Toyota

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This article is about the Japanese car manufacturer. For other uses, see Toyota
(disambiguation).

Toyota Motor Corporation

Headquarters in Toyota, Japan

Native name トヨタ自動車株式会社

Romanized name Toyota Jidōsha kabushikigaisha

Type Public

Traded as  TYO: 7203
 NAG: 7203
 NYSE: TM
 LSE: TYT
 Nikkei 225 component (TYO)
 TOPIX Core30 component (TYO)

ISIN JP3633400001
Industry Automotive

Founded August 28, 1937; 84 years ago

Founder Kiichiro Toyoda

Headquarters Toyota City, Aichi

, 
Japan

Area served Worldwide

Key people  Takeshi Uchiyamada (chairman)

 Shigeru Hayakawa (Vice chairman)
 Akio Toyoda (president)

Production output  9,472,556 (FY21)

 9,213,195 (2020)

Services Banking, financing, leasing

 ¥27,214,594 million
Revenue
 US$256.7 billion (FY21)

Operating income  ¥2,197,748 million (FY21)

Net income  ¥2,282,378 million (FY21)

 ¥62,267,140 million
Total assets
 US$562 billion (FY21)

 ¥24,288,329 million (FY21)
Total equity

Number of  366,283 (FY21)

employees

Parent Toyota Group through cross ownership:

 Toyota Industries cross-owns
8.28%
 Subaru Corporation cross-owns
3.17%
 Denso cross-owns 3.12%

Divisions  Lexus
 Ranz
 Scion (defunct)
 Toyota

Subsidiaries  Daihatsu
 Denso (25%)
 FAW Toyota (China, 50%)
 GAC Toyota (China, 50%)
  Hino Motors
 Toyota Argentina
 Toyota Auto Body
 Toyota Financial Services
 Toyota Motor Corporation Australia
 Toyota Motor Europe
 Toyota Motor East Japan
 Toyota Motor Kyushu
 Toyota Kirloskar Motors
 Toyota Motor Manufacturing
Indonesia (95%)
 Toyota Motor North America
 Toyota Motor Philippines
 Toyota Motor Thailand (86%)
 Toyota South Africa Motors

Website global.toyota

Footnotes / references
Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) is April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021.
References:[1][2]

Toyota Motor Corporation (Japanese: トヨタ自動車株式会社, Hepburn: Toyota

Jidōsha kabushikigaisha, IPA: [toꜜjota], English: /tɔɪˈjoʊtə/, commonly known as
simply Toyota) is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered
in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on
August 28, 1937. Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world,
producing about 10 million vehicles per year.
The company was originally founded as a spinoff of Toyota Industries, a machine
maker started by Sakichi Toyoda, Kiichiro's father. Both companies are now part of
the Toyota Group, one of the largest conglomerates in the world. While still a
department of Toyota Industries, the company developed its first product, the Type A
engine in 1934 and its first passenger car in 1936, the Toyota AA.
After World War II, Toyota benefited from Japan's alliance with the United States to
learn from American automakers and other companies, which would give rise to The
Toyota Way (a management philosophy) and the Toyota Production System (a lean
manufacturing practice) that would transform the small company into a leader in the
industry and would be the subject of many academic studies.
In the 1960s, Toyota took advantage of a rapidly growing Japanese economy to sell
cars to a growing middle-class, leading to the development of the Toyota Corolla,
which would go on to become the world’s all-time best-selling automobile. The
booming economy also funded an international expansion that would allow Toyota to
grow into one of the largest automakers in the world, the largest company in
Japan and the ninth-largest company in the world by revenue, as of December 2020.
Toyota was the world's first automobile manufacturer to produce more than 10
million vehicles per year, a record set in 2012, when it also reported the production
of its 200 millionth vehicle.
Toyota was praised for being a leader in the development and sales of more fuel
efficient hybrid electric vehicles, starting with the introduction of the Toyota Prius in
1997. The company now sells more than 40 hybrid vehicle models around the world.
However, more recently, the company has also been accused of greenwashing for
its skepticism of all-electric vehicles and its focus on the development of hydrogen
fuel cell vehicles, like the Toyota Mirai, a technology that is costlier and has fallen far
behind electric batteries.
Toyota Motor Corporation produces vehicles under five
brands: Daihatsu, Hino, Lexus, Ranz and the namesake Toyota. The company also
holds a 20% stake in Subaru Corporation, a 5.1% stake in Mazda, a 4.9% stake
in Suzuki, a 4.6% stake in Isuzu, a 3.8% stake in Yamaha Motor Corporation, and a
2.8% stake in Panasonic, as well as stakes in vehicle manufacturing joint-ventures in
China (GAC Toyota and FAW Toyota), the Czech Republic (TPCA), India (Toyota
Kirloskar) and the United States (MTMUS).
Toyota is listed on the London Stock Exchange, Nagoya Stock Exchange, New York
Stock Exchange and on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, where its stock is a component
of the Nikkei 225 and TOPIX Core30 indices.

