Linking Exploration + Innovation Through Virtual Field Trips

Since the advent of Covid-19, virtual learning has become the new norm for millions of students. To support students in the virtual environment, enhance the positive impacts of this new learning reality, and grow their spirit of innovation, Toyota and Discovery Education have teamed-up to offer students a series of interactive field trips. These no-cost virtual field trips take students through remarkable experiences and amazing places, without ever leaving their home.

Kids and families across the United States can take a ride into the future of mobility and experience the innovations of artificial intelligence, automated driving, and the science behind vehicle safety. See all the virtual field trips available from TeenDrive365 and discover more no-cost digital learning resources that support virtual learning, like:

Cars of the Future: Artificial Intelligence and Automated Vehicles
See how Toyota Research Institute (TRI) is using artificial intelligence to develop human support robots and automated vehicles with an emphasis on machine learning and other STEM concepts.

The Toyota Impact: The Engineering Behind Safe Driving
Get an insider’s view of how some of the brightest thinkers tackle the challenges drivers face every day and design new features that improve driver safety.

Toyota Under the Hood: The Science Behind Safe Driving
Go behind the scenes at Toyota’s manufacturing plant in Princeton, Indiana, where the latest in robotics, automotive safety and production innovation are pushing the boundaries of modern vehicle manufacturing.

“These free virtual field trips and career exploration videos help open up a world of possibility for youth and are a great way to learn,” said Al Smith, Group Vice President and Chief Social Innovation Officer.

Educators, families, and teens can also learn life-saving habits through the Toyota TeenDrive365 Challenge: a video challenge for high school students across the United States to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving.

“The incredible materials created in partnership with organizations like Toyota have helped students thrive in situations where they might not have without the proper resources,” says Lauren DeNu, Director of Partner Success from Discovery Education.

TeenDrive365, a digital program produced in partnership between Toyota and Discovery Education, offers no-cost digital learning resources empowering educators, families, and teens with life-saving habits. The Toyota TeenDrive365 resources are available at teendrive365inschool.com and through Discovery Education Experience.

In response to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, Discovery Education is offering schools and school systems not currently using the company’s digital services free access to Discovery Education Experience. Schools accepting this offer will have access to Discovery Education’s dynamic K-12 learning platform and its ready-to-use digital lesson plans, activities, and standards-aligned resources through the remainder of the school year. In addition, Discovery Education is offering a suite of no cost resources for parents and caregivers called Daily DE that can be used at home. For more information, visit Discovery Education’s comprehensive Virtual Learning resource center dedicated to helping educators adapt their instruction to meet today’s needs.

Earth Day 2020: Creating a More Sustainable Future

We’ve taken another trip around the sun.

And now, Earth Day is here again to focus attention on the collective responsibility of sustaining our common home.

At Toyota, that responsibility spans all four seasons, with far-reaching goals and initiatives. The biggest of these is the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, launched in 2015 and made up of six resource-specific challenges involving reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, conserving water resources, supporting a recycling-based society and protecting biodiversity. For an in-depth look at the achievements in these areas over the past year, check out Toyota’s 2019 North American Environmental Report.

Key Areas:

Carbon

Toyota is committed to reducing CO2 emissions across its operations, from manufacturing facilities to vehicles on the road.

Central to this target are plans to offer an electrified version of every Toyota and Lexus model by 2025.

Toyota is also reducing freight emissions with the Zero-and-Near-Zero Emission Freight Facilities (ZANZEFF) project. In partnership with Kenworth, Toyota is rolling out 10 hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric heavy-duty trucks (FCETs) in Southern California, which is expected to reduce emissions by 453 metric tons of CO2.

approximately 15 million gallons annually.

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Water

TMNA’s water conservation strategy focuses on facilities in areas of water risk, or a lack of water, such as Southern California.

Last year, Toyota’s North American manufacturing plants recycled or reused 565 million gallons of water, which is equivalent to the annual water use of 5,159 average American families. In Baja California, Mexico, a “high” water risk area, the local Toyota manufacturing plant developed a unique water recycling system that saves 23 million gallons of water per year. And at the vehicle assembly plant in Georgetown, Ky., team members now turn off the reverse osmosis system when not in use, saving approximately 15 million gallons annually.

Materials

One of the most crucial aspects of sustainability is in the recycling of materials. Innovations such as bio-based plastics—plastics derived either wholly or in part from plant materials—used in seat cushions; post-industrial garment clippings—made of cotton and synthetic fibers—used in door panel insulation, floor silencer and floor mats, help boost recycling efforts.

In 2018, Toyota’s North American facilities recycled, reused or composted 93 percent of all waste, keeping more than 755 million pounds of waste kept out of landfills and incinerators.

Biodiversity

Biodiversity, the variety and interdependence of species and ecosystems, is one of Toyota’s key environmental focuses.

Examples of initiatives are also varied. For example, at 17 sites across the U.S. and Canada, Toyota maintains pollinator gardens supporting monarch butterflies along their migration path, protecting the natural life cycle. Toyota has also partnered with the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) since 1999, as well as conservation programs certified by the WHC, to sustain wildlife habitat and conservation education programs. Recently, Toyota donated $200,000 to the Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) to help protect biomes against the threat of invasive species.

