Toyota Shows Off Self-Driving Car

Tokyo, Oct. 6 (Jiji Press)--Toyota Motor Corp. <7203> showed off a trial run of a new automated driving test vehicle on a Tokyo expressway on Tuesday. The driver switched to automated driving at a speed of 60 to 80 kilometers per hour after passing through a toll gate. The vehicle then automatically operated the steering wheel, accelerator and brakes to maintain or change driving lanes. The vehicle is able to pinpoint its position using highly accurate road map data, the Japanese automaker said. It uses multiple external sensors to recognize nearby vehicles and hazards, and selects appropriate routes and lanes, it said. Toyota plans to put the technology into practical use by around 2020, it said. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said self-driving vehicles will be available in Tokyo in time for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics. END