Contents

 1History
o 1.11920s–1930s
o 1.21940s
o 1.31950s
o 1.41960s–1980s
o 1.51980s
o 1.61990s
o 1.72000s
o 1.82010s
o 1.92020s
 2Senior leadership
o 2.1List of former chairmen
o 2.2List of former presidents
 3Product line
o 3.1SUVs and crossovers
o 3.2Pickup trucks
o 3.3Luxury vehicles
o 3.4Buses
 4Technology
o 4.1Hybrid electric vehicles
o 4.2Plug-in hybrids
o 4.3Battery electric vehicles
o 4.4Hydrogen fuel-cell
o 4.5Autonomous vehicles
 5Motorsports
 6Non-automotive activities
o 6.1Aerospace
o 6.2Pleasure boats
 o 6.3Philanthropy
o 6.4Higher education
o 6.5Robotics
o 6.6Agricultural biotechnology
o 6.7Sewing machine brand
 7Controversies
o 7.1Corrosion lawsuit
o 7.2Death from overwork
o 7.3Fines for environmental breaches
o 7.42009–2011 unintended acceleration recalls
o 7.5Takata airbag recalls
o 7.6June 2010 Chinese labour strike
o 7.7Opposition to California's fuel efficiency standards
o 7.8Greenwashing controversies
 7.8.1Self-charging hybrids
 7.8.2Misleading marketing
 8Corporate affairs
o 8.1Worldwide presence
 8.1.1North America
 8.1.2Europe/Western Asia
 8.1.3Australia
o 8.2Financials
 9Company strategy
o 9.1The Toyota Way
o 9.2Toyota Production System
o 9.3Logo and branding
o 9.4Sports sponsorships
 10See also
 11References
 12External links

History[edit]
Main article: History of Toyota
1920s–1930s[edit]

The mass-produced Toyoda automated loom, displayed at Toyota Museum in Aichi-gun, Japan

In 1924, Sakichi Toyoda invented the Toyoda Model G Automatic Loom. The

principle of jidoka, which means the machine stops itself when a problem occurs,
became later a part of the Toyota Production System. Looms were built on a
small production line. In 1929, the patent for the automatic loom was sold to the
British company Platt Brothers,[3] generating the starting capital for automobile
development.[4]
Under the direction of the founder's son, Kiichiro Toyoda,[5][6]Toyoda Automatic Loom
Works established an Automobile Division on September 1, 1933, and formally
declared its intention to begin manufacturing automobiles on January 29, 1934. [5] A
prototype Toyota Type A engine was completed on September 25, 1934, with the
company's first prototype sedan, the A1 , completed the following May. As Kiichiro
had limited experience with automobile production, he initially focused on truck
production; the company's first truck, the G1, was completed on August 25, 1935,
and debuted on November 21 in Tokyo, becoming the company's first production
model.[5][7] Modeled on a period Ford truck, the G1 sold for ¥2,900, ¥200 cheaper than
the Ford truck. A total of 379 G1 trucks were ultimately produced. [7]
In April 1936, Toyoda's first passenger car, the Model AA, was completed. The sales
price was ¥3,350, ¥400 cheaper than Ford or GM cars.[8] The company's plant at
Kariya was completed in May. In July, the company filled its first export order, with
four G1 trucks exported to northeastern China.[5] On September 19, 1936, the
Japanese imperial government officially designated Toyota Automatic Loom Works
as an automotive manufacturer.[5]

The 1936 Toyota AA, the first vehicle produced by the company while it was still a department of Toyota
Industries

Vehicles were originally sold under the name "Toyoda" (トヨダ), from the family
name of the company's founder, Kiichirō Toyoda. In September 1936, the company
ran a public competition to design a new logo. Of 27,000 entries, the winning entry
was the three Japanese katakana letters for "Toyoda" in a circle. However, Rizaburo
Toyoda, who had married into the family and was not born with that name, preferred
"Toyota" (トヨタ) because it took eight brush strokes (a lucky number) to write in
Japanese, was visually simpler (leaving off the diacritic at the end), and with
a voiceless consonant instead of a voiced one (voiced consonants are considered to
have a "murky" or "muddy" sound compared to voiceless consonants, which are
"clear").
Since toyoda literally means "fertile rice paddies", changing the name also prevented
the company from being associated with old-fashioned farming. The newly formed
word was trademarked and the company was registered on August 28, 1937 as the
Toyota Motor Company Ltd.[5][9][10][11] Kiichiro's brother-in-law Rizaburo Toyoda was
appointed the firm's first president, with Kiichiro as vice-president. Toyota Automatic
Loom Works formally transferred automobile manufacturing to the new entity on
September 29.[5]
The Japanese government supported the company by preventing foreign
competitors Ford and General Motors from importing automobiles into Japan.[12]
1940s[edit]
Japan was heavily damaged in World War II and Toyota's plants, which were used
for the war effort, were not spared. On 14 August 1945, one day before
the surrender of Japan, Toyota's Koromo Plant was bombed by the Allied forces.
[13]
 After the surrender, the U.S.-led occupying forces banned passenger car
production in Japan. However, automakers like Toyota were allowed to begin
building trucks for civilian use, in an effort to rebuild the nation's infrastructure. [14] The
U.S. military also contracted with Toyota to repair its vehicles. [15]
By 1947, there was an emerging global Cold War between the Soviet Union and the
U.S., who had been allies in World War II. U.S. priorities shifted (the "Reverse
Course") from punishing and reforming Japan to ensuring internal political stability,
rebuilding the economy, and, to an extent, remilitarizing Japan. Under these new
policies, in 1949, Japanese automakers were allowed to resume passenger car
production, but at the same time, a new economic stabilization program to control
inflation plunged the automotive industry into a serious shortage of funds, while
many truck owners defaulted on their loans.[16] Ultimately, the Bank of Japan,
the central bank of the country, bailed out the company, with demands that the
company institute reforms.[17]
1950s[edit]
As the 1950s began, Toyota emerged from its financial crisis a smaller company,
closing factories and laying off workers. At about the same time, the Korean
War broke out, and being located so close to the battlefront, the U.S. Army placed an
order for 1,000 trucks from Toyota. The order helped to rapidly improve the
struggling company's business performance.[18] In 1950, company executives,
including Kiichiro's cousin Eiji Toyoda, took a trip to the United States where they
trained at the Ford Motor Company and observed the operations of dozens of U.S.
manufacturers.[19] The knowledge they gained during the trip, along with what the
company learned making looms, would give rise to The Toyota Way (a management
philosophy) and the Toyota Production System (a lean manufacturing practice) that
would transform the company into a leader in the manufacturing industry. [20]

