Kiyosu, Japan, January 30, 2018: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. will begin sales of steering wheels for trucks that can detect driver inattention or drowsiness and be retrofitted on existing trucks. These steering wheels are intended to help prevent accidents involving trucks, which are more likely to be serious than accidents involving only passenger cars.

The product consists of a steering wheel with built-in camera and a smart phone with a preinstalled dedicated application. The camera mounted close to the driver’s face provides high detection accuracy, and if the driver’s eyes are closed for more than a certain time (approx. 1 second) or his or her face is not looking forward, the smart phone sounds a warning to call their attention¹. Using the smart phone’s telecommunications function, information on the driver’s status and vehicle can also be sent to the operations manager in real time, which may also lead to accident prevention. Since these steering wheels can be retrofitted on trucks in place of the existing steering wheel, trucks currently in use can continue to be used.

Sales to TG Logistics Co., Ltd., a Toyoda Gosei group company, will start shortly, and will gradually be expanded to the broader market.

Toyoda Gosei will continue to incorporate various functions into steering wheels as the interface between the driver and vehicle, contributing to a safer and more comfortable driving.

¹Fifteen TG Logistics’ trucks fitted with these steering wheels have traveled more than 100,000 km in a verification test, and an effect has been demonstrated in reducing instances in which the driver’s eyes are off the road for 2 seconds or more, which increases the risk of accident.

About Toyoda Gosei

Established in 1949 and headquartered in Kiyosu, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Toyoda Gosei is a leading specialty manufacturer of rubber and plastic automotive parts and LEDs. Today, the Toyoda Gosei Group provides a variety of high-quality products internationally, with a network of approximately 100 plants and offices in 18 countries and regions. Through its flexible, integrated global supply system and leading-edge technologies for automotive safety, comfort, and environmental preservation, Toyoda Gosei is a global supplier that aims to deliver the highest levels of quality, innovation, and satisfaction to customers worldwide.