Toyota accelerates local development of intelligence and electrification towards enhancing competitiveness in the Chinese market

Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) will work towards strengthening its local development of intelligence and electrification technology to provide electrified vehicles that are competitive and pleasing to the customer in the Chinese market, where electrified vehicles are becoming increasingly popular.

Specifically, we will be moving forward with the following initiatives:

• Changing the company name of Toyota China’s largest R&D facility “Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (China) Co., Ltd.” to “Intelligent ElectroMobility R&D Center by TOYOTA (China) Co., Ltd. (IEM by TOYOTA)” as of August 1.
• Placing engineers from three R&D facilities (FTRD^*1, R&D from GTMC^*2 and BTET^*3) within China on the IEM by TOYOTA-led development project.
• Regarding electrification specifically, strengthened local development of all electrified vehicles (BEV, PHEV, HEV, FCEV) in order to achieve multi-pathway-based carbon neutrality. Accelerated electric powertrain development with Denso and Aisin transcending organizational boundaries to also join forces with IEM by TOYOTA.
• Regarding intelligence specifically, promoted and accelerated local design and development of smart cockpits for a better user experience through interior space design and use of AI, as well as autonomous driving systems/advanced safety features that better fit the actual situation in China.
• For both electrification and intelligence, taking on the challenge of significantly reducing manufacturing costs through initiatives in the three areas of “developing local supplier base,” “reviewing parts designs,” and “production engineering/manufacturing monozukuri reform” to strengthen competitiveness.

Tatsuro Ueda, Chief Executive Officer of the China Region, stated that “The Chinese market is growing at an unprecedented pace. Toyota will also work together as a group to reform how we work & think to survive in China. By promoting local development with IEM by TOYOTA at its core, we will attempt to develop and provide competitive products that can satisfy Chinese customers at a fast pace. Furthermore, we will look to share development results and lessons learned in China, not only within China, but also globally.”

Toyota will continue working towards making ever-better cars that take into consideration the needs of customers in each and every region.

^*1 FAW Toyota Research & Development Co., Ltd.
^*2 GAC Toyota Motor Co., Ltd.
^*3 BYD TOYOTA EV TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

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SOURCE: Toyota