toyota

Toyota has created the city of the future and it is full of AI and cameras that protect you. It’s also a privacy nightmare

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At the foot of Mount Fuji, Toyota he has been building a city for years entire designed from scratch to test their future inventions. It’s called Woven City, and it already has its first inhabitants. And although the city does not lack one bit of technology, living there also involves making certain concessions in terms of privacy. Below these lines we tell you all the details. Why does this exist? At CES 2020, then-Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda advertisement that the company was going to build a laboratory city on the land of a former factory in Susono, in the Japanese prefecture of Shizuoka. The idea was not to create just another corporate campus, but to build a real urban environment where engineers, researchers and residents would coexist and test advanced mobility, robotics, artificial intelligence and sustainability technologies. The project, developed under the subsidiary Woven by Toyota, has cost about 10 billion dollars, according to they count from Ars Technica, and its first inhabitants arrived just a few months ago. In detail. Woven City has, at the moment, about 100 hand-selected residents, who they internally call Weavers. They are Toyota employees and people chosen for their technological profile. They live in Japandi-style apartments (fusion between Nordic and Japanese) equipped with domestic robotics and health monitoring systems. The city is powered by rooftop solar panels and hydrogen fuel cells, and its streets are designed in three categories based on vehicle speed: expressways, personal mobility zones, and pedestrian-only areas. When completed, the total area will be about 294,000 square meters, although only about 10% of the planned space is operational right now. What is proven there. Residents act as beta testers for a diverse list of projects: from AI karaoke systems that choose songs based on mood to an air conditioning system capable of eliminating 95% of pollen from the environment, something relevant in a country where half of the population suffers from allergies. Delivery robots, tricycles or, as point the middle, the Guide Mobi, an autonomous vehicle that acts as a digital towboat to take cars out of the garage and take them to their owners without the driver having to move. According to they count From Ars Technica, 98% of residents have given permission for a robot with cameras to operate within their own homes. Here comes the problem. For all of this to work, Woven City is full of cameras. Many. According to the mediumyou could count up to eight cameras at a single intersection, and dozens more spread across the roofs of buildings, common spaces, and even the small cafeteria there. All that network of images feeds what Toyota calls the AI ​​Vision Engine, an artificial intelligence system designed to monitor, catalog and report on activity in the city. The system can identify people and follow them from camera to camera based on their clothing, without using facial recognition. They used it in a demo to detect potential thefts in a business. What Toyota says. The company says it has its own consent management system called Data Fabric, which allows residents to decide what data they share and what they don’t. “We allow Weavers to select what they want to share or not. Whether they don’t want to share anything or if they want to share everything is up to each individual,” explained John Absmeier, CTO of Woven City, told Ars Technica. The data, according to Toyota, is not sold to third parties. “At least for now,” they added in the media report. Between the lines. That 98% of the residents have accepted practically all the privacy conditions does not say as much about trust in Toyota as it does about the profile of the people who live there: they are selected technicians, who know perfectly well what they are agreeing to and who have come precisely to participate in the experiment. Kota Oishi, CEO of Woven City, recognized Japanese citizens, like Europeans, are especially sensitive to privacy and demand to know exactly what their data will be used for. The leap between this group of controlled volunteers and the implementation of similar technology in a real city with millions of ordinary people would be enormous, and questions about mass surveillance inevitable. The other big bet: a Own AI. While all this is happening on the streets, Toyota is working in parallel to not depend on the large technological giants in terms of artificial intelligence. Daisuke Toyoda, son of President Akio Toyoda and head of the Woven City project, counted on an interview in April to Automotive News that developing AI internally is key to protecting jobs and the company’s industrial knowledge. “If you only work with the biggest or best companies abroad, you run the risk of becoming a mere user,” he said. Toyota sees AI not as a tool to cut staff, but to digitize the knowledge of its best workers and raise the level of the rest. One of the most striking projects of this line is an AI clone of Akio Toyoda himself (even with his voice, his way of speaking and his philosophy) that is already used internally to train managers. And now what. Woven City is still in its infancy: only 10% built, 100 residents and many robots that “don’t do much yet,” according to counted the middle. The objective is reach 2,000 inhabitants when all phases are complete. Toyota does not expect it to be profitable in the short term; understands it as a long-term technological incubator to test its technology in more open, but controlled spaces. Cover image | toyota In Xataka | Chinese manufacturers no longer know what more innovations to incorporate into their cars, so they have added a toilet to one

