Lexus betting big on autonomy, artificial intelligence
Come 2020, the Lexus LS will gain a handful of autonomous and AI driving assists
Autonomous driving is one of the hottest topics in the automotive industry and nowhere was that more evident than the Tokyo Motor Show. Concept after concept, from the Lexus LS+ to the Subaru Viziv Performance, emphasized the need to tighten the loose nut behind the wheel, the end game being to reduce crashes and the fatalities they cause to zero. As it stands, there are 1.3 million vehicle-related fatalities per year globally, with between 90 and 95 per cent being a direct result of human error or inattention.
The thrust behind autonomous driving is simple: Let the car drive itself in the most efficient and safest manner possible. As an addon at the Tokyo Motor Show, Lexus offered a drive portion to demonstrate how it is going to reduce fatalities. It all lies in the Lexus Safety System + A, with the A being new technology. Some of the features under this banner, such a pre-collision system with automatic braking, are offered in Canada; the A package adds a few that are not available at this point.
The first is CoDrive. It features dynamic radar cruise control, Lane Tracing Assist (LTA) and Lane Change Assist (LCA). Once the cruise has been set to the desired speed, the driver takes their feet off the pedals and activates LTA. It functions much like lane-keep assist, but with more sophistication and ability.
The next part is Lane Change Assist (LCA). It not only has the ability to dial in the appropriate amount of steering, it also monitors the intended lane to ensure there is enough space for the car and alters speed according to the conditions in the new lane. Once the system is active, the driver simply depresses the turn signal lever part way down to initiate the operation, and it works to the left and right.
Next up is the ability to recognize a child standing behind the car, one that may not have been picked up by the rear-view camera. When detected, it warns the driver to stop. If the driver takes no action the system steps in and brings an abrupt halt to the proceedings. The demonstration was simple, but effective. At the other end of the car, the system prevents the car from ramming a wall. In both cases, the LS stopped fairly close to the object, but with just enough space for a margin for error.
Finally, the car uses cross-traffic alert at both ends of the car. The rear is the same as the system used on the Canadian-spec LS. The forward cross-traffic alert is designed to stop the car if the driver is at risk of a collision when pulling into a blind intersection; it uses the sonic sensors to “look” for vehicles coming from the left or right.
Lexus will add to the autonomous ability of the LS with the Highway Teammate, a system that relies heavily on artificial intelligence (AI). The company says it will roll out by 2020.