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Working Together for a Sustainable Future

Toyota team members support these goals month by month, including volunteering across a range of programs annually on National Public Lands Day. In this and other acts of environmental stewardship, Toyota Motor North America unites in the core mission to be strong corporate citizens and participate in the challenge to create a better world.

Navigating a Crisis: TMNA’s Bob Carter on the Company’s COVID-19 Response

As the world continues to focus on the COVID-19 pandemic, Toyota remains committed to helping its team members, customers and communities.

Bob Carter, executive vice president of sales for Toyota Motor North America (TMNA), has been through challenging times before in his previous roles as senior vice president of Toyota Motor Sales (TMS) and group vice president and general manager of both Toyota and Lexus divisions at TMS.

Here, Carter to discusses Toyota’s COVID-19 response, the plan for recovery and why he’s confident Toyota will emerge from this experience a better company.

What was Toyota’s initial response to COVID-19?

Our first priority was to ensure that our team members were safe and secure. So, we immediately communicated to all of our 1,800 dealers around the U.S. on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance at the time. We also closed our 15 North American manufacturing plants and implemented work-from-home procedures throughout our offices.

Next, we are stabilizing our business and providing financial assistance to our dealers and consumers. Fortunately, we’re blessed to have a fantastic captive credit arm in Toyota Financial Services (TFS). Immediately, TFS began working with consumers to defer payments and leases—our 1-800 lines were a critical part of this procedure. As of yesterday, I believe we’ve helped over 60,000 families defer their finance payments or leases.

As for our dealers, TFS is lowering their floor plan interest rates so that dealers can focus on their team members and customers, rather than worry about financial obligations.

The automotive industry is considered an essential service. What is Toyota doing to protect team members who continue to work?

As a company, we currently have 8,400 team members working from home, which has enabled them to practice social distancing. And at our regional offices around the country, the staff is limited to central personnel, but we are very sparse on employees that are coming in to work on a daily basis.

Retail is a little bit different because servicing vehicles is an essential service. We have 1,800 dealers throughout North America, and approximately 600 of those closed their sales departments, but will continue servicing vehicles. Plus, many of our dealers are providing pickup and delivery service at home. So, if your car does need a service or maintenance, most of the dealers will drive out, pick the car up at your location, bring it in, service it, clean it and return it back to your home.

In cases where the dealerships are fully operational, most of them are being staffed partially so they can practice good social distancing.

What is Toyota doing to support communities during this crisis?

Many of our team members and I have reached out to the communities we’re doing business in and asking, “How can we help?” So, we’re doing everything that we possibly can to assist them.

For example, we’re providing financial assistance to local food banks in the communities where we have manufacturing facilities so they can secure the goods that they need. The medical community has also reached out to us, and we’ve redeployed some of our R&D resources and are manufacturing face masks for the medical community because of the substantial need there.

We’re also working with some hospitals to see if we can help their sourcing. Right now, there’s such stress on the system for simple things, such as rubber gloves, so we’re offering up our logistics and transportation systems to quicken the supply chain from the manufacturer to the local hospital. I get a daily report of what everybody across the country is doing to help, and I’m really proud of the way our team has responded to communities so quickly.

How does Toyota plan to recover from the effects of COVID-19?

Eventually we’ll get to the bottom of this and we can start to rebuild as we’ve always done. The only question is: What’s the timing? I personally believe we’ll probably start to recover towards the month of May. I’m very confident in the North American economy. The auto industry is one of the largest industries that really can lead the economy through recovery. And we intend to do that.

At the moment, we’re focused on shifting our marketing message to support consumers through this crisis — we want them to know that we’re here for them and that they should reach out if they need any assistance. We value our consumers and want to maintain those relationships.

What drives your optimism for recovery?

Since I’ve been in this position, I’ve been through numerous crises. At times, the challenges we’ve faced have felt insurmountable, but we’ve always pulled through. And, I’ve found that just relying on the basics of business — working as a team, valuing your people and taking care of associates — is really the simple formula for recovery. Whether it’s the people that build our products in plants throughout the country or the people in retail [who are] servicing local communities, people are what will carry Toyota through this crisis. I’m absolutely convinced that when it’s all said and done, Toyota will become a better company.

To listen to the full Toyota Untold interview with Bob Carter, check out the podcast here.

Three Ways to Celebrate Easter During a Pandemic

Usually Easter is a time for family and friends to gather for religious celebrations and/or Easter egg hunts. But, as with everything else this Spring, Easter is being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic with millions of people, including everyone in Washington State, under Shelter in Place orders. But there are still plenty of ways to celebrate Easter this year; here are three ideas how to make Easter special during quarantine.

1. Tune into religious services virtually. No matter your faith, there are lots of options to listen to sermons and music via the internet. While you can't go out to services, there's no reason you can't hear the good word.

2. Skip the Easter Egg Hunt. All of us in Western Washington are used to being creative with indoor Easter Egg Hunts (because it's usually raining), but that might be particularly difficult during a quarantine. How about skipping the Easter Bunny and inviting the Spring Fairy! The Spring Fairy comes AFTER Easter (and probably takes advantage of the post-Easter sales) and brings a basket of goodies/gifts. Kids never know when the Spring Fairy is going to come and often leaves glitter as evidence of her appearance. Here's a link to some fun ideas!

3. This year seems like the perfect year to try something new. Have you ever colored your Easter eggs with shaving cream? It works and can turn out really cool. Check it out!

What are some ways you are celebrating Easter in quarantine?