Lexus To Release Autonomous Driving System Rivaling Tesla

There are a handful of “self-driving” cars currently on the market, with Tesla being marked as the clear leader when it comes to autopilot. None of these cars are truly self-driving, they are all partially automated driving systems of what is referred to as the Level 2 variety, based on the SAE Scale of Autonomy. Nonetheless, Tesla remains at the top of this list, but their dominance over the sector may be reaching its end as Lexus has announced that they will be introducing a rival autopilot later this year.

What’s Coming

While the technology isn’t new at this point, there are still a limited number of vehicles that are capable of delivering a Level 2 autonomous experience, and now Lexus will enter that field. Their system is called Highway Teammate and while drivers will need to keep their eyes on the road, the system will use Lidar and cameras to change lanes, follow lanes, and pass other cars while on freeways or highways.

The Future

Lexus’ president Koji Sato stated that Level 2 is just the start of the brand’s foray into this world. In the future, Sato says that Highway Teammate will be able to complete over-the-air updates to increase the level of automation as the technology gets better. However, there is no indication of when those updates might come along.

Where Will It Appear First

 

Lexus did not comment when asked which vehicle or vehicles consumers will be able to see the automated system on first. However, Sato did tell Automotive News Europe that Lexus wants to put Highway Teammate on all of their models, so it is likely that a full brand rollout will come soon, when that time is remains in question.

Source: www.hotcars.com