As one of the leading automakers in the world, Toyota has consistently been at the forefront of automotive safety innovations. Among its suite of safety features, Toyota Smart Stop Technology (SST) stands out as a pivotal advancement that ensures driver and passenger safety in critical situations.
The main feature of Toyota Smart Stop Technology (SST) is to reduce engine power from the throttle when the gas and brake pedals are depressed simultaneously.
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How Toyota Smart Stop Technology Can Keep You Safe
Toyota’s Smart Stop Technology is a cutting-edge safety feature designed to assist drivers in preventing collisions in certain conditions. It acts as an additional layer of security, intervening to reduce engine power when the driver applies the brake and accelerator pedals simultaneously.
How Smart Stop Technology Works
1. Simultaneous Pedal Detection: SST immediately recognizes this if the brake and accelerator pedals are pressed simultaneously and held for over half a second.
2. Engine Power Reduction: Smart Stop Technology reduces engine power upon detecting the simultaneous pressing of both pedals. This allows the braking system to take precedence over acceleration.
3. Driver Alert System: In certain situations, a notification or an alert will be provided to the driver, signaling the activation of the Toyota SST.
Benefits of Smart Stop Technology
Enhanced Safety: The system is designed to automatically reduce engine power when the brake and accelerator pedals are pressed simultaneously, helping to prevent unintentional acceleration.
Collision Avoidance: By cutting engine power under specific conditions, Smart Stop Technology can assist in avoiding or mitigating frontal collisions, especially when the driver mistakenly hits the accelerator instead of the brake.
Driver Confidence: Knowing that there is an additional layer of safety can boost driver confidence in tricky driving conditions.
Emergency Preparedness: Smart Stop Technology is an extra safety net in urgent situations requiring rapid deceleration.
Complements Other Safety Features: Smart Stop Technology is often integrated with other safety features like Brake Assist (BA), designed to detect sudden or “panic” braking situations to apply full force braking.
Smart Stop Technology: The Science Behind It
Toyota’s commitment to ‘Kaizen’ or continuous improvement is evident in the development and fine-tuning of SST. The technology relies on sophisticated magnetic wheel speed sensors and advanced software algorithms continuously monitoring pedal inputs. When the system identifies a simultaneous pressing of the brake and accelerator pedals, it reacts swiftly to reduce engine power.
ABS wheel speed sensors automatically maintains brake pressure to help mitigate engine output from the accelerator pedal being pressed at the same time the brake pedal is pressed.
Toyota Star Safety System
The Toyota Star Safety System is an integrated suite of six advanced safety technologies designed to enhance vehicle stability, traction, and braking effectiveness. These features include:
- Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) – Helps prevent slipping and loss of traction by reducing engine power and applying brake force to individual wheels.
- Traction Control (TRAC) – Minimizes wheel spin during acceleration by automatically reducing power or applying brakes to individual wheels.
- Anti-Lock Brakes System (ABS) – Prevents the wheels from locking up during braking, ensuring the vehicle remains steerable.
- Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD) – Optimally distributes brake force to all wheels, improving braking effectiveness.
- Brake Assist (BA) – Detects emergency braking and increases braking force to reduce stopping distance.
- Smart Stop Technology (SST) – Automatically reduces engine power when both the accelerator and brake pedals are pressed simultaneously under certain conditions, helping to bring the vehicle to a stop.
Together, these components work to enhance the driver’s control over the vehicle, improve traction, and reduce the likelihood of accidents, thereby ensuring a safer driving experience.
Recap of SST
Toyota’s SST epitomizes the brand’s unwavering commitment to safety. By constantly innovating and integrating advanced safety measures like SST into its vehicles, Toyota ensures that its drivers and passengers are always in safe hands. When driving a Toyota, one isn’t just investing in a vehicle but a promise of unparalleled safety and reliability.
For a complete understanding of how SST functions and its limitations, it’s important to refer to the Toyota Owner’s Manual or visit your local Toyota dealer.
Frequently Asked Questions
This system is totally different and has nothing to do with safety. This Automatic Engine Off system is designed to save fuel when sitting in traffic or waiting at a traffic light to make Toyota vehicles more fuel-efficient.
SST is often confused with Stop and Start Engine System(S&S), the Push Button Start with keyless entry. The Stop and Start System, which occurs when vehicles go into an idle, is to help save gas and be more fuel efficient.
At the time of writing this, no, that could change in the future. If you’re curious, visit Toyota.com/recall.
Cedric Jackson
Cedric is a Sales Pro with 20+ years of experience. He is currently a Sales Consultant at Toyota of Riverside. He aims to share his passion for product knowledge of the Toyota brand here on his blog. Cedric writes content here and produces short-form videos on YouTube, Instagram & TicTok. Connect with him here or on all social media @ cedricthecarguy 🙏🏾🤙🏾
As always, for precise and detailed information tailored to a specific RAV4 model or year, it’s wise to refer to the owner’s manual or contact a Toyota dealership.
Cedric Jackson
Cedric is a Sales Pro with 20+ years of experience. He is currently a Sales Consultant at Toyota of Riverside. He aims to share his passion for product knowledge of the Toyota brand here on his blog. Cedric writes content here and produces short-form videos on YouTube, Instagram & TicTok. Connect with him here or on all social media @ cedricthecarguy 🙏🏾🤙🏾
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