Toyota and Lexus Lag Behind in Hands-Free Driving Tech: Why It’s a Strategic Misstep

Autonomous driving technology is rapidly becoming a critical selling point for vehicles, with hands-free systems like GM’s Super Cruise, Ford’s BlueCruise, and Stellantis’ Hands-Free Active Driving Assist leading the charge. Yet one major automaker has notably failed to keep pace: Toyota and its luxury brand, Lexus.

Despite once offering a semi-autonomous system called Teammate, both brands appear to have abandoned it. The system was available on the Toyota Mirai and the Lexus LS, but the latter model has since been discontinued. Toyota also removed Teammate from its hydrogen-powered sedan after the 2023 model year, leaving no direct competitor to the industry’s top hands-free driving technologies.

This absence is glaring when compared to the expanding list of rivals offering advanced systems:

• Nissan’s ProPILOT Assist
• Mercedes’ MB.Drive Assist Pro
• Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD)
• Rivian’s Autonomy+
• BMW’s Highway Assistant

The gap is particularly noticeable in Lexus’ current lineup. The redesigned ES features the Lexus Safety System+ 4.0, which includes adaptive cruise control and lane centering but lacks true hands-free capability. Higher trims add Traffic Jam Assist and Lane Change Assist, yet these still fall short of a fully autonomous experience.

Even the flagship Lexus LX, priced between $108,550 and $142,950, relies on the older Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, which omits Lane Change Assist entirely. For context, competitors like the Cadillac Escalade (starting at $91,100) offer Super Cruise for an additional $3,000, while the Lincoln Navigator (starting at $92,745) includes BlueCruise as standard equipment. The Infiniti QX80 Autograph (starting at $112,195) also includes ProPILOT Assist 2.1.

As autonomous driving systems become a deciding factor for buyers, Toyota and Lexus risk losing market share to competitors that prioritize this technology. The question remains: Is their hesitation a strategic error, or will they re-enter the race with a future system?