Toyota to make automatic emergency braking standard by 2017

(March 22, 2016) LOS ANGELES — Toyota plans to make automatic emergency braking a standard feature on many Toyota and Lexus vehicles by the end of 2017, the automaker said today. The move would give it a four-year head start on a recent pact between nearly all major automakers to do the same by 2022.

“We are proud to help lead this industry in standardizing these systems and bring automated braking to our customers sooner rather than later,” Jim Lentz, CEO of Toyota North America, said in a statement.

“At Toyota, we are committed to creating better ways to move for everyone. High-level driver assist technologies can do more than help protect people in the event of a crash; they can help prevent some crashes from ever happening in the first place."

Making Lexus Safety System+ and Toyota Safety Sense standard equipment on almost every model by the end of 2017 will make AEB technology widely available four years ahead of the 2022 industry target announced last week by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
 
Already available as a low-cost option on a broad range of Lexus and Toyota vehicles, Lexus Safety System+ and Toyota Safety Sense are designed to help address three key areas of driver assistance: preventing or mitigating frontal collisions — including pedestrians; helping keep drivers within their lane; and enhancing road safety during nighttime driving. Technologies include Toyota’s Pre-Collision System, Lane Departure Alert, and Automatic High Beams.
 
Twenty-five out of 30 Lexus and Toyota models will include Lexus Safety System+ or Toyota Safety Sense as standard equipment.  Model-specific target dates for offering these advanced, active safety packages as standard equipment will be announced at a later date. Models that will not offer the systems standard by the end of 2017 include Lexus GX, Toyota Mirai, 4Runner, and 86 (jointly developed with Subaru), and Scion iA (developed by Mazda). 

Mirai and Scion iA currently provide pre-collision including AEB as standard equipment.