New semi-automated Lexus car anticipates danger, co-pilots with driver

LAS VEGAS - Toyota's Lexus luxury brand is giving the public a first look at its advanced active safety research vehicle at the annual consumer electronics show in Las Vegas this week.

The AASRV, short for Advanced Active Safety Research , is designed to test and demonstrate a variety of automated vehicle safety technologies that could be used in production vehicles in the not-too-distant future.

There's a roof-mounted, 360-degree laser that can detect obstacles up to about 230 feet away.

Three high-definition cameras are also capable of also spotting obstacles - as well as reading traffic lights - at up to 500-foot distances.

There’s also front and side-mounted radar to create a field of "vision" around the vehicle.

GPS antennas on the roof help an onboard navigation system compare the vehicle's motion to the road itself. To see the car in motion, watch the video below, or click here: http://youtu.be/fQLlgKbZFJg

Read more about this new car technology here:

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/lexus-unveils-car-anticipates-road-danger-1B7852550