Toyota Motor Corp and Audi AG are throwing their hats into the ring of potential suppliers of self-driving vehicles.
Both auto makers confirmed on Thursday that they will be demonstrating autonomous-driving features at the Consumer Electronics Show in the coming week, signaling a new effort to raise the technology’s profile among consumers.
In a preview video posted to its website on Thursday, Toyota showed a five-second clip of one of its Lexus brand cars outfitted with various sensors and the caption, “Lexus advanced active safety research vehicle is leading the industry into a new automated era.”
An Audi official also said the luxury-car company will be demonstrating autonomous vehicle capabilities at the Las Vegas show, including a feature that allows a car to find a parking space and park itself without a driver behind the wheel.
Toyota’s prototype vehicle is a Lexus LS 600h fitted with radar and camera equipment that can detect other vehicles, road lane lines and traffic signals, giving the vehicle the ability to navigate streets without a driver. It also includes what appears to be the same roof-mounted laser that Google Inc. has been using on its autonomous research cars. Google began testing self-driving cars in 2009.
While Google uses many Toyota vehicles in its autonomous fleet, the two companies confirmed that Toyota’s technology wasn’t the result of a partnership, and that each firm is developing driving systems independently.
The Japanese auto maker plans to discuss its autonomous car in more detail next week, according to a Toyota official.
Dave Sullivan, an analyst with research firm AutoPacific Inc., said Toyota’s decision in particular to throw its name behind autonomous driving technology will likely spur adoption.
“To have somebody with the weight of Toyota throwing their weight behind this is impressive,” Mr. Sullivan said. He added that Toyota has already been spotted testing an autonomous vehicle near its Ann Arbor, Mich., engineering campus.
Building-block technologies at the heart of self-driving vehicles already exist widely, but auto makers have been cautious in adding tools that could take the responsibility out of the hands of drivers. For instance, adaptive cruise control, available in dozens of vehicles on the market, can allow people to steer their vehicle and avoid touching the brake or accelerator on long trips. Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz is working on technology for its S-class sedan that will handle braking and accelerating in stop-and-go traffic.
There are safety technologies that will gently pull a car back into its lane if the car detects the driver is veering too much.
Meanwhile, auto makers also have developed safety technology designed to protect pedestrians. Toyota’s top Lexus LS, for example, has a radar that can detect people walking in front of a vehicle. If it sees a pedestrian, the safety system will stop the car, even if the driver continues stepping on the accelerator pedal. Other car makers also offer a similar technology.
Besides Audi and Mercedes-Benz, other car makers are developing autonomous driving technology as well.
Ford Motor Co. Chairman Bill Ford Jr. has said that autonomous vehicles are coming and likely are a good solution to congestion problems because they could be coordinated with traffic information and reroute drivers past traffic jams.
Google has been the most visible proponent of autonomous cars so far. It has released numerous videos of its self-driving cars in action, including putting a blind man in the driver’s seat. It has also lobbied to legalize computer-controlled cars, recently scoring legislative wins in Nevada, Florida and California.
Toyota has taken a more aggressive approach to new technologies and design under the leadership of Akio Toyoda, the company’s chief executive officer and grandson of the company’s founder. Aside from its popular Prius gasoline-electric hybrid cars, Toyota has struck a deal to partner with Silicon Valley startup Tesla Motors Co. to make plug-in electric cars, among other things. (WSJ.com)
