Toyota to equip production cars with advanced autonomous driving system

Toyota plans to begin equipping production passenger cars with a new driver assistance system capable of independently performing most operations on ordinary roads and highways from 2028. The technology using artificial intelligence will meet advanced Level 2++ automation, the Japanese company announced.

Initially, the new system will appear on select models, and after 2030 Toyota plans to gradually expand the number of vehicles equipped with the technology. The company cites reducing driver workload and cutting the number of accidents caused by human error as its main goals.

Despite the high level of automation, this is not yet a fully self-driving car. The driver will need to constantly monitor the road situation and remain ready to intervene immediately. Responsibility for driving also remains with the person.

AI to take over lane changes, overtaking, and intersections

The new system will be an evolution of the existing Level 2 automation, where the car can already control steering and speed simultaneously, such as keeping the vehicle in its lane and maintaining distance from the vehicle ahead.

The Level 2++ version will have significantly broader capabilities. Artificial intelligence will analyze the surroundings and make decisions during lane changes, overtaking, navigating interchanges and intersections, merging traffic, and parking.

The technology will be based on an end-to-end, or E2E, approach. In such systems, a neural network processes information from sensors and cameras and directly generates commands for vehicle control. Similar solutions are already being developed by Tesla and several Chinese automakers.

Toyota intends to develop most of its system in-house. At the same time, the company does not plan to completely hand over control to artificial intelligence.

For additional safety, the E2E system will work together with a separate set of pre-defined rules that Toyota calls a "guardrail." This mechanism is meant to intervene if the AI attempts a potentially dangerous or unanticipated maneuver.

According to the company, the hybrid architecture will also make it easier to establish the causes of possible errors or accidents, since the system's actions will be restricted by predetermined safety requirements.

Toyota also developing fully autonomous vehicles

In parallel, Toyota will continue developing higher, Level 4 automation. Level 4 allows the car to perform all driving functions independently under certain conditions without the need for constant driver supervision.

The company plans to apply this technology primarily in commercial vehicles and autonomous shuttles. Toyota expects to develop the relevant systems by 2030 and subsequently expand their use.

The electric shuttle e-Palette remains a separate area. Toyota previously announced plans to bring a version of this model with a Level 4 system to market during the 2027 fiscal year.

In addition to its own developments, the Japanese automaker cooperates with American Waymo, one of the world leaders in autonomous transportation. Toyota is considering using this partnership, among other things, to enter the robotaxi market.

Japanese automakers have been accelerating their development of such technologies in recent years. Nissan plans to bring its own advanced Level 2 system to market earlier than Toyota, and Honda is also preparing a new generation of vehicles with more advanced automated driving features.

Source: Nikkei Asia, Car Watch, ITmedia, Toyota