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Toyota Answers Kid Questions about Mirai

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Toyota AI Ventures Invests in Elementary Robotics as Part of First “Call for Innovation”

Funding will help accelerate Elementary’s development of affordable, intelligent robot assistants 

Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm Toyota AI Ventures today announced its investment in Elementary Robotics, a robotics platform startup founded in 2017. The funding marks Toyota AI Ventures’ first investment as part of the “call for innovation” it launched this summer in partnership with the Toyota Research Institute (TRI).

The call for innovation program is designed to spur innovation by using a “call-and-response” approach to attract and invest in early-stage startups that are tackling specific problems in areas like artificial intelligence (AI), automated driving, and robotics. The initial call sought out startups developing disruptive technologies and business models in robotics, specifically solutions aimed at improving mobile manipulation for assistive robots.

"We applied for the call for innovation because we value Toyota's expertise and share the company’s belief that AI and robotics can improve the quality of human life,” said Elementary Robotics founder and CEO Arye Barnehama. “Our goal is to design affordable, intelligent robot assistants that are safe and easy to program, and we’re thrilled to receive funding and support from Toyota AI Ventures as we continue our journey to build the next generation of robotics."  

“The response to the first call exceeded our expectations, and we’re excited to welcome Elementary Robotics to the Toyota AI Ventures portfolio as a result,” said Jim Adler, founding managing director of Toyota AI Ventures. “Elementary is precisely the type of startup we hoped to find. Arye and his team are talented, tenacious, and focused on developing products that deliver real value to customers.”

Elementary Robotics is the sixteenth portfolio company announced by Toyota AI Ventures, and the investment is part of a $3.6M seed round that Elementary Robotics reported today. Other investors include Fika Ventures and Fathom Capital, which co-led the round, along with Ubiquity Ventures, Riot.vc, Osage University Partners, and Stage Venture Partners.

In addition to funding from Toyota AI Ventures, Elementary Robotics will be receiving feedback on its initial robotics platform from TRI’s mobile manipulation team. “We look forward to being an early adopter of Elementary’s technology, and exploring how we can use it in the future as part of our advanced research around assistive robotics,” explained Max Bajracharya, Director of Robotics at TRI.

“Startups have a vital role to play in solving some of the toughest problems in robotics, and teaming up with Toyota AI Ventures on the call for innovation has given us a terrific opportunity to explore new partnerships with startups like Elementary Robotics,” added Eric Krotkov, Chief Science Officer and head of TRI’s robotics group.

Toyota AI Ventures is continuing to evaluate applications from the first call for innovation that closed at the end of October. Planning is also underway for the next call in consultation with the firm’s Technical Advisory Committee, comprised of experts from TRI and the Toyota Research Institute-Advanced Development (TRI-AD). Further details will be available on the Toyota AI Ventures website in early 2019.

Carma Project and Toyota Boost Engagement Via Innovative Peer-to-Peer Platform to Accelerate Takata Airbag Recalls

First-ever program offers individuals incentives for alerting friends and family about deadly airbags



 Newly established peer-to-peer safety platform Carma Project today launched the first-ever social and incentive-based program designed exclusively for accelerating consumer response to automotive recalls. Carma Projects initial foray heads to market through a unique collaboration with Toyota Motor North America (TMNA).
 
Carma Project will further help address the recall of deadly Takata airbags, which is labeled “the largest and most complex safety recall in U.S. history” by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The recall continues to impact vehicles built by 19 different automakers, with a projected 70 million airbags expected to be recalled by the end of 2019. In the face of more than a dozen deaths and hundreds of alleged injuries industry-wide, millions of drivers and passengers continue to be at risk.

Despite extensive efforts by manufacturers, such as recall letters, public service announcements, and dealer interventions, consumer response to fixing these potentially life-threatening airbags continues to be lower than hoped, with 1 out of every 3 affectedairbags still unrepaired.
“We know that friends and family can play a powerful role in influencing how people make decisions about safety,” said Toyota Motor North America’s Vice President of Product Quality and Service Support Tom Trisdale. “Our partnership with Carma Project is designed to motivate and incentivize people to share critical information about the recall, including how to get the remedy for free.”

Carma Project was designed to facilitate the process of people helping people by alerting them to life-threatening automotive recalls. By combining the trust of word-of-mouth communication within a game design that infuses incentives for individuals alerting their friends and family, Carma Project hopes to connect Toyota with hard-to-reach owners who haven’t responded to the Takata recall.

