Toyota LQ Presents Luxury Features for Future Lexus Models
Forget the promise of Level 4 autonomous driving: Toyota’s newest concept has in-seat air conditioning, augmented reality HUD.
As Mercedes’ S-Class is to the rest of the family, Lexus is to Toyota: a brand where the best technology hits the luxury end first, then filters down through to your friend’s Corolla or Yaris in a few model years, give or take. Of course, Lexus and its parent do share technologies at the same time on occasion, as well, such as the hybrid drivetrains found in the Prius and LC Hybrid.
Sometimes, though, it’s Toyota delivering the high-end goods. According to Green Car Reports, the company’s newest concept, the LQ, has plenty of technology which could change how we drive in the future, but also enough to change the Lexus experience sooner than later.
The LQ — a name Green Car Reports says was originally thought to be for “a new large vehicle from Lexus,” in the vein of the LS, LC, and LX — is part of Toyota’s Concept-i line of forward-thinking vehicles, which originally debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show back in 2017. The latest concept features Level 4 autonomous driving, and more than a handful of tech concepts the public won’t see for some time to come. However, there are some things we could see soon enough.
For instance, the driver’s seat comes with a world-first alertness and relaxation system. The seat is equipped with air bladders and internal air conditioning, both working together to relax the driver in calmer situations, and to help the driver maintain focus on the road during the more stressful moments. This is definitely something we’d see in a given Lexus in a couple of years or so.
The LQ’s augmented reality heads-up display is another tool nearly ready for primetime in a Lexus. Developed with Panasonic, the system helps reduce eye movements (and thus, driver fatigue) with a large screen capable of presenting warnings, road signs, and more in 3D.
Finally, the LQ has an AI-based valet parking system, for those times when you’re not pulling into a posh hotel or nightclub, and a coating on the radiator fan designed to scrub ozone from the air between the car and the road, reducing one of the causes of smog; Toyota plans to use the coating in its commercial vehicles in the near future. We certainly can’t wait to such wonders in a Lexus.
Photos: Toyota
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