The Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) technology was employed initially in the
Lexus GX 470, and subsequently the 200 Series
Toyota Land Cruiser
The (also sometimes spelled as LandCruiser) is a series of four-wheel drive vehicles produced by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. It is Toyota's longest running series of models. , the sales of the Land Cruiser totalled more than ...
. The system was invented and developed by Kinetic Pty Ltd, a small
R&D company based in
Dunsborough, Western Australia
Dunsborough is a coastal town in the South West of Western Australia, south of Perth, on the shores of Geographe Bay.
Dunsborough is a popular tourist destination for Western Australians; in 1999 it was voted the state's best tourist destinatio ...
.
[ ] It optimally adjusts front and rear stabilizers based on a set of interconnected hydraulic cylinders. The interconnection is made up of hydraulic piping and a control cylinder which is located at the frame rail.
KDSS, which is fully mechanical, can disengage the stabilizer bars (the bars are jointed, allowing movement independent of one another).
[ This system will not engage during normal driving conditions, when hydraulic pressure is equal. In off-road conditions, KDSS activates when it senses that a wheel has dropped.][
The Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System was first available as an option on the model year 2004 Lexus GX 470, a ]sport utility vehicle
A sport utility vehicle (SUV) is a car classification that combines elements of road-going passenger cars with features from off-road vehicles, such as raised ground clearance and four-wheel drive.
There is no commonly agreed-upon defini ...
that was only sold in North America, and based roughly on the 120 Series Land Cruiser Prado
The is a full-size four-wheel drive vehicle in the Land Cruiser range produced by the Japanese automaker Toyota. The Prado is one of the smaller vehicles in the Land Cruiser range. From 2009, the Prado is based on Toyota's J150 platform. In ...
. The system was also introduced in similar form on the 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser. For the 2008 Lexus LX 570, an electro-mechanical suspension was employed, retaining the function of the KDSS design but adding electronic components.[
]
Vehicles
Models that have adopted the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System to date include:
* 2010–2016 Toyota 4Runner
The Toyota 4Runner is an SUV manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota and marketed globally since 1984, across five generations. In Japan, it was marketed as the and was withdrawn from the market in 2009. The original 4Runner was a compact ...
Trail Edition
* 2017–present Toyota 4Runner
The Toyota 4Runner is an SUV manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota and marketed globally since 1984, across five generations. In Japan, it was marketed as the and was withdrawn from the market in 2009. The original 4Runner was a compact ...
TRD Off-Road
* 2008–present Toyota Land Cruiser
The (also sometimes spelled as LandCruiser) is a series of four-wheel drive vehicles produced by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. It is Toyota's longest running series of models. , the sales of the Land Cruiser totalled more than ...
* 2004–present Lexus GX
The is a full-size luxury SUV sold in North American and Eurasian markets by Lexus, a luxury division of Toyota. The GX is based on the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, from which it derives its off-road capability. Lexus introduced the first gener ...
* 2010–present Toyota Prado
The is a full-size four-wheel drive vehicle in the Land Cruiser range produced by the Japanese automaker Toyota. The Prado is one of the smaller vehicles in the Land Cruiser range. From 2009, the Prado is based on Toyota's J150 platform. In ...
See also
* Toyota TEMS
* Citroën Hydractive
Notes
{{Chassis control systems
Lexus
Toyota
Automotive suspension technologies
Automotive technology tradenames
Vehicle safety technologies
Auto parts
Mechanical power control