Toyota Motor Corp. said Monday it has developed an experimental automobile equipped with nine new safety technology features, including a system to detect obstacles in front of the vehicle and automatically brake if the driver fails to do so.
The car, called Advanced Safety Vehicle 2, or ASV-2 for short, is the automaker's second accident-preventing vehicle developed as part of the Transport Ministry's ASV research and development project.
The ASV-2 contains a system aimed at preventing collisions with obstacles such as other vehicles and pedestrians, by using CCD (charge-coupled device) cameras and radar that can estimate an obstacle's distance and speed, Toyota said.
When the system determines that a collision will result if the driver continues forward, it warns the driver to brake. If the driver acts too late or fails to brake hard enough, the car automatically reduces its speed.
If the driver fails to brake even after being warned and the system determines that a collision is unavoidable, an automatic braking system will self-activate, according to the company.
Other safety features include a system to indicate visually and by sound whether there is an oncoming vehicle when the driver is making a right turn.
Toyota's first ASV, completed in 1995, contains a device aimed at preventing accidents caused by the driver becoming drowsy or falling asleep at the wheel. Sensors monitor steering operation and the driver's pulse to detect falling alertness.
The company said it plans to exhibit the ASV-2 at a public demonstration in November.