Toyota hopes that nobody will ever need its Pre-Collision System (PCS), because it only works when a crash cannot be avoided to scrub speed and position front seat occupants for best protection by the airbag systems. By analyzing data from the Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC, and different from DLCC though similar in operation), and combining it with information on vehicle speed, steering angle, and yaw rate, a computer decides if a crash is about to happen and immediately activates the pre-tensioning front seatbelts, drawing the belts tightly against the occupants and snugging them against the seatbacks. PCS also uses the Brake Assist feature to apply full braking power and reduce speed as much as possible before impact to minimize the amount of force that might reach the passenger compartment. On vehicles with Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), the PCS also reduces brake dive to make more efficient use of the Brake Assist system.

Bet you’re curious how Lexus let us experience PCS first hand, eh? Engineers crafted a lightweight, deformable barrier that looked like it was covered in aluminum foil and which wouldn’t damage the car upon impact but would trick the safety feature into activating.

It took several passes in a Lexus GS 430 to get PCS to work, but that was mainly because in this safe, controlled environment we weren’t easily able to replicate the panicked motions of a driver about to do serious sheetmetal damage. But when the system finally did perform its trick, it responded powerfully, instantaneously, and impressively. The seatbelts snap into action, cinching your body tight against the seat, while the Brake Assist system feels like it’s tossed an anchor out of the trunk. Once the GS shuddered to a stop, the shiny barrier rolling around in front of it like a fallen alien pedestrian, the seatbelts whirred, clicked, and released, freeing us to make another pass for more ooohs and aaahs.

PCS requires the Dynamic Radar Cruise Control system and is available on the Lexus GS 300 and GS 430 for $2,850. On the Lexus LS 430, PCS is bundled with the $8,185 Custom Luxury package or the $13,570 Ultra Luxury package. That’s a pricey insurance policy, especially when Lexus currently has very little real-world data to support the theory that it can save lives.