Japanese auto brand Toyota is concerned about its drivers, and it's creating new technologies to ensure that future Toyota models will not face the issue of unintended acceleration. The new Intelligent Clearance Sonar and Drive-Start Control will help to eliminate accidents caused by improper gear selection or by pedal confusion.
So, how does the new technology work? Well, Intelligent Clearance Sonar detects objects that may not be viewable by the driver and automatically brakes the vehicle to avoid a potential crash. First, an alarm goes off, then the engine powers off and the brakes are applied, all the way to a complete stop if necessary.
Drive-Start Control prevents incorrect gear selection when the vehicle is in full-throttle condition. Toyota gives an example where a driver backs into an object, accidentally applies full throttle instead of full brake, and then selects "drive." If this happened, the new system would flash a warning at the driver, then limit acceleration by cutting engine output. We assume that the Intelligent Clearance Sonar autonomous braking feature would then kick in.
Toyota is working on several other similar technologies, as safety issues are of the utmost importance to the company and its drivers.
For additional Toyota updates, stay tuned here with R & H Toyota Scion, conveniently located at 9801 Reistertown Road Owings Mills, MD 21117 and serving the greater Baltimore, MD area. And, don't forget to check out the current impressive Toyota Prius models!
