A stronger safety spec will land with the new Corolla.

GREATER detail about the safety tech coming to a next-gen Corolla now just weeks from New Zealand launch has emerged.

Toyota is claiming unprecedented levels of advanced safety technology to the small car class with its array of active driver assistance and passive protection features.

Active cruise control, a pre-collision safety system, seven airbags, and reversing camera are all set to be standard across what is appears to be a three-model Corolla hatch range, all continuing with the constantly variable transmission from the current car.

The outgoing range has had some of the more advanced accident avoidance features, but only at high level.

Headlining the features is an Active Cruise Control system. Using a system of cameras and other sensors to maintain a set distance to the car in front, the driver is able to set a cruising speed of between 30kmh and 180kmh with the system operating at all speeds down to a complete stop.

The new cars are also fitted with a suite of advanced safety features to help avoid collisions including an active pre-collision safety system with autonomous emergency braking and pedestrian and cyclist detection.

If a potential collision is detected, the PCS system will initially employ a visual and audible warning, then brake assistance and if the driver fails to heed the warnings, full automatic braking to assist the driver to bring the car to a complete stop.

Also incoming is an advanced lane departure warning and support system with multiple functions. 

If the car deviates from the lane unintentionally, the lane departure alert will first issue an audible and visual warning before providing gentle steering assistance to encourage the driver to move back into the lane, Toyota says in provided comment.

To help reduce the potential of fatigue-related collisions, the system also includes a sway warning function that displays a warning prompting the driver to take a break if the system detects the car swerving due to driver inattention.

There’s also a lane trace assist function that works when the ACC is activated. 

The lane centring function uses detection of the lane markings as well as the position of the vehicle ahead and then provides steering assistance to ensure the car stays centred in the lane. 

It is designed to function on highways and freeways, but if the driver removes their hands from the steering wheel, they receive visual and audio warnings.

Another technology expected to be standard is an automatic high beam system for the headlights and a road sign assist system that is designed to recognise speed limit signs and displays them on the multi information display in the instrument cluster.

A blind spot monitor will come to mid and high-spec cars while the flagship has a head-up display.

Corolla also comes standard with a rear-view camera with guidelines and all models have seven airbags.

The release of information comes just days after announcement of local market safety equipment for the new-gen Ford Focus, which will land in October.

Like Toyota, the Blue Oval has gone for a range-spanning fitment of AEB and implementation of collision warning and lane keeping to maintain best chance of a high score in the just-updated European and Australasian New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP/ANCAP) crash test regimes.

The Corolla, with 2326 registrations as at the end of June, is by far and away the sector sales giant, but counts that maintain it as the country’s best-selling car are off the back of rental company and some fleet business other category performers often say they cannot access.

The best of the rest span Focus, with 841 registrations in the first half of this year, Mazda3 (1012), Holden Astra (393), Honda Civic (344) and Mitsubishi Lancer (336).

The new Corolla seems set to start becoming available in August, with Toyota New Zealand indicating that product will be in circulation prior to the media event in early September.