Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

toyota

Toyota to invest $500 million in Uber

by

Toyota Motor Corporation and Uber Technologies, Inc. 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.

[Read more…] about Toyota to invest $500 million in Uber

Toyota to make connected vehicles its new standard in Japan

by

The future of just-in-time vehicle services and support has arrived in Japan in the form of two Toyota vehicles – the Crown and the Corolla Sport, launched just this year.

Crown and Corolla Sport, as the first generation of “Connected Cars,” come standard with an on-board Data Communication Module (DCM) that links to a Controller Area Network (CAN).

By using this hardware, Toyota can provide various connected services to T-Connect subscribers through its proprietary Mobility Service Platform (MSPF), an information infrastructure developed by the company for Connected Cars. Toyota aims to equip most new passenger vehicles in its domestic market with DCM.

[Read more…] about Toyota to make connected vehicles its new standard in Japan

Toyota and Denso to consolidate production of components

by

Toyota Motor and its main supplier Denso have agreed to begin considerations toward consolidating the core electronic component operations of both Toyota and Denso within Denso.

Currently, advanced development and mass-production development for Toyota’s electronic components, as well as the production of such components, are conducted by both Toyota and Denso.

The considerations to be made under today’s agreement are to focus on consolidating mass-production development and production within Denso.  [Read more…] about Toyota and Denso to consolidate production of components

Toyota to invest in Albert for automated driving development

by

Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) and Albert Inc. have agreed on a business alliance for big data analysis, mainly in the field of advanced development of automated driving technology, and that Toyota will invest in Albert.

The investment in Albert is expected to be around 400 million yen, with Toyota acquiring new shares in Albert issued through a third-party allocation of shares dated May 30, 2018.

To promote the development of automated driving technologies, Toyota has been bolstering its organisation by establishing the advanced research company, Toyota Research Institute (TRI), in the United States in January 2016 and the advanced development company, Toyota Research Institute-Advanced Development (TRI-AD), in Tokyo, while also advancing its technology development centred on AI.

[Read more…] about Toyota to invest in Albert for automated driving development

New mobility ecosystem from Toyota

by

Toyota‘s new mobility service business alliance and e-Palette concept vehicle have been designed to meet the demands of future multi-mode transportation and business applications.

The e-Palette Alliance will leverage Toyota’s proprietary Mobility Services Platform (MSPF) to develop a suite of connected mobility solutions and a flexible, purpose-built vehicle.

The alliance will create a broad-based ecosystem of hardware and software support designed to help a range of companies utilize advanced mobility technology to better serve customers.

[Read more…] about New mobility ecosystem from Toyota

Infineon receives quality award from Toyota’s Hirose Plant

by

Infineon Technologies AG has received an award from Toyota for continuously outstanding product quality.

The auto maker’s Hirose plant presented its Honour Quality Award to the Munich-based chip maker for its CAN transceivers – devices that enable various electronic control units (ECU) in the car to exchange data.

Achieving zero defects in automotive electronics is becoming increasingly important in light of many new functionalities such as automated driving.

[Read more…] about Infineon receives quality award from Toyota’s Hirose Plant

Toyota’s basketball robot is why humans should give up and go home

by

If you find being confronted by a 7-foot human basketball player somewhat intimidating, wait ’til you see the new Toyota basketball-playing robot. 

Luckily, the 6-foot-3-inch monstrosity doesn’t move around at all and only throws the ball into the hoop – but it does so with 100 per cent accuracy. (See video below.)

According to Asahi Shimbun via CNBC, ZDNet and others, the robot – named “Cue” for some reason – threw 200,000 hoops with almost perfect accuracy.  [Read more…] about Toyota’s basketball robot is why humans should give up and go home

Toyota Motor Europe and Dassault Systèmes collaborate on ‘next-generation digital marketing’ system

by

Dassault Systèmes and Toyota Motor Europe have signed a three-year contract to collaborate on an optimised digital production process to create next-generation digital marketing solutions for all new car launches in Europe.

These solutions will feature localised and personalised content targeting consumers seeking new, customised experiences in the car buying journey.

With Dassault Systèmes’ “Virtual Garage” industry solution experience, Toyota Motor Europe can leverage 3DExcite high-end visualisation applications for automated and integrated digital marketing asset production processes.  [Read more…] about Toyota Motor Europe and Dassault Systèmes collaborate on ‘next-generation digital marketing’ system

Toyota launches tiny humanoid robot that fits into the palm of your hand

by

Toyota has launched a tiny robot small enough to fit into the palm of your hand. 

The KiRobo Mini is clearly the company’s way of taking a break from making cars, and is now on sale in Japan.

According to Nikkei, the little robot “can talk, learn, and serve up information on your car and home”.  [Read more…] about Toyota launches tiny humanoid robot that fits into the palm of your hand

Toyota unveils its third-generation humanoid robot T-HR3

by

Company says new robot is enabled through advanced torque servo module and master maneuvering system

Toyota has revealed the third generation of its humanoid robot, the T-HR3, designed and developed by its Partner Robot business unit. 

The company’s aim seems to be to market the robot for use in the home, perhaps for elderly care or companionship, but says it can also be applied in industrial sectors such as healthcare, construction and disaster recovery. (See video below.)

Toyota says its latest robotics platform will explore new technologies for safely managing physical interactions between robots and their surroundings, and it features a new remote maneuvering system that mirrors user movements to the robot.

Toyota says the T-HR3 reflects the company’s broad-based exploration of how advanced technologies can help to meet people’s unique mobility needs.  [Read more…] about Toyota unveils its third-generation humanoid robot T-HR3