Toyota announced today that it has developed a new driving simulator which it will use to analyze “the driving characteristics of average drivers to aid in the development” of new safety technology to reduce the number of accidents. The announcement follows the auto industry’s trend of developing accident-avoidance technology rather than just focusing on the safety of the car itself.
The 7.1 meter wide dome — which contains a Lexus IS for simulation purposes — features a giant 360-degree concave video screen, moves in all directions and even uses sound effects, giving the sensation of driving.
According to Toyota , the driving simulator will be used to analyze “driving characteristics under such conditions as reduced awareness of one’s surroundings (falling asleep at the wheel and drowsiness), inattentiveness to danger (glancing from side to side and not checking that the road is safe), impaired driving (inebriation, fatigue or illness), as well as developing active safety technology for effectively reducing the number of accidents.”