“We’ve built a similar solution in healthcare and have seen it work,” said Carma Project CEO Fabio Gratton. “Companies struggle to identify participants for clinical trials, because they are hard to find and oftentimes ignore industry outreach. But a friend or family member has that trust, access, and influence to ensure that those people learn about these trials and ultimately receive those potentially life-saving medications. We’re confident that this approach will work in the automotive world, especially when combined with our incentive model.”
 
In connection with Toyota’s support of the Carma Project, people can earn financial rewards by signing up for Carma Project and sharing Takata airbag recall information with their friends and family. A simple license plate photo or typing a VIN into a recall lookup tool on Carma Project’s website allows involved Toyota, Lexus, and Scion owners to immediately take action and book an appointment for a free Takata airbag fix. Referring individuals can also earn financial rewards for every eligible Toyota, Lexus, or Scion that is fixed.

“As more automotive manufacturers join Carma Project, more incentives will be added, ultimately leading to our mission of eradicating this ongoing problem,” Mr. Gratton further explained.
To learn more about the program, how it works, and to sign-up, please visit www.CarmaProject.com.

Toyota Releases 2018 North American Environmental Report

Goal to Create a More Sustainable Future for Society, Business and the Planet Driven by its Environmental Challenge 2050


The Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050 is part of Toyota’s long-term commitment to support and foster a more inclusive and sustainable society. Consisting of six individual challenges, Challenge 2050 addresses the major environmental issues facing the global community, such as climate change, water scarcity, resource depletion and habitat loss.

The first three challenges focus on carbon and call for eliminating—not just reducing— greenhouse gas emissions from new vehicles, operations and supply chain activities. The fourth challenge addresses water availability and quality, while the fifth and sixth challenges seek to move closer to contributing to a recycling-based society and protecting nature.

Challenge 2050 is inspiring Toyota team members, partners and customers and connecting them with the company’s core commitment to sustainable mobility. Guided by the six challenges, Toyota is making progress towards creating a net positive impact on the planet.

In the recently published 2018 North American Environmental Report, Toyota outlines positive impacts made across North America. In 2018, Toyota announced it is building the world’s first megawatt-scale tri-generation plant, which will supply Toyota’s vehicle logistics operation at the Port of Long Beach with three key components of the operation: 100 percent renewable power, 100 percent renewable hydrogen fuel, and clean water. Additionally, Toyota’s North American manufacturing plants recycled or reused 148 million gallons of water, the equivalent to the annual water use of 1,351 average American families.

“The Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050 is the most demanding and most inspiring environmental commitment this company has ever made,” said Toyota Motor North America Director of Environmental Sustainability, Kevin Butt. “Our success will come from a combination of continuous improvement and new ideas. And it will come from strategic partnerships, education and sharing our environmental know-how with others.”

Additional highlights from the 2018 North American Environmental Report include the following:
 
CARBON

• Toyota and Lexus have 16 advanced technology vehicles on the market in North America, with cumulative sales topping 3.3 million.
• Toyota’s 8.79-megawatt solar array at our Plano headquarters campus produces about one-third of daily electric needs for the campus. It is the largest on-site corporate solar installation among non-utility companies in Texas.

WATER

• Toyota’s assembly plant in Mississippi has reduced absolute water use by 32 percent in the last two years. Last year, the plant began using 1.4 million gallons of recycled water in the cooling tower.
• Toyota continued to sponsor the National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation with the Wyland Foundation. Since launching the national campaign in 2012, U.S. residents have pledged to conserve 12.3 billion gallons of water.

MATERIALS

• Toyota uses a variety of sustainable materials in our vehicles, including post-industrial denim and other cotton and synthetic garment clippings in door panel insulation, floor silencer and floor mats.
• A team at Toyota’s Indiana assembly plant made a significant reduction in raw material use by decreasing the amount of PVC sprayed onto Sienna underbodies, with zero impact to quality. The amount of PVC per Sienna was reduced by 0.16 pounds, but with 150,000 Sienna minivans assembled annually, that’s a 24,000-pound per year material savings.
• For several years, Toyota sites have hosted household waste collection events for team members and surrounding communities. These sites have invested close to $1 million to ensure more than 2 million pounds of material were either recycled or properly disposed.

