What is Dynamic Radar Cruise Control and How Does it Work?
Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) is a feature included in Toyota Safety Sense that automatically adjusts your speed as needed.
Written by Drew Waterstreet
Reviewed by Jessa Claeys
Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) uses cameras and radar sensors to automatically adjust your Toyota’s speed as the lane in front of you changes. This driver assistance feature comes standard on almost all new Toyota models as part of Toyota Safety Sense.
We have to applaud Toyota’s commitment to safety. By making a version of Toyota Safety Sense (TSS-P, TSS 2.0, and TSS 2.5) standard on most models, you no longer have to choose between enhanced safety and your budget. And lucky for us, the innovative Dynamic Radar Cruise Control feature is included in all three versions of TSS!
So let’s check it out! Follow along as we cover everything you need to know about Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, from how it works to how it can help keep your
car insurance
rates low through accident prevention.Compare quotes from 50+ insurers with Jerry in under 45 seconds?
4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversWhat is Toyota Dynamic Radar Cruise Control?
Toyota Dynamic Radar Cruise Control is a driver-assistive safety feature that automatically adjusts your cruising speed while maintaining a preset following distance from the car ahead of you.
Dynamic Radar Cruise Control is included on all versions of
Toyota Safety Sense
(TSS-P, TSS 2.0, and TSS 2.5). In addition, almost all Toyota vehicles from 2016 to 2023 come standard with at least TSS-P, so you will likely have this innovative cruise control system if your model falls into that range! Follow the link above to see if your Toyota has accessibility.
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How does Dynamic Radar Cruise Control work?
Like any other cruise control system, you’ll use the buttons on your steering wheel to choose your settings. But with DRCC, instead of simply picking the preset speed you’d like to maintain, you’ll also select one of three vehicle-to-vehicle distance controls.
Using a forward-facing camera and millimeter-wave radar, your Toyota’s DRCC monitors the preceding vehicles in your lane. As long as no cars are detected, you will maintain the constant speed you set.
But once the camera and radar sensors pick up on a slower car in your lane, your vehicle speed will automatically reduce as you approach it without violating your preset distance.
Your speed will remain reduced as long as the slower car is in front of you. But once there is lane departure, whether it be you or them, your DRCC will return you to your preset speed as long as the coast is clear.
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When to use Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
You can use Dynamic Radar Cruise Control as long as you’re traveling at least 28 mph, but it’s really only intended to be used on the highway or expressway.
It’s especially useful for long car trips. We all know how easy it is to lose focus while driving for hours with cruise control! Luckily, DRCC lends us a helping hand when there’s a sudden change in traffic. This technology ultimately reduces your risk of a car accident, which helps keep your Toyota insurance rates low, too.
However, you should always remain alert and active as a driver when using Dynamic Radar Cruise Control because if your camera or radar sensors become blocked, the system may have a reduced degree of recognition accuracy.
Here are some real-life examples:
- Weather: Your family is piled into theToyota Siennaheading down to Grandma’s for Christmas. But a snowstorm hits and ice builds up on your minivan, blocking the DRCC receptors.
- Dirt: You just took yourToyota Highlanderon the camping trip of a lifetime. But you'll need a major car wash to remove all the dirt smeared on the DRCC receptors—and the rest of the SUV, for that matter.
- Bugs: After a coast-to-coast road trip in yourToyota Camry, it looks like a million bugs are caked onto the front end. But it only takes a few to block the DRCC receptors.
Two more things may negatively affect DRCC recognition accuracy. First, when a lane is too narrow, the DRCC may think a vehicle is in your lane when it’s not. Another is vehicles with small rear surface areas, like motorcycles or empty trailers, may fail to be recognized by the DRCC.
Key Takeaway While Toyota Dynamic Radar Cruise Control is a highly convenient semi-autonomous feature, it is still your responsibility to drive the vehicle.
MORE: Recommended maintenance schedule for a Toyota
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FAQs
Is Dynamic Radar Cruise Control the same as adaptive cruise control?
Adaptive cruise control is the generic term for Toyota’s proprietary Dynamic Radar Cruise Control technology.
Do all Toyota vehicles have Dynamic Radar Cruise Control?
Pretty much! Here are the 2022 Toyotas that have Dynamic Radar Cruise Control: Camry, Camry Hybrid, Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Mirai, C-HR, Tundra, Corolla, Corolla Hybrid, Corolla Hatchback, Corolla Cross, Prius, Prius Prime, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, RAV4 Prime, Sienna, Venza, Sequoia, Tacoma, and 4Runner.
In fact, most
Toyotas 2016 and newer
will have Dynamic Radar Cruise Control as standard equipment! It is a feature that is bundled into all versions of Toyota Safety Sense, the driver assistance technology package that is also standard for almost all Toyotas.
