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Next-Generation Lexus Automated Driving Assist System Announced

Posted by Kevin on October 10th, 2013

The Toyota Motor Corporation has announced their next-generation advanced driving support system, Automated Highway Driving Assist (AHDA), which is made up of two new automated driving technologies:

Cooperative-adaptive Cruise Control

In contrast to standard radar cruise control (which uses millimeter-wave radar to detect other vehicles), Cooperative-adaptive Cruise Control uses 700-MHz band vehicle-to-vehicle ITS communications to transmit acceleration and deceleration data of preceding vehicles so that following vehicles can adjust their speeds accordingly to better maintain inter-vehicle distance.

By reducing unnecessary acceleration and deceleration, the system improves fuel efficiency and helps reduce traffic congestion.

Lane Trace Control

Lane Trace Control, which features completely new Toyota automated driving technologies, employs high-performance cameras, millimeter-wave radar and control software to enable an optimal and smooth driving line at all speeds.  The system adjusts the vehicle’s steering angle, driving torque and braking force when necessary to maintain the optimal line within the lane.

Unlike Google’s Self-Driving Vehicle project, Toyota stresses in their press release that the driver will ultimately be in control.

Toyota will exhibit AHDA next week at the 20th Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress Tokyo 2013, and will begin a test trial on the Shuto Expressway near Tokyo starting October 15th. Toyota expects to market the AHDA system in the next few years.

Read more about the next-generation AHDA System

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Comments
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    ydooby
  • October 11, 2013
Unless all vehicles on the road all suddenly get equipped with this Cooperative-adaptive Cruise Control, I fail to see the point of this technology. Frustration will easily grow when a driver wants to use this CACC only to find that the car in front isn't equipped with the same CACC to communicate back, which will mostly likely be the case 99.99% of the time. Instead of trying to reinvent these technologies by themselves, Toyota should instead work with Google to better integrate their proven self-driving technology into Toyota/Lexus's cars (the Prius and the RX450h prototypes have thousands of self-driving miles already) so that it can be brought to production quicker, at a lower cost, and looking less funny.
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      William A
    • October 13, 2013
    Vehicle-to-vehicle communications is already considered to be the next wave in self-driving technology. I'd personally much rather have cars communicating with one another as opposed to *just* gigantic radar and laser guns constantly scanning. To put it simply, there's no reason cars of the future can't have both of these things. Furthermore the "why bother doing X if 99% of existing Y doesn't have X" argument is really the antithesis of every technological advancement to date. There always has to be a "first."
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      ydooby
    • October 17, 2013
    Even if every car on the road gets equipped with this CACC technolgy (which is extremely unlikely), radars are still infinitely more useful than car-to-car communications. Imagine having to equip your trailers, boats, etc. with this add-on, so that the cars behind you can detect your rear. Imagine having to carry such a device with you while you WALK, so that such cars can react to your presence. Imagine having to give DEERS such devices so that your car can help react when they jump in front of your car. ALL of such nonsense will not exist if the cars simply stick to radars to begin with. Google has already proven that with radars a car can drive by itself over thousands of miles without a single incident. Try that with "car-to-car communications". Good luck.
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    BlackDynamiteOnline
  • October 11, 2013
Automated Highway Driving Assist (AHDA) You know, it 's funny. I've been around for quite awhile now, and I've NEVER sat down and thought "You know, I really need some assistance driving on the highway. I mean, why does it have to be so hard?" BD
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    Roman Pogoretskiy
  • October 11, 2013
I personally don't like the fact that manufacturers especially Lexus are focusing so much attention and time on this stuff. What's the point? How's this beneficial to a driver-oriented driving experience? I would never allow my car to drive itself or even assist me. I'm sorry, if someone can't drive or is too slow to react, they need to stop driving or go to driving school or something. Lexus, focus on performance and styling/design more, y'all need to fix those looks. Sincerely, A Lexus fan.
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      ydooby
    • October 12, 2013
    Not everyone likes to drive all the time. Even an enthusiast such as myself often wish that my car can fully take over the chore when I'm stuck in traffic. A non-enthusiast would appreciate this technology even more because he/she can simply set his/her destination and be chauffeured there, all while making better use of his/her time by browsing the web, sending texts or taking a nap. At the minimum it'll make those who can't drive well less of a road hazard.

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