Digital Wizards: Here’s How Toyota Motor North America R&D Turns Clay Models into Fully Developed Vehicles

Pete Ljubevski is the group manager of Engineering & Data Innovation (EDI), a department within Toyota Motor North America Research and Development (TMNA R&D) that plays a key, though largely unsung, role in product development.

This team of “digital engineers” use computer-aided design (CAD) to bring designs to life, so they can ultimately be manufactured into parts and components of future vehicles.

Here, he pulls back the curtain a bit on their highly specialized work.

What does the EDI group do?

We are a digital and physical solutions provider for TMNA R&D. That means we take the sketches and clay models produced by CALTY Design Research (CALTY), TMNA’s design firm, and break them down into their individual parts and components — developing and fine tuning them in 3D so that our manufacturing plants can begin making the tooling for production. We’re talking about things like bumper covers, bodyshells, grilles, seats, instrument panels, and even the battery packs for electrified vehicles.

We also are responsible for checking the quality of the vehicle data we are developing to ensure it meets Toyota’s appearance and manufacturability requirements. We have a group that fabricates rapid prototype parts to support our engineering needs during the development process and helps TMNA R&D enable advanced development and new mobility concept initiatives.

Is most of this work handled digitally?

Yes, most of our work occurs between 1.5 to three years before the start of vehicle production. We work very closely with the engineers to make sure we get all the details right before tooling begins.

What are some of the other key steps in the CAD process?

Well, while the digital vehicle CAD data can be very realistic, we also have the capability to go further by employing augmented reality and virtual reality tools to confirm we are on the right track. We can put a virtual 3D model of a component or an entire vehicle in a special room where — when looking through goggles — we can essentially see what we have created in a realistic and immersive environment.

If needed, though, our Innovation Lab can take it a step further and make physical parts using one of our 3D printers or, if required, via an injection mold. Engineers like to touch and feel the parts and see how they fit together. We’ll even finish and paint the parts to production level to make them as realistic as possible.

How can you ensure the process is running smoothly?

Along the way, our Appearance Digital Assembly team will conduct quality checks to ensure everything is headed in the right direction regarding vehicle appearance. That includes two meetings before production where we provide feedback to stakeholders such as design, CALTY and the vehicle’s chief engineer about vehicle appearance. If there is consensus that there is an appearance concern, we document that and track it until the issue has been resolved.

Meanwhile, our Powertrain CAD Modeling team collaborates with the powertrain engineers to help them design parts under their responsibility — including using software that can simulate and analyze how various components perform under stress.

What type of skills are needed in your department to move these projects along?

I think it’s fair to say that we are Toyota’s computer-aided design, augmented reality, and virtual reality part-making experts. We even have a team that focuses on developing custom apps and code to make working with these software packages more effective and efficient to the benefit of others. That includes our colleagues in Service Parts & Accessories Development, who use CAD to design and develop custom accessories as well as those who work in Advanced Production Engineering at Toyota Kentucky.

We’ve also begun to reach out to other teams across TMNA who might benefit from what we do as part of our company’s initiative to break down barriers and collaborate across boundaries. Case in point: Toyota Vehicle Marketing and Communications has started using some of the photorealistic renderings we develop when conducting their external pre-production customer clinics and focus group activities. Our colleagues in public relations sometimes share our renderings of vehicle exteriors and interiors when introducing new vehicles to the automotive media. We’re already doing this work, so why not make it available to others so they don’t have to replicate it?

Is this concept of collaborating part of Toyota’s DNA?

Absolutely. And while our primary focus is on developing new vehicles, our portfolio of mobility-related projects is growing. For instance, we were heavily involved in helping to bring about Project Portal — the fleet of heavy-duty commercial trucks powered by Toyota’s hydrogen fuel cell powertrain. We have also worked with the Toyota Research Institute to help them retrofit existing vehicles with autonomous driving technology, all while helping to bring the e-Palette concept to life.

A New Breed of Hybrid: The 2022 Tundra i-FORCE MAX

An electrified pickup truck once seemed like an anomaly. But when Toyota set out to design the 2022 Tundra i-FORCE MAX — the brand’s all-new powerful hybrid-electric pickup — it knew that challenging expectations would be the only road to success.

Winning consumers over on hybrids has never been an easy feat. Toyota knows this firsthand because the automaker accepted the challenge years ago.