the bizarre history of Toyota and its hydrogen trucks

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Toyota relies on hydrogen as a mobility solution. It is not news in itself. However, the agreement reached in the United States is. And the Japanese have partnered with Hyroad Energya mobility solutions company from the United States that will rent 40 trucks to the Japanese company for use in its support activities. That is to say, It is not Toyota that develops trucks. On the contrary, it is Toyota that pays to have these heavy vehicles available. And this North American company will be in charge of supplying the trucks, maintenance and software. Toyota, for its part, will have its own hydrogen charging network. The move is interesting for the company that has to demonstrate that hydrogen is a still alive formula. But it also needs to make profitable an infrastructure that has been dead in the United States practically since its birth. Everything to hydrogen! Toyota’s relationship with hydrogen seems like that of unrequited love. The Japanese have been ensuring for some time that hydrogen is as valid a solution (or even better) than the electric car. Along the way they have developed the Toyota Miraithe first car powered by a fuel cell. In this type of car, a battery inside the car carries out the hydrogen electrolysis process. With this process, electricity is obtained, which is stored in a battery and used by electric motors. The great advantage of the system is that the time spent on “recharge” the car It is the same as filling a gas tank. Furthermore, the car only expels water vapor through its exhaust pipe. Although some polluting substances can also be found in this water vapor, their presence is so low that it is not considered really harmful. The problem is that the use of hydrogen in light transport It is expensive and inefficient. Producing, transporting and storing hydrogen is very expensive given its volatility. For the Toyota Mirai to be able to use this hydrogen, it must have large tanks where it can be kept at a pressure of 600 bars. This leaves the car with almost no storage space because it takes a lot of space to carry a relatively small amount of “fuel.” The other solution they have found is designed for use on the track or with high-performance vehicles, as an alternative to maintain the sensations of a combustion engine but without emitting smoke from the exhaust pipe. This solution goes through burn hydrogen in liquid form but the high cost of storage and the system used continues to be a real problem. A final solution involves heavy transport. Some anticipate that this last option is the most logical since a truck has a lot of space to incorporate huge hydrogen tanks without sacrificing cargo space. Furthermore, if recharging is only carried out in the large industrial centers of the cities, the cost of transportation would be lower because it would not be necessary to distribute it to many small points in the geography of a country. With the aim of demonstrating that the use of hydrogen is reasonable and interesting for heavy transport, the company has reached an agreement with the aforementioned Hyroad Energy. This company is in charge of supplying 40 trucks to the company for its daily tasks. These heavy transport vehicles have a capacity 12 times greater than that of a Toyota Mirai, with a range of more than 800 kilometers. According to the company, refueling this truck only takes between 15 and 20 minutes. Curiously, these trucks with Nikola vehicles, a promising start-up that was betting on electric vehicles for heavy transportation. However, the company went bankrupt last year and was forced to sell its assets. It was at that time when Hyroad Energy acquired a fleet of more than 100 trucks, so those used by Toyota will be electric vehicles converted for use with hydrogen. It is an operation similar to that Stellantis was carrying out in Germany until terminated the project. The story is, if possible, even more bizarre. And it is that Toyota is immersed in a legal dispute with the American owners of some Toyota Mirai who They sued the company for false advertising. They maintain that when they obtained these vehicles, Toyota promised a deployment of its infrastructure that has never occurred. Without that support network, their cars can barely be used. Therefore, even if Toyota uses third-party vehicles, its bet makes some sense. If the company continues to invest in hydrogen, it needs to demonstrate that it is a viable alternative and wants to take advantage of its charging points in the United States to add value to an infrastructure that has been identified as insufficient. The movement also comes when more and more companies are beginning to think about purely electric heavy transport as the ideal solution for the future. Photo | Hyroad Energy In Xataka | Hyundai and Kia want to save combustion by burning hydrogen. And they have a very promising engine in their hands.

