Toyota sees cars doing more crash-avoidance work; but doesn't foresee driverless car

Toyota executives say cars soon will do more to prevent crashes — including reminding drivers to keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.

As for cars completely taking the wheel so humans can relax during a ride, they say don't get your hopes up.

Toyota's next generation of safety systems promise a new level of collision prevention. And by 2017, the systems will be available in all U.S. models, Toyota says.

The company sees a gradual shift toward cars being equipped to do most of the driving. But its safety officers believe humans still will be needed to handle situations that a computer can't anticipate.

Toyota held a briefing ahead of a conference on new automotive safety technology that begins Sunday in Detroit.