2013 lexus LS advanced active safety features

   2013 Lexus LS Advanced Active Safety Features 2013 Consumer Electronics Show Background: Safety is of fundamental importance to Toyota, as exemplified by numerous revolutionary and evolutionary features designed to help avoid or mitigate accidents through intelligent anticipation In 2003, Lexus introduced its ground-breaking, millimeter wave radar-based Pre-Collision System (PCS) Since then, the sophistication and operating parameters of the system have been continually enhanced with each new LS generation The 2013 LS enhances pedestrian safety with an upgraded Advanced Pre-Collision System (A-PCS) with collision avoidance assist, which has the ability to help the driver detect moving pedestrians under a wide range of city and highway speeds, day or night Key Points:  The Lexus Advanced Pre-Collision System (A-PCS) with collision avoidance assist, helps the driver avoid or mitigate collisions with vehicles or pedestrians under a wide range of city or highway speeds, by day or night  Upgraded Lane-Keeping Assist system (LKA) assists with external disturbances such as road crown (camber) and/or crosswinds  Enhanced Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) helps to identify vehicles in the driver’s blind spot at lower speeds  Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) utilizes the same sensors as BSM to detect rear cross traffic when backing up  Adaptive Cruise Control that is capable of operating at speeds between and approximately 125 MPH    Advanced Pre-Crash Safety (A-PCS) System The Advanced Pre-Crash Safety (A-PCS) System with collision avoidance assist is the most advanced automotive active safety system in the industry It is designed to assist the driver avoid or mitigate collisions with vehicles and pedestrians under a wide range of city and highway speeds, by day or night The advanced obstacle detection system combines information identified by millimeter wave radar, near infrared projectors and a stereo camera to help detect a wide range of obstacles with precision by day or night Because many pedestrian collisions occur after dark, the APCS night detection capabilities via the near infrared projectors are key enhancements to the effectiveness of this system The advanced obstacle detection system also provides upgraded recognition controls to analyze images from the stereo cameras, which allows the enhanced A-PCS system to function at a wide range of vehicle speeds (down to just MPH) and, for the first time, to help detect moving and stationary pedestrians Having identified an obstacle in front of the vehicle, A-PCS is designed to assess the likelihood of a collision based on the position, speed and trajectory of the object If the system anticipates a high probability of collision, it activates a warning buzzer and a ‘BRAKE’ alert is illuminated on the multi-function display Simultaneously, A-PCS will automatically activate several integrated safety systems: Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS) Emergency Steering Assist, to help improve the vehicle’s response to the driver’s steering input; Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), to stiffen the shocks, both to assist in controlling front end “nose dive” when pre-crash braking is engaged and to help increase steering responsiveness; Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system, to increase vehicle stability during an evasive manoeuvre, and; Brake Assist (BA), to increase emergency braking force when the driver presses the brake pedal If the system subsequently determines that a collision is unavoidable, A-PCS then activates the automatic seat belt pre-tensioners through the motorized reeling-in loose seat belt webbing to improve the initial restraint performance If the relative speed between the driver’s vehicle and the obstacle ahead exceeds 25 MPH, the system automatically applies the brakes and brake assist to slow the vehicle, helping reduce the severity of a collision In the event that the relative speed between the driver’s vehicle and the obstacle detected ahead does not exceed 25 MPH, if the driver does not take corrective action after receiving the alert, the system automatically brakes to help avoid a collision Because A-PCS has increased the maximum braking power of the existing system (to approximately G) and reduced the time to achieve maximum deceleration to within a second, it significantly improves the chances of a driver avoiding a collision    PCS Driver Monitoring System The PCS driver monitoring system constantly monitors the movement of the driver’s head when looking from side to side If the driver turns its head away from the road ahead for a few seconds while the vehicle is in motion and the system detects that a collision is probable, the system will automatically sound the pre-crash warning alarm If the situation persists, it will briefly apply the brakes If the driver does not then respond immediately, all PCS functions will engage Upgraded Lane-Keeping Assist (LKA) An upgraded Lane-Keeping Assist system (LKA) offers enhanced lane-keeping assistance in response to external disturbances such as road crown (camber) and crosswinds Subject to weather conditions, the LKA system monitors