Toyota Motor Corporation President Akio Toyoda today announced a new mobility service business alliance and e-Palette Concept Vehicle designed to meet the demands of future multi-mode transportation and business applications.
Unveiled at CES, the new e-Palette Alliance will leverage Toyota's proprietary Mobility Services Platform (MSPF) to develop a suite of connected mobility solutions and a flexible, purpose-built vehicle.
The new alliance will create a broad-based ecosystem of hardware and software support designed to help a range of companies utilise advanced mobility technology to better serve customers.
Launch partners include Amazon, DiDi, Mazda, Pizza Hut and Uber, who will collaborate on vehicle planning, application concepts and vehicle verification activities.
In the near term, the Alliance will focus on the development of the new e-Palette Concept Vehicle, also unveiled at CES. The concept reflects one of Toyota's visions for Automated Mobility as a Service applications. It is a fully-automated, next generation battery electric vehicle designed to be scalable and customisable for a range of Mobility as a Service businesses. What's more, the e-Palette Concept demonstrates Toyota's continued commitment to partnership and flexibility.
In addition to supporting the services provided through Toyota's MSPF, the e-Palette Concept Vehicle's open vehicle control interface and a set of software tools to allow partner companies to install their own automated driving system and vehicle management technology. When a partner company's automated driving system is installed, Toyota's Guardian technology will act as a safety net to help ensure appropriate operation.
Together, the e-Palette Alliance and e-Palette Concept Vehicle reflect Toyota's continued global momentum in developing and delivering new connected mobility businesses and data services through Toyota Connected, the company's data analysis and services subsidiary.
