Lexus Shows Off Its Dual Steering Wheel Self Driving Car
The Toyota Research Institute is showing off its new self-driving prototype, which it’s using to develop the “Guardian and Chauffeur” autonomous drive system.
The Guardian and Chauffeur system is a self-driving platform that features two separate drive modes. The Guardian system uses facial recognition to detect when the driver may be drowsy and will respond as needed. For example, if the driver has fallen asleep or isn’t paying attention as the vehicle approaches a curve in the road, the system will step in to keep the car within the lane. It can also detect objects on the road ahead and will drive around them or slow the vehicle as needed. The dual-steering wheel setup allows for Toyota to test the Guardian mode’s facial recognition system, with the passenger-side driver taking control of the car if the system fails.
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The Chauffeur system is a truly self-driving SAE Level 4 system, allowing the driver to remove their hands from the steering wheel. In the Toyota demonstration video embedded above, the vehicle successfully navigates obstacles in the road without the need for human intervention.
Watch Toyota demonstrate its Guardian and Chauffeur system on a Lexus ES test car in the video embedded above.
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Sam McEachern holds a diploma in journalism from St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, and has been covering the automotive industry for over 5 years. He conducts reviews and writes AutoGuide's news content. He's a die-hard motorsports fan with a passion for performance cars of all sorts.
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