For Toyota the “future of Mobility” still does not plug-in, but is foolishly dependent on hydrogen

Fuel Cells

At the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Toyota is demo’ing it’s idea of the “Future of Mobility”.  As has become plainly obvious over the last couple years, Toyota believes plug-in vehicles will fail and that fuel cell EV’s are the future.  While other companies are at CES showing off battery based EV’s, Toyota is sticking with their fuel cells.

I’ll just let their press release do the talking — except to point this out:  In this sort of setting, Toyota is presenting its vision of the future and demonstrating that commitment to that vision by choosing which technology the company invests in.  Toyota is investing in Fuel Cells.  Toyota’s press release makes zero mention of plug-in vehicles like the well regarded Toyota RAV4 EV.

Toyota Brings the Future of Mobility to CES 2016

January 06, 2016
Las Vegas, Jan. 6, 2016 — Attendees at the International Consumer Electronics Show are getting a first-hand look at the future of mobility, and it is cleaner, safer and more convenient. Toyota is showcasing a host of automated, connected and zero-emission technologies at CES 2016, giving conference-goers a window into a world where vehicles can not only take care of themselves; they also take care of you.

“At Toyota, we see the vehicle of the future as more than just a mode of transportation,” said Bob Carter, senior vice president of automotive operations for Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A. Inc. “Instead, it will be something more useful, accessible and exciting than ever before. These next generation connected and automated vehicles will optimize their own operational capabilities and deliver comfort, convenience and joy to passengers – and they’ll be arriving sooner than you think.”

Toyota’s exhibit, located in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, builds on major announcements from the company in the lead up to CES and showcases both the company’s vision for connected vehicles and the potential of artificial intelligence to improve driving safety.

Technologies on display include:

  • The TOYOTA Smart Center, the heart of Toyota’s vision for a Smart Mobility Society that connects people, vehicles and communities. The powerful, secure and private cloud-based computing system collects secure vehicle data, analyzes information from millions of vehicles around the globe and provides customers with personalized services that make life easier.
  • Next generation connected service systems such as Agent+, which leverages multiple factors including day, time, location and driving history to predict likely destinations and help guide you there quickly and efficiently.
  • The Mobility Teammate Concept, which demonstrates Toyota’s more than 20 years of research and development into automated driving technologies. The vehicle showcases Toyota’s approach to automated driving – building relationships between people and cars to help them team up in pursuit of safe and enjoyable driving. This approach acknowledges the utility of automated driving technologies while maintaining the fun experience of driving itself.
  • A deep learning and artificial intelligence display, where scale model Prius connected vehicles learn from and share with each other in real time to create a safe driving environment.
  • Toyota FCV Plus concept vehicle, which demonstrates Toyota’s vision of a connected, sustainable hydrogen society. The concept vehicle showcases the potential of hydrogen fuel cell technology beyond just the automotive industry, and is capable generating electricity directly from hydrogen stored outside the vehicle and thus operating as a stable source of electric power for use at home or on the go.
  • The Toyota Kikai, meaning “machine” which brings the machinery of the vehicle out from beneath the body and makes an open display of its beauty.

While many of the vehicles and technologies on display at the Toyota exhibit are future concepts, some – like telematics systems such as Agent+, may be coming soon to Toyota vehicles.

About David Herron

David Herron is a writer and software engineer living in Silicon Valley. He primarily writes about electric vehicles, clean energy systems, climate change, peak oil and related issues. When not writing he indulges in software projects and is sometimes employed as a software engineer. David has written for sites like PlugInCars and TorqueNews, and worked for companies like Sun Microsystems and Yahoo.

About David Herron

David Herron is a writer and software engineer living in Silicon Valley. He primarily writes about electric vehicles, clean energy systems, climate change, peak oil and related issues. When not writing he indulges in software projects and is sometimes employed as a software engineer. David has written for sites like PlugInCars and TorqueNews, and worked for companies like Sun Microsystems and Yahoo.

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