The first iteration of Safety Sense includes pre-collision avoidance with automatic emergency braking and lane departure alert, and will come standard on nearly every Toyota and Lexus model by the end of 2017, the automaker said.
While brands such as Cadillac and Audi have introduced systems allowing drivers to take their hands off the wheel, Toyota has taken a more cautious approach to rolling out autonomous technology, marketing future platforms as “teammates” or co-drivers, rather than taking complete control of the vehicle. Its Highway Teammate system, which will operate between highway entrances and exits, performing merges and lane changes, won’t be available until 2020, and Urban Teammate, which can operate in city and low-speed environments, won’t come until early next decade.
