Are the active safety features any good in the 200? Found out today

[mcgaskins]

I like safe vehicles, and I have long believed Land Cruisers to be some of the safest on the road. Relatively recent technology has enabled robust active safety features to help avoid or reduce the severity of accidents, but I've always been a little skeptical of how well safety tech in the 200 performs since we all know the tech in places like the infotainment is dated compared with the competition. I had the dubious honor today however of testing the pre collision features in our 2013 Land Cruiser, and I have to say I was incredibly impressed!

I was on a highway on ramp in the right of two lanes which becomes the driving lane after the merge point. The only vehicle in front of me was a truck pulling a trailer, and we were going about 50 mph merging into 65 mph traffic when a crazy guy in a pickup comes flying past and swerves in front of me narrowly missing my fender. I just shook my head and was like whatever dude! We were at the merge point, so now there is only one lane of travel but we had not yet merged onto the main portion of the highway. Then out of nowhere, I see an even crazier person in an SUV come screaming past me, on the shoulder, probably going about 75 mph, and she swerves aggressively in front of me and behind the pickup that just did the same thing. What neither of them realized however, is the truck at the very front for some reason was slowing down and had his brake lights lit up. So crazy guy in the pickup slams on his brakes, crazy lady slams on her brakes at the same she's on the shoulder passing me, and I was 99% sure her rear quarter panel was going to sideswipe the 200 at my front driver corner.

I've had quite a few "near misses" in my lifetime, but I can only recall one situation ever where I was more confident I was about to be in a wreck. As I went to slam on the brakes, the truck had already reacted and basically put the brake pedal into the floor, but even better the seat belts pre tensioner kicked in so hard it literally felt like someone was in the back seat pulling my shoulders and hips hard into the back of the seat. It was a very interesting almost pulsating/pumping like feeling, and even though it did not hurt at all, it was very intense. I am confident in saying the Land Cruiser's safety tech literally saved us (me and the pup) from getting into what could have been a very dynamic and bad accident. My guess is due to the angle and speed of which this lady was cutting me off, had she actually hit the front corner of the Cruiser, it likely would have looked like a PIT maneuver and spun her around at a minimum if not flipped the SUV.

I have honestly questioned how effective the 200 safety tech is because after years of driving different 200s, I've never felt it actively kick in. My wife has a 2017 CRV, and even with the sensitivity turned all the way down, it kicks in quite a bit and is almost annoying (especially when there is a car in front of you turning right and slowing down - the active braking kicks in a bunch because it doesn't see things like turn signals). I am really pleased with how well the Cruiser handled the situation today, and I'm grateful it was there to avoid at best a messy insurance situation but at worst a really violent accident. Later we pulled over for a short hike, and after I snapped this pic I realized a butterfly flew into the frame. Probably a coincidence, but it definitely felt like I had someone watching out for me today.

 

[04UZJ100]

I thought 2013 only had belt pre-tensioner and electronic assisted brakes that essentially react based on how quickly you move your foot from the gas to the brake.

Are you saying the truck actually initiated emergency braking itself? Thought that was only 2016+?

On another note since you have seat time behind both 8 and 6 speeds - what’s your opinion of the 8 speed?

I just brought home a 2020 and it is quite clunky.

 

[Romer]

Matt,
Is this what you meant? Thats what my manual says. I think if you were touching the brakes at all that could have kicked it in

Brake assist
Generates an increased level of braking force after the brake pedal is
depressed, when the system detects a panic stop situation.

 

[Fisher23]

..... when a crazy guy in a pickup comes flying past and swerves in front of me .. Then out of nowhere, I see an even crazier person in an SUV come screaming past me, on the shoulder, probably going about 75 mph, and she swerves aggressively in front of me

He must fear her ...

 

[KLF]

I have had the PCS system engage twice now, both when kamikaze deer jumped out in front of me. The brakes and belt tensioner get applied before you even have the time to react, it is MUCH faster than you are. It uses the radar sensor to pick up when there's an object in front and a collision is imminent, and it takes over. It really is quite dramatic and impressive, and the seat belt tension is like the truck is saying "got ya, I'm on it!" Then the deer leaps off into the bushes, and the truck just goes back to normal, although a lot slower.

Say what you will about these fancy doo-dads and nanny computers, they do work.

 

[afgman786]

Good to hear you're all good. Could've gotten a bumper out of it... haha

 

[Madtiger]

I thought 2013 only had belt pre-tensioner and electronic assisted brakes that essentially react based on how quickly you move your foot from the gas to the brake.

Are you saying the truck actually initiated emergency braking itself? Thought that was only 2016+?

2013 does come with Pre-collision system. (2016+ adds blindspot and rear traffic alert.)

https://cdn.dealereprocess.org/cdn/brochures/toyota/2013-landcruiser.pdf

 

[Pelirrojo]

The first week I had my used 2013, the pre-collision system kicked in when a car just stopped suddenly in the HOV lane. I don’t remember even having time to press the brakes, but it took care of me. I new it was a system the truck had, but didn’t realize how it would work. I do believe it prevented us from rear ending the idiot that stopped for no reason at 75mph. I also read in the manual that the system closes all windows and sunroof to prepare for the collision, but ours were closed already at the time.

