• Toyota TeenDrive365

Toyota TeenDrive365 (Photo : http://www.engadget.com/)

Toyota is stepping up in advocating safe driving as it launched its "TeenDrive365," an Oculus Rift simulation, which gives users an immersive virtual experience in a Toyota vehicle, to teach drivers about the dangers of distracted driving.

The distracted driver simulator features distractions based on real life, including noisy passengers, text messages, road obstacles, buildings and traffic, according to Tech Crunch.

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The Japanese automaker set up the driving simulator at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. It includes a real life cockpit with the Oculus Rift VR headset, which was acquired by Facebook for $400 million on Mar. 25, 2014. Drivers will be using the gas and brake pedals, and the steering wheel to navigate through the simulation.

Toyota will not only show the demo at Detroit, but also in other states. The driving simulator will be available to try at TeenDrive365 tour destinations in the United States, including Dallas, New York, Washington DC; the first one will be at the New England International Auto Show in Boston on January 15, Thursday, Engadget reported.

The TeenDrive365 program offers professional advice, social media interaction, web tools and local events aimed at helping parents improve as role models for safe driving.

The simulator is made possible by the Oculus Rift VR headset, which is set to be launched for consumers sometime in 2015.

The driving simulator aimed at advocating safe driving is not a first, however.

Manitoba Public Insurance has a similar simulator on a website yourlastwords.ca, which uses a smartphone together with a computer to educate about the risks of distracted driving. The website also features statistics regarding distracted driving.