Toyota Safety Sense: what is it?

If you're looking for a Toyota vehicle and are searching for it, you've definitely come across the letters TSS, or simply the full Toyota Safety Sense name. If you wondered what that meant, here's a simple explanation.

Toyota, like other manufacturers, has quietly been adding a host of safety features to its vehicles over the past few years. Like some of its rivals, Toyota has decided to combine some of these features under a single, simple name to offer them all in one package. The result is the Toyota Safety Sense suite, which has since been improved upon.

Initially, the system offered four safety features: collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic low beams.

Then two elements were added; Lane Keeping Assist, a feature that works in conjunction with Adaptive Cruise Control; and Sign Recognition, which alerts the driver to speed limits, approaching school zones, etc. The system was also designed to help drivers maintain a safe lane, which is a feature that works in conjunction with Adaptive Cruise Control. These additions have in fact resulted in TSS version 2.0.

And note that in the case of the Collision Avoidance System with Pedestrian Detection, some refinements have been made. For example, it is now also able to detect cyclists during the day. Vehicles and pedestrians can also be detected during the day, but also when the light is dimmer at nightfall.

All in all, with one of the TSS systems in your Toyota vehicle, it's an additional protective shield that you benefit from. Think about it when you buy a new vehicle.