Toyota Says its Parking Sonar System Has Reduced Low-Speed Accidents

Early last year, Toyota launched its Intelligent Clearance Sonar system to mitigate accidents, and now it has data to prove that the new technology is working.

ICS features sensors to detect possible obstacles and help drivers avoid accidents caused by mistaking the brake and the accelerator pedal. If the system detects an impending accident due to pedal misapplication, it will automatically apply the brake.

The system is especially useful in low-speed maneuvers including parking lots, which Toyota says is responsible for 30 percent of all accidents in Japan. ICS enhances Toyota’s Intelligent Parking Assist system, which helps guide drivers into parking spaces by taking over steering duties.

Toyota, along with insurance companies in Japan, recently conducted a survey to see how effective ICS has been. The study included 63,000 vehicles, including 26,000 equipped with ICS. Of the total vehicles, approximately 2,500 were involved in accidents where the owner reported pedal misapplication as the cause. Toyota says ICS reduced pedal misapplication-related accidents by 70 percent, and accidents caused while reversing (usually in parking lot situations) were reduced by 40 percent thanks to ICS.

The ICS feature is available on the new 2017 Toyota Prius (top-spec Prius Four) as part of the Premium Convenience Package.

Source: Toyota

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