Pushing Vehicle Capabilities To Advance Active Safety

Toyota Research Institute (TRI) has successfully programmed a vehicle to autonomously drift around obstacles on a closed track, providing a glimpse into the future of safer mobility for all. Combining a deep knowledge of both vehicle dynamics and control design, TRI’s Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC) approach extends the vehicle’s operational domain to the very limits of its performance. The idea behind this research is to utilize controlled, autonomous drifting to avoid accidents by navigating sudden obstacles or hazardous road conditions like black ice. Full story available at