Aurion: The safety

THE Aurion sets a new benchmark for Australian-built vehicles with the standard inclusion of six airbags – dual-stage front airbags, front side airbags and side curtain airbags – as well as electronic stability and traction control, and ABS brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist.

Independent crash testing under the NCAP regime is still to be conducted, however a minimum four stars (out of five) is expected.

Toyota claims the Aurion has the highest body rigidity ever achieved in an Australian-built Toyota model, which contributes to reduced noise, vibration and harshness (NVH), as well as improved crashworthiness.

The front seats have an anti-whiplash design, along with seatbelt pretensioners and belt force-limiters. The rear three seats have a lap-sash belt with an automatic locking retractor, as well as head restraints for all three positions.

Pedestrian protection measures include impact-absorbing brackets in the front guards and a bonnet "support frame" designed to provide uniform distribution of impact loads to reduce trauma to a pedestrian’s head and torso.

All models have projector-type low-beam headlamps, while the Presara adds "adaptive" self-levelling high-intensity discharge lights to its low-beam performance.

The adaptive nature of the Presara’s lights extends illumination when cornering. Each low-beam lamp has a swivel actuator linked to a dedicated ECU that extracts information from the steering angle sensor and the front wheel speed sensors.

The articulation angle is specific to each lamp – the right-hand lamp has a movement range of 15 degrees, while the left-hand lamp has a 10-degree range.

The system is activated when the vehicle is travelling forward at more than 10km/h and when the steering articulation angle is more than six degrees.

Toyota has also reintroduced a telematics emergency roadside assistance and vehicle tracking service with the Aurion. Fitted standard to Presara, the "Toyota Link" service enables car occupants to contact a customer service centre in the event of a collision, breakdown or theft, but is operational only when in GPS mobile phone range.

The system now enables owners to have on-line access and the in-car controls are better integrated into the cabin, having been relocated from the rear-view mirror to an overhead console.

The buttons are also more tactile, reducing the potential for driver distraction, while a new volume control with improved microphone and speaker system is also designed to make the system easier to use.