The facts
Secure by design
After more than 20 years of intensive research and rigorous testing, the Mirai is ready to drive our hydrogen fuel cell journey forward. Explore the Toyota fuel cell safety principles and systems that have been designed to help keep you safe.
Hydrogen safety
Science behind the safety
Safety was our primary objective when we engineered the Mirai. Our proprietary safety system is based on four fundamental principles:
1. Our tanks are designed not to leak. Every material selected is used to contain hydrogen safely.
2. In a collision, the hydrogen system shuts off to avoid any leaks. To prevent hydrogen from travelling to potentially damaged systems outside of the tank, the system automatically shuts the tank’s hydrogen output valve.
3. Any leaked hydrogen is quickly dispersed. All hydrogen-related parts are located outside the cabin and designed to help ensure leaked hydrogen doesn’t build up.
4. Hydrogen escapes safely into the atmosphere. Since the gas is lighter than air, it rapidly disperses, reducing the time window it has to cause damage in the event of an ignition.
Strength in layers
Our hydrogen tanks are durable, lightweight, and incredibly solid and we have complete confidence in them because we made them in-house. Absorbing five times the crash energy of steel, these carbon fibre-wrapped, polymer-lined tanks are built in a three-layer structure:
Inner: Polymer-lined layer to hold the hydrogen.
Middle: Structural layer of carbon fibre-reinforced polymer to provide strength.
Outer: Glass-fibre-reinforced polymer layer to help protect from surface abrasions.
Driven by safety
Over the last 20 years, our fuel cell vehicle prototypes have undergone millions of miles of road and track evaluation, rigorous in-house crash testing and more than 15,000 kilometres of extreme climate testing, helping to ensure the same world-class safety you'll find in any Toyota vehicle.
Body structure and design
Mirai features a unique frame designed to distribute crash forces efficiently. In the event of a collision, the impact force is distributed around the passenger cabin and the Toyota Fuel Cell Stack and hydrogen tanks, reducing body deformation and helping to reduce the chance of injury.
Pre-Crash System
Pre-Crash System uses a camera and laser to detect other vehicles in the road ahead. When the possibility of collision is detected, the driver is alerted with audio and visual warnings and brake assistance is activated. If the driver fails to brake in time, the brakes automatically engage to prevent or mitigate a collision.
Lane Departure Alert
Using a camera to detect the lane markings in the road ahead, Lane Departure Alert will warn the driver with audible and visual warnings if the vehicle starts to deviate from its lane without the turn indicator being applied. The driver can then take corrective action as required.
Auto High Beam
Automatic High Beam is designed to optimise visibility during night driving for all road users. A camera detects the lights of oncoming vehicles and leading traffic while also monitoring the brightness of streetlights. It switches automatically between high and low beam for safer night-time driving.
Blind Spot Monitor
Blind Spot Monitor uses radar sensors to constantly observe the area in the driver’s blind spot for the presence of other vehicles. If the turn indicator is activated, BSM alerts the driver through a visual warning indicator in the door mirror on the appropriate side of the vehicle.
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Rear Cross Traffic Alert detects and warns the driver – through an audible warning and visual warning in the door mirror – if any unseen vehicles are approaching as they reverse out of a confined parking space.
Eight SRS airbags
The cabin is equipped with a driver and front passenger Advanced Airbag System, front seat-mounted side airbags for the driver and front passenger, front and rear side curtain airbags, plus driver knee and front passenger seat-cushion airbags.
Are you ready for the future?
Interested in joining us on the road to a hydrogen future? Simply complete our sign-up form to join the Mirai revolution.