If you do nothing, the RAV will auto-brake and stop with about 1 ft separation between both cars (physics allowing, i.e. if there is enough traction between the tires and the road surface).
If the driver touches the brake pedal once auto-brake has begun, the driver takes over control, and auto-brake will disengage.
It has happened to us once when a car in front of us hit the brakes at a traffic light. The RAV immediately engaged auto-brake until the moment I put my foot on the brake pedal. Then I stopped the car with plenty of distance to spare. Auto-brake started well before I was even able to realize that the car ahead of us was stopping. Bear in mind that average human reaction time is 0.5 sec, while TSS-P reaction time is is less than 1/10 sec. It actually takes about 0.2 sec for your brain to process an image. If a traffic light changes to red, your brain won't realize it until 2/10 seconds later. TSS-P will act before you can even see the brake lights of the car ahead of you.
Depending on the circumstances, if a car cuts you off, TSS-P will do three different things:
- If the car ahead is moving faster than you (by at least 3 mph), TSS-P will do nothing and let the distance increase gradually.
- If the car is moving with about the same speed as you (between 0 and 3 mph faster), and the distance is less than 1 sec reaction time, TSS-P will decelerate but not engage auto-brake. It will let your speed to bleed slowly until the distance between the cars increases to about 1 sec, and then accelerate to maintain this distance.
- If the car that cuts you off is going slower than you, TSS-P will slam on the brakes to quickly increase the distance between the cars.
Now, remember that the purpose of TSS-P is not to avoid a collision but to make it survivable. In perfect conditions, it will stop your car before you hit the car in front. But the ultimate goal of TSS-P is to save lives, not bumpers. TSS-P does not release the driver from his/her responsibility of maintaining a safe distance.