What Is Toyota Road Sign Assist (RSA)?
Today, you will learn how Toyota Road Sign Assist takes information we, as drivers, may need to pay attention to and display it on the Multi-Information Display (MID) to help keep us safe. In my case, it’s helped me avoid tickets as well.
Road Sign Assist or RSA uses an advanced camera to detect road signs and displays the icons on the (MID). These signs are speed limit, STOP signs, Do Not Enter, and Yield Signs.
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How Does Toyota Road Sign Assist Work?
Toyota upgraded its forward-facing camera and designed it to have a higher resolution and wider angles. This allows RSA to detect the speed limit signs, the do not enter signs, the yield signs, and the STOP signs.
From what I’ve seen driving these vehicles, the icons appear on the Multi-Information Display. Still, I’ve never noticed a sound or a buzzer when the signs are displayed. I’ve noticed sounds and buzzers when the automatic braking has kicked in, but not when displaying one of these signs.
I remember the speed limit icon flashing on the MID when I exceeded the speed limit. This was helpful in my awareness as I traveled to Mammoth, CA, on Highway 395. In most parts of this road, the speed limit is 70 mph.
Still, as you enter small towns, that speed limit drops to 25 mph rather quickly. It is easy to forget and exceed the speed limit; the last thing I want is a speeding violation, especially in a small town.
RSA has another upgrade; it can now detect warnings for pedestrian crossing signs. This way, you are aware of common street crossings in unfamiliar areas.
What are the Benefits of Toyota Road Sign Assist?
Enhanced Awareness: RSA helps drivers recognize and remember important road signs, informing them about the road conditions ahead.
Reduction in Potential Traffic Violations: By providing real-time alerts about speed limits and other road signs, RSA can help drivers avoid potential traffic violations.
Safety Enhancement: RSA can identify signs such as stop, yield, or do not enter, alerting drivers and reducing the risk of accidents.
Supports Driver Concentration: Drivers can remain more focused on the road, knowing the RSA continuously monitors road signs.
Convenient Visual Alerts: The system provides visual alerts on the instrument panel or head-up display, ensuring the information is easily accessible.
Beneficial for Long Drives: RSA ensures drivers are consistently informed about changing road conditions on long journeys or unfamiliar routes.
Reduction in Cognitive Load: By actively recognizing and displaying road signs, RSA reduces the need for drivers to remember all sign details, especially on unfamiliar roads.
Enhanced Confidence: With the RSA system actively assisting, drivers can feel more confident about understanding the road environment.
Potential for Future Integration: As vehicle technology advances, systems like RSA may further integrate with other vehicle functions to optimize safety and driver convenience.
Integration with Other Safety Features: As part of the Toyota Safety Sense package, the RSA system complements other safety features to provide a comprehensive driving experience. One of these features is the Lane Departure Alert (LDA), which will alert the driver if the vehicle starts to drift out of its lane. The feature is designed to mitigate unintended lane departures.
How to use the Road Sign Assist
Let’s walk through how to adjust the settings in your vehicle to ensure the Toyota RSA is working correctly. First, locate the direction pad on the left or right side of your steering wheel. You’ll see Up, Right, Down, and Left with the OK/Selector button in the center of the direction pad.
Next, on the MID, notice which menu page you are in. Then, use the direction pad to toggle between pages until you reach the settings menu page, which will look like a gear wheel icon. From here, scroll down to the RSA settings. You can use the OK/Selector button to toggle the feature on or off; note some vehicles may require you to HOLD the OK/Selector button to toggle features on and off.
Toyota Safety Sense 3.0
Now standard across the lineup are Blind Spot Monitors (BSM) with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA) for a safer, more convenient driving experience. New Traffic Jam Assist (TJA) facilitates stop-and-go driving on congested roads by controlling acceleration, braking, and steering within a speed range of 0 to 25 mph. Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) is an advanced suite of safety features designed to keep drivers and passengers safer on the road. These innovative technologies help avoid accidents altogether. Here is a list of components within the suite:
- Pre-Collision System (PCS): Detects vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists, providing warnings and emergency braking if needed.
- Lane Departure Alert (LDA): Warns drivers of unintentional lane departure and may provide corrective steering.
- Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC): Maintains a set distance from the vehicle ahead, adjusting speed accordingly.
- Lane Tracing Assist (LTA): Keeps the vehicle centered in its lane using lane markers and preceding vehicles.
- Automatic High Beams (AHB): Automatically switches between high and low beams based on surrounding traffic.
- Road Sign Assist (RSA): Detects and displays road signs to enhance driver awareness.
- Proactive Driving Assist (PDA): Provides braking or steering support to maintain distance and stay in lane.
Recap of Toyota RSA
The high-tech camera system on Toyota vehicles equipped with the Toyota Safety Sense helps you stay alert to road signs you may unconsciously ignore. RSA constantly reminds you of these road signs with icons in the multi-informational display.
Remember that while RSA is beneficial, drivers should always stay attentive and rely on something other than the system, as there might be temporary or new road signs not recognized by the system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most vehicles that have Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 or above have it. Some vehicles that have TSS-P may not. From my research, the 2022 Sequoia, Tacoma, and 4Runners don’t. The 2023 Tacoma & 4Runners don’t. The 2024 GR Corolla, Tacoma 6 Speed Manual, and 4Runners are not equipped with this feature. GR Supra and GR86 do not have Toyota Safety Sense either, so RSA is excluded on these vehicle as well.
On the Multi-Information Display of your vehicle, navigate the direction pad left or right to find the settings menu page. It looks like a gear wheel. Here is where you will find the RSA feature. Use the OK/Selector button to toggle the feature on and off.
This feature uses a wide angle, high resolution, advanced camera system to locate and project road signs onto the multi-information display for you to be aware of road signs you are approaching and have just passed.
Note: Always refer to the vehicle’s Owner’s Manual for more detailed information about your specific vehicle. Safe driving practices should always be followed. For more details, contact your local Toyota Dealer or visit Toyota.com.
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 🙏🏾🤙🏾
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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