Toyopet Crown, the first vehicle fully designed and built by Toyota

Toyota started developing its first full-fledged passenger car, the Toyopet Crown, in
January 1952. Prior to the Crown, Toyota had been outsourcing the design and
manufacturing of auto bodies, which were then mounted on truck frames made by
Toyota.[21] The project was a major test for Toyota, who would need to build bodies
and develop a new chassis that would be comfortable, but still stand up to the
muddy, slow, unpaved roads common in Japan at the time. [21] The project had been
championed for many years by founder Kiichiro Toyoda, who died suddenly on
March 27, 1952. The first prototypes were completed in June 1953 and began
extensive testing, before the Crown went on sale in August 1955. [22] The car was met
with positive reviews from around the world.
After the introduction of the Crown, Toyota began aggressively expanding into the
export market. Toyota began shipping Land Cruiser knock-down kits to Latin
America in November 1955,[23] sending complete Land Cruisers to Burma
(now Myanmar) and the Philippines in 1956 as part of war reparations provided by
the Japanese government,[24] establishing a branch in Thailand in June 1957, [25] and
shipping Land Cruisers to Australia in August 1957.[24] Toyota established a
production facility in Brazil in 1958, the company's first outside of Japan.[26]
Toyota entered the United States market in July 1958, attempting to sell the Toyopet
Crown. The company faced problems almost immediately, the Crown was a flop in
the U.S. with buyers finding it overpriced and underpowered (because it was
designed for the bad roads of Japan, not high-speed performance). In response,
exports of the Crown to the United States were suspended in December 1960. [27]
After Kiichiro's death, his cousin Eiji Toyoda would later become the leader of the
company. Eiji helped establish the company's first plant independent from the Loom
Works plant.[28] He would go on to lead the company for the next two decades.
1960s–1980s[edit]

Toyota 2000GT (1967–1969)

At the start of the 1960s, the Japanese economy was booming, a period that came
to be known as the Japanese economic miracle. As the economy grew, so did the
income of everyday people, who now could afford to purchase a vehicle. At the same
time, the Japanese government heavily invested in improving road infrastructure.
[29]
 To take advantage of the moment, Toyota and other automakers started offering
affordable economy cars like the Toyota Corolla, which would go on to become the
world’s all-time best-selling automobile.[30][31]
Toyota also found success in the United States in 1965 with the Toyota
Corona compact car, which was redesigned specifically for the American market with
a more powerful engine. The Corona helped increase U.S. sales of Toyota vehicles
to more than 20,000 units in 1966 (a threefold increase) and helped the company
become the third-best-selling import brand in the United States by 1967. Toyota’s
first manufacturing investment in the United States came in 1972 when the company
struck a deal with Atlas Fabricators, to produce truck beds in Long Beach, in an
effort to avoid the 25% "chicken tax" on imported light trucks. By importing the truck
as an incomplete chassis cab (the truck without a bed), the vehicle only faced a 4%
tariff.[32] Once in the United States, Atlas would build the truck beds and attach them
to the trucks. The partnership was successful and two years later, Toyota purchased
Atlas.[33]
The energy crisis of the 1970s was a major turning point in the American auto
industry. Before the crisis, large and heavy vehicles with powerful but inefficient
engines were common. But in the years after, consumers started demanding high-
quality and fuel-efficient small cars. Domestic automakers, in the midst of
their malaise era, struggled to build these cars profitably, but foreign automakers like
Toyota were well positioned. This, along with growing anti-Japanese sentiment,
prompted the U.S. Congress to consider import restrictions to protect the domestic
auto industry.
The 1960s also saw the slight opening of the Japanese auto market to foreign
companies. In an effort to strengthen Japan's auto industry ahead of the market
opening, Toyota purchased stakes in other Japanese automakers. That included a
stake in Hino Motors, a manufacturer of large commercial trucks, buses and diesel
engines, along with a 16.8 percent stake in Daihatsu, a manufacturer of kei cars, the
smallest highway-legal passenger vehicles sold in Japan. [34] That would begin what
would become a long-standing partnership between Toyota and the two companies.
As part of the partnership, Daihatsu would supply kei cars for Toyota to sell and to a
lesser extent Toyota would supply full-sized cars for Daihatsu to sell (a process
known as rebadging), allowing both companies to sell a full line-up of vehicles.
1980s[edit]

By the 1980s, the Toyota Corolla was one of the most popular cars in the world and would go on to
become the world’s all-time best-selling automobile

