Toyota and Uber Extend Collaboration to Automated Vehicle Technologies

• Uber to integrate its self-driving technology alongside Toyota Guardian technology in purpose-built vehicles for deployment on Uber’s ride-sharing network
• Toyota to invest $500 million in Uber

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) and Uber Technologies, Inc. (Uber) today announced that they have agreed to expand their collaboration with the aim of advancing and bringing to market autonomous ride-sharing as a mobility service at scale. To accomplish this, technology from each company will be integrated into purpose-built Toyota vehicles to be deployed on Uber’s ride-sharing network.

Separately, Toyota is investing $500 million in Uber.
 
“Combining efforts with Uber, one of the predominant global ride-sharing and automated driving R&D companies, could further advance future mobility,” said Shigeki Tomoyama, executive vice president, TMC, and president, Toyota Connected Company. “This agreement and investment marks an important milestone in our transformation to a mobility company as we help provide a path for safe and secure expansion of mobility services like ride-sharing that includes Toyota vehicles and technologies.”
 
As Uber and Toyota look ahead to a self-driving future, this partnership will be critical in realizing self-driving technology at scale. Uber and Toyota anticipate that the mass-produced autonomous vehicles will be owned and operated by mutually agreed upon third party autonomous fleet operators.
 
“The deal is the first of its kind for Uber, and signals our commitment to bringing world-class technologies to the Uber network,” said Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber’s CEO. “Our goal is to deploy the world’s safest self-driving cars on the Uber network, and this agreement is another significant step towards making that a reality. Uber’s advanced technology and Toyota’s commitment to safety and its renowned manufacturing prowess make this partnership a natural fit. I look forward to seeing what our teams accomplish together.”
 
The initial “Autono-MaaS” (autonomous-mobility as a service) fleet will be based on Toyota’s Sienna Minivan platform. Uber’s Autonomous Driving System and the Toyota Guardian automated safety support system will both be integrated into the Autono-MaaS vehicles. Toyota will also utilize its Mobility Services Platform (MSPF), its core information infrastructure for connected vehicles. Pilot-scale deployments will begin on the Uber ride-sharing network in 2021.
 
“Uber’s automated driving system and Toyota’s Guardian system will independently monitor the vehicle environment and real-time situation, enhancing overall vehicle safety for both the automated driver and the vehicle,” said Dr. Gill Pratt, Toyota Research Institute CEO and TMC Fellow. “We look forward to this partnership accelerating both companies’ development and deployment of automated driving technology.”
 
Toyota’s investment in Uber and the proposed collaboration are subject to standard regulatory approvals.

Toyota once again named to Fortune magazine's Change the World list

For the third time in four years Toyota has been named to Fortune magazine’s Change the World list. No other auto company has been named more than once. 

Ranking Toyota at #31 of the top 57 companies, Fortune recognized Toyota for believing robots can do more than assemble Corollas and Camrys; it’s building and investing in robotics to help the disabled and elderly. It has created a walking-assist system to help stroke victims or others with disabilities learn to use their legs again. Toyota also recently invested in Israel’s Intuition Robotics, whose robots can remind the elderly to handle tasks like taking medication.

Based on the shared-value principle of “doing well by doing good,” the list recognizes leading global innovators that are making progress toward solving the world’s most pressing social or environmental problems as a key component of their competitive strategies.

“Toyota is proud to be recognized by Fortune, once again, as an agent of change,” said Jim Lentz, Toyota Motor North America chief executive officer. “As one of the world’s largest automakers, Toyota is in the unique position to shape the future of mobility by providing products and services that expand the concept of mobility from simply moving people to improving ease of movement, regardless of the challenges faced in doing so.”

Fortune, in partnership with FSG, a nonprofit social-impact consulting firm, the Shared Value Initiative, a global platform for organizations seeking business solutions to social challenges, and Professor Michael E. Porter of Harvard Business School, evaluate and rank the companies by three factors: measurable social impact, business results and degree of innovation. The final 50 Change the World honorees were then selected by the editors of Fortune based on the magazine’s own reporting and analysis.

The full Fortune Change the World list is available now on Fortune’s website at http://fortune.com/change-the-world and on newsstands September.

Driving the Future – Toyota Team Members Get Connected

•Toyota strengthens Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) 5.9GHz Vehicle to Everything (V2X) technology commitment via University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute partnership.

•Further establishes the Ann Arbor Connected Vehicle Test Environment as the world’s largest operational real-world deployment of connected vehicles and infrastructure.