CEO Toyota believes his extreme perfectionism is a problem

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Japan is an extremely peculiar country. It is for many reasons in the eyes of a European. One of them is the mixture of humility at work and absolute dedication to the company to achieve a common objective that materializes in designing and producing the best possible products. The contrast is more complicated to understand if possible in the automobile industry. Toyota is considered the mother of what we know today as “toyotism”. A formula to work in a chain with a very limited stock. That is, without a safety net that allows unforeseen events to be handled with a warehouse large enough to support production until the problem is solved. This is achieved, of course, by building a chain that is oiled with the precision of a Swiss watch. But also with the certainty that what goes on the market is the best version of what each worker has in hand. Toyota revolutionized automobile assembly line production by giving the workers themselves the power to stop production if any failure was detected. It is a way of working that can only be carried out when, when developing the parts and design of an entire car, you work with the firmness of philosophy Kaizen. This Japanese word defines the pursuit of perfection through continuous improvement. This allows each modified part in the process of producing a new car to have the support of years of experience behind it. This way of working has been a competitive advantage until now has made Toyota the largest car manufacturer of the world. The company was, in 2025, the world’s largest automobile producer, with more than 11 million units manufactured. Volkswagen is second and remained at 9 million units manufactured. It is the result of production measured to the millimeter and reliability earned by hard work. That philosophy kaizen which Mazda or Toyota boast has allowed the latter to always be at the top of the reliability rankings, a value when it comes to putting millions and millions of units on the market. But this way of working has its drawbacks when you have to make agile decisions. China is the train to follow “If things don’t change, we won’t survive.” The phrase is from Koij Sato, CEO of Toyota, and is especially relevant because, as we pointed out, it comes from the head of the world’s leading brand. The message was sent to 489 suppliers with the aim of making them understand the importance of improving competitiveness against Chinese companies, they state in Automotive News. According to AutoblogToyota’s quality standards have been so strict that parts have been returned with small resin wrinkles that had no impact on a vehicle’s dynamics or reliability. The same thing was happening with thousands of wire harnesses that would have been returned because they showed minor signs of discoloration. Small aesthetic defects that buyers did not even notice because they are hidden inside the vehicle itself. Now Sato has asked its suppliers to be more flexible to save money on production and be more agile. The message launched by the company’s CEO is not coincidental. Months ago, a consulting firm specialized in reverse engineering I already alerted Toyota that their electric cars were designed as combustion vehicles and that penalized them when producing them. The problem is that, according to this company, producing an electric car is so different from a combustion car that it is almost equivalent to two different products even though both have four wheels and a steering wheel. They pointed out, for example, that Toyota used steel bars and reinforcements in the steering column or to hold the dashboard, thinking about reducing vibrations. However, Chinese manufacturers and Tesla choose to increased use of plastics because those vibrations are almost non-existent in an electric car. This allows them to produce cheaper and faster. And get lighter cars. “The average customer doesn’t even see these parts,” explained Shoji Nishihara, purchasing manager for Toyota’s vehicle development department, in statements reported by forumelectriccars. The final goal is complicated. The company aims to improve competitiveness by reducing production times and making the final quality of its products more flexible. A complicated balance if we want to continue being the reference in terms of reliability. For now, Toyota believes that its perfectionism was already bordering on healthy. Photo | toyota In Xataka | The legend of the Toyota Supra, one of the legendary Japanese sports cars: the fusion of illegal racing and the Kaizen philosophy

Toyota and Subaru have another opinion

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Electrification in the automobile sector is taking with it one of the elements that has been with us practically all our lives: the manual transmission. For many people it is not a very serious problem, since an automatic car is actually more comfortable to drive. But for those who long for the sensations of a manual transmission, it marks the end of an era. Or not? Maybe is not completely lost. There are manufacturers that have been exploring the idea of ​​developing for some time. transmissions with a virtual manual shift in electric vehicles. Some of the manufacturers that have contributed the most in this direction have been firms like Toyota or Subaruwho seem unwilling to give up one of the driving experiences most valued by motoring enthusiasts (and by many other ordinary people who have driven all their lives). Is the virtual now the authentic? A few days ago, the people at CarBuzz echoed that Subaru had registered a patent in the United States for a fully simulated manual transmission system in electric cars. The design includes both an H-pattern shifter and a clutch pedal, although neither would be mechanically connected to anything. Instead, they use sensors that detect the position of each element and transmit that information to the vehicle’s computer, which adjusts the engine torque according to the selected “gear” and the pressure on the accelerator and clutch. Why is it relevant? Electric cars do without traditional transmissions because their engines deliver 100% of the torque from zero revolutions. This makes the gearboxes unnecessary from a technical point of view, but it also eliminates this element that has been with us forever and that endures as a sign of much more active control of the car. Manufacturers like Toyota and Subaru are convinced that there is a niche market willing to pay to recover that feeling, even if it is artificial. Toyota already has a working prototype. The idea is not new for the group. Toyota has been working on this concept for years and already has an operational prototype based on an electric Lexus UX 300e. According to InsideEVs, which could test it in 2023the experience ends up being surprisingly realistic. At the time, the vehicle featured simulated six-speed shifts, artificial engine sounds, and even replicated the characteristic jerk when shifting gears. In fact, from the middle they counted that the system allowed the car to “stall” if you did not press the clutch correctly and also simulated engine braking when downshifting. Best of all, the prototype allowed these types of functions to be activated and deactivated with a single switch, allowing the driver to choose between manual mode or conventional electric operation. What Subaru has come up with. Subaru’s patent goes a step further in this regard, as it incorporates a “hard start suppression device” that replicates the safety system of traditional manual cars, causing the vehicle to only start if the clutch pedal is fully depressed. Interestingly, the system is designed to activate manual mode by default every time the car is started, regardless of which mode it was left in previously. According to describe CarBuzz, this decision seems to seek to prevent the driver from forgetting which mode they left the vehicle in, although it is striking that manual mode is the default option. The connection between both brands. That Subaru patents a system practically identical to the prototype that Toyota already has running makes perfect sense, since Subaru is part of the Toyota group and collaborates closely with the brand in the development of electric vehicles, as demonstrated by the Subaru Solterra and its sister models. It is possible that the idea of ​​both manufacturers is to develop a sports model that has this type of virtual manual transmission systems. It does not mean that we see this system in all their vehicles, but in those with a more performance focus. More options on the way. Just like account CarBuzz, Hyundai and Kia have also taken the first step with eight-speed simulated transmission systems in models like the Ioniq 5N and the EV6 GT, although without a clutch pedal. On the other hand, Honda also offers eight fake “gears” in the new Prelude. However, none of those mentioned comes close to the level that Toyota or Subaru aspire to achieve with their systems. We will see if commercial models with this system finally arrive and if there is demand for them. Cover image | CHUTTERSNAP In Xataka | You can now bid on the most exclusive Ford GT prototype in history. The only handicap is that you won’t be able to drive it.