After the successes of the 1970s, and the threats of import restrictions, Toyota
started making additional investments in the North American market in the 1980s. In
1981, Japan agreed to voluntary export restraints, which limited the number of
vehicles the nation would send to the United States each year, leading Toyota to
establish assembly plants in North America. The U.S. government also closed the
loophole that allowed Toyota to pay lower taxes by building truck beds in America.
Also in 1981, Eiji Toyoda stepped down as president and assumed the title of
chairman. He was succeeded as president by Shoichiro Toyoda, the son of the
company's founder.[28] Within months, Shoichiro started to merge Toyota's sales and
production organizations, and in 1982 the combined companies became the Toyota
Motor Corporation. The two groups were described as "oil and water" and it took
years of leadership from Shoichiro to successfully combine them into one
organization.[35]
Efforts to open a Toyota assembly plant in the United States started in 1980, with the
company proposing a joint-venture with the Ford Motor Company. Those talks broke
down in July 1981.[36] Eventually in 1984, the company struck a deal with General
Motors (GM) to establish a joint-venture vehicle manufacturing plant
called NUMMI (New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc.) in Fremont, California.[37] GM
saw the joint venture as a way to get access to a quality small car and an opportunity
to learn about The Toyota Way and the Toyota Production System. For Toyota, the
factory gave the company its first manufacturing base in North America allowing it to
avoid any future tariffs on imported vehicles and saw GM as a partner who could
show them how to navigate the American labor environment. The plant would be led
by Tatsuro Toyoda, the younger brother of company president Shoichiro Toyoda.
[38]
 The first Toyota assembled in America, a white Corolla, rolled off the line at
NUMMI on October 7, 1986.[39]
Toyota received its first Japanese Quality Control Award at the start of the 1980s
and began participating in a wide variety of motorsports. Conservative Toyota held
on to rear-wheel-drive designs for longer than most; while a clear first in overall
production they were only third in production of front-wheel-drive cars in 1983,
behind Nissan and Honda. In part due to this, Nissan's Sunny managed to squeeze
by the Corolla in numbers built that year.[40]

The Lexus LS 400 went on sale in May 1989 and was seen as being largely responsible for the successful
launch of Lexus

Before the decade was out, Toyota introduced Lexus, a new division that was
formed to market and service luxury vehicles in international markets. Prior to the
debut of Lexus, Toyota's two existing flagship models, the Crown and Century, both
catered exclusively for the Japanese market and had little global appeal that could
compete with international luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Jaguar.
The company had been developing the brand and vehicles in secret since August
1983, at a cost of over US$1 billion.[41][42] The LS 400 flagship full-size sedan debuted
in 1989 to strong sales, and was largely responsible for the successful launch of the
Lexus marque.
1990s[edit]

The Toyota Supra (JZA80) is one of the most recognized Japanese sports cars

Toyota Prius, first generation (NHW10 1997–2000)

In the 1990s, Toyota began to branch out from producing mostly compact cars by
adding many larger and more luxurious vehicles to its lineup, including a full-sized
pickup, the T100 (and later the Tundra), several lines of SUVs, a sport version of
the Camry, known as the Camry Solara. They would also launch newer iterations of
their sports cars, namely the MR2, Celica, and Supra during this era.
December 1997 saw the introduction of the first-generation Toyota Prius, the first
mass-produced gasoline-electric hybrid car.[43] The vehicle would be produced
exclusively for the Japanese market for the first two years.
With a major presence in Europe, due to the success of Toyota Team Europe in
racing, the corporation decided to set up Toyota Motor Europe Marketing and
Engineering, TMME, to help market vehicles in the continent. Two years later,
Toyota set up a base in the United Kingdom, TMUK, as the company's cars had
become very popular among British drivers. Bases in Indiana, Virginia,
and Tianjin were also set up.
Toyota also increased its ownership of Daihatsu during this period. In 1995, Toyota
increased its shareholding in the company to 33.4 percent, giving Toyota the ability
to veto shareholder resolutions at the annual meeting. [34] In 1998, Toyota increased
its holding in the company to 51.2 percent, becoming the majority shareholder. [44]
On September 29, 1999, the company decided to list itself on the New
York and London Stock Exchanges.
The later half of the 1990s would also see the Toyoda brothers step back from the
company their father had founded. In 1992, Shoichiro Toyoda would shift to become
chairman, allowing his brother Tatsuro to become president, a job he held until his
retirement in 1995.[38] Shoichiro would step down as Chairman in 1999. Both would
retain honorary advisory roles in the company. Hiroshi Okuda would lead the
company as President from 1995 until 1999 when he became Chairman and the
President's office would be filled by Fujio Cho.
2000s[edit]
In 2001, Toyo Trust and Banking, which was part of the Toyota Motor Corporation,
merged with Sanwa Bank and Tokai Bank to form UFJ Bank (United Financial of
Japan Bank). UFJ was one of the largest shareholders of Toyota and the Chairman
of Toyota was a director on the UFJ board. The bank would later be accused by
Japan's government of corruption, making bad loans to alleged Yakuza crime
syndicates, and blocking Financial Service Agency inspections.[45] After the scandal
broke, three UFJ executives were indicted and the bank was listed among Fortune
Magazine's largest money-losing corporations in the world. [46] On October 1, 2005 the
beleaguered bank merged with the Mitsubishi Tokyo Financial Group to form the
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group.
In August 2000, exports began of the Prius. [43] In 2001, Toyota acquired its long time
partner, truck and bus manufacturer Hino Motors. In 2002, Toyota entered Formula
One competition and established a manufacturing joint venture in France with
French automakers Citroën and Peugeot. A youth-oriented marque for North
America, Scion, was introduced in 2003. Toyota ranked eighth on Forbes 2000 list of
the world's leading companies for the year 2005. [47] Also in 2005, Fujio Cho would
shift to become chairman of Toyota and would be replaced as president by Katsuaki
Watanabe.
In 2007, Toyota released an update of its full-sized truck, the Tundra, produced in
two American factories, one in Texas and one in Indiana. Motor Trend named the
Tundra "Truck of the Year", and the 2007 Toyota Camry "Car of the Year" for 2007.
It also began the construction of two new factories, one in Woodstock, Ontario,
Canada, and the other in Blue Springs, Mississippi, USA.
The company was number one in global automobile sales for the first quarter of
2008.[48]
Toyota was hit by the global financial crisis of 2008 as it was forced in December
2008 to forecast its first annual loss in 70 years.[49] In January 2009, it announced the
closure of all of its Japanese plants for 11 days to reduce output and stocks of
unsold vehicles.[50]
Between 2009 and 2011, Toyota conducted recalls of millions of vehicles after
reports that several drivers experienced unintended acceleration. The recalls were to
prevent a front driver's side floor mat from sliding into the foot pedal well, causing the
pedals to become trapped and to correct the possible mechanical sticking of
the accelerator pedal.[51] At least 37 were killed in crashes allegedly related to
unintended acceleration,[52] approximately 9 million cars and trucks were recalled,
[53]
 Toyota was sued for personal injuries and wrongful deaths, [54] paid US$1 billion to
settle a class action lawsuit to compensate owners for lost resale value, [55] and paid
a US$1.2 billion criminal penalty to the United States government over accusations
that it had intentionally hid information about safety defects and had made deceptive
statements to protect its brand image.[56]

