Sienna

Make
Toyota
Segment
Van

Toyota is many things: reliable, traditional, and economical. These are all attributes that generate dependable cars, but prevent the type of rapid innovation seen elsewhere in the industry. That's where Toyota Connected North America comes into the picture. Established as an independent software and innovation center, Toyota Connected is allowed to operate like a Silicon Valley startup rather than obeying its conservative parent company's playbook.

At Toyota's yearly HQ Confidential event, CarBuzz had the opportunity to sit down with Toyota Connected's Chief Technology Officer Brian Kursar to learn about the company's latest project, the recently revealed Cabin Awareness Concept. Kursar believes Cabin Awareness can lower (or possibly eliminate) heatstroke deaths in cars. That could potentially save the lives of around 23 children per year in the US alone, around one in four of which obtained access to the vehicle when it was not in use.

Equipped in a 2022 Toyota Sienna minivan, we had a chance to see the Cabin Awareness technology in action. The system, which is still in its concept phase, utilizes a tiny millimeter-wave, high-resolution 4D imaging radar sensor from an Israeli company called Vayar. This sensor is no larger than a cellphone, meaning it can be easily mounted in the headliner of a vehicle like the Sienna. It's sensitive enough to detect micro-movements in a car, such as breathing or a heartbeat.

Using a life-like baby doll in the back seat, CarBuzz received a demonstration of how the system works in-practice. The car will begin alerting the driver on the screen, then by honking the horn and flashing the lights. If these warnings are ignored, the car can send messages to the Toyota App plus any connected devices in the home, including a smart TV, smart lights, or Alexa. If all those messages still don't work, the system may even alert nearby connected Toyota vehicles and local authorities.

That is just one application for this revolutionary technology, though Kursar envisions plenty of other areas where it can be useful.

"Before a crash, you would know there are four people breathing normally, then after the crash there are only three," Kursar explained. "Maybe one passengers was ejected. We can send that information to first responders." In another example, Kursar said the system could detect large movements in the vehicle. "We can actually see if an Uber passenger is throwing a punch at the driver. An actual person can come on the speaker to ask if the driver is ok," he added.

When asked about other applications for the technology, Kursar confirmed that a few of our CarBuzz ideas could work as well. For example, parents with teen drivers could be alerted to how many people are in the vehicle at a given time. In another case, the sensor could detect elevating breathing and suggest some soothing music or a less stressful route.

"I personally would love to license this for free to other automakers," Kursar said referencing to Volvo giving away its three-point seatbelt patent in 1959. "I feel this is so important to give parents and caregivers that additional security."

While Cabin Awareness is still in development and Kursar could not comment on when it will arrive in a production car, we wanted to know what other groundbreaking technology we might expect from Toyota Connected in the future. "It was born from a Hackathon (a tech event where programmers work on ideas to solve a specific issue)," Kursar explained. "We built an entire program around it over a multi-year journey. We are having another Hackathon in July and one of the challenges is to responsibly detect drunk driving."

By 2030, federal mandates will require some form of technology in vehicles to sense and prevent drunk or impaired driving. "We are getting a head start to evaluate what's possible and have the Toyota Connected teams, including our global offices, participate in the 36-hour Hackathon. That's the next big thing for us," Kursar added.

Toyota Connected has already delivered the most significant infotainment upgrade we've seen from Toyota and Lexus in either brand's history. The company's startup-inspired approach will help Toyota move quicker to solve pressing safety and quality of life concerns with its future vehicles.