TOKYO (Reuters) – Toyota Motor Corp on Thursday unveiled its new Lexus and Mirai models in Japan, equipped with the company’s latest advanced driver assistance that enables safe driving and wireless software updates.
The carmaker’s new driving assist technology, or Advanced Drive, is a level 2 autonomous system that helps drivers with driving conditions such as keeping the car in its lane, maintaining the distance from other vehicles, changing lanes on expressways or other motor-vehicle only roads.
“This is really an important first step on our journey towards software-first development,” said Toyota executive James Kuffner, who is also the head of Toyota’s research unit Woven Planet, at an online briefing on Thursday.
The luxury sedan Lexus LS will be put on sale on Thursday costing from 16.3 million to 17.9 million yen, while the second generation Mirai hydrogen fuel cell car will be offered later on April 12 at the price between 8.4 million-8.6 million yen.
The new models will also be equipped with an advanced parking assistance system that allows drivers to park safely.
($1 = 109.7000 yen)
(Reporting by Eimi Yamamitsu; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)