Akio Toyoda, was named President of Toyota in 2009, pictured in 2011

Amid the unintended acceleration scandal, Katsuaki Watanabe stepped down as

company president. He was replaced by Akio Toyoda, grandson of company founder
Kiichiro Toyoda, on June 23, 2009. Akio had been with Toyota since 1984, working
jobs in production, marketing and product development, and took a seat on the
board of directors in 2000.[57] Akio's promotion by the board marked the return of a
member of the Toyoda family to the top leadership role for the first time since 1999. [58]
2010s[edit]
In 2011, Toyota, along with large parts of the Japanese automotive industry, suffered
from a series of natural disasters. The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami led to a
severe disruption of the supplier base and a drop in production and exports. [59]
[60]
 Severe flooding during the 2011 monsoon season in Thailand affected Japanese
automakers that had chosen Thailand as a production base. Toyota is estimated to
have lost production of 150,000 units to the tsunami and production of 240,000 units
to the floods.
On February 10, 2014, it was announced that Toyota would cease manufacturing
vehicles and engines in Australia by the end of 2017. [61][62] The decision was based on
the unfavourable Australian dollar making exports not viable, the high cost of local
manufacture, and the high amount of competition in a relatively small local market.
[62]
 The company planned to consolidate its corporate functions in Melbourne by the
end of 2017, and retain its Altona plant for other functions. The workforce is
expected to be reduced from 3,900 to 1,300.[63] Both Ford Motor
Company and General Motors (Holden) followed suit, ending Australian production in
2016 and 2017 respectively.
The automaker narrowly topped global sales for the first half of 2014, selling 5.1
million vehicles in the six months ending June 30, 2014, an increase of 3.8% on the
same period the previous year. Volkswagen AG, which recorded sales of 5.07 million
vehicles, was close behind.[64]
In August 2014, Toyota announced it would be cutting its spare-parts prices in China
by up to 35%. The company admitted the move was in response to a probe
foreshadowed earlier in the month by China's National Development and Reform
Commission of Toyota's Lexus spare-parts policies, as part of an industry-wide
investigation into what the Chinese regulator considers exorbitantly high prices being
charged by automakers for spare parts and after-sales servicing. [65]
In November 2015, the company announced that it would invest US$1 billion over
the next 5 years into artificial intelligence and robotics research.[66] In 2016, Toyota
invested in Uber.[67] In 2020, a corporate governance report showed that Toyota owns
10.25 million shares of Uber, which was valued at $292.46 million as of March 30,
2020. According to Reuters, this was roughly 0.6 per cent of Uber's outstanding
shares.[68]
In March 2016, Toyota partnered with Yanmar to create a fiberglass pleasure boat
using Yanmar outboard marine diesel engines or Toyota inboard engines. [69]
In August 2016, the company purchased all remaining assets of Daihatsu, making
the manufacturer of small cars a wholly owned subsidiary of Toyota. [70]
On August 27, 2018, Toyota announced an investment of US$500
million in Uber's autonomous cars.[71]
2020s[edit]
By 2020, Toyota reclaimed its position as the largest automaker in the world,
surpassing Volkswagen.[72] It sold 9.528 million vehicles globally despite an 11.3%
drop in sales due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[72] This includes
subsidiaries Daihatsu and Hino Motors.[72][73]
On April 2, 2020, BYD and Toyota announced a new joint venture between the two
companies called BYD Toyota EV Technology Co., Ltd., with the aim of "developing
BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles) that appeal to customers." [74]
In March 2021, Toyota, its subsidiary Hino, and Isuzu announced the creation of a
strategic partnership between the three companies. Toyota acquired a 4.6% stake in
Isuzu while the latter plans to acquire Toyota shares for an equivalent value. The
three companies said they would form a new joint venture by April called
Commercial Japan Partnership Technologies Corporation with the aim of
developing fuel cell and electric light trucks. Toyota would own an 80% stake in the
venture while Hino and Isuzu would own 10% each. [75]
In April 2021, Toyota said that it will buy Lyft's self-driving technology unit for $550
million and merge it with its newly created Woven Planet Holdings automation
division.[76]
In June 2021, the company defended its donations to United
States Republican lawmakers after they voted against certifying the results of
the 2020 presidential election, saying it did not believe it was "appropriate to judge
members of Congress" for that one vote. [77] A report by Axios found that Toyota was
the top donor to 2020 election objectors, by a substantial margin. [78] The company
then reversed course in July 2021 and ceased donations to election objectors,
releasing a statement saying it understood that its PAC's donations to those
objectors, which far outpaced those of any other company, "troubled some
stakeholders."[79]
Toyota will increase its software engineer intake to around 40% to 50% of all
technical hires from the second quarter of 2022, the move plans to address a
transformation to so-called CASE — connected, autonomous, shared and electric —
technologies in an environment of intensifying global competition. [80]
In 2021, Toyota told some of its suppliers to increase their semiconductor inventory
levels from the conventional three months to five months in response to the COVID-
19 chip shortage.[81] The "just-in-time" supply chain in which parts are only delivered
when necessary, had already been revised after the March 11, 2011 earthquake and
tsunami in Japan, lifting inventories across the entire procurement network. [81] The
time it takes Toyota to turn over its inventory increased by around 40% during the
past ten years, to 36.36 days as of March 2021.[81]

