Innovation at Toyota

There is always a better way

In the 19th century Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of the Toyota Group, invented the automatic loom to improve conditions for manual loom workers. His innovations were adapted to car-making by his eldest son, Kiichiro, who formed the Toyota Motor Corporation in 1937. Ever since, Toyota has been a ground-breaker. We launched the world’s first mass-produced hybrid car, the Prius, in 1997; provided a blueprint for modern manufacturing through the Toyota Production System; pioneered the use of hydrogen in the Mirai in 2014 … and we continue exploring better ways to address the challenges impacting our world.  

Safe mobility, without restrictions

Every day, we look at opportunities to offer the safest, most convenient, inclusive and sustainable mobility. We innovate the safety features on our cars, focusing both on vehicle performance and on traffic environment. We team up our safety technology with automated driving to amplify the driver’s eyes, judgment and manoeuvres, as we continuously want to further improve the protection of drivers, passengers and pedestrians, ultimately aiming for Zero Accidents.

We believe that everyone should have the freedom to move, without restrictions. With our mobility service brand KINTO, people can organise their mobility however they choose to move. We are building inclusive mobility products that range from personal mobility vehicles for wheelchair users to devices for last-mile trips off the road. Our latest robots help people maintain autonomy despite physical difficulties or offer support in challenging situations. 

Carbon neutral society

To achieve the goal of a carbon neutral society, we believe that hydrogen is one of the key building blocks to reduce CO2 emissions. Our commitment goes far beyond cars. We have re-packaged Mirai’s fuel cell technology in our compact fuel cell modules, which are already being used in a variety of applications such as buses, trucks, and boats. All these examples show what hydrogen can practically achieve today. By implementing hydrogen technology solutions in a wide range of applications, we support the creation of a hydrogen ecosystem – a ‘living oasis’ where supply and demand meet to further grow.

A test course for mobility

No matter how sophisticated, technologies and services only bring value if they meet people’s needs and preferences. That is why we are building Woven City – a test course for mobility that is fully connected, automated and hydrogen-powered. It’s a living laboratory where the benefits of advanced technologies will be tested. Woven City is ever-evolving because technologies and services will continuously grow and improve. Its goal is to make people’s lives more efficient and more sustainable, so that they will have more time for the things in life that are truly meaningful.