Engineers at the Toyota Research Institute (TRI) have developed an autonomous drifting feature for cars, and have successfully demonstrated this feature working on a track. This feature was programmed directly into a Toyota racecar, allowing the car to functionally drift on its own.
The TRI claims that this feature "temporarily gives an ordinary driver the drifting skills of an expert." This feature works on-demand, enabling a mode where the car will dynamically drift when turning. Toyota created this feature in an attempt to advance vehicle safety features, and more specifically, autonomous vehicle safety features.
Toyota is looking into ways of implementing situations whereby the car assumes control to deliver expert-level reactions to extreme situations in order to ensure the safety of the passengers.
Image Credit: Toyota Research Institute
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Autonomous Drifting Features
- Developing autonomous drifting features in cars can grant drivers with higher skill levels and can be implemented for enhanced safety features in autonomous vehicles.
- On-demand Vehicle Maneuverability Mode
- Creating an on-demand feature that dynamically drifts when turning can enhance driving experience and vehicle safety features.
- Expert-level Reactivity to Extreme Situations
- Implementing expert-level reactivity features in autonomous vehicles can ensure safety of passengers in extreme situations.
Sectors Adopting This
- Automotive Industry
- The automotive industry can benefit from implementing autonomous drifting and expert-level reactivity features as it can revolutionize vehicle safety features.
- Autonomous Vehicle Industry
- Autonomous vehicle industry can utilize dynamic drifting features to enhance driving experience and expert-level reactivity features for maximum passenger safety.
- Racing Industry
- Dynamic drifting and autonomous driving features, such as the ones Toyota has created, can positively impact the racing industry and also create safer racing environments for drivers.