white line road markings via the advanced obstacle detection system stereo imaging camera to determine whether the vehicle is drifting out of a given lane or off the road surface, and can provide an audible alert and steering power support to help the driver regain correct lane position The LKA system further incorporates a new yaw rate feedback control Differences between ideal and actual vehicle posture caused by uneven road crown (camber) or crosswinds are quickly detected, and steering torque is automatically adjusted considering vehicle speed, enhancing the driver’s ability to stay in a chosen lane LKA offers a choice of two functions, dependent on whether or not the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is simultaneously in operation If ACC is inactive, the system offers a Lane Departure Warning (LDW) function only Operational from 30 MPH, should the system detect the possibility of a lane departure, LDW encourages the driver to steer back into the lane using an audio-visual alert and provide brief corrective steering If LKA is activated while ACC is in operation, LKA further offers a Lane Keep (LK) function, operational at speeds of 45 to 110 MPH When the lane keeping assist function is active, a slight steering torque will be applied, to help the driver maintain the vehicle inside the lane Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) w/Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) The Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) plays a significant role in safe lane changing BSM uses the PCS rear millimeter-wave radar to help monitor the vehicle rear side blind spots The precision of the radar enables it to distinguish walls and other stationary objects from approaching vehicles This has made it possible to significantly lower the vehicle speed at which the system begins operating to just 10 MPH and making the system usable at low speeds RCTA uses the same technologies as BSM and is able to detect rear cross traffic when backing out of a parking stall Automatic High Beam Vehicles not equipped with AHS feature an automatic high beam system A camera located in the inner mirror detects light sources in front of the vehicle, including the headlamps of    oncoming vehicles, the tail lamps of a vehicle ahead and street lighting, and the system will automatically switch the high beams on and off accordingly, reducing the need for manual operation of the dimmer switch Adaptive Cruise Control Complementary to the PCS system, the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system offers two modes: (a) constant speed control and (b) vehicle-to-vehicle distance control, and is capable of operating at any vehicle speed between and 125 MPH Thanks to the millimeter-wave radar’s low speed, close proximity distance measuring ability, ACC is enabled to operate in slow or congested traffic, and can bring the vehicle to a complete standstill, and resume speed once the road ahead is clear The constant speed control functions in the manner of a conventional cruise control system Capable of differentiating between vehicles directly ahead, the vehicle-to-vehicle distance control system will automatically slow the vehicle, match the speed of the vehicle in front and, once the road is clear ahead, accelerate to the cruising speed previously selected by the driver The advanced cruise control system is able to bring the vehicle to a complete stop and with an accelerator input or a tap of the resume switch the vehicle will resume to the set speed Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) Toyota’s state-of-the-art Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system enhances performance, traction control, and vehicle stability With comprehensive status data provided by sensors throughout the vehicle, VDIM integrates braking and active safety systems, such as: Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), Electronic Power Steering (EPS), and Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS) systems By the application of simultaneous, integrated control of all the elements related to vehicle movement, including the drive train, brakes and steering, VDIM not only improves braking activation, stability and traction control systems, it is also able to further improve the overall kinetic performance of the vehicle Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS) and VDIM Co-operation VGRS cooperates fully with the VDIM system in order to help ensure a rapid and appropriate steering response under a variety of vehicle stability threshold conditions For example, on a road surface with differing degrees of grip on either side of the vehicle, sudden braking will cause the vehicle to pull towards the side with the higher friction coefficient As well as improving the efficiency of the Electronically Controlled Brake (ECB) systems, VDIM simultaneously activates the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) and VGRS systems to automatically regulate the steering angle and counteract the disparate, left and right-side braking forces, minimizing the driver steering input necessary to maintain straight line braking    Similarly, when differing degrees of road surface grip cause the vehicle to pull towards the side of the lower