Toyota was obsessed with creating its best electric sedan. So he ended up asking Huawei for help…

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After letting it be seen in the Shanghai Auto Show At the beginning of last year, Toyota just made official the bZ7its electric flagship more than five meters long. What is striking here is not the car itself, that too, but the technology that gives life to both its software and its drive train. Technology that… is not from Toyota. The car. bZ7, this is the name that Toyota has given to an electric sedan that embodies the latest technology available for this segment. The summary is simple. 5.1 meters long. 1.9 meters wide. LPF (lithium ferrophosphate) type batteries of BYD origin. Autonomy of between 600 and 800 km (according to the Chinese cycle, CLTC) depending on version. Operating system HarmonyOS. Huawei DriveOne system (electrical system, engine, car architecture…) What’s Huawei looking like here?. In 2020, Huawei confirmed its commitment to the electric car with DriveOneits first electric motor. Specifically, we are talking about a control unit composed of a motor, reducer, converter, integrated charger, power distribution unit and battery control unit. It thus allows this Toyota bZ7 to have a power of 278 HP and a maximum speed limited to 180 km/h. All this in a much more compact platform compared to the traditional ones used in this type of vehicles. The interior. As if it were not enough to power the engine of this luxury sedan, the cabin has a 15.6-inch floating central screen. The size of a generous laptop. The operating system that gives it life is HarmonyOS, a platform thatthe company develops for the world of electric cars, smartphones, tablets, computers and peripherals of all kinds. The alliance. That Huawei and Toyota develop a car together is something quite recent. The Japanese company announced that, on cars destined for China, it would cooperate with Huawei. Toyota began to lose steam both in global sales and in China, where it fell 6.9% in 2024. After three consecutive years of losing sales in China, it decided with one of the manufacturers that today has more muscle when it comes to developing complete platforms for electric cars. Beyond Apple and Google. Chinese manufacturers like Huawei are betting on a solution at the operating system level that is much more integrated than what Apple and Google have been trying to do for years. Unlike Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, integrate the system (in this case HarmonyOS, but also in cases like that of HyperOS), allows complete control of the vehicle from it. It does not require a smartphone, it is updated via OTA, it is based on its own code… It’s something similar to what Google is trying with Android Automotivea complete system but with little adoption, and what Apple promised with CarPlay Ultracurrently reserved only for luxury vehicles. Image | toyota In Xataka | In the midst of the industry crisis, the brand that has most opposed the electric car continues to break records: Toyota

