Toyota is to offer a new safety package on several of its models, which comes with systems like a pre-collision warning and a lane departure alert.
The package is called Toyota Safety Sense and will be rolled out on the new version of the Auris hatchback and the Avensis when they go on sale later this year, and the current Toyota Yaris and Toyota Aygo this summer.
The different cars get differing levels of equipment, but even the smaller cars get the Pre-Collision System, which detects objects in the car's path and produces audible and visual warnings, and ultimately applies the brakes to prevent or reduce the severity of a crash.
All cars will also come with a lane departure warning system, which again uses visual and audible warnings if the car starts to drift out of its lane without having applied the indicators. Larger models will also be able to apply the steering to guide the car back onto its line.
Larger cars such as the Auris and the Avensis will also come with a radar system, which will allow the car to offer things like a road sign recognition system and an automatic high beam function on the headlights. The radar-equipped cars will also be able to offer adaptive cruise control.
The plan is for the safety package to be offered as standard on some higher models, but ultimately as an option across the whole Toyota range. It will be available on 70% of the company's models by the end of 2015 and will then be added to subsequent models, such as the RAV4 and Prius, once they get facelifted or replaced.
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