Toyota develops pre-crash safety system

24 July 2002: An innovative ‘pre-crash safety’ system developed by Toyota will be installed in some new models due next year. The system reduces collision injury by foreseeing unavoidable collisions to preemptively activate safety devices.

The Pre-crash Sensor uses millimeter-wave radar to sense vehicles and obstacles on the road ahead, and an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) to determine whether or not a collision is imminent based on the position, speed, and traveling course of the object.

This will trigger early - ‘pre-crash - application of two safety elements already common in modern cars - retractable seatbelts and Brake Assist.

Activating them in advance requires that an unavoidable collision be anticipated.

July 2002