Toyota Hilux (2026): features, photos, date

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toyota has presented the ninth generation of its iconic Hilux pick-upa historic and world-famous vehicle that, for the first time in its almost 60-year history, this legendary all-terrain vehicle will have a 100% electric version. The Japanese company has chosen to place the electric variant as the absolute protagonist of the launch, a decision that reflects the brand’s strategic shift towards electrification. However, it should be noted that this new generation will also accept other engines. Under these lines we tell you everything. A renewed design inspired by the Land Cruiser After a decade with the previous generation, the new Hilux arrives with substantial changes to its image. According to manufacturer, the exterior design was developed under the “resistant and agile” concept, projecting a more imposing presence with new front proportions and slim headlights connected by a central bar that bears the Toyota name in classic style. For the European market, Toyota has made the decision to only offer the double cab body, eliminating other configurations and thus listening to the requests of its customers in the region. As for the interior, it undergoes a complete transformation, with clear influence from the new Land Cruiser. The center console adopts a horizontal design that integrates two 12.3-inch screens: one for the digital instrumentation and the other for the multimedia system. All all-wheel drive and off-road driving controls are grouped centrally for easy access. The electric version stars in the new generation of Hilux The Hilux BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) has two electric motors, one per axle, powered by a 59.2 kWh lithium-ion battery. The front motor develops 205 Nm of torque, while the rear motor reaches 268.6 Nm, providing permanent all-wheel drive. According to preliminary data of Toyota prior to the final homologation, the approximate range is 240 kilometers under the WLTP cycle. This figure, modest compared to other current electric vehicles, may end up being enough for those who use the pickup in rural environments, or for short trips to work. The payload capacity is estimated at around 715 kg, while the towing capacity reaches 1,600 kg. toyota assures that the battery is specially protected against damage and water infiltration, maintaining the same wading depth as the combustion versions. The brand promises “segment-leading” charging capabilities to minimize vehicle downtime, although it has not specified charging powers or whether it will be compatible with direct current fast charging. Microhybridization, combustion and hydrogen on the horizon The Hilux with technology microhybrid 48V, which was already introduced in the current generation during 2025, will surely end up becoming the version with the highest sales volume in Europe. This variant combines a 48V battery located under the rear seats with the 2.8-liter diesel engine, offering a load capacity of up to one ton and towing capacity of 3,500 kg. Its arrival is scheduled for spring 2026. For Eastern European markets, Toyota will maintain internal combustion engines without electrification: the 2.8-liter diesel (which replaces the 2.4-liter) and the 2.7-liter gasoline engine. Toyota has confirmed that a version equipped with hydrogen fuel cellreaffirming the company’s commitment to this technology as a source of clean energy and its commitment to promoting the development of hydrogen infrastructure in Europe. Technology and security This generation incorporates electric power steering for the first time in a Hilux, which according to Toyota offers more direct handling, better maneuverability and less risk of bouncing when driving on uneven terrain. The Toyota T-Mate safety and driving assistance equipment is considerably expanded, including new functions such as low-speed acceleration suppression, emergency stop system and safe exit assistant, among others. In addition, the system will support updates via remote connection. Date and availability The new Toyota Hilux will go on sale in Europe next December, starting with the electric version. The diesel microhybrid, which is expected to be the most in demand here, will arrive in spring 2026. There are still no details on its price, so we will have to wait to learn more information about it. Images | toyota In Xataka | Europe is eager for cheap electric cars. Europe’s solution: copy Japan

Toyota was determined to make hydrogen the perfect alternative to the electric car. Hyundai has just invested 563,800,000 euros

