The Toyota Tacoma Pick Up has long been recognized for its ruggedness and reliability, and now, with the integration of Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) 3.0, it’s also taking a significant leap forward in vehicle safety. Advancements in sensor technology, sophisticated software, and enhanced computing power are revolutionizing how vehicles perceive their surroundings, enabling them to assist drivers in preventing collisions with other vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians. Toyota has been at the forefront of developing crash-avoidance systems, and Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 represents the pinnacle of these efforts, particularly tailored for the unique demands of trucks like the Tacoma pick up.
For those unfamiliar with TSS, the latest Toyota Tacoma pick up models offer an exceptional opportunity to experience the impact of these advanced driver-assistance systems on everyday driving. Toyota Safety Sense has continuously evolved since its introduction in 2016, progressing from TSS-C and TSS-P to TSS 2.0, 2.5, 2.5+, and now the most advanced TSS 3.0.
The new Tacoma pick up showcases the expanded capabilities of TSS, now encompassing a suite of eight safety and convenience features deeply integrated into the vehicle’s design. Derek Caveney, a senior executive engineer at Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) Research and Development, emphasizes the seamless integration of these technologies: “It’s part of the driving experience now. More and more people are incorporating these active safety support and convenience systems into their driving. It’s one of the top five features people are shopping for.”
Reflecting Toyota’s commitment to safety for all drivers, TSS 3.0 comes standard on the Toyota Tacoma pick up. This latest iteration offers enhanced functionality in various driving situations, designed to complement and support a driver’s natural driving style. In critical moments, TSS 3.0 can provide subtle steering or braking assistance to help mitigate or avoid collisions, prevent unintentional lane departures, or keep the vehicle from veering off-road. However, it’s crucial for drivers to remember that these systems are aids, not replacements for attentive and responsible driving. The driver always remains in control of the vehicle.
The dedication of the engineers behind the Toyota Tacoma pick up and its safety systems has been recognized by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which awarded the 2024 Toyota Tacoma crew cab with its prestigious TOP SAFETY PICK accolade.*
Under optimal conditions, TSS 3.0 on the Toyota Tacoma pick up elevates collision avoidance capabilities. It can now assist in preventing crashes with preceding vehicles at slightly higher speeds and is enhanced to detect oncoming vehicles during left turns. Moreover, the automatic emergency braking system is now more responsive to pedestrians, bicyclists, and even motorcyclists. It’s important to acknowledge that system performance is subject to situational limitations, and real-world conditions can influence functionality.
Toyota engineers are acutely aware of driver comfort and usability. Overly intrusive safety systems can lead drivers to disable them, negating their safety benefits. Toyota has diligently worked to find the ideal balance between effective safety interventions and minimizing driver annoyance in the Toyota Tacoma pick up.
The 2024 Toyota Tacoma pick up with TSS 3.0 takes safety a step further by incorporating driving capabilities specifically designed for a body-on-frame pickup. For those who utilize their Tacoma for towing, Toyota has fine-tuned the adaptive cruise control and blind spot monitoring systems to intelligently account for the presence of a trailer.
Tacoma engineers conducted in-depth studies of jackknifing physics and observed truck driver behavior in emergency scenarios, explains Joe Conners, a senior engineering manager involved in the truck’s safety upgrades. Using advanced computer simulations, the engineering teams refined the Pre-Collision System (PCS) for diverse driving situations, drawing upon the expertise of experienced truck drivers to define operational boundaries for the system. They also integrated trailer brake functionality with the Tacoma’s braking system, a feature also available on the new generation Tundra, ensuring seamless and coordinated braking performance when towing with the Toyota Tacoma pick up.
“We did a number of these different scenarios and simulations, with steering angles and different speeds,” Conners noted. “We design these active safety and convenience systems to work cooperatively with the driver, lining up the boundaries with naturalistic driving behaviors with the goal of ensuring that any intervention is seamless.”
Just as owners of sports cars personalize their vehicles, Toyota Tacoma pick up owners often customize their trucks. Even for heavy-duty work, drivers appreciate the added security of safety systems on the road. The Tacoma pick up can now be ordered with a factory-installed Toyota lift kit, increasing ground clearance without compromising safety system functionality. In another first for Toyota, the Tacoma’s TSS features maintain their full operational capability even with the Toyota Genuine lift kit installed at the factory, Caveney points out. This underscores the evolution of safety features in pickups like the Toyota Tacoma pick up.
“These safety systems are specifically tuned now for trucks, even if they are raised with a Toyota lift kit,” Caveney stated. “If you’re towing, we support better performance of those features. The market is showing us that even truck customers want this kind of support from their vehicles.”
Beyond the TSS camera, the Toyota Tacoma pick up offers up to seven additional cameras that contribute to unique truck-specific functionalities. A set of four surround-view cameras creates a 360-degree bird’s-eye view for easier parking and maneuvering in tight spots. Another camera allows the driver to monitor cargo in the truck bed, enhancing load security and peace of mind. An additional camera option powers an electronic inner mirror, providing an unobstructed rear view. Finally, a wireless camera system can be attached to the rear of a trailer, transmitting images to the multimedia display or electronic inner mirror while towing with the Toyota Tacoma pick up.