Senior leadership[edit]
 Chairman: Takeshi Uchiyamada (2013–present)
 President: Akio Toyoda (2009–present)
List of former chairmen[edit]
1. Rizaburo Toyoda (1937–1941)
2. Kiichiro Toyoda (1941–1950)
3. Taizo Ishida (1950–1961)
4. Fukio Nakagawa (1961–1967)
5. Eiji Toyoda (1967–1994)
6. Shoichiro Toyoda (1994–1999)
7. Hiroshi Okuda (1999–2006)
8. Fujio Cho (2006–2013)
List of former presidents[edit]
1. Shoichiro Toyoda (1982–1992)
2. Tatsuro Toyoda (1992–1995)
3. Hiroshi Okuda (1995–1999)
4. Fujio Cho (1999–2005)
5. Katsuaki Watanabe (2005–2009)
Product line[edit]
Further information: List of Toyota vehicles
As of 2009, Toyota officially lists approximately 70 different models sold under its
namesake brand, including sedans, coupes, vans, trucks, hybrids, and crossovers.
[82]
 Many of these models are produced as passenger sedans, which range from the
subcompact Toyota Yaris, compact Corolla, to mid-size Camry and full-size Avalon.
[82]
 Minivans include the Innova, Alphard/Vellfire, Sienna, and others.[82] Several small
cars, such as the xB and tC, were sold under the Scion brand.[82]
SUVs and crossovers[edit]

Toyota C-HR

Toyota RAV4

Toyota SUV and crossover line-up grew quickly in the late 2010s to 2020s due to the
market shift to SUVs. Toyota crossovers range from the subcompact Yaris
Cross and CH-R, compact Corolla Cross and RAV4, to
midsize Harrier/Venza and Kluger/Highlander.[82] Other crossovers include the Raize,
Urban Cruiser.[83] Toyota SUVs range from the midsize Fortuner to full-size Land
Cruiser.[82] Other SUVs include the Rush, Prado, FJ Cruiser, 4Runner, and Sequoia.[82]
Pickup trucks[edit]

Toyota Hilux (global)

Toyota Tacoma (US/Canada)

Toyota first entered the pickup truck market in 1947 with the SB that was only sold in
Japan and limited Asian markets. It was followed in 1954 by the RK (renamed in
1959 as the Stout) and in 1968 by the compact Hilux. With continued refinement, the
Hilux (simply known as the Pickup in some markets) became famous for being
extremely durable and reliable.[84] Extended cab and crew cab versions were
eventually added, and Toyota continues to produce them today under various names
depending on the market in various cab lengths, with gasoline or diesel engines, and
2WD and 4WD versions.
In North America, the Hilux became a major model for the company, leading the
company to launch the Tacoma in 1995.[85] The Tacoma was based on the Hilux, but
with a design intended to better suit the needs of North American consumers who
often use pickup trucks as personal vehicles. The design was a success and the
Tacoma became the best-selling compact pickup in North America.
After the success of its compact Hilux pickups in North America, Toyota decided to
enter the full-size pickup market, which was traditionally dominated by domestic
automakers. The company introduced the T100 for the 1993 US model year. The
T100 had a full-size 8-foot (2.4 m) long bed, but suspension and engine
characteristics were similar to that of a compact pickup. Sales were disappointing
and the T100 was criticized for having a small V6 engine (especially compared to the
V8 engines common in American full-size trucks), lacking an extended-cab version,
being too small, and too expensive (because of the 25% tariff on imported trucks).
[86]
 In 1995, Toyota added the more powerful V6 engine from the new Tacoma to the
T100 and also added an extended cab version.[86] In 1999, Toyota replaced the T100
with the larger Tundra, which would be built in the US with a V8 engine and styling
that more closely matched other American full-size trucks. [87]
Luxury vehicles[edit]
See also: Lexus

Toyota Crown RS (Fifteenth generation, S220; 2018)