 

[dntlflosstycoon]

Funny, I had pre-collision engage today for the first time in my ‘20. In in-town traffic I stepped hard on the brakes, and the car stepped a lot harder, scaring the hell out of me in what I would consider a non-emergency situation.

 

[mcgaskins]

I thought 2013 only had belt pre-tensioner and electronic assisted brakes that essentially react based on how quickly you move your foot from the gas to the brake.

Are you saying the truck actually initiated emergency braking itself? Thought that was only 2016+?

On another note since you have seat time behind both 8 and 6 speeds - what’s your opinion of the 8 speed?

I just brought home a 2020 and it is quite clunky.

Matt,
Is this what you meant? Thats what my manual says. I think if you were touching the brakes at all that could have kicked it in

Brake assist
Generates an increased level of braking force after the brake pedal is
depressed, when the system detects a panic stop situation.

It’s hard for me to say exactly when the braking kicked in since it all happened in a split second, but it felt like the truck was already braking by the time my foot was on the brake pedal. Without the kind of telemetry you get in something like a Tesla, I will never know exactly what happened and when, but I feel confident the truck saved us from being in an accident. Like @pelirojo said, it definitely felt like the truck was already braking before me, and for that I’m grateful.

 

[bloc]

Interesting.. I’ve had this happen a couple times in my 13 but neither was quite as dramatic as your situation. On the other hand, I nearly rear ended someone the other day when they abruptly stopped before turning right at a green light due to a pedestrian. It was CLOSE. I’d have to assume the PCS needs a minimum speed before it does everything it did for you and my other incidents.

 

[Markuson]

I like safe vehicles, and I have long believed Land Cruisers to be some of the safest on the road. Relatively recent technology has enabled robust active safety features to help avoid or reduce the severity of accidents, but I've always been a little skeptical of how well safety tech in the 200 performs since we all know the tech in places like the infotainment is dated compared with the competition. I had the dubious honor today however of testing the pre collision features in our 2013 Land Cruiser, and I have to say I was incredibly impressed!

I was on a highway on ramp in the right of two lanes which becomes the driving lane after the merge point. The only vehicle in front of me was a truck pulling a trailer, and we were going about 50 mph merging into 65 mph traffic when a crazy guy in a pickup comes flying past and swerves in front of me narrowly missing my fender. I just shook my head and was like whatever dude! We were at the merge point, so now there is only one lane of travel but we had not yet merged onto the main portion of the highway. Then out of nowhere, I see an even crazier person in an SUV come screaming past me, on the shoulder, probably going about 75 mph, and she swerves aggressively in front of me and behind the pickup that just did the same thing. What neither of them realized however, is the truck at the very front for some reason was slowing down and had his brake lights lit up. So crazy guy in the pickup slams on his brakes, crazy lady slams on her brakes at the same she's on the shoulder passing me, and I was 99% sure her rear quarter panel was going to sideswipe the 200 at my front driver corner.

I've had quite a few "near misses" in my lifetime, but I can only recall one situation ever where I was more confident I was about to be in a wreck. As I went to slam on the brakes, the truck had already reacted and basically put the brake pedal into the floor, but even better the seat belts pre tensioner kicked in so hard it literally felt like someone was in the back seat pulling my shoulders and hips hard into the back of the seat. It was a very interesting almost pulsating/pumping like feeling, and even though it did not hurt at all, it was very intense. I am confident in saying the Land Cruiser's safety tech literally saved us (me and the pup) from getting into what could have been a very dynamic and bad accident. My guess is due to the angle and speed of which this lady was cutting me off, had she actually hit the front corner of the Cruiser, it likely would have looked like a PIT maneuver and spun her around at a minimum if not flipped the SUV.

I have honestly questioned how effective the 200 safety tech is because after years of driving different 200s, I've never felt it actively kick in. My wife has a 2017 CRV, and even with the sensitivity turned all the way down, it kicks in quite a bit and is almost annoying (especially when there is a car in front of you turning right and slowing down - the active braking kicks in a bunch because it doesn't see things like turn signals). I am really pleased with how well the Cruiser handled the situation today, and I'm grateful it was there to avoid at best a messy insurance situation but at worst a really violent accident. Later we pulled over for a short hike, and after I snapped this pic I realized a butterfly flew into the frame. Probably a coincidence, but it definitely felt like I had someone watching out for me today.

My seat belt tensioner has kicked in maaaany times, and happens when you really hit the brakes hard. What’s cool is...it has only ever done it when I slam to hard and fast on the brakes—like I might in the situation you describe. It’s a great feature, as it clearly senses the urgency of brake application. Tight seatbelts are a huge benefit in an accident...

 

[txtortoise]

FWIW, Pre-Collision System (PCS)14 and Dynamic Radar Cruise Control was an option on the 2013 LX 570. Mine doesn't have it, but it will accelerate braking, shoulder harness lockup and headrest adjustment in a panic stop, apparently based on how fast you are hitting the brakes....been there a few times.