Toyota cars can talk to each other to prevent crashes thanks to ITS Connect system

Intelligent Transportation System Connect counts down at traffic lights to tell you when they will turn green

The car lets the driver know if they are not slowing as they approach a red light

If you buy a Toyota in Japan you can now install the Intelligent Transportation System Connect. ITS can be fitted to three domestic models at present. This can do cool things, including counting down at a traffic light to tell you when it’s about to turn green. It can also talk to other cars so equipped so that they regulate their speeds to ensure they don’t get too close to each other.

As more vehicles become equipped it should ease congestion

It all works over a dedicated radio frequency which the government provides. When a car gets within 100m of a junction controlled by traffic lights it gets into action. It can provide cautions, both visual and audio, for right-turn collision concerns, where a pedestrian starts to step out and other hazard scenarios. If the driver isn’t slowing down as they approach a red light, the car lets the driver know.

The ITS Connect system only costs about £134, so price won’t be the issue

As well as the junction alerts, as more vehicles become equipped, it should easy congestion by gently separating vehicles and keeping them a safe distance apart without any major changes of speed. At the moment the system is in its infancy, but Toyota hopes to keep on rolling the programme out.

The ITS Connect system only costs about £134, so price won’t be the issue. Whether it finds wider favour, particularly outside congested cities, remains to be seen.