JAPAN: Toyota to launch low-speed radar cruise control for traffic congestion

Toyota Motor Corp. said on Tuesday that it has developed a new radar cruise control system with a low-speed mode to alleviate the driving burden during traffic congestion. According to Dow Jones, Toyota plans to offer the advanced system in a new vehicle to be launched this summer. The report said the new system keeps track of the preceding vehicle at speeds of 30 kilometres per hour (20mph) or lower and, when the preceding vehicle stops, the system provides visual and audio warnings urging the driver to apply the brakes. If the driver doesn't respond in time, the system slows the vehicle to a complete stop, Dow Jones said. The report said that Toyota introduced its first radar control system for speeds from 40-100 kilometres per hour (25-60mph) in its Japanese-market Celsior luxury sedan, known as the Lexus LS430 overseas, in 1997.