Toyota states that Level 5 autonomous driving technology is still a long way off

Toyota is confident that autonomous cars will play an important role in the future of the automotive industry, but states that no carmaker or technology company is close to implementing Level 5 autonomous driving systems. But what do the levels of autonomous driving mean? We explain.

James Kuffner, executive director of the global research division of Toyota, has pointed to various sources indicating that the Japanese carmaker is analysing how it should restrict the driver assistance systems it is developing.

“Suddenly you’re adding restrictions. It’s geofenced, it’s lighter traffic, it’s lower speed, it’s good weather,” he said. “We can do it now if you restrict it enough. We could deploy that today. So the real question is how much you’re restricting it and whether that’s providing good value,” Kuffner added.

James Kuffner was once part of the Google team, where he helped develop its autonomous driving systems, and he now heads the Toyota Research Institute.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asTFtXaX1BQ

Toyota states that Level 5 autonomous driving is still far off

Toyota plans to present its latest Level 2 system next year. This technology will be called ‘ramp-to-ramp’ technology and will be capable of driving a vehicle without human intervention “from on-ramp to off-ramp, with traffic merging capability” on the highway.

Toyota believes that by the end of the 2020s it expects to have perfected autonomous driving on surface roads. Kuffner added that the recent “overpromising” by some companies about autonomous cars that reached the mainstream before they actually were ready has dampened public perceptions of such technologies.

“Unfortunately, it’s not that hard to do a demo … but that would not be close to a product. It’s very hard to sell a product to a customer. We try to let our products speak for themselves. People trust our brand and we want to ship a product we feel confident in. So other people’s overpromising sometimes hurts us. But we will keep working, and we believe this technology will have a great impact,” the executive concluded.

The company also points to broader benefits for the community as the technology is perfected. That could mean allowing people to be more active and social as they age and keeping some in the workforce for longer, providing significant benefits for personal wellbeing.

It could also be as simple as providing mobility for the disabled and other people who find it difficult or even impossible to move around. In the end, the large-scale introduction of autonomous vehicles could come down to how carmakers deal with a key ethical problem.

Toyota LQ Concept, the future of autonomous driving?

The Toyota LQ Concept made its public debut at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show, where a driving trial event scheduled for June to September 2020 was announced.

The highlight is the artificial intelligence agent Yui, which is used to control almost everything while creating a pleasant environment for the driver and the three passengers. Those holding the steering wheel can interact with the artificial intelligence through voice commands.

Occupants will know when Yui is addressing them thanks to the ceiling and floor mat areas, which have been designed as intuitive communication platforms, lighting up the wells to indicate which passenger is being addressed.

Different lighting colours tell those inside when the car is in manual or automatic driving mode, as the LQ is equipped with a Level 4 autonomous system. It also features an automated parking function, developed jointly with Panasonic, which eliminates the need to search for parking spaces: it drops off the occupants, drives itself to an assigned space in a nearby lot, and then picks them up again.

Another function developed jointly with Panasonic is the augmented reality display, which helps drivers keep their eyes on the road. Alert and seat-relaxation functions are integrated into the study and use several inflatable air ‘bladders’ embedded in the seats, with seat air conditioning, which help drivers stay awake or relaxed.

For the instrument panel that wraps around the driver, Toyota has used OLED, the first by the Japanese brand. In addition, the show car has an air-purifying coating, developed jointly with Aisin, that breaks down ozone into oxygen in the radiator fan. While driving, the LQ can break down around 60 percent of the ozone contained in 1,000 litres of air in one hour.

Installed in the headlights, the Digital Micromirror Device, works by activating a million embedded mirrors to project figures onto the road ahead, communicating information to those inside or outside the car. Toyota’s LQ Concept measures 4,530 mm long, 1,840 mm wide and 1,480 mm high, and has a wheelbase of 2,700 mm. It runs on electric power and has an estimated range of 300 km.