The next big thing from Lexus is not a car

Lexus has presented its latest innovation as the brand continues its search for perfection. But this time it is not a new vehicle, it’s the world’s most advanced driving simulator that will be helping engineers to develop technology that will help make driving safer.

The Japanese brand is presenting its state-of-the-art testing facility in its latest television spot, where you can see the revolutionary machine in action. According to Dave Nordstrom, vice president of marketing for Lexus this driving simulator is “a real-life example of our innovation and dedication to bringing customers the future first.”

The largest and most advanced driving simulator ever built is installed in a large, unassuming building on the company’s research campus in Higashifuji, Japan. In this location we find a series of complex, interlocking full motion tracks that cover the interior of a room the size of a football field. A round domed structure can be found on top of the tracks, approximately 15 feet high and 56 feet in diameter, supported on a full three-axis hexapod system.

Inside the dome, a real Lexus vehicle is mounted to a turntable, allowing drivers to test and experience actual vehicle controls. Drivers experience a full 360-degree environment of roads around the vehicle provided by a high-definition imaging system. Drivers can see and hear traffic and the city around them, including receding scenery viewable in the side- and rear-view mirrors.

This simulator is not a video game and in fact the pod is able to tip forward or backward and side-to-side to create sensations of acceleration. Thanks to the track system, which moves the pod in all directions, the simulator creates realistic feelings of cornering and handling, and can mimic speeds of up to 186 miles per hour with a turn angle of 330 degrees.

With this highly advanced simulator Lexus can conduct ongoing testing to learn about driver behaviors and reaction times and at the same time to develop technologies that will be able to increase car safety.

Not only does Lexus test for traditional traffic incidents, but they also conduct testing that determines driver response while distracted by technology such as text messaging, navigation systems and car warnings and displays. Drowsy driving and poor visibility situations are also tested. With several scenarios being tested engineers are able to analyze driver reactions before an accident to determine what technology could assist in helping to prevent future accidents.

To see more about this simulator just check the TV spot titled, “The Next Big Thing.”