If you’ve owned a Toyota in the past, you probably know all about Toyota Safety Sense (TSS). For those who are unfamiliar, TSS was one of the first standard safety packages in the auto manufacturing world available on even the base trim level of all Toyota vehicles. It provided many sophisticated active and passive driver technologies, including lane departure alert and pre-collision with automatic emergency braking. Now, TSS 2.0 is making its debut, with all-new features to keep you even safer behind the wheel.
Full-Speed Version of Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC)
Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) was available in the first version of TSS, but the manufacturer has made some potent upgrades to the technology. In particular, DRCC can now assist drivers at much higher speeds, with a full range of 0 to 110 mph. DRCC works by using radar and a camera to monitor traffic in front of you, slowing or speeding up your car automatically to maintain a safe distance while on the highway.
Lane Tracing Assist (LTA)
Lane Tracing Assist (LTA) can monitor where your vehicle is in the lane when you have DRCC on. If you get too close to the painted lines, the system will emit a visual and audible warning to remind you to stay centered. If necessary, the car can even correct itself, gently veering you back on course while maintaining your preferred speed. Of course, you still need to use your full attention when utilizing DRCC to prevent an accident.
Road Sign Assist (RSA)
New Toyotas are so advanced, they can actually read. Using a small camera in the front of the car, Road Sign Assist (RSA) enables your vehicle to identify specific road signs, including do not enter, stop, speed limit, and yield signs. The system will then alert you as to what actions you should take. While the vehicle doesn’t perform any automated stopping or yielding here, the alert does increase driver alertness and awareness so you always know what is going on.
Lane Departure Alert With Road Edge Detection
While Lane Departure Alert was a feature of the old TSS, the new iteration includes an upgraded feature: Road Edge Detection. If you start to drift past the lane lines or on a road that doesn’t have lane lines, this system will alert you so you can center yourself on the road again.
Pre-Collision System (PCS) With Nighttime Pedestrian Detection
Pre-Collision System (PCD) is not a completely new feature to TSS, but Nighttime Pedestrian Detection is. Previously, the technology could not recognize figures walking in the dark, so this new feature should reduce the chance of hitting someone, especially if they’re wearing dark clothing. It can also detect cyclists during the day to prevent bike collisions.
As you can see, the upgrades to TSS are definitely noteworthy. While your original Toyota certainly has enough safety features to keep you protected, it wouldn’t hurt to upgrade to the latest version of TSS for even more peace of mind. Check out our inventory of the latest Toyota models to find the vehicle that speaks to you.
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