Furthermore, the four surround-view cameras in the Toyota Tacoma pick up are utilized to generate the multi-terrain monitoring (MTM) view. These cameras intelligently track the terrain the truck is traversing, creating a composite image of the undercarriage. This feature helps drivers avoid damage to the differential and other vulnerable underbody components when off-roading. The panoramic view also assists when navigating challenging off-road trails at slower speeds, providing a bird’s-eye perspective of the surrounding landscape for the Toyota Tacoma pick up.
The advancements in Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist within TSS 3.0 exemplify the technology’s evolution. When lane markers are detected, the system in the Toyota Tacoma pick up will gently correct steering if it senses unintentional lane drifting. Earlier TSS versions would engage steering assist even during intentional lane changes without signaling, causing mild resistance. However, TSS 3.0 is designed to recognize and interpret intentional lane changes, reducing unnecessary interventions and providing a more natural driving experience.
“If you crossed a lane marking, the previous system would generally try to correct it,” explained Jarod Duncan, senior principal engineer at TMNA’s integrated vehicle systems division. “Now, it’s programmed in a way that is more ‘aware’ of what you were doing before the move. It understands steering torque.”
Dynamic Radar Cruise Control also reflects TSS’s adaptation to more natural driving styles. It allows drivers to maintain a set distance from the vehicle ahead, now offering four selectable following distance gaps. Toyota’s market research revealed a customer preference for shorter following distances, leading to this enhanced adjustability in the Toyota Tacoma pick up.
The enhanced capabilities of TSS 3.0 and systems like MTM are made possible by advancements in sensors, including cameras, radar, and sonar. For example, TSS 3.0 incorporates an upgraded front-facing camera with higher resolution and a wider field of view, along with an improved radar sensor that offers extended range and a broader field of view. These sensor improvements are crucial for enabling advanced driver-assistance systems to operate effectively at higher speeds and in more complex scenarios, where split-second decisions are critical for system engagement in the Toyota Tacoma pick up.
“The system’s performance has improved to allow for more flexibility,” Caveney noted. ”We’re more confident the system will behave or react more naturally, and we can support safely shorter headway distances.”
For even more intuitive and confident driving support, TSS 3.0 introduces Proactive Driving Assist (PDA). Under specific conditions, PDA provides subtle braking when approaching curves or gentle braking and/or steering to aid in tasks like maintaining distance from preceding vehicles, pedestrians, or cyclists. PDA can also increase space margins around other road users, reducing the likelihood or severity of potential collision scenarios for the Toyota Tacoma pick up.
The TSS engineering team continuously analyzes crash data trends to guide future development. Recent data indicates increases in U.S. crashes involving bicyclists and pedestrians, particularly at night. TSS 3.0 demonstrates improved detection capabilities for these vulnerable road users. These advancements stem from years of pioneering research conducted at Toyota’s Collaborative Safety Research Center (CSRC) in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
CSRC’s research has been instrumental in extending the range and field-of-view for front sensing at intersections. It has also reduced the time required to warn drivers of impending collisions and activate emergency braking. These improvements are based on extensive datasets from real-world crash and near-crash incidents, as well as naturalistic driving studies in the U.S. CSRC’s research focused particularly on the most frequent types of intersection crashes: vehicles crossing a driver’s path and left turns against oncoming traffic. For enhancing nighttime pedestrian detection, CSRC developed a rigorous testing methodology that recreates real-world illumination conditions on the test track, ensuring robust performance of the Toyota Tacoma pick up safety systems in low-light situations.
CSRC has also invested years in developing materials that accurately simulate diverse real-world road surfaces and conditions found globally, considering varying climates. This data has been used to train advanced driver-assist systems to function effectively in less-than-ideal road conditions, especially on roads with poorly defined lane markings. This comprehensive approach results in a higher-performing active safety system for vehicles like the Toyota Tacoma pick up.
Furthermore, CSRC’s research impact extends to the development of advanced crash test dummies used on test tracks. Some of these innovations have been adopted as industry standards by the Society of Automotive Engineers, influencing safety designs across the automotive industry.
“It is extremely fulfilling to see the results of CSRC research projects to help prevent or mitigate crashes and make roadways safer,” said Rini Sherony, senior principal engineer at CSRC. “Other road users are benefitting as well. It’s helping to make people’s life safer and better.”
The Toyota Tacoma pick up, equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, is not just a testament to rugged capability but also a leader in truck safety, offering drivers and passengers enhanced peace of mind on every journey.
*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety 2024 ratings, small pickup/crew cab pickup class. 2024 Toyota Tacoma Crew Cab tested. For details on 2024 Top Safety Pick Awards, see www.iihs.org.
