Toyota's hybridized take on self-driving comes in the wake of research that suggests drivers can take about eight seconds or more to readjust and gain control of a formerly fully autonomous vehicle. The "guardian angel" system could alleviate that disconnect by activating only to avoid a collision, much like automatic braking does.

Testing for this new system will soon be underway at a TRI location near Mt. Fuji in Japan, although the company also intends to run simulations at its US-based research facilities. To clear the system for eventual use in commercial vehicles, Toyota will first need to amass a trillion miles worth of road testing. And it's hoping to do this with a combination of simulations and real-world driving. Further testing will also be carried out at TRI's three US-based facilities, one of which is currently under construction.