Look, ma, no hands! Toyota shows off cars with autopilot system
Toyota Motor unveiled on Friday the next generation of cars featuring an autopilot system that will swerve to avoid collisions and also keep to the middle of the road, all without drivers touching the wheel.
The Japanese carmaker’s vehicles using the self-driving technology could be available on the market in just a few years’ time.
“These advanced driving support technologies prevent human errors, reduce driving stress and help drivers avert accidents, which has a big potential to reduce the number of traffic deaths,” Toyota managing director Moritaka Yoshida said at a presentation in Tokyo.
Leading carmakers and technology firms, including Toyota, rival Nissan and Internet giant Google, have been working on self-driving and assisted-driving technology for years.
These advanced driving support technologies prevent human errors, reduce driving stress and help drivers avert accidents
Toyota, the world’s biggest carmaker, said that while drivers would still need to be alert and take part in the driving process, it essentially lets them put the vehicle on autopilot, leaving most of the work to the computer system.
The Automated Highway Driving Assist (AHDA) system lets vehicles communicate wirelessly to avoid running into each other while keeping the car in the middle of the road lane – no matter how many twists and turns lie ahead.