Established in 2011, CSRC is Toyota’s flagship North American safety research division, created to advance traffic safety through collaborations with universities, hospitals, and research institutions. Since its inception, CSRC has helped shape vehicle development, informed public policy, and trained the next generation of traffic safety experts.
At the media event in Michigan, researchers from Toyota and MIT presented highlights from their decade-long partnership, which explored pedestrian-driver communication, cognitive demand of voice interfaces, and driver attention patterns. Building on this foundation, CSRC announced a new round of research projects—each addressing urgent and emerging safety issues in the evolving landscape of mobility.
The Ten New Research Projects
- Analysis of Speed Assist Implementations and Context-Aware Improvements
Partner: Touchstone Evaluations, Inc.
This study examines how speeding countermeasures—such as intelligent speed assist systems—vary in effectiveness depending on crash types, road context, and driver profiles. Researchers aim to assess expected crash reduction, driver acceptance, and behavior changes. - Driver Behavior Adaptation to Level 2 Automation
Partner: MIT AgeLab
This project explores how different implementations of Level 2 driver assistance and driver monitoring systems interact with various driving contexts, and how these systems influence driver behavior and trust over time. - Evaluating Driving Performance and Behavior Across Varying Vehicle Specifications and Driving Contexts
Partner: Virginia Tech Transportation Institute
Researchers will investigate how specific advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), vehicle features, and external conditions (like road type or weather) affect risky driving behaviors and performance outcomes. - Safety Benefits of In-Vehicle Alerts and Notifications
Partner: Oregon State University
This study will identify critical moments in which in-vehicle alerts can have the greatest impact on driver safety and determine if such alerts truly reduce crash risk in real-world driving situations. - User Acceptance Factors for In-Vehicle Safety Systems Targeting Impaired Driving
Partner: Impact Research, LLC
Researchers will analyze the thresholds for driver acceptance of pre-drive interactions with safety systems designed to detect and mitigate impaired driving. - Comparing Applicability of Global ADAS Testing Scenarios in the U.S. Context
Partner: University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute
This work compares global automated emergency braking (AEB) assessment protocols with U.S.-specific road conditions, with the goal of enhancing the relevance and effectiveness of safety evaluations. - Skeletal Data for Anthropometry and Posture
Partner: University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute
Aimed at improving crash simulations, this study will explore the link between external driver posture, skeletal geometry, and biomechanical responses during collisions. - Biological Sex in Ankle Bone Material Properties
Partners: The Ohio State University Injury Biomechanics Research Center & University of Waterloo
Researchers will develop more accurate injury prediction models by studying how biological sex differences influence lower extremity injuries in crashes. - Pedestrian Protection in High-Hood Vehicles
Partner: University of Virginia Center for Applied Biomechanics
This project seeks to identify vehicle front-end design features—particularly in high-hood trucks and SUVs—that can better protect pedestrians in collisions. - Interacting While Driving: Evaluating Attentional Demands of In-Vehicle Interfaces
Partner: Auburn University
Researchers will study how different types of in-vehicle controls (touchscreen, physical buttons, or hybrids) affect driver distraction and safety.
A Decade of Impact
Over 400 students, postdoctoral fellows, and staff have contributed to CSRC initiatives over the past decade, with many continuing their careers in academia, the auto industry, or public safety. Notably, data sets from CSRC projects have helped shape international safety standards, such as ISO guidance on external communication for automated vehicles.
“CSRC’s mission is grounded in collaboration,” said Josh Domeyer, principal scientist at Toyota. “These new projects represent not just another research cycle, but a critical investment in addressing safety at the intersection of technology, behavior, and design.”
With more than 100 projects completed and a new generation of safety challenges ahead, Toyota’s CSRC continues to play a pivotal role in creating safer roads—one study at a time.