Guide to Toyota Safety Sense
Toyota
Toyota Safety Sense is a suite of active safety and driver-assistive technologies. Every new Toyota model on the market comes with TSS as standard equipment — but the features aren’t always the same.
There are three major versions: TSS-P and TSS 2.0 — the ones most often found in current models — and TSS 2.5+, set to debut on select 2021 models like the new Camry.
Because TSS-P functions as the core package, with 2.0 building upon it and 2.5+ building even further upon both of them, that’s how the descriptions below are structured. Let’s dig in!
Related: New 2021 Toyota Camry features
Pre-Collision System
PCS uses a forward-facing camera and radar system to detect if you’re potentially about to crash into a vehicle ahead of you. In daytime conditions, it can also detect pedestrians. It will first alert you while priming the brakes for a hard stop, then automatically apply the brakes if you don’t react in time.
TSS 2.0: Can also detect bicycles in daytime conditions and pedestrians in low-light conditions.
TSS 2.5+: Can also detect oncoming vehicles or pedestrians when performing left-hand turns at intersections, and includes emergency steering assistance to help stabilize the car during emergency maneuvers.
Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
Like regular cruise control, DRCC will automatically keep the car moving at the speed you set. It will also slow down to maintain a preset gap to cars ahead of you. If the car ahead slows down too much, DRCC will alert you and apply the brakes. If the car ahead is no longer driving slower than you, DRCC will get you back up to speed.
TSS 2.0: Lowers DRCC’s minimum operation speed to 15 mph, down from 25 mph. Also includes Lane Tracing Assist, which automatically makes constant steering inputs to keep you in your lane while DRCC is engaged.
TSS 2.5+: When you engage the turn signal while behind a car slower than your preset speed, DRCC will give you a small acceleration boost during and after the lane change to help you get up to your intended speed.
Full-Speed Range DRCC: Can match the speed of vehicles ahead as well as bring the car to a full stop and get up to speed again. Only available in a few Toyota models with TSS-P, and in most vehicles with TSS 2.0. The availability for TSS 2.5+ models isn’t yet clear.
Related: Best Toyota SUVs for families
Lane Departure Alert
When traveling on relatively straight roads with clear lane markings, LDA will alert you if you begin to unintentionally deviate from the lane.
TSS 2.0: Features Road Edge Detection that “may be capable,” in Toyota’s own words, of sensing the boundary between the road surface and the side of the road.
TSS 2.5+: No changes.
LDA with Steering Assist: If the Toyota is equipped with electronic power steering, LDA will automatically make small steering corrections to keep you in your lane. Works with all TSS versions.
Automatic High Beams
Using a camera inside the cabin, AHB automatically toggles between high and low beams when it detects the headlights of oncoming vehicles and taillights of preceding vehicles. The feature is the same in all versions of TSS.
Road Sign Assist
Can detect Stop, Yield, and Do Not Enter traffic signs and show them on your multi-information display. This is a TSS 2.0 and TSS 2.5+ only feature.
So there you have it! That’s Toyota Safety Sense. And if you were wondering about Toyota Safety Sense C, it’s an even older version that’s no longer offered on new models. You can learn more about it here (pdf link) if you’re interested.
Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout his life he was always told French was the language of romance, but it was English he fell in love with. He likes cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1, and pretending to be a race car driver in simulators; but most of all, he just likes to write about it all. See more articles by Kurt.