In the Japanese home market, Toyota has two flagship models: the Crown premium
sedan and the Century limousine.
In the 1980s, Toyota wanted to expand its luxury car offerings but realized that
existing Japanese-market flagship models had little global appeal and could not
compete with established brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Jaguar or the
Acura and Infiniti marquees being launched by Japanese competitors.
Before the decade was out, Toyota introduced Lexus, a new division that was
formed to market and service luxury vehicles in markets outside of Japan. The
company developed the brand and its vehicles in secret since August 1983, at a cost
of over US$1 billion.[41][42] The Lexus LS flagship full-size sedan debuted in 1989 to
strong sales, and was largely responsible for the successful launch of the Lexus
marque. Subsequently, the division
added sedan, coupé, convertible and SUV models.
The Lexus brand was introduced to the Japanese market in 2005, previously all
vehicles marketed internationally as Lexus from 1989 to 2005 were released in
Japan under the Toyota marque.
Buses[edit]
The Toyota Coaster is a minibus introduced in 1969 that seats 17 passengers. The
Coaster is widely used in Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia, but also in
the developing world for minibus operators in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, the
Caribbean, and South America to operate as public transportation.

Technology[edit]
Hybrid electric vehicles[edit]
Main articles: Hybrid Synergy Drive, Hybrid electric vehicle, and Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius, flagship of Toyota's hybrid technology, is the world's best-selling hybrid car

Toyota is the world's leader in sales of hybrid electric vehicles, one of the largest
companies to encourage the mass-market adoption of hybrid vehicles across the
globe, and the first to commercially mass-produce and sell such vehicles, with the
introduction of the Toyota Prius in 1997.[88][89] The company's series hybrid technology
is called Hybrid Synergy Drive, and it was later applied to many vehicles in Toyota's
product lineup, starting first with the Camry and the technology was also brought to
the luxury Lexus division.
As of January 2020, Toyota Motor Corporation sells 44 Toyota and Lexus hybrid
passenger car models in over 90 countries and regions around the world, and the
carmaker has sold over 15 million hybrid vehicles since 1997. [90] The Prius family is
the world's top-selling hybrid gasoline-electric vehicle nameplate with almost 4
million units sold worldwide as of January 2017. [90]
Besides the Prius, Toyota's current hybrid lineup includes the Alphard/Vellfire/Crown
Vellfire, Avalon, Aqua, Camry, C-HR/IZOA, Corolla/Levin, Corolla
Cross/Frontlander, Crown, Harrier/Venza, Highlander/Kluger/Crown
Kluger, Noah/Voxy, Raize, RAV4/Wildlander, Sequoia, Sienna, Sienta, Tundra, Yaris 
and Yaris Cross. The Lexus current hybrid lineup consists of
the ES, IS, LC, LM, LS, NX, RC, RX, and UX.
Plug-in hybrids[edit]
Main articles: Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid and Toyota RAV4 Prime
Second-generation Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid

The Prius Plug-In Hybrid Concept was exhibited in late 2009, and shortly after, a
global demonstration program involving 600 pre-production test cars began. The
vehicles were leased to fleet and government customers, and were equipped with
data tracking devices to allow Toyota to monitor the car's performance. The vehicle
was based on the third-generation Toyota Prius and outfitted with two
additional lithium-ion batteries beyond the normal hybrid battery pack. [91] The
additional batteries were used to operate the car with minimal use of the internal
combustion engine until they are depleted, at which point they are disengaged from
the system. They are not used in tandem with the main hybrid battery pack.
After the conclusion of the demonstration program, the production version of
the Prius Plug-in Hybrid was unveiled in September 2011. The production Prius
Plug-in had a maximum electric-only speed of 100 km/h (62 mph), and the United
States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rated the vehicle as having an range
of 18 kilometres (11 mi) in blended mode (mostly electric, but supplemented by the
internal combustion engine).[92] Toyota ultimately only did a small production run with
75,400 vehicles being produced between 2012 and 2016. [93]
The second-generation Prius Plug-in (renamed the Prius Prime in the US) was
unveiled in early 2016.[94] Unlike the prior generation, where the plug-in battery was
limited by being added to the existing Prius, this model would be developed in
tandem with the fourth-generation Prius, allowing Toyota to increase the range to 40
kilometres (25 mi), with a top speed of 135 km/h (84 mph), without needing the
assistance of the internal combustion engine.[95] The second-generation Prius Plug-in
went on sale starting in late 2016, with Toyota expecting to sell up to 60,000 units
globally per year.[96]
A second plug-in hybrid model, the Toyota RAV4 PHV (RAV4 Prime in the US) was
unveiled in December 2019. The vehicle has an EPA-estimated 68 kilometres
(42 mi) of all-electric range and generates a combined 225 kilowatts (302 hp),
enabling it to be Toyota's second fastest car currently in production (behind the GR
Supra 3.0 sports car).[97] Sales started in mid-2020.
Battery electric vehicles[edit]

