CES 2019: Toyota details Guardian driver assist to avoid car crashes

According to Toyota Research Institute CEO Dr Gill Pratt, the auto industry has an obligation to use tech to save as many lives as possible as soon as possible.

Taking inspiration from fighter pilot systems, Pratt said the company has developed "blended envelope control"; most of the time driver is in control, but when they reach the edge of a designated safety envelope, the car takes over and steers it back into this safety envelope.

"It's a seamless blend of human and machine working together as teammates," Pratt said at CES on Monday afternoon.

"Our Guardian alerts the driver visually and audibly of imminent danger, and it avoids it by manoeuvring out of the lane briefly, then returning to the original lane to avoid the obstruction."

The "Altruistic Guardian" capability also sees the system move the car to create space in order to prevent two other vehicles from colliding otherwise.

Toyota also announced building a facility in Michigan to test Guardian on how best to react to and navigate dangerous scenarios -- for example, if a car pulls out unexpectedly and leaves the driver with no time to react.

See also: More CES coverage

The test facility will also be used to recreate real-life car crashes to see whether the Guardian system can be used to avoid or mitigate them.

Guardian is going to be integrated in all e-palette vehicles -- previously announced at CES 2018 -- and Toyota consumer vehicles.

MUST READ

• CES 2019 Las Vegas CNET
  
• CES 2019: A first look at the cool tech TechRepublic

Additionally, Toyota said it will be opening up the platform in an effort to save more lives as the company pursues its Guardian For All strategy.

"We're developing Guardian, we'll build it, and today for the first time we're announcing that we're going to offer it as well to the industry," he said.

"And that is what Guardian for all is all about."

CES 2019: The best tech, gadgets on show (so far)

More CES 2019 coverage:

• On the eve of CES 2019, the prospects for a post-Windows world
  
• CES chief Gary Shapiro predicts the biggest hits of 2019 show
  
• Asus launches Chromebook Education series with trio of laptops
  
• CES 2019 preview, upcoming phone leaks
  
• CES 2019: What to expect from the chipmakers
  
• Nvidia's new GeForce RTX 2060 is just $349
  
• 5G, AI, design and data collide
  
• AARP trialing virtual reality for remote healthcare
  
• iOttie unveils smartphone car mount with built-in Amazon Alexa
  
• BlackBerry Secure packs aspire to give security to 'all smart things'
  
• Voice activated trash disposal
  
• Ford demos cellular V2X with Qualcomm chipset
  
• Robotic suitcases back (and ... maybe better?) at this year's show
  
• Google Assistant to hit 1 billion devices
  
• CES 2019: 3 reasons professionals should pay attention
  
• Ring expands product lineup with new video doorbell
  
• Nvidia CEO Huang explains how AI changes everything
  
• Are these newly launched '5G' services truly 5G wireless?
  
• Why UBTech is on track to become our first robot overlord
  
• Sprint unveils smart home Magic Box, confirms Samsung 5G phone
  
• Samsung announces 5G smartphone sneak peek
  
• Toyota details Guardian driver assist to avoid car crashes
  
• Intel unveils 10nm PC products for AI and 5G
  
• Intel strikes deal with Comcast for 10-gigabit cable
  
• Intel and Alibaba partner on artificial intelligence
  
• Intel's Mobileye signs deal with UK mapping agency
  
• Lenovo outlines ThinkPad X1 Carbon and ThinkPad X1 Yoga
  
• Nvidia expands into more mainstream automotive market
  
• LG's IP Park presents a vision of "evolving intelligence"
  
• Alibaba's Tmall Genie assistant comes to BMW vehicles in China
  
• IBM at CES 2019 outlines Q System One quantum computer
  
• IBM aims to use crowdsourced sensor data to improve local weather