TOKYO - Toyota unveiled a new autonomous driving system that connects AI-equipped vehicles with traffic infrastructure such as traffic lights, marking the first public demonstration of its development-stage technology.
During a test drive, a reporter observed that the driver’s hands remained off the wheel as the car merged into traffic, highlighting the system’s ability to operate without manual input. The system collects location data from vehicles via GPS and aggregates it in the cloud, where AI functions like an air traffic control tower, issuing commands to each vehicle. The onboard AI then executes those commands to enable automated driving.
Toyota says the technology can help vehicles move more smoothly on highways, ease congestion, and prevent accidents. “Achieving our ultimate goal of zero traffic accidents cannot be accomplished by simply improving individual vehicles,” said Akihiro Sarada, head of Toyota’s Digital Software Development Center.
In urban environments, the system also uses camera data from traffic lights and other roadside infrastructure to detect sudden movements, such as children running into intersections, allowing vehicles to respond proactively to dangerous situations.
Toyota plans to continue testing the technology in various real-world scenarios as part of its broader effort to build a society free of traffic accidents.