friction coefficient under acceleration, VDIM automatically regulates the steering angle to help maintain vehicle stability with minimum driver input In the case of oversteer, the VDIM system automatically activates a counter-steer function within the EPS and VGRS systems which, operating in tandem with throttle and ECB system control, helps the driver to control a skid Under such conditions, the combined use of brake and steering control reduces the deceleration inherent in traditional braking systems In moderate under-steer conditions, VDIM combines engine output and braking control to automatically help stabilize the vehicle In the case of excessive under-steer, an increase in the steering gear ratio by the VGRS combined with the steering torque assistance of the EPS, automatically helps limit excessive turning of the front wheels and, in conjunction with the VDIM system’s engine output and brake controls, in order to increase vehicle stability In all the above cases, VDIM activated VGRS can provide up to degrees of additional steering input, effectively coaching the driver in the application of steering wheel input appropriate to the situation and, thereby helping maintain vehicle stability Moreover, simultaneous VDIM control of the Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) system automatically regulates the suspension’s shock absorber rates to both increase body control under extreme conditions and reduce vehicle nose diving under emergency braking conditions Evolutionary Advanced Safety Features: Rear Pre-Crash Safety System The Rear Pre-Crash Safety system operates whether the vehicle is stationary or in motion, and employs millimeter-wave radar installed within the rear bumper to continually scan the area around the back of the vehicle If the system determines a high probability of collision, it activates the rear hazard warning lights to alert the driver of the vehicle behind If a collision is deemed unavoidable, the system automatically activates the Pre-Crash Safety Whiplash Injury Lessening (PCS-WIL) front headrests, which move forward and upward to reduce the risk of whiplash injury (Not available in U.S markets due to regulatory considerations) Adaptive High-beam System (AHS) During night driving, AHS automatically switches between low, high and shielded beam modes Using a windshield mounted camera to detect vehicles ahead, the system activates shutters within the headlamp to partially shield illumination in the area occupied by the vehicle When the shielded beam is activated, the lamp automatically swivels to adapt the range of the shielded illumination for both single and multiple lane traffic as well as through corners By shielding, rather than switching off the high beam, AHS can increase the average time spent driving under high beam illumination, thus improving road visibility (Not available in U.S markets due to regulatory considerations) Night View System The Night View system combines a windshield mounted near infra-red camera and near infra-red projectors within the headlamps with a Night View ECU to display an image of the    road ahead on center console display screen Moving the image from the driver’s instrument display to the center console offers drivers a larger display and an easier viewing angle With the camera constantly in operation and the near infra-red projectors activating at speeds over 10 MPH to enhance system efficiency, night view will display an area up to 65 feet in front of the vehicle (Not available in U.S markets due to regulatory considerations) Higher Speed A-PCS Toyota has developed its next generation A-PCS that enables deceleration of up to 37 MPH as compared to the current generation system of 25 MPH This higher speed A-PCS uses the same technologies as the current A-PCS This system that will be available in soon-tobe-released models increases the braking force up to twice that applied by average drivers (Not available in U.S markets due to regulatory considerations) Wrong-Way Driving Alert Driving in the opposite direction (wrong-way driving) is a growing concern in the U.S and other countries In 2011, Toyota introduced an additional, dealer-installed function to its navigation systems in Japan The Wrong-way Driving alert promptly warns wrong-way drivers by monitoring vehicle direction on highways and uses audio-visual alerts in the event of a vehicle preceding the wrong direction This function is the result of advances in communications-based map-updating and pinpoint position-recognition technologies that use GPS information, vehicle-speed and other sensors to determine accurate vehicle movement (Not available in U.S markets due to regulatory considerations) ...   Advanced Pre-Crash Safety (A-PCS) System The Advanced Pre-Crash Safety (A-PCS) System with collision avoidance assist is the most advanced automotive active safety system in... nose diving under emergency braking conditions Evolutionary Advanced Safety Features: Rear Pre-Crash Safety System The Rear Pre-Crash Safety system operates whether the vehicle is stationary or... key enhancements to the effectiveness of this system The advanced obstacle detection system also provides upgraded recognition controls to analyze images from the stereo cameras, which allows