TOKYO: Lexus today held an online world premiere of the new Lexus IS compact rear-wheel-drive sports sedan.
The new IS is billed as delivering better maneuverability and riding comfort, honed at Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama.
“What we had foremost in mind in developing the new IS was to make it a car that excelled in communicating with the driver. We aimed to make the new IS a Lexus compact sports sedan that provides high-quality riding comfort while offering a high level of vehicle control,” said Lexus International chief engineer Naoki Kobayashi.
Body rigidity was enhanced, and the 2.0-litre turbo version features adaptive transmission control that evaluates the driving environment based on factors such as the depression of the accelerator by the driver, and selects the most-appropriate gear.
A new Spindle Grille features a three-dimensional, polyhedral structure while the F Sport version boasts an exclusive “F” mesh pattern.
Also, while retaining a single-lens camera and millimeter-wave radar used in the Lexus Safety System+, Lexus has added functions such as Emergency Steering Assist and has improved the system’s lane recognition performance.
The performance of the single-lens camera and millimeter-wave radar has been improved to expand the response range of the Pre-Collision System, which is designed to detect daytime bicyclists and pedestrians in low-light conditions and, at intersections, to detect oncoming vehicles before right turns and pedestrians crossing the street from the direction toward which the vehicle was traveling before it started to make a right or left turn.
Also featured are functions such as Emergency Steering Assist, which assists steering within the vehicle’s lane as cued by the driver, and Low Speed Acceleration Control which supports the prevention of collisions caused by pedal misapplication at times of reduced speed.
Dynamic Radar Cruise Control and Lane Tracing Assist (LTA) combine to make it easier for the driver to keep in the current lane on a motor-vehicle-only roadway, etc.
If the system detects a potential lane departure, LTA alerts the driver with a visual warning and either an audible alert or steering wheel vibration.
In the new IS, lane recognition performance, which makes assist possible, has been improved.
When LTA is activated, AI technologies are applied to camera-actuated, white-line recognition for advanced deceleration of the vehicle in line with the size of the curve. Keeping lateral g-forces constant while driving through curves contributes to stable and comfortable driving and makes driving assist more continuous even in curves with a smaller radius and in tunnels.
Automatic High Beam detects preceding or oncoming vehicles and automatically switches between high beam and low beam headlights.
Road Sign Assist acquires road sign information using a camera and navigation maps and displays it on the multi-information display.
This reduces possible driver failure in recognizing signs and supports safe driving.
If non-operation by the driver continues during use of Lane Tracing Assist, Driver Emergency Stop Assist (coordinated with Lane Tracing Assist) supports the driver through audio and visual alerts and gentle deceleration.
It then activates the vehicle’s hazard lamps and horn to alert those outside the vehicle to help prevent or reduce damage to the vehicle or to others, while slowing and eventually stopping the vehicle within its lane.
After stopping the vehicle, it unlocks the doors and activates an automatic HELPNET connection for a rescue request, contributing to early driver rescue.
Various other forms of advanced safety equipment are featured on the new IS and are being actively introduced by Lexus.
These include parking support brakes, which contribute to mitigation of damage in collisions due to pedal misapplication in places such as parking lots or in minor collisions with vehicles approaching from the rear, and the Panoramic View Monitor, which supports periphery safety checks.
2020.03.26
2020.03.26
2020.03.26
Keyword: Lexus premieres 2021 IS sports sedan