Toyota and Lexus plan to start deploying Dedicated Short-Range Communications systems on their vehicles sold in the U.S. beginning in 2021, a move that would enable the vehicles to “talk” to each other and the surrounding environment.

Toyota, whose North American headquarters is in Plano, said the systems would help keep drivers and passengers safe. Global adoption of the systems is expected across the carmakers’ lineups by the mid-2020s, the companies said.

“By allowing vehicles’ intelligent systems to collaborate more broadly and effectively through DSRC technology, we can help drivers realize a future with zero fatalities from crashes, better traffic flow, and less congestion.”
Jim Lentz

“By allowing vehicles’ intelligent systems to collaborate more broadly and effectively through DSRC technology, we can help drivers realize a future with zero fatalities from crashes, better traffic flow, and less congestion,” Toyota Motor North America CEO Jim Lentz said in a release.

Lentz that Toyota pledged three years ago to have automatic emergency braking in nearly all of the vehicles the company sells by the end of 2017.

“Today, 92 percent of all Toyota and Lexus vehicles sold in the U.S. have Toyota Safety Sense or Lexus Safety System+ with AEB standard, and other automakers deployment of this life-saving technology is accelerating, three years ahead of the 2022 industry target,” Lentz said. “In that same spirit, we believe that greater DSRC adoption by all automakers will not only help drivers get to their destinations more safely and efficiently, but also help lay the foundation for future connected and automated driving systems.”

Toyota said the DSRC technology allows vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications that is referred to together as V2X.

The technology already has been tested and deployed in some areas of the nation, Toyota said.

TOYOTA PURSUES CONNECTED VEHICLES AT PLANO HQ

Toyota and Lexus became the first automaker to sell and commercialized DSRC-equipped vehicles in 2015 in Japan, providing drivers with useful, detailed information about surrounding vehicles and traffic conditions.

More than 100,000 DSRC-equipped Toyota and Lexus vehicles were on the road in Japan as of March.

Toyota’s work on connected vehicles is an important part of the company’s presence in Plano.

Toyota Connected North America Inc., established there in 2016, and utilizes big data analyzed on a cloud platform to improve the driving experience and to benefit dealers, distributors, and partners.

Toyota Connected’s work includes analyzing traffic patterns, driving behavior, and connecting drivers to transportation systems.

And, Toyota in January joined with Dallas city officials and the Dallas Innovation Alliance to announc e the next phase of the alliance’s smart cities initiative, which would include mobility issues in south Dallas, although details were still being worked out.