Next-Generation Lexus Autonomous Driving Vehicle to Debut at CES

Posted by Kevin on January 4th, 2018

The next-generation of Toyota automated driving research vehicles will debut at CES next week in Las Vegas. The new Platform 3.0 is built using a Lexus LS 600hL, and combines upgraded sensors with a sleek new look from CALTY Design Research:

Production of Platform 3.0 vehicles will begin this spring:

A share of the new test vehicles will be assembled with the dual cockpit control layout that TRI debuted last summer. This arrangement is for testing TRI’s Guardian approach to automated driving, experimenting with effective methods to transfer vehicle control between the human test driver and the automated system while maintaining a safety driver as a backup.

Single cockpit vehicles, like the one on display at CES, are used to test Chauffeur, which is TRI’s approach to full vehicle automation.

(This is a major step for autonomous vehicles for both Lexus and Toyota — the full press release includes plenty of technical detail for those interested.)

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Comments
Ian Schmidt
That's a huge improvement in the looks of the autonomy hardware, and I imagine more will be possible in that department when the car is actually designed around that equipment instead of having it added on later.
L
Makes it hard to believe that Tesla or other Germans can be autonomous without all this hardware. Google cars also have this much hardware.
mikeavelli
The last generation LS has aged so gracefully I think its timeless at this point..
Ian Schmidt
Levi
Makes it hard to believe that Tesla or other Germans can be autonomous without all this hardware. Google cars also have this much hardware.
Tesla's current hardware is much less than anyone (including Nvidia who supply the hardware) thinks you need for full autonomy, but the Musk Distortion Field is in full effect :) In particular, they aren't including any LIDAR, which is the centerpiece of every other manufacturer's system (including Toyota/Lexus). There are rumors that Tesla is switching to a new system internally with a lot more hardware now and owners will have to fork out several thousand to upgrade again, but I doubt it'll faze most of their fans.
L
Ian Schmidt
Tesla's current hardware is much less than anyone (including Nvidia who supply the hardware) thinks you need for full autonomy, but the Musk Distortion Field is in full effect :) In particular, they aren't including any LIDAR, which is the centerpiece of every other manufacturer's system (including Toyota/Lexus). There are rumors that Tesla is switching to a new system internally with a lot more hardware now and owners will have to fork out several thousand to upgrade again, but I doubt it'll faze most of their fans.
I am an electric car fan, not an autonomous car fan, so thus still a Tesla liker.
S
Levi
Makes it hard to believe that Tesla or other Germans can be autonomous without all this hardware. Google cars also have this much hardware.
The sleek looking Teslas and Audis are level 3 autonomy only. This testbed here is for level 4 and beyond. It's a quantum leap that requires a lot of breakthrough in sensor miniaturization.
Ian Schmidt
mikeavelli
The last generation LS has aged so gracefully I think its timeless at this point..
No kidding. I saw a mint-condition 2LS on the road yesterday and it struck me how dated it looks now (those things were seriously boxy, the 3LS was a big improvement). And how not-dated my LS looks even though the basic design goes back more than halfway to when the 2LS was still being sold.
S
ssun30
The sleek looking Teslas and Audis are level 3 autonomy only. This testbed here is for level 4 and beyond. It's a quantum leap that requires a lot of breakthrough in sensor miniaturization.
Tesla is level 2 only... and even thats not fully working yet... did they enable auto wipers yet? I dont think so. It all went downhill once they ditched mobileye, I dont think their current system is as good as old mobileye yet... and they already change computers in newer vehicles, and there are rumors that they will do it again... for people who bought their after-Sept 2016 vehicles they claim they wont need new computers :).

Upcoming A8 will be Level 3 later this year (date not known yet, but not at the same time as start of sales), but only for highway jams under 37mph... no curves, no city, no over 37mph... so basically they are gaming the SAE system.

p.s. Do Toyota's in China have autobrake optional/standard?

S