Toyota Cars To 'Tweet' Their Drivers

May 23, 2011
The Japanese automaker said it would work in conjunction with U.S. cloud computing firm Salesforce.com to create the "Toyota Friend" service for owners of electric cars and plug-in hybrid vehicles to be introduced next year.

Japan's Toyota Motor on Monday said it planned to create a private social networking service that will let cars "tweet" their drivers when they need servicing.

The Japanese automaker said it would work in conjunction with U.S. cloud computing firm Salesforce.com to create the "Toyota Friend" service for owners of electric cars and plug-in hybrid vehicles to be introduced next year.

Toyota will invest 442 million yen ($5.4 million) and Salesforce.com will spend 223 million yen on Toyota Media Service Co., a Toyota subsidiary providing data services to drivers.

Microsoft Corporation, which in April announced a strategic partnership with Toyota to build a global platform for next-generation communications services, will invest 335 million yen.

Toyota described the service as "a private social network that connects Toyota customers with their cars, their dealership, and with Toyota."

The service will be accessible through smart phones, tablet PCs, and other advanced mobile devices.

Cars will be able to send tweet-like alerts reminding drivers to recharge their batteries, Toyota said.

"Social networking services are transforming human interaction and modes of communication," said Toyota President Akio Toyoda.

"The automobile needs to evolve in step with that transformation."

Copyright by Agence France-Presse, 2011

Popular Sponsored Recommendations

Learn How Manufacturers like 3M Cater to Digital Buyers to Increase Sales

Aug. 13, 2023
In this article, you'll learn how manufacturers can balance educating and guiding their buyers through their complex buying process with a digital first approach to product discovery...

Empowering the Modern Workforce: The Power of Connected Worker Technologies

March 1, 2024
Explore real-world strategies to boost worker safety, collaboration, training, and productivity in manufacturing. Emphasizing Industry 4.0, we'll discuss digitalization and automation...

3 Best Practices to Create a Product-Centric Competitive Advantage with PRO.FILE PLM

Jan. 25, 2024
Gain insight on best practices and strategies you need to accelerate engineering change management and reduce time to market. Register now for your opportunity to accelerate your...

How Manufacturers Can Optimize Operations with Weather Intelligence

Nov. 2, 2023
The bad news? Severe weather has emerged as one of the biggest threats to continuity and safety in manufacturing. The good news? The intelligence solutions that build weather ...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!