Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc.

09/17/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/17/2024 07:13

2025 Toyota Sienna Introduces Advanced Rear Seat Reminder System to Help Identify Rear Seat Occupants via In Cabin Millimeter Wave Radar

  • Advanced Rear Seat Reminder comes standard in all grades of 2025 Sienna
  • A global first-in-a-Toyota technology will, under certain circumstances, use millimeter-wave radar to sense movements in the Sienna after driver has left the minivan
  • Alert escalations, depending on the circumstances, proceed from a subtle vehicle chime to honking if movement is sensed in second or third row of Sienna
  • Escalations may further proceed away from the vehicle to registered phone via available automated SMS messaging and phone call with a Safety Connect subscription*

PLANO, Texas (Sept. 17, 2024) - Building on decades of intuitive technologies designed to benefit customers, the 2025 Toyota Sienna adds standard Advanced Rear Seat Reminder in models sold in the U.S., utilizing a millimeter-wave radar that is designed to detect movement in the vehicle and send alerts to notify the driver or Toyota app user through a series of escalating warnings.

A first in a Toyota vehicle, Advanced Rear Seat Reminder uses a 60GHz band radar sensor mounted above the vehicle's headliner to scan a defined area in an attempt to detect movement in the second and third row seats. If it senses movement in the scanned area after the ignition is cycled off, the driver's door has been opened then closed and the vehicle has been locked, it will flash the hazard lights and sound the door lock chime.

Approximately 90 seconds after the initial warning, if the movement is still detected by the sensor, Advanced Rear Seat Reminder will sound the horn as part of the escalation warning. The Advanced Rear Seat Reminder hardware does not require the Toyota app for these alerts.

However, if the driver has registered for Safety Connect and opted into Advanced Rear Seat Reminder notifications via the Toyota app, approximately four minutes after the escalation warning starts, the vehicle can send a push notification via the Toyota app in addition to an SMS text message to the mobile number saved in the user's account. Finally, after an additional two minutes, the saved contact number will receive an automated phone call.

If the vehicle has been left without being locked, the driver will not get the chime, hazard flashing or horn sounding. But, if the driver has registered for Safety Connect and opted into Advanced Rear Seat Reminder notifications via the Toyota app, a push notification and SMS message will be sent to the registered phone and Toyota app.

Previewed as a concept in 2022, Advanced Rear Seat Reminder's millimeter-wave radar is unique from competitive ultrasonic systems in that it is both higher resolution in its movement sensing and may detect movement underneath objects such as a blanket. As a result of the millimeter-wave radar's capability, Advanced Rear Seat Reminder also has advantages at sensing occupants in low-light scenarios, when compared to camera-based interior monitors.

Additionally, while some current competitive offerings carry in-vehicle telematics trial periods between one and three years for supplemental app-based functions, Advanced Rear Seat Reminder's Toyota Mobile Application functionality is active for customers up to 10 years or through the life of 4G connectivity.

Born out of an internal technology competition at Toyota Motor North America, Advanced Rear Seat Reminder grew into a program that received development support from a number of different software, hardware, R&D and supplier companies within and outside of Toyota, both domestically and internationally, including Toyota Connected North America (TCNA), TMNA Connected Technologies, Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America (TEMA) and Toyota Motor Corporation. Along the way, its development team has filed more than 40 patent applications related to this important technology area, many of which are now granted.

Truly a global collaboration, Advanced Rear Seat Reminder stands as a testament to what Toyota's engineers can do together.

*Advanced Rear Seat Reminder uses a sensor from the vehicle to detect movement in a defined rear seat area to provide an alert that an occupant is present. If you have downloaded, registered for and enabled the Toyota App on your smartphone, you may also receive a notification, SMS and/or an automated call to the verified account phone number.

System functionality and sensor coverage is limited and may not detect all occupants under all circumstances. Phone- or app-based functions require an active Safety Connect subscription, which depends on factors outside Toyota's control, including 4G network availability and GPS signal, and requires acceptance of Connected Services Terms of Use and Master Data Consent. Drivers are responsible for ensuring no occupants are left in a vehicle. See Owner's Manual for additional limitations and details.​
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Specifications pertain to U.S. and Canadian market 2025 Toyota Sienna. Final specifications vary by region.

About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 47 million cars and trucks at our 12 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota's 13th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 30 electrified options.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Media Contacts

Corey Proffitt
Senior Manager, Connected Technology Communications
[email protected]

Jacob Brown
Manager, Connected Communications
[email protected]