The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) and Toyota Motor North America Research & Development (TMNA R&D) welcome Toyota team members and their families as they “Get Connected” in the Ann Arbor Connected Vehicle Test Environment (AACVTE). The AACVTE is the world’s largest connected vehicle test environment for the DSRC 5.9GHz V2X technology and operates throughout the city of Ann Arbor.  Led by UMTRI and its partners, the AACVTE builds on the existing deployment, established in 2012. 
 
Earlier this year, Toyota and Lexus announced plans to deploy Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) systems on vehicles sold in the U.S. starting in 2021.  And today, Toyota began inviting its over 1,800 R&D team members and their families who live and work in Washtenaw County to have their vehicles equipped with the latest DSRC 5.9GHz V2X technology connected vehicle systems.
 
“We believe this represents a significant step forward in creating a safer and more efficient driving ecosystem while advancing connected and automated technology,” said Wayne Powell, Vice President Electronics Systems at Toyota Motor North America.
 
With Toyota’s support, the AACVTE will remain the flagship for connected vehicle and infrastructure deployment and research in the world.   
 
Connected vehicle safety technology (DSRC 5.9GHz V2X) allows vehicles to communicate wirelessly with other similarly equipped vehicles, and to communicate wirelessly with the infrastructure.
 
“Ann Arbor is an international hub for connected vehicle technology and research and it has everything to do with the community,” said James R. Sayer, director UMTRI. “This deployment allows us to gather data critical to advancing transportation safety.  A fully operational deployment enables UMTRI to conduct $3-5M in research a year, making it a significant living laboratory.” 
 
To date, $50M has been invested in connected vehicles and infrastructure in Ann Arbor, beginning with the $30M Safety Pilot DSRC 5.9GHz V2X technology Model Deployment, launched in 2012 by UMTRI and the U.S. DOT.  AACVTE funding partners include the U-M (UMTRI, Mcity), the Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC), the City of Ann Arbor and other program partners and suppliers. 
 
In addition to Toyota employees, UMTRI invites all community members to Get Connected!
If you are interested in learning more about this technology, email: connectedvehicle@umich.edu.

Toyota Gives At-Risk Youth H.O.P.E.

Automaker donates $50,000, funds afterschool program

Fifty at-risk teens in Pontotoc County have brighter futures thanks to Helping Other People Excel (H.O.P.E.) Afterschool. Toyota Mississippi gifted Transforming Lives Ministries with $50,000 to launch the free 10-month after-school program, which will focus on life skills education.

 
“Not having a support system to provide responsible guidance is a real problem for many teens in our area,” said Leah Morrison, Transforming Lives Ministries executive director and curriculum coordinator. “Our goal is to provide life skills education to at-risk youth and to build our next generation of leaders.”
 
Toyota is taking its support a step further by deploying one of its business partnering groups, Mississippi Young Professionals (MSYP), to mentor students during the program. Anthony Bowdry, Toyota group leader and MSYP chairman found himself at a crossroads during his teens and knows life skills training and positive role models can change the trajectory for at-risk youth.
 
“I know what these kids are up against,” Bowdry said. “My life would have gone down a much different path without positive role models, and I know mentoring these kids will make a difference in their lives.”
 
H.O.P.E. Afterschool will take place at Transforming Lives Ministries, located at 17 Lafayette Street, Pontotoc, Miss., from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday during the 2018-2019 school year. Students age 13 to 18 enrolled in Pontotoc City or County Schools are eligible to participate in the program. Contact Leah Morrison at 662-891-8120 for more information or to enroll a child in the program.

About Toyota 
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 36 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants (10 in the U.S.) and directly employ more than 47,000 people (more than 37,000 in the U.S.).  Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold more than 2.7 million cars and trucks (2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2017 – and about 87 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 15 years are still on the road today.  
 
Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

New Owner Event!

Join us for our popular Burien Toyota New Owner event on August 23!

At the event, you'll be properly welcomed into the Burien Toyota family and learn some great things like:

• Maximize the dependability and safety features of your Toyota

• Protect your investment by proper maintenance
• Get more miles from your gas dollars

Click on the link above to make your reservation for this awesome event!

Toyota Financial Services Offers Payment Relief to Customers Affected by California and Oregon Wildfires

Toyota Financial Services (TFS) announced it is offering payment relief options to its customers affected by wildfires in California and southern Oregon. This broad outreach includes any Toyota Financial Services (TFS) or Lexus Financial Services (LFS) customer in the designated disaster areas. 
 
