Toyota has showcased its Guardian assistance system for the first time at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
It has been designed to help drivers avoid potential collisions, however Toyota has highlighted that the system has been ‘developed to amplify the human control of the vehicle, not replace it’.
It was presented in the form of a research mule called TRI-P4, which is based on a Lexus LS 500h.
Guardian incorporates something Toyota is calling ‘blended envelope control’, which combines both the human and the machine’s driving skills.
It means that, rather than the car being controlled by either driver or system singularly, the pair work in collaboration, with the Guardian technology assisting whoever is behind the wheel.
The technology can anticipate a potential incident, and provide corrective responses in partnership with the driver.
The system has been developed by the Toyota Research Institute (TRI), and was showcased in a re-enactment of a three-car crash on a Californian interstate.
Dr. Gill Pratt, TRI CEO, said: “We think the most important benefit of automated driving, is not about the autonomy of cars – but about the safety and autonomy of people.”
The company is also reported to be creating a fully-autonomous system called Toyota Chauffeur, forming another option to the Guardian technology.
Enjoy the convenience of having The Sunday Post delivered as a digital ePaper straight to your smartphone, tablet or computer.
Subscribe for only £5.49 a month and enjoy all the benefits of the printed paper as a digital replica.
Subscribe