New Prius Emphasizes ADAS

Source: Toyota announcement

PLANO, Texas — When the Toyota Prius made its groundbreaking debut in 2000, it changed the automotive industry forever. The high-tech sedan ushered in a new generation of vehicles that combined an electric motor with a high-efficiency engine. That unmatched legacy continues with the recent reveals of the all-new 2023 Prius and 2023 Prius Prime.

As the most fuel-efficient Prius to date, the 2023 Prius has a EPA-estimated 57 miles per gallon combined fuel economy rating (LE FWD model), bringing accessible electrification to drivers everywhere.

The 2023 Prius Prime also adds to the innovative nameplate. Now after a decade in production, this plug-in hybrid model continues to offer customers the flexibility of getting around town on zero-emission battery power or hybrid mode for fuel-efficient road tripping. What’s more, it also offers extra performance and technology, enhancing an already enticing package.

Read on to learn about the top five things – including an enhanced family of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) — that make the 2023 Prius and 2023 Prius Prime innovative additions to the eco-sensitive Prius family.

Safety and Convenience Features

Safety is one of Toyota’s priorities. The Toyota Safety Sense generation, TSS 3.0, which comes standard, helps the 2023 Prius and 2023 Prius Prime uphold those high-quality standards. This suite offers an array of active safety and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) that include the existing systems available on the prior generation Prius; but they also include some additional enhancements and capabilities, all of which are designed to help keep drivers, passengers and pedestrians safe.

To help drivers prevent collisions, the Safety Sense comes with Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection. The system is designed to detect preceding vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists while providing audio and visual alerts. Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) is a feature that works in collaboration with the Pre-Collision system. It can help detect and warn drivers of vehicles that are approaching or positioned near or in adjacent lanes.

Another noteworthy feature is the Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, which adds a fourth following distance setting to the previously available three. Enhanced vehicle detection allows for the ability to detect more than one preceding vehicle, as well as vehicles in adjacent lanes. This is designed to help the system provide smoother, more natural speed adjustments, especially when the driver changes lanes.

There have also been enhancements to Lane Tracing Assist. This system now helps provide more space between vehicles being passed by cars in adjacent lanes. It works by offsetting the vehicles’ driving paths with minor steering adjustments while helping to keep the vehicle within its lane.

Another feature that’s been enhanced is Road Sign Assist. It has expanded sign detection capabilities that now include certain intersection signs and warning signs, like pedestrian crossings.

Proactive Driving Assist is new to Prius and the Toyota Safety Sense suite of technologies. When system operating conditions are met, the vehicle’s camera and radar are designed to provide gentle braking into curves or braking and steering to help support driving tasks such as distance control between a preceding vehicle, pedestrian or bicyclist.

The Rear Cross Traffic Alert is designed to help detect vehicles that are approaching from either side while pulling out and alerting drivers with a visual and audible warning.

To view the entire announcement, click HERE.

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