Toyota Motor Corporation has unveiled the "LQ," an electric vehicle (EV) equipped with artificial intelligence and autonomous driving capabilities, which will be showcased at the Tokyo Motor Show 2019.

The "LQ" is a model that embodies the future beloved car experience concept expressed in the concept car "Concept-i," which was exhibited at the "CES" electronics trade show in Las Vegas in January 2017. It is characterized by its AI agent and autonomous driving functions, developed jointly with Toyota Research Institute, which conducts research and development in areas such as artificial intelligence, autonomous driving, and robotics in the United States.

Named LQ to serve as a catalyst (Q/Cue) for proposing a new era of beloved cars, the LQ is equipped with the AI agent "YUI." It has been developed to become a "beloved car" for the new era by providing a mobility experience tailored to each individual's needs.

YUI estimates the driver's condition, such as drowsiness, from their facial expressions and actions. Toyota claims that in addition to communication centered on conversation, it contributes to safe, secure, and comfortable mobility by interacting through various HMIs (Human Machine Interfaces) such as arousal-inducing seats, relaxation-inducing seats, music, interior illumination, air conditioning, and fragrance.

It also supports enjoying the journey itself by selecting and playing music according to the scene and preferences, and providing information on topics and facilities of interest.

The LQ's autonomous driving features Level 4 equivalent capabilities and includes an automated valet parking system. By performing unmanned autonomous driving between the boarding and alighting area and the parking space, it aims to reduce the burden not only for those who require special consideration, such as the elderly or people with disabilities, but also for those who find parking difficult.

The interior utilizes the vehicle's roof and floor mats, which were not previously considered points of interaction between the vehicle and occupants, as HMI areas. By incorporating illumination functions into the roof and floor mats, it is possible to illuminate different colors for autonomous and manual driving modes, or to light up the floor mat of the occupant to whom "YUI" is speaking.

Furthermore, the DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) type headlights, which can project complex shapes and characters onto the road surface by switching between one million micro-mirrors embedded in the headlamps, can inform the driver of road conditions and enable communication inside and outside the vehicle.

Additionally, the LQ adopts an organic EL display for the first time in a Toyota for its meters, and its radiator fan is coated with an air-purifying paint. This paint decomposes ozone near the ground, which causes photochemical smog, as the vehicle travels.

Spec
TOYOTA LQ
Body Size | Length 4,530 x Width 1,840 x Height 1,480mm
Wheelbase | 2,700mm
Vehicle Weight | 1,680kg
Powertrain | EV
Cruising Range | Approx. 300km
Seating Capacity | 4 people