefecture with another demonstration to be held in between April 21st and 23rd. The systems to be showcased are meant to help drivers notice red lights, timely start from stops, notice stop signs, avoid rear-ending other vehicles and notice pedestrians crossing the street.

The systems are designed to help reduce the possibility of accidents by using infrastructure-vehicle communications to reach beyond the limits of a vehicle's autonomous safety systems such as onboard radar devices and cameras and also to contribute to the traffic flow improvement.

The system works by sending traffic-light status to the vehicle from an optical beacon installed on the roadside. The driver is alerted when the light is red, or if the possibility that the driver may run the red light exists, the system issues further alerts.

When a vehicle is stopped at a red light, the system displays the approximate remaining time before the red light turns green. The system also changes its display at a predetermined time before the light turns green to prompt the driver to prepare to accelerate.

Additionally, stop-sign information is sent to the vehicle from an optical beacon installed on the roadside, alerting drivers to the presence of an intersection requiring them to come to a complete stop before proceeding. When it detects a vehicle ahead that has stopped or is traveling slow the system alerts the driver to the presence of the slow traveling or stopped vehicle ahead.

Information about pedestrian crossings, pedestrians and or bicycles is sent to the vehicle by an optical beacon installed on the roadside. When the driver makes a turn, the system alerts the driver to the presence of pedestrians or bicycles.