BIODIVERSITY

• Toyota has about 1,000 acres at 12 sites engaged in conservation programs certified by Wildlife Habitat Council® (WHC).
• Toyota planted a new 11,000 square-foot pollinator garden outside the Visitor and Education Center at the Texas assembly plant. The plant is also partnering with the San Antonio Zoo to plant pollinator gardens at six local high schools.
• Toyota’s Woodstock plant in Ontario opened the Wetland Trail, which meanders to the north of the assembly plant through 200 acres of wetlands and woods. The trail is a gift to the community to mark the 30th anniversary of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada.

OUTREACH

• In 2017, Toyota’s support for National Public Lands Day made volunteerism possible at 2,100 sites, where 169,000 volunteers gave 680,000 hours of service worth $16.7 million.
• Toyota is proud to join the ranks of the top 10 companies with the most LEED®-certified retail locations (excluding financial institutions with retail bank locations). Toyota is the only automotive brand to be included in the top ranks (as of July 2018). In the U.S., Canada and Mexico, 61 Toyota and Lexus dealers have been awarded LEED certification.
• Toyota is working with logistics suppliers to reduce CO2 emissions from transport activities. Ryder has replaced 29 diesel trucks that move goods for Toyota’s assembly plant in Kentucky with trucks that run on renewable compressed natural gas (CNG). By 2021, Ryder hopes to convert one-third of its Toyota-dedicated fleet to renewable CNG.

 
To view the full report, visit https://www.toyota.com/usa/environmentreport/

Not Just a Car Company: New Podcast Tells the Toyota Story from the Inside Out

Toyota Untold Podcast Showcases Toyota’s Past, Present, and Future through the People Driving Change



From its beginnings as a loom company, Toyota has always put people first. Now, in its new podcast, Toyota Untold, tells for the first time the story of Toyota through the people who created it, lived it, and are dedicated to moving it into the future.

Launching today, Toyota Untold features a curated roster of subjects, including mobility, robotics, motorsports, and the now-famous “Marshmallow Tundra,” driven by Allyn Pierce of Paradise, California, who sits down with Toyota Untold to tell the story of his heroic drive through blazing wildfires in his Toyota Tundra to save the lives of people in his community.

Season One of Toyota Untold will feature 10 full-length episodes, with the first three available today. Guests on the first three episodes feature Jack Hollis, group vice president and general manager, Toyota division, as well as NASCAR drivers Kyle Busch, Martin Truex, Denny Hamlin, Erik Jones, and Toyota’s youngest driver, teen phenom Hailie Deegan, among others.

The remaining seven episodes will be released in early 2019. Keeping up the momentum, future episodes of Toyota Untold will explore, among other topics, Olympics/Paralympics athletes, the Space Shuttle Endeavor Tundra pull, the origins of Lexus, and the return of Toyota’s iconic Supra sports car.

“We have a rich history and exciting future that we haven’t been able to tell through other communication channels,” said Eric Booth, senior manager of external communications for Toyota Motor North America. “ This podcast will allow our customers and the media to gather important information about our company, as well as hear about exciting products and initiatives we’re working to bring to market in the future.”

Toyota Untold will be available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify or wherever podcasts are available. For more information, visit pressroom.toyota.com.

Toyota Motor North America Reports U.S. Sales for November 2018

• TMNA, Toyota, Lexus posted best-ever light truck sales for November
• Toyota C-HR, Tacoma, 4Runner, RAV4 posted best-ever November
• Lexus RXh, NXh posted best-ever November

Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) today reported November 2018 sales of 190,423 units. With the same number of selling days in November 2018 compared to November 2017, sales were down 0.6 percent on a volume basis and a daily selling rate (DSR) basis. 
 
Toyota division posted November 2018 sales of 163,977 units, down 0.3 percent on a volume basis and a DSR basis.   
 
Lexus posted November sales of 26,446 units, down 2.5 percent on a volume basis and a DSR basis.
 
November 2018 Highlights:

• TMNA, Toyota and Lexus divisions posted best-ever November for light truck sales 
• Camry recorded sales of 24,545 units
• Corolla posted sales of 21,105 units
• RAV4 sales increased by 23 percent, a best-ever November
• C-HR sales increased by 10 percent, a best-ever November
• Highlander sales increased by 5.6 percent
• 4Runner sales increased by 13.8 percent, a best-ever November
• Tacoma sales increased by 21.5 percent, a best-ever November
• Tundra posted sales of 9,689 units
• Lexus LUVs sales increased 0.7 percent, a best-ever November
• NXh sales were up 88.6 percent, a best-ever November
• RXh sales were up 116.1 percent, a best-ever November in 11 years
• LS sales increased by 152 percent
• ES sales increased by 8 percent

 
*Note:  Unless otherwise stated, all figures reflect unadjusted raw sales volume.

