Motor Show: Lexus LS 460

The LS 460 showcases 'several world and segment firsts in the area of safety' based on 'the tenet of accident avoidance through anticipation'. As seen at the Detroit Motor Show last month, the LS has Lexus's Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system, as in the latest GS, which controls electronic braking, power steering, stability control and ABS, adjusting engine torque via the electronic throttle. VDIM can anticipate a skid or slide and prepare the safety systems accordingly.

There are also a number of preventative safety features, including an enhanced pre-crash safety system that 'anticipates and automatically reacts to several types of collisions, even after dark'. It employs what Lexus claims is the world's first rear pre-crash safety system, which uses a millimetre-wave radar installed within the rear bumper to constantly scan the back of the vehicle: if it thinks someone's going to back-end you, it automatically activates the pre-crash front headrests to cushion the occupants' heads to reduce the risk of whiplash.

The LS 460 also features a driver monitoring system that tracks the driver's face via a camera on the steering column and activates an alarm if an obstacle is detected in front of the car when the driver is not looking forward.

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