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Time passes and the hydrogen car continues to be the great promise of clean mobility. The problem is that, little by little, time passes and hydrogen seems to be at the same point: challenges that seem impossible to solve and the eternal promise of revolutionizing transportation. Along the way, a good handful of companies said they were joining the hydrogen wave. Toyota has been one of those that has bet the most but, in the midst of a decline, it has been Hyundai that takes a new step. Reconversion. Hyundai has confirmed which has already laid the first stone of its new fuel cell and electrolyzer production plant in Ulsan (South Korea). The company has invested 930 billion won. That is, 563.8 million euros to convert the space and give it a new industrial use. According to the company, starting in 2027 they will be able to manufacture 30,000 fuel cell units per year in a space that extends across 43,000 m2. The intention is to produce systems for hydrogen-powered passenger cars but also for heavy transport services. a bet. Hyundai’s commitment to hydrogen is not new. The company has on the market the Nexusone of the few hydrogen cars that can be purchased and that has no competition since the Toyota Miraithe other great hydrogen car, is a sedan with a totally different approach. At the end of last year, Hyundai also presented Initiumthe preview of what should be a new hydrogen car that will arrive in 2025. However, the company has not launched the new model on the market. The Nexo has not been the first car powered by a Hyundai fuel cell but, for now, it is the last despite the fact that in 2021 they announced that we would have the entire range on the street with hydrogen versions in 2028. The promise. For years now, hydrogen has been proposed as the great alternative to the electric car. Although, really, it is an electric car. In its operation, a fuel cell car is a vehicle that carries out the electrolysis process inside to generate electricity that is stored in the batteries. In this process, the car does not generate CO2 and only expels water vapor through the exhaust pipe. The great advantage is that its carbon emissions are non-existent while it recharges the tanks in a few minutes to travel hundreds and hundreds of kilometers. The problems. There are many and they are difficult to remedy. When it comes to bringing hydrogen to a street car, the technical difficulties are enormous. First, because hydrogen occupies a large volume for the energy it can later generate. That’s why the Toyota Mirai is, almost everything, huge tanks. The latter is solved by turning the hydrogen into a liquid state but requires keeping it at -30ºC. It is a solution that has been designed to be used as fuel in a combustion engine and to remember the sensations of a combustion engine but generates very polluting particles such as NOx. That is, hydrogen requires huge tanks or a good amount of energy to keep it at a very low temperature. When this is achieved, it requires a complex system to carry out electrolysis or burn it in the engine itself (which generates very polluting particles). And all this without counting the complexity of producing and transporting it to the service station on duty. Non-viable. What happens at this point? That hydrogen is, at the moment, very expensive. As expensive as in Germany the cost of filling the tank was as expensive as filling it with diesel. It does not seem so strange that service stations are being dismantled in Germany and that although Stellantis offered to convert electric vans to hydrogen to gain autonomy, has ended up abandoning his plans. For now, on the way BMW too says it is developing hydrogen cars. Renault says to do the same. And Toyota continues investigating with burn hydrogen in combustion engines while turning his back on his Toyota Mirai in the United States where he faces a class action lawsuit from owners who they feel cheated. a light. In addition to light transportation, Hyundai says it wants to focus fuel cell production on heavy transportation. The company has its hopes that this type of transportation can find a true use for hydrogen. Heavy transport can find some advantages over electric transport. To charge an electric truck in a short time, enormous infrastructure is needed with chargers as fast and powerful as those from BYD. If hydrogen poles are created in dry ports or large distribution centers, it could make sense with less dispersed and therefore less costly distribution. Also the cost of filling the truck with huge tanks is lower because in percentage terms it would not eat up as much space as in a car. And, at the same time, recharging would be faster for less clean transportation than purely electric but much cleaner than current diesel engines. Photo | Hydrogen In Xataka | Renault is clear that the electric car is not the only way. Your proposal for the future: a hydrogen plug-in hybrid

Toyota has been using a megaprensa for 90 years to make cars. They have transported half planet to continue using it

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In 2024 About 92 million vehicles were manufactured worldwide. Plants like him Hyundai Ulsan Colossus Manufacture one every ten seconds Thanks to a tremendously specific machinery. One of the machines that are used are prey, Monsters such as Tesla Gigapress that allow to shape the metal in a few seconds, but despite innovations, Toyota has a press that has been working as the first day and resist to leave. In fact, it is older than the car company itself, when Toyota was nothing more than a loom manufacturer. The Komatsu press. Now, Toyota is not only one of the Industry powersbut an example of reliability and one of the most manufactured cars. It is one of Japan’s economic engines, but a century ago, things were very different. In the 1920s, Toyoda (it was named for the surname of its founder, Sakichi Toyoda) It was a company that manufactured looms. Curiously, Keep being. Toyoda Automatic Loom, from 1924, was considered the most advanced loom in the world and the company saw that it should not be so different from an engine, so they got to work. They created their first engine, also their first car and, to accelerate production, acquired a huge 700 -ton press manufactured by Komatsu. This purchase was made in 1934, when Toyota was already in the car business, but three years before the formal foundation of Toyota Motor Corporation in 1937. With its 700 tons of strength, it could work with large body panels, shaping the metal sheets with ease, and it was the one that helped boost the business during the first years in the first years in the first years in the first years in the first years in the first years in the first years in HONshus plantto. The flag in the Sao Bernardo plant Travel. Masahiro Inoue, CEO of Toyota for Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighted That it was incredible that a Japanese company acquired such a large team before the war, since it had to be “incredibly expensive.” According to Inoue, they were able to face the purchase thanks to the money obtained by the sale of Patents from the Automatic Loom to a British company. During five years, the Komatsu press gave life to some of Toyota’s most iconic cars, but in 1962, they decided to open their first floor outside Japan. Located in Sao Bernardo, the factory needed specialized machinery for the local Variant of Land Cruiser, and decided that the Komatsu press should be installed on that new plant. After a very complicated logistics due to its dimensions and weight to move it to Brazil, for 39 years, the already veteran press proved to be vital for the construction of the Toyota Banderiant. After the end of the production of the SUV in 2001, he continued in service stamping pieces both for the Corolla as for the Hilux. Back home. In November 2023, the Sao Bernardo plant closed, but that did not mean the death of the veteran press. Toyota was, and it is still a machine factory, and I don’t know whether for adherence to the press or for something merely practical, They announced that he would return to Japan. In fact, as we read in Toyota TimesThey affirmed that he would have his own tribute because his new destination would be exactly the place he occupied in the Honsha plant during those years in which he helped to shape both cars and the company itself. President Akio Toyoda approved that “functional conservation” of the machine, because it will not be a mere museum piece: it will serve both for use in the manufacture of spare parts and to train the new factory employees. An icon. For 90 years, the Komatsu press has been key in the development of Toyota both for what it helped to forge and for representing that first large deployment of the company outside its borders. At this point, it is part of the spirit of the company, but also a sample of how, for certain such specific tasks, the passage of time and the creation of new machinery has not been able to take this pillar of the automotive ahead. Now, as Inoue commented, it was sure to be “greatly expensive”, but after 90 years, the investment is well amortized. Images | Toyota In Xataka | This monstrous machine of 580 tons builds bridges as if it were flying