The Birth of Hybrid Vehicles

A little over two decades ago, Toyota released the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle. The Prius (“before” in Latin) introduced people across the globe to a car that could function the same as the standard compacts they were used to – but with the added benefits of improved fuel economy ratings and lower emissions. But even as the Prius became popular, few could have predicted how popular these vehicles would become just 20 years later.

Jay Sackett, executive program manager in product development at Toyota Motor North America (Toyota), helps illustrate the role engineers have played: “We are now offering our fifth generation Toyota Hybrid System (THS). Each generation has built off that first Prius.”

For years, hybrid vehicles were primarily confined to small-car segments. The common thinking was that hybrids were an easy way to help save money on gas and reduce your carbon footprint – they were not known to be able to match the power and speed of a full combustion engine. So, as a collective understanding that carbon emission impacts climate change, the decision by Toyota to electrify its vehicle fleet became less of an “if” and more of a “when.” That left individuals, families and businesses that rely on full-size vehicles, like minivans and pickup trucks, wondering if electrification would catch up to their mobility needs. Toyota, always innovating to meet customer needs, saw this as an opportunity. The company now offers an electrified option in every category (sedan, minivan, SUV and truck).

Defining a Mission

When the Toyota Motor North America Research & Development team began to design the 2022 Tundra i-FORCE MAX, they knew exactly the challenge they were taking on: In the eyes of America’s drivers, fuel economy and great performance are not always synonymous. But, in the case of the Tundra i-FORCE MAX, it was a necessity that they are.

“We were very sensitive to that point of view in the market, especially in the truck segment,” says Sackett.

So, the mission of the new Tundra — and especially the i-FORCE MAX — was determined. The vehicle was to not just meet the expectations of drivers awaiting a legitimately powerful, hybrid-electric pickup truck. It was to exceed them.

Toyota engineers came up with a solution. By putting the electric motor and V6 turbo engine in tandem, the dual-motor performance would be additive. As opposed to alternating between the electric motor and the combustion engine like with a traditional hybrid, the two would work in parallel to boost the total output of the truck, beyond even what the outgoing model’s V8 engine could do.

Making it work would take a technological breakthrough.

“While some of the technology used, like motors and inverters, is similar to the THS, this architecture and operation is totally different,” says Sackett, “Through our new i-FORCE MAX one-motor system, torque and power are supplied to the wheels in two individual paths, via the V6 turbo engine and via the electric motor.”

Powerful Design

To achieve that vision, the engineering team needed to physically put the electric motor between the engine and the transmission. The motor would be asked to supplement the engine’s output when necessary, adding more torque as the driver demands it or, in the case of very subtle throttle input, taking on the full load and allowing the engine to conserve fuel.

In Sackett’s words, “The amazing thing with this powertrain is that now the customer does not have to compromise power and torque to have better fuel economy ratings.”

The result is a truck that sports 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque. It can haul up to 1,665 pounds in its payload and can tow up to 11,450 pounds in a way that engineers have come to call “confident and natural.”

“Our two powertrains achieve peak torque at very low RPM [revolutions per minute] compared to the outgoing V8,” says Sackett, “This means the engine runs quieter, the vehicle drives smoother, and it really pulls your trailer.”

Another benefit is the 10-speed automatic transmission which gives drivers the feel of gear shifting that’s expected in trucks and aids in towing. Where a driver would naturally downshift to control speed — especially in hilly terrain — the Tundra is designed to do it on its own. That same functionality helps in off-road situations where low speed (but high torque) is desired.

The magic of this dual powertrain — that confident and natural feeling — is that, whether it’s just the electric motor, just the combustion engine, or both in sync, the driver can control the vehicle comfortably and may not even feel the changes occurring beneath the hood.

“It is barely perceptible when it engages and disengages [hybrid operation],” says Sackett. “On our test drives, we kept an eye on the speedometer. It was surprising how quickly you got up to speed.”

Reimagining Mobility

Toyota’s journey from originator of one of the first mass-produced hybrid vehicles to developer of the powerful 2022 Tundra i-FORCE MAX was motivated by a goal: Achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

As Toyota continues its evolution to a mobility company, reimagining the role that cars and trucks play in human movement is key. While realizing what the future of mobility looks like, innovation will be measured by meeting the needs of humans today without compromising the planet for humans tomorrow. The Tundra i-FORCE MAX fits into this role and gives drivers a pickup truck that is designed to tow their haul and carry their load with fewer carbon emissions.

