Toyota Adds to Pre-crash Safety Technologies

Tokyo, Feb 26, 2009; TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announces it has added to its Pre-crash Safety technologies a radar system that can detect probable front-side collisions, and rear seats that prepare occupants for front- and rear-end collisions. These world-first(1) technologies are to debut in a Toyota vehicle scheduled for launch in Japan in the near future.

Front-side Pre-crash Safety System

One of these new technologies is the Front-side Pre-crash Safety System, which TMC developed in response to research showing that collisions caused by a vehicle moving into the projected path of another result in the highest percentage of combined serious injuries and fatalities, while head-on collisions result in the highest rate of fatalities(2).

This technology uses diagonally projected, front-side millimeter-wave radar to more broadly detect vehicles or objects moving into the vehicle's path (especially in intersections where there is a clear range of view) or a vehicle that has crossed the centerline. If a high probability of collision is detected, safety functions within the car are activated to alert the driver and mitigate collision damage and occupant injuries.

Pre-crash Seatbacks

Another of these new technologies, Pre-crash Seatbacks, automatically bring reclined rear seats to an upright position when the vehicle's sensors detect a high probability of a front- or rear-end collision. Rear occupants are therefore restrained in the most appropriate pre-crash position-where the motor-powered seatbelts and airbags can have maximum effect-thereby helping to reduce the severity of injuries. In the event of a probable rear-end collision, the Pre-crash Seatbacks work together with (previously developed) Pre-crash Intelligent Headrests, which shift into the most appropriate position to reduce the risk of whiplash.

The addition of the Front-side Pre-crash Safety System and Pre-crash Seatbacks to Toyota's Pre-crash Safety technologies is aimed at enabling vehicles to better respond to a broader range of accidents, thereby possibly reducing accident and injury severity. TMC, as a part of its efforts to realize sustainable mobility, intends to strengthen its traffic safety initiatives in the future through:
1) the development of even safer vehicles and technologies based on TMC's Integrated Safety Management Concept(3),
2) participation in the creation of a safe traffic environment, and 3) activities designed to educate people in traffic safety, thereby contributing to the complete elimination of traffic casualties, which can be viewed as the ultimate hope of a society that values obility.

(1) As of January 31, 2009, according to TMC research
(2) From report concerning the circumstances surrounding traffic accidents during 2007, issued by the Traffic Bureau of the National Police Agency in Japan
(3) TMC's safety technology and vehicle development concept, which, by combining safety technologies and systems to provide optimal driving support, aims to successfully develop vehicles that do not cause accidents.