Toyota starts US$1b centre to develop cars that don't crash

Tokyo

TOYOTA Motor Corp is spending US$1 billion to form a research institute focused on the artificial intelligence and robotics technology it needs to make cars that can overcome driver errors and reduce traffic fatalities.

Toyota Research Institute Inc will pitch in on the safety systems the carmaker is developing to curtail car accidents that kill 1.25 million people per year worldwide. The company will also work towards making it easier for elderly drivers to hang onto their keys in aging countries including Japan and the US, Toyota's biggest markets.