TOKYO – On Monday, Toyota uncovered a new emergency safety system using big data to ignore the accelerator if it figures out that a driver has stepped unintentionally on the pedal.
The biggest Japanese carmaker shall roll out an all-new “accelerator suppression function” in its cars from summer starting from Japan.
The launch of this system is in response to a common cause of accidents in ageing Japan wherein the elderly driver often mistakes the accelerator for the brake.
In 2018, 15% of the fatal road accidents in Japan were a result of this in drivers over the age of 75 years, causing the government to actively encourage elderly drivers to give up their licences.
The announcement from Toyota is timed as automakers worldwide invest in active safety features in their effort to develop fully autonomous cars.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field.