What Machines Can't Perceive―The Human Heart of Carmaking

Even the latest digital tools fail to quantify many aspects of comfort as perceived by humans.

Certain things can only be appreciated by people, and that is why Toyota invests time and effort in hands-on development. This is the starting point of manufacturing, which must not be forgotten. And it makes a big difference.

At present, Toyota has five levels of test vehicle driving qualifications: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, S1, and S2. The training is not simply about driving skills but also the psychological side, emphasizing the ability to maintain a calm mental state when testing cars.

S1 drivers above the Advanced level even have lap-time targets. Drivers are also entrusted with judging safety and may abandon a test run if they deem a development vehicle to be in an unsafe condition.

Test drivers who possess these abilities at the highest level receive S2 certification.

The skills required of an S2 driver include the ability to quickly push a car to its limits, even when driving a particular course or vehicle for the first time, and to consistently clock runs with less than 1 second variation from the given lap time.

They must also be able to safely decelerate after hitting speeds of 250km/h.