“Our transition to a mobility company, to me, means finding new, exciting ways to connect people to their destinations,” adds Sackett. “With the new Tundra, we are moving further into the exciting future with electrification and uncompromised performance.”

That’s the very core of the 2022 Toyota Tundra i-FORCE MAX: improved fuel economy and great performance, hand in hand, ushering in a new vision for the electrified pickup of tomorrow.

The Power of Process: Toyota Mentoring Prepares Students to Solve Problems

Toyota has long used its know-how to produce the quality vehicles seen on US roads for over 60 years. But in addition to well-built cars and trucks, Toyota crafts quality processes, and these processes are the “secret sauce” of Toyota’s success: just-in-time supply chain, LEAN manufacturing, Toyota Production System, and the foundational decision-making tool, Toyota Business Practices (TBP).

A valuable instrument for shaping any project, TBP is also a boon for helping to shape young minds and sharpening the critical thinking essential to successful problem-solving. Through an innovative mentoring project that challenges students to “start their impossible,” in a nod to Toyota’s inspirational global campaign, students in the Plano, Texas, ISD Academy Program learn to use TBP and supercharge their futures.

A Guide to the Future

Each school year, 100 academy seniors engage in a 12-week project under the guidance of Toyota employees. Managers, such as Chris Tucker from Toyota’s External Logistics Group, work with the students at the Academy’s Plano campus, located near Toyota Motor North America headquarters, with the goal of exposing them to mentorship, resources and skills.

The program was launched in 2019 by Toyota employee Michaela Sears, Social Innovation Mobility Senior Analyst, to teach high school seniors the first five steps of TBP and how to apply them to different real-world business challenges. “TBP is a fundamental skill taught to Toyota employees to help solve complex business problems,” says Sears. “Teaching this framework to the seniors not only adds to their regular curriculum it prepares them for whatever they choose to do after high school.”

As business and society continue their rapid states of change, training the next generation of innovators is critical. “Mentorship is extremely powerful,” continues Sears. “The learners begin the project unsure and uncomfortable, and after weeks of coaching by their mentors, they exude confidence and are ready to apply TBP to their next project.”

Steps to Success

The core curriculum of the mentoring program is the Toyota Business Practices framework, laid out in eight sequential steps. Because the three final steps are based on implementation, the students practice only the first five. Once these steps are learned, understood and practiced, they can be applied to just about any problem in business—or in life.

Real-World Solutions

As part of the most recent cohort’s senior presentation project, Tucker worked with participants to brainstorm possible improvements to the aerodynamics and fuel economy of a 53-foot tractor-trailer. The students tried their hands at using a blend of Computer Aided Design (CAD), modeling; Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) skills; and TBP principles to find a solution. The results? Their impossible was more than started.

“The mentees’ thinking ventured boldly way outside the box and put forth solutions that weren’t even on my radar,” says Tucker. “It’s amazing. They look at things so differently. They’re two or three steps ahead and really helped with the trailer’s fuel economy.”

In addition to helping to solve concrete problems, Tucker says the mentorship program provides soft skills, including exposure to potential careers and new industries. While growing their professional networks and boosting their confidence and workforce readiness, the high school seniors get a chance to practice these new techniques in real-world simulations.

Develop, Evaluate, Elevate

In its commitment to creating pathways to success and developing a diverse workforce ready to meet the demands of the future, Toyota has pioneered several mentoring and internship programs, such as the Toyota Learning Academy, which brings reading, STEM, and financial literacy curricula to underserved schools, as well as overall skills to help prepare for college and careers. In the Lancaster, Texas, ISD program, 150 teachers and 2,200 students have already participated in the Academy program.

The E3 Engage Mentorship program, also in Plano, serves its mission to engage, empower and elevate students. Over five-plus years, 180 mentors have helped thousands of middle and high school students through courses designed to build a growth mindset to learn how to do and achieve more. Additionally, E3 is now supporting students in West Dallas as part of the new West Dallas STEM School.

The Road Ahead

Toyota’s lens on the future is so much wider than students, families and educators can often access. STEM training, strong logical and creative thinking, plus a readiness to lead are needed to evolve the company and the automotive industry as a whole.

As Tucker attests, “Getting that exposure and experience at Toyota and making key contacts here opens up the opportunity for students to potentially join us in the future.” The program opens the students’ eyes to job opportunities they may never have imagined before.” And that’s a process that’s worth sharing everywhere.