| Prius at a premium |
|
|
|
||||||
Toyota launched the petrol-electric hybrid car in 1997 and the second generation Prius, which is larger than the outgoing model and consequently moves into the upper medium market sector, goes on sale in the UK on 2 January next year. Since launch six years ago, more than 110,000 Prius five-door hatchback models have been sold, making it the most successful hybrid vehicle on the planet. The new Prius features a raft of world-beating patented technologies that are unique to Toyota and ensure that the vehicle marks a significant shift forward in the world of vehicle design, engineering and technology. In terms of safety features, they include the Prius being the first car in the world with an all-electric active safety system, which includes utilisation of the world’s first fully electric brake-by-wire system that results in a quicker braking reaction time, thus enabling accident avoidance. Environmental-friendliness in terms of low emissions and high fuel consumption is the hallmark of the Prius, but its list of almost 20 “firsts” and “bests” points the way to a car, as Toyota claims, which is “ahead of its time”. Much of the technology featured on Prius today will appear on tomorrow’s Toyota vehicles. The vehicle is equipped with a far larger suite of drive-by-wire technologies than has previously been seen in a production car. Developed from state-of-the-art aerospace technology, drive-by-wire is lighter and more compact than conventional technology as it doesn’t rely on mechanical or hydraulic links, or a combination of both technologies, to actuate a system. Drive-by-wire reacts in milliseconds, enhancing braking, throttle response or quick shifting. It also allows different systems to interplay with each other – for instance, steering, braking and throttle – and come into play to assist the driver in avoiding an accident. Through the use of totally electric systems it is possible to achieve a much quicker reaction time by dismissing the hydraulic circuit for brakes and steering assistance, which is crucial to avoid accidents. Anti-lock brakes, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Vehicle Stability Control, Toyota’s description for Electronic Stability Programme, are Prius features which operate through a totally electric/electronic circuit. A central electronic brain co-ordinates all the safety systems to create a perfect synergy between them. This allows all the active safety systems, including the electric steering, to act as one when a dangerous situation occurs. This is only possible with the use of a second generation VSC system that, for the first time, integrates the control of the electric power steering system. The VSC system co-ordinates the power output while monitoring the vehicle’s grip on the road surface and maintains ultimate traction at each wheel. Simultaneously, electric steering torque assist, through electric power steering, assists the driver when performing any quick manoeuvre that requires the activation of VSC. The electronic throttle-by-wire also reduces the driver’s pedal effort by automatically detecting and correcting ascents and descents irrespective of the vehicle’s load, and adjusting or retaining the correct acceleration accordingly. In addition to the electronic safety package, the use of aluminium components for the brakes and suspension benefit handling and comfort. If safety is to the fore in the new Prius, then so is security, with the car’s keyless entry system augmented by a push button smart start, which will reduce the likelihood of car theft. Safety-related features on the new Prius also include an electrically-operated air conditioning system, a built-in hands-free phone and steering wheel-mounted audio and phone controls Prices for the ultimate “green” car, which has a CO2 emissions figure of 100 g/km, have yet to be announced. Taking control Road deaths and injuries are cut by 35% and accidents resulting in moderate or severe vehicle damage by up to 50% if models are equipped with Electronic Stability Programme. That is the conclusion of a Toyota study into accidents involving their vehicles and ESP – the Japanese marque uses the name Vehicle Stability Control for the technology. VSC technology comprises sensors around the vehicle that compare steering instructions given by the driver and the actual motion of the vehicle via a central controller/computer. If it detects deviation it intervenes, braking individual wheels and reducing engine power to ensure the vehicle stays on a safe course. In the UK VSC is fitted as standard or is available as an option on approximately a third of all Toyota vehicles. However, its fitment to vehicles is being seen as an essential in improving vehicle safety and reducing road accidents and casualty rates. As a consequence, Toyota says it will be increasing the availability of VSC on models as they are facelifted or replaced. Consequently, Toyota has announced that 2004 model year revisions to the RAV4 include the fitting of VSC with Traction Control (TRC) and Brake Assist (BA) as standard to XT4 versions. The pioneering safety package on the latest version of the sports utility vehicle, which entered showrooms on 1 October, includes it being the first vehicle in its sector to be fitted with curtain shield airbags as standard. They have been introduced along with front side airbags on all versions. All models are equipped with ABS and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution. In January, the all-new Prius will feature VSC as standard and the New Year will also see the launch of the new-look Avensis Verso. It has more emphasis on safety with front side airbags and front curtain shield airbags fitted as standard equipment and VSC and TRC available on higherspecced models to assist drivers in slippery conditions. The best-selling Euro NCAP five-star crash test rated Avensis has VSC as standard on 2.0 litre petrol-engined T3, T4 and T Spirit models as well as the 2.0 D-4D T Spirit. Other models to have VSC include the Corolla T Sport, MR2 with sequential gearbox, Celica T Sport, Camry 3.0 V6, Landcruiser LC4 and LC5 and the 4.7 litre V6 Landcruiser Amazon. Toyota’s conclusion from its study of three popular models from its range in Japan, during a period in which VSC was being installed with model changes, was that the technology is particularly effective in preventing accidents caused by driver error, and especially effective at preventing the most serious types of crashes. From its examination of around one million accidents involving personal injury, Toyota concluded that the use of VSC could reduce the number of serious driving accidents by half. Better protection Seats fitted to the Toyota Yaris provide the best whiplash protection, according to tests carried out by ADAC, the German autoclub. It tested the seats of several city cars in terms of the protection they offered in the event of a rear crash. In spite of competing against more recent models, the Toyota Yaris registered the best performance. Although whiplash injury protection is not regulated by European standards or safety organisations, injuries caused by rear impacts can prove to be more serious than one might think with the main danger suffered during these kinds of accidents being the “whiplash” effect. When a car is hit from behind, the occupants’ heads will tend to roll backwards, which exerts an enormous stress on the neck. In extreme situations this may even result in a fatal injury to the passenger. ADAC tested 10 different city cars in order to judge the whiplash protection available from some of the most affordable cars on the market. The performance of the 10 contenders’ seats was judged in two different areas. First, the seat had to provide adequate protection against whiplash-effect injuries; second, it had to have a rigid structure in order to provide stable support for the passenger’s body. Final results showed that the Yaris’s seats were equal best with the smart. Other contenders included the Renault Clio, Mini and Nissan Micra.
In the event of a rear crash, the seat will allow the lower part of the body to be pulled back. At the same time the seatback and the headrest will be closer to the upper torso, neck and head, providing full support and preventing the head’s natural rotation. The simplicity of this system makes it possible for Toyota to install it throughout the passenger car range as standard equipment with low impact in terms of cost. |
||||||
| |