Toyota is clear what Spain is still hybrid country

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Sell ​​what touches where it touches. Toyota has a maximum and it is clear that they want to make clear their potential clients who are not willing to make the jump to the electric car without guarantees. While other brands begin to back down, Toyota doesn’t have to do it. The question is whether it will be late when you want to go ahead. At the moment, this is your way. “We will not drive”. “I hope we can establish Toyota’s electricity in the markets where they achieve strong sales. But we will not boost them in those markets where there is no demand.” These have been the words of Andrea Carlucci, Chief of Toyota in Europe, Automobilwoche. In the German medium, Carlucci wanted to make it clear that they hope to sell in each market what the client claims them although he recognizes that he is not being easy with all the possibilities above the table. “Toyota has always prioritized the client. Determine what technology to offer and adjust it to customer demand It is being particularly difficult. “ Toyota’s strategy. Until now, Toyota has made it clear that he will only sell in each market what the market asks. “Even taking into account the regulations, I think Our growth with hybrids has been organic. We are responding to the strong demand for hybrids in Europe, “says Carlucci. His words are a clear reflection of what the company has been warning. Yes, you will sell electric cars, and Your last ads They are a good example of this, but They do not renounce hydrogen For those who expect keep enjoying sound and the sensations of a combustion engine. Of course, in the United States your strategy with this product is not going too well. And in Spain? Spain has been one of those indicated. “The demand for electric is low in countries such as Italy and Spain. It is difficult to predict what the future quota will be like. As mass manufacturers, it is our duty to serve the demand of customers in each individual market in which we are active.” And the data stress that the company’s strategy is being correct in our country. In the accumulated of the yearToyota does not have a single car among the 10 best selling in our country. And yet, it is the brand that sells the most cars by adding 58,734 registration until July. Far from the 50,972 Renault units and much more than 46,550 Volkswagen units. At this time, 41.51% of Spanish registrations are hybrid cars, for 7.76% electric. He Toyota Corolla He leads sales as the best -selling hybrid and three of the four best -selling cars with this technology are from Toyota. Among the plug -in hybrids, only the Toyota C-HR manages to face Byd Seal U.. And the BZ4X He is tracing among the electric (best -selling sixth) after a recent campaign to lower his price. Backing down. While others have made promises to jump into the electric car in pure brand image, Toyota does not have to face the need to back down. In recent months, Mercedes He has had to confirm that he will continue to investigate with combustion engines. Also Audi. AND Opel, the first generalist In saying that all their releases would be electric from 2025 (and completely electric in 2028) has also done the same. Although Toyota has been indicated for not launching more electric cars to the market and it has been ensured that it was “La Nokia del Autos”the truth is that the hug to the electric car in Europe is not being expected and that is why the brands have begun to brake. But you have to comply. Taking into account the mismatch that seems to exist between European regulators and customer demands, it remains to be seen how toyota faces possible fines to which it risks from 2027. It seems clear that in regions such as regions such as regions such as Germany either Belgium They will have a good opportunity to sell their electric ones but we will have to see if it is enough. The European demand is to force the brands to be below 93.6 gr/km of CO2 contemplating the Average emissions from 2025 to 2027. For each gram exceeded, fines of 95 euros per car sold are contemplated. Here, countries like Spain can be a slab too big. The Toyota Corolla with the least powerful engine Approval 100 gr/km of CO2 and a C-HR rises to 105 gr/km of CO2. It must also be taken into account that plug -in hybrids no longer subtract as before In the average emissions because the way to calculate its emissions has been changed. Therefore, Toyota seems to be clear that he will have to scratch his pocket and enter an agreement with other companies to appear before the European Union with an average emissions below the maximum allowed. Tesla looks like one of the great candidates. Photo | Toyota In Xataka | Toyota boast “Kaizen” philosophy and a sickly perfectionism. Tesla and Byd have serious doubts that it is really useful

