Toyota and Aurora Begin Testing Self-Driving Sienna Vans in Texas
Toyota and Aurora Innovation are currently testing a fleet of autonomous Sienna minivans on Texas roads. The vehicles use a Level 4 self-driving system but still require a human safety driver behind the wheel.
Toyota and Aurora Innovation launch their first fleet of self-driving prototypes based on the Toyota Sienna minivan. The companies test these vehicles on highways and suburban streets in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas. Aurora provides the self-driving system, known as the Aurora Driver, while Toyota handles the vehicle integration.
The prototypes tackle complex driving maneuvers during these tests, including U-turns, high-speed mergers, and lane changes. They also react to unpredictable situations like road construction, vehicles on the shoulder, and poor weather conditions. Although the Aurora Driver operates at Level 4 capability within a geofenced area, an emergency driver remains behind the wheel at all times during this current phase.
Aurora plans to eventually offer its autonomous technology as a complete service for taxi and trucking fleets, covering financing, insurance, and maintenance. Meanwhile, Toyota introduces its own lower-level driver assistance features under the Toyota Teammate brand in showroom models like the 2022 Mirai and Lexus LS. These showroom features only reach Level 2 on the SAE scale, meaning they require constant supervision from the human driver.