New Lexus LS Automated Driving Prototype to Debut at CES

Posted by Kevin on January 4th, 2019

The Lexus LS flagship sedan is once again the platform for the latest automated driving test vehicle from the Toyota Research Institute (TRI):

The TRI-P4 test vehicle will debut at CES next week with the latest in TRI’s automated driving system: Guardian and Chauffeur:

“Our Chauffeur development is focused on full autonomy, where the human is essentially removed from the driving equation, either completely in all environments, or within a restricted driving domain,” said Ryan Eustice, senior vice president of automated driving at TRI.

“Guardian, on the other hand, is being designed to amplify human performance behind the wheel, not replace it. The introduction of the new P4 platform will help us accelerate the development of both tracks when it joins our fleet this spring.”

P4 will make its public debut during Toyota’s CES press conference at 1:00 p.m. PT on Jan. 7. As part of the event, TRI CEO Dr. Gill Pratt will present recent technological advances in its Guardian automated driving. TMNA R&D’s Prototype Development Center in Michigan will begin fabricating P4 vehicles from stock models this spring.

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Comments
S
video is very nice and a good view... basically expect worldwide auto-driving to some level by 2021.
Tragic Bronson
maiaramdan
So which vehicle will have this system
krew
krew

New Lexus LS Automated Driving Prototype to Debut at CES
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The latest from the Toyota Research Institute.
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S
I have always failed to understand why they would use their most expensive car as the platform. They could save so much money by buying back used Prii. In the end all they need is a sensor carrier with enough power generation. Even if they need the largest vehicle to represent a worst case scenario they could just modify used RX hybrids.
In fact, it bugs me why the autonomous vehicle industry as a whole use expensive platforms while there are plenty of used Toyota hybrids lying around. They need very large fleets (thousands or even tens of thousands) to gather the data to train the AI, and $100k cars aren't the most economical.
Joaquin Ruhi
ssun30
I have always failed to understand why they would use their most expensive car as the platform. They could save so much money by buying back used Prii. In the end all they need is a sensor carrier with enough power generation. Even if they need the largest vehicle to represent a worst case scenario they could just modify used RX hybrids.
In fact, it bugs me why the autonomous vehicle industry as a whole use expensive platforms while there are plenty of used Toyota hybrids lying around. They need very large fleets (thousands or even tens of thousands) to gather the data to train the AI, and $100k cars aren't the most economical.
I totally agree with your comments, but would point out (as you noted) that "the autonomous vehicle industry as a whole use expensive platforms". The carmakers currently selling semi-autonomous vehicles (GM and VAG) are offering the option on their most expensive models (Cadillac CT6 and Audi A8), so it may be a simple matter of Toyota expecting to launch consumer versions of their Guardian and Chauffeur suite of semi-autonomous features on the Lexus LS. Also, the Toyota Global Newsroom release announcing the TRI-P4 automated driving test vehicle doesn't say how many copies will be made for testing.

Perhaps Ford is being smarter on this, since I often see their semi-automated Ford Fusions (as opposed to Lincoln Continentals) driving around my Miami hometown.
Will1991
There's something that always bugged me on autonomous vehicles.... Wille Tesla believes it can do the job without expensive sensors, all the rest of the industry is using some lidar sensors and a lot more cameras... Toyota is even using thermal image cameras...
S
Will1991
There's something that always bugged me on autonomous vehicles.... Wille Tesla believes it can do the job without expensive sensors, all the rest of the industry is using some lidar sensors and a lot more cameras... Toyota is even using thermal image cameras...
Tesla is wasting their data-gathering advantage by not integrating LIDAR and Musk WILL pay for his stubbornness or eat his own words. Data gathering is one thing, but it is really how effectively you use these data to train the AI that matters.

I really like how TRI is incorporating more sensors to the package to further boost information variety. Sensor fusion is a powerful performance multiplier and the more variety you gather the better the quality of the data.
flexus
I visited 25.12 Namie, Fukushima and I saw Toyota testing automated driving on public roads. I think vehicle was Alphard or Vellfire.

F