Toyota To Add Advanced Self-Driving Features In Mobility Service Vehicles First

Toyota Motor Corp TM is planning to deploy advanced self-driving features in its mobility service vehicles, Reuters reports.

What Happened

Toyota’s automated driving R&D unit announced on Tuesday that they are planning to first deploy advanced self-driving capabilities in mobility service vehicles, before adding the same features to its personal-use vehicles.

“Level 4 (driving capabilities) is really what we’re striving for to first appear in mobility as a service,” said the CEO of Toyota Research Institute-Advanced Development, James Kuffner, while talking to reporters at the inauguration of its new offices in Tokyo.

“It will take more time to achieve ‘Level 4’ for a personally owned vehicle,” added Kuffner

Why It Matters

Toyota is working on its first so-called 'Level 2' autonomous car capable of driving itself on the highway. The 'Level 2' car is set to hit the roads in 2020 as part of the company’s plan to develop a series of self-driving vehicles over the next few decades.

The Japanese automaker said in May that they would invest $100 million in self-driving and robotics companies as part of its mission to “discover what’s next” for them.

In October, the company said they would start testing self-driving electric cars in 2020. The new cars would use artificial intelligence (AI) to engage with drivers.

“By using AI technology, we want to expand and enhance the driving experience, making cars an object of affection again,” said general manager of Toyota’s EV business planning division, Makoto Okabe, at the time.