Toyota already knows that the gap with Tesla and Byd has its origin in its Japanese company culture

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We are living the future. The transition to the electric car and how this is being carried out will define what we will see in the coming years. With a changing political environment, hard emission regulations for Europe And a Chinese market that seems to Just look at borders insidethe investments that are made and the focus of how the future is faced will be key. Right now, saying what will be the design of a traditional car brand to ten or fifteen views is little less than adventurous. There are those who assume that Tesla has reached her roofthat Chinese manufacturers have complicated to follow Breaking barriers (economic and psychological in consumers) and that Toyota, very conservative, is the one who is playing the smartest game. And there are those that defend with cape and sword that Tesla has created a new way of understanding the vehicle, based on software. Also that China carries the front and that it is only a matter of time that we embrace throughout Europe the Byd, Nio, Xpeng and, of course, Xiaomi proposals. They are usually the same as they point out that Toyota is only taking the first steps of their decline or, at least, a logical setback given its brand strategy. Be that as it may, decade and a half will have to know who is right. However, we must recognize the latter who, in part, Toyota is concerned about how things advance internally. Also that you are taking measures to solve it. And that your business culture is key. The software as an example of a major problem We counted a few weeks ago that in Toyota they were worried about the way of working in the company. In their collaboration with Byd in China they had discovered that the company of the neighboring country worked at a devilish pace implementing changes in record time. They explained then in Reuters that much of the secret were in the evidence that each new change passed before being approved. While European manufacturers made thousands of kilometers before giving green light to each small modification, Chinese brands preferred put it as soon as possible on the street And, if necessary, apply changes when the vehicle development phase was already very advanced. That cultural shock is even more pronounced with Chinese manufacturers. Consulting specialized in the automobile market have already advanced to Toyota and the rest of Japanese manufacturers that their business culture, in which it is about working on the same concept and repeatedly improve it in search of perfection, is outdated. Then the Caseoft company already encouraged them to expedite the deadlines and think about electric cars from scratch and not only as a purely electric alternative of their combustion cars. This would allow them to save on components (applying plastic instead of more noble materials) and directly eliminate some of them (such as reinforcements that make sense not to transmit vibrations inside the car but lack them when what moves the vehicle is a combustion engine). On that path to adapt to the new times, Bloomberg Explain that Toyota has hired Code Chrysalisa Start Up based in Tokyo specialized in software development. That consultant says that Toyota has already understood the importance that software will play in the future but “remains slow.” Code Chrysalis is organizing intensive camps in Silicon Valley to improve the programming knowledge of Toyota employees With the latest ads about its upcoming electric cars and plug -in hybrids, Toyota confirmed that had worked in software completely renewed and anticipated that they would show more details when these cars are launched to the street. In the presentation of the new TOYOTA RAV4 It was specified that we were facing “the first step towards vehicles fully defined by software.” Already in May, Financial Times He echoed that Toyota had put a greater effort to evolve his software, understanding that in the future it will be a purchase value (if it is not already). With them, we knew that Toyota looked at Chinawith the aim of evolving and learning from those who have revolutionized the interior of their vehicles. Now we also know that, by the hand of Code Crysalis, the company is organizing camps in Silicon Valley to learn coding intensively and then try to replicate what they learned in its future models. However, in Bloomberg They point out that part of these chosen employees are disappointed Because they understand that efforts are still insufficient. In fact, the media indicates that the division designed to develop software has not been directly integrated into the vehicle development chain and that, among hands, have digitalization projects that affect the entire company. For some of the workers, the strategy is still too conservative. In your information, Bloomberg He explains that the company follows a too conservative philosophy in which those who have a long curriculum within the company are greatly rewarded and the labor harmony over risks. They put as an example the case of a worker interested in autonomous driving who, however, when he entered the company, he was doing a quality control of low importance quality. It is just another example of what Toyota defends as Kaizen philosophy. A business culture directly linked to a philosophical posture in which it is preferred to improve until the exhaustion is known before taking a new product and starting from scratch, on a blank paper. It is not accidental, therefore, that the company’s strategy is (at least for the moment) strikingly conservative. Toyota does not stop repeating that they will sell the proper car (electric, plug -in hybrid or combustion vehicle) In the right market. At the same time, what is undeniable is that they have a five years being the company that sells the most cars. The big doubt is whether in decade and a half we will be talking about the first steps of its stagnation or the winning strategy in front of a competition that launched into the arms … Read more

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