Some of the automakers, such as General Motors Co. of the United States and Japan’s Nissan Motor Co., are even pursuing hoping to make self-driving cars. Toyota, for its part, has developed a prototype model featuring automated highway driving.
Wednesday’s announcement will be a step toward wider use of computer-assisted safe-driving systems, Toyota said, adding that such a move will benefit countries like Japan where the population is aging.
Both packages integrate Toyota’s existing technologies. The one for compact cars, scheduled to be launched next spring, uses a camera and laser radar to help prevent or mitigate collisions with objects ahead, keep the car from departing from its lane, and ensure optimal forward visibility during nighttime driving.