We at Toyota Financial Services care about the safety and well-being of our customers and want to help those impacted by the wildfires.  Impacted lease and finance customers residing in the devastated areas may be eligible to take advantage of several payment relief options, some of which include:

• extensions and lease deferred payments 
• redirecting billing statements
• arranging phone or on-line payments

 
Toyota Financial Services will proactively attempt to contact customers via email and telephone in the affected areas to assess their needs and inform customers of the options available to them. 
 
Customers who would like to discuss their account options are encouraged to contact TFS or LFS:
 
Toyota Financial Services customers may call (800) 874-8822 or contact TFS via email using the Mail Center function after logging into ToyotaFinancial.com.
 
Lexus Financial Services customers may call 800-874-7050 or contact LFS via email using the Mail Center function after logging into LexusFinancial.com.
 
We extend our heartfelt thoughts to those affected by these devastating fires.

About Toyota Financial Services
Toyota Financial Services (TFS) is the finance and insurance brand for Toyota in the United States, offering retail auto financing and leasing through Toyota Motor Credit Corporation (TMCC) and Toyota Lease Trust. TFS also offers extended service contracts through Toyota Motor Insurance Services (TMIS). The company services Lexus dealers and customers using the Lexus Financial Services brand. TFS currently employs approximately 3,300 associates nationwide, and has assets totaling over $120 billion. It is part of a worldwide network of comprehensive financial services offered by Toyota Financial Services Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation. We announce material financial information using the investor relations section of our website (www.toyotafinancial.com) and SEC filings. We use these channels, press releases, and social media to communicate about our company, our services and other issues. While not all information we post on social media is of a material nature, some information could be material. Therefore, we encourage those interested in our company to review our posts on Twitter at www.twitter.com/toyotafinancial. 
 
Points of Light has named TFS one of its Civic 50, which recognizes the most community-minded companies in the nation.  For more information about the company’s support of financial literacy, youth development programs, and other community initiatives, please visit www.tfsinthecommunity.com.

Toyota’s 4th Annual Power of Exchange Conference Now Includes LGBT, Veteran and Disability-Owned Certified Agencies

When Toyota’s Power of Exchange (POE) conference comes to Dallas this week, it will help connect more than 600 attendees, including diverse suppliers from across the country.
 
New this year, Toyota is expanding this dynamic forum to include LGBT, veterans and disability-owned certified agencies.
 
The 2018 POE gives diverse certified companies the opportunity to build relationships with current Toyota Tier I Corporate Indirect Suppliers —  in sales, marketing and professional services. The event will take place on Thursday, August 9, in downtown Dallas, and allow attendees to network with targeted influencers within the industry.

“Supplier diversity is a part of the larger corporate commitment to diversity and inclusion at Toyota,” said Bob Young, group vice president, Toyota. “Toyota’s progress in developing a diverse and sustainable supplier base are something we are proud of; and we appreciate that much remains to be done in bridging the gaps between diverse suppliers and corporations. We hope the community will join in to celebrate Toyota’s initiatives.”

This year marks the fourth consecutive event for distinctive supplier diversity and professional development. The sister event, Toyota Opportunity Exchange, is in its 29th year and will take place in Michigan on November 14. Diversity is an integral part of Toyota’s DNA. Earlier this year, DiversityInc ranked Toyota No. 25 for its diverse workforce, contributions to D&I organizations and 13th for supplier diversity initiatives.
 
The 2018 POE will feature two seminar sessions, a luncheon with keynote speaker and Paralympic athlete Amy Purdy, and a networking tradeshow.

Toyota recognizes the following five minority certifying bodies:

• Disability: IN (previously known as USBLN)
• National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC)
• National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)
• Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
• National Minority Supplier Diversity Council (NMSDC)

TMNA spends more than $3 billion directly with over 300 diverse suppliers, while Toyota's suppliers spend nearly $1 billion with over 1,500 diverse suppliers at the Tier 2 level.

For more information about Toyota’s Supplier Diversity program and POE, please visit Onetoyotasupplierdiversity.com. 

About Toyota 
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 36 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants (10 in the U.S.) and directly employ more than 47,000 people (more than 37,000 in the U.S.).  Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold more than 2.7 million cars and trucks (2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2017 – and about 87 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 15 years are still on the road today.  
 
Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

Healthy Happy Hour with Hot Feet Fitness

Join Burien Toyota and Happy Feet Fitness for an awesome happy hour 5:30-6:30pm on August 8!

Happy Feet Fitness will provide a great class so you can take a break and break a sweat while you shop for your new Toyota. In addition to a Happy Feet Fitness workout, Burien Toyota will also provide free drinks, prizes, and more!

See you at Burien Toyota at 5:30pm on August 8!