Toyota Develops Driving Simulator to Reduce Accidents

Toyota Motor Corp. says a new driving simulator at its Higashifuji Technical Center will help it develop and verify active safety technology to curb accidents.

Located in Susono City, Shizuouka prefecture, Japan, the simulator is housed in a dome measuring 14.8-ft. (4.5-m) tall, 23.3 ft. (7.1 m). It contains an actual vehicle that, in combination with a 360-degree concave video screen, simulates driving conditions too dangerous duplicate in the real world or are highly specialized, the auto maker says.

The dome tilts, rotates, and vibrates, and has a longitudinal range of about 115 ft. (35 m) and lateral range of 66 ft. (20 m), which Toyota says is world-leading. It creates a “faithful simulation of the actual sensation of driving” with added sound effects and speed sensations to further imitate reality.

Toyota will use the simulator to study conditions such as drowsy driving, inattentive driving, and impaired driving, which includes being inebriated and fatigued.

Toyota also will use the simulator to verify the effectiveness of technology it has designed to reduce accidents, such as driver-warning and vehicle-control systems.

Ford opened a similar simulator in 2001 in Dearborn, MI.