Toyota Motor has developed a latest driving support system that uses two automated driving technologies to enable safe highway driving.
The new system, Automated Highway Driving Assist (AHDA), combines two technologies - Cooperative-adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Trace Control.
Cooperative-adaptive Cruise Control remotely communicates with preceding vehicles, allowing the following vehicles to adjust their speeds accodording to maintain inter-vehicle distance.
Lane Trace Control, with the help of high-performance cameras, millimeter-wave radar and control software, adjusts the vehicle's steering angle to keep optimal driving line within the lane.
The new system is set for trials on the Shuto Expressway near the Tokyo metropolitan area beginning 15 October, and will also be exhibited AHDA at the 20th Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress Tokyo 2013 which will be held from 14-18 October.
The Japanese automaker aims to market the new AHDA system in the mid-2010s, with plans to launch other driving support systems as soon as possible, to deliver safe and secure means of transportation.
Toyota said it will make use of the component technologies and information gathered through automated driving research carried out with the advanced active safety research vehicle in January this year, for prompt market introduction of new driving support systems.
Image: Toyota's new Automated Highway Driving Assist system helps maintain inter-vehicle distance. Photo: courtesy of Toyota Motor Corporation.
