Toyota Motor Corp. and General Motors Corp. of the United States have launched joint research on an automated driving system that will help prevent vehicle collisions, the largest Japanese automaker said Friday.

The automated driving system is one of the intelligent transport systems that the auto industry has been developing to prevent traffic congestion and accidents.

The joint research between the leading Japanese and US automakers is expected to focus on technologies that would allow vehicles to identify their locations through wireless communication and automatically control speed and location, the company said.

Toyota has been developing a system for vehicles to use laser beams to detect people and other vehicles.

These technologies are expected to allow vehicles to go to prefixed destinations without drivers.

Toyota and GM, which have kept close ties through their joint vehicle production in the United States since the 1980s, have also been conducting joint research on environmentally friendly fuel cell cars.

They may be willing to take advantage of such joint research to help save development and production costs, according to the company.

Source: Xinhua