National Environmental Education Foundation and Toyota Award Grants to Restore Public Lands Impacted by Natural Disaster

Grants totaling $200,000 will support nonprofits conducting restoration and resilience work on public lands throughout the U.S.



Extreme weather events have been grabbing headlines with increasing frequency. Whether a hurricane, tornado, or flood, communities face the challenge of recovering from the damage and preparing for potential repeats. Non-profits are taking a larger role in helping communities rebound,* and restoring their access and enjoyment of local public lands is an important component. To support these efforts, the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) and Toyota Motor North America, are awarding $200,000 in Restoration & Resilience grants to support the work of nonprofit organizations on public lands impacted by natural disasters.

“These grants are part of a sustained effort, which kicked off on National Public Lands Day this year, to restore and fortify public lands affected by natural disasters and extreme weather,” said Meri-Margaret Deoudes, CEO and president of NEEF.

The grants ranged from $14,000 to $20,000 per site, and projects were required to mobilize local volunteers and educate them on the impact of their actions on the long-term sustainability of the lands.
“Focusing on the resiliency and sustainability of public lands not only benefits those lands, but also the surrounding communities,” said Kevin Butt, general manager, Toyota Environmental Sustainability. “For 25 years, we have partnered with NEEF to build capacity and scale up efforts of non-profits conducting this important environmental work throughout the U.S.”

Grants were given to groups recovering from the following weather events:

Hurricanes:

• The Big Thicket Natural Heritage Trust in Kountz, Texas, received funds to clean up the large debris Hurricane Harvey washed into the bayou that runs through the Big Thicket National Preserve.
• The Timucuan Trail Parks Foundation in Jacksonville, Florida, will use the funds to hold service learning projects throughout the Timucuan State and National Parks of Jacksonville focusing on how healthy salt marshes and coastal ecosystems can mitigate impacts of future hurricanes.
• The Fundacion Amigos de El Yunque in San Juan, Puerto Rico, will use the funds to restore the El Toro Trail, one of only two trails in the El Yunque National Forest that has been re-opened to the public since the destruction from Hurricanes Irma and Maria.   
• The Student Conservation Association will put the funding towards a collaborative project with the Houston Independent School District’s Furr Institute for Innovative Thinking (Furr) to work with students to identify, map and eradicate invasive species that have propagated in the Herman Brown Park in Houston, Texas since Hurricane Harvey.

Fires:

• The Northwest Youth Corps in Eugene, Oregon, will use funding to expand volunteer efforts to improve nearly 15 miles of trails in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area and Mt. Hood National Forest, damaged by last year’s massive Eagle Creek Fire.
• The Mountain Studies Institute in Silverton, Colorado, will use the award to create a resilience action plan, conduct community outreach and organize volunteer activities for the Hermosa Creek and Animas River areas near Durango, Colorado, which are recovering from the 416 Fire.

Droughts:

• The Land Trust of North Alabama in Huntsville, Alabama, will use funding to restore 2.3 miles of the Bluff Line Trail on the Monte Sano Nature Preserve, one of the largest urban nature preserves in the US.
• The Arizona Trail Association in Phoenix, Arizona, will put funds towards fabricating and installing a 2,500-gallon water catchment system on one of the driest sections of the Arizona Trail near Pinal County, improving local access to public lands and water reliability.

Tornadoes and Floods:

• The Shawnee Resource Conservation and Development Area, Inc. in Golconda, Illinoiswill put funds towards a public awareness campaign on the impact of invasive species and the decline of pollinator habitat after a tornado swept through the northwest portion of the Shawnee National Forest, in Herod, Illinois.
• The Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards (SAWS) in Asheville, North Carolina, will use the funding to support specialized recovery efforts in the Cohutta Wilderness area, a remote, rugged section of the Chattahoochee National Forest, in Sucres, Georgia, after severe flood damage.

This is the first of two sets of grants NEEF and Toyota will distribute to support the restoration & resilience of public lands. The Every Day Events grants, totaling $100,000 in mini-grants of up to $8,000 each, will be announced later this month.

For more information on the NEEF/Toyota Restoration & Resilience grant requirements, visit https://www.neefusa.org/nature/land/neef-restoration-and-resilience-grant-announcement.
 
* https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2017/06/23/nonprofits-poised-for-bigger-role-in-disaster-recovery