Toyota bZ4X
Toyota has been criticized for being slow to add battery electric vehicles to its lineup.
It has been publicly skeptical about battery-electric technology, and has lobbied
against government mandates to transition to zero tailpipe emission vehicles. [98]
Toyota's first all-electric vehicle was made in response to one of those government
mandates. The company created the first generation Toyota RAV4 EV after
the California Air Resources Board mandated in the late 1990s that every automaker
offer a zero-emissions vehicle.[99][100] A total of 1,484 were leased and/or sold in
California from 1997 to 2003, when the state dropped its mandate under legal
pressure from lawsuits filed by automakers. At the lessees' request, many units were
sold after the vehicle was discontinued.[101]
A second generation of the RAV4 EV was developed in 2010 as part of a deal
with Tesla. The production version was unveiled in August 2012, using battery pack,
electronics and powertrain components from the Tesla Model S.[102] The RAV4 EV
had a limited production run which resulted in just under 3,000 vehicles being
produced, before it was discontinued in 2014. [103][104] According to Bloomberg News,
the partnership between Tesla and Toyota was "marred by clashes between
engineers".[105]
Starting in 2009, Toyota introduced three generations of concept electric vehicles
called the FT-EV built on a modified Toyota iQ platform. In late-2012, the company
announced plans build a production version of the car called the Toyota iQ
EV (Scion iQ EV in the US, Toyota eQ in Japan),[106] but ultimately production was cut
back to 100 cars for special fleet use in Japan and the U.S. only. [107]
In late 2012, Toyota announced that it would back away from fully electric vehicles,
after producing less than 5,000. At the time, the company's vice chairman, Takeshi
Uchiyamada, said: "The current capabilities of electric vehicles do not meet society's
needs, whether it may be the distance the cars can run, or the costs, or how it takes
a long time to charge." Toyota's emphasis would be re-focused on the hybrids and
hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.[107][24] These early electric vehicles are widely considered
as compliance cars, meaning that it is developed to meet California's zero-emissions
standards for automakers.[108]
In April 2019, Toyota introduced the C-HR EV, its first mass-produced pure electric
model in China along with an identical twin called the IZOA EV. [109] It went on sale in
April 2020 and May 2020 respectively. Nikkei reported in October 2020 that Toyota
had only sold less than 2,000 units in the first eight months of the year. [110]
Toyota introduced the C+pod in late 2020, a 2-seater kei car with an estimated range
of 100 kilometres (62 mi) and a top speed of 60 kilometres per hour (37 mph).[111][112]
In April 2021, Toyota revealed the bZ4X, an electric crossover SUV which will be the
first vehicle built on a dedicated electric platform called e-TNGA when it goes on sale
in mid-2022.[113] It is the first model of the bZ ("beyond Zero") series of battery electric
vehicles.[114] The company has also stated that there will be seven "bZ" models to be
launched globally out of 15 BEV models by 2025. [115]
Toyota has been developing solid-state batteries in partnership with Panasonic, in
which the company has more than a thousand patents covering solid-state batteries
by late 2020.[116] The technology has been implemented on the Toyota LQ concept.
Toyota hopes the technology could increase efficiency of battery electric vehicles by
30 percent, which in turn would reduce battery costs by the same amount. [117]
Hydrogen fuel-cell[edit]

The Toyota Mirai fuel-cell vehicle

The Toyota SORA fuel-cell bus

See also: Toyota Mirai

In 2002, Toyota began a development and demonstration program to test the Toyota
FCHV, a hybrid hydrogen fuel cell vehicle based on the Toyota
Highlander production SUV. Toyota also built a FCHV bus based on the Hino Blue
Ribbon City low-floor bus.[118][119] Toyota has built several prototypes/concepts of the
FCHV since 1997, including the Toyota FCHV-1, FCHV-2, FCHV-3, FCHV-4,
and Toyota FCHV-adv. The Toyota FCV-R fuel cell concept car was unveiled at the
2011 Tokyo Motor Show. The FCV-R sedan seats four and has a fuel cell stack
including a 70 MPa high-pressure hydrogen tank, which can deliver a range of
435 mi (700 km) under the Japanese JC08 test cycle. Toyota said the car was
planned for launch in about 2015.[120]
In August 2012, Toyota announced its plans to start retail sales of a hydrogen fuel-
cell sedan in California in 2015. Toyota expects to become a leader in this
technology.[121] The prototype of its first hydrogen fuel cell vehicle will be exhibited at
the November 2013 Tokyo Motor Show, and in the United States at the January
2014 Consumer Electronics Show.[122]
Toyota's first hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles to be sold commercially, the Toyota
Mirai (Japanese for "future"), was unveiled at the November 2014 Los Angeles Auto
Show.[123] In January 2015, it was announced that production of the Mirai fuel cell
vehicle would increase from 700 units in 2015 to approximately 2,000 in 2016 and
3,000 in 2017.[124] Sales in Japan began on December 15, 2014, at a price
of ¥6,700,000 (~US$57,400). The Japanese government plans to support the
commercialization of fuel-cell vehicles with a subsidy of ¥2,000,000 (~US$19,600).
[125]
 Retail sales in the U.S. began in August 2015 at a price of US$57,500 before any
government incentives. Initially, the Mirai will only be available in California. [126][127] The
market release in Europe is slated for September 2015, and initially will be available
only in the UK, Germany, and Denmark, followed by other countries in 2017. Pricing
in Germany starts at €60,000 (~US$75,140) plus VAT (€78,540).[128]
In 2015, Toyota released 5,600 patents for free use until 2020, hoping to promote
global development of hydrogen fuel-cell technology. [129][130][131][132]
Autonomous vehicles[edit]

Toyota e-Palette

Toyota is regarded as being behind in smart car technology and in need of

innovation.[133] Although the company Toyota unveiled its first self-driving test vehicle
in 2017, and has been developing its own self-driving technology named "Chauffeur"
(intended for full self-driving) and "Guardian" (a driver assist system), neither of
these has been introduced into any production vehicles. [134]
The company had set up a large research and development operation by 2018,
spending almost US$4 billion to start an autonomous vehicle research institute in
California's Silicon Valley[133] and another ¥300 billion on a similar research institute in
Tokyo that would partner with fellow Toyota Group companies and automotive
suppliers Aisin Seiki and Denso.[135][136]
Toyota has also been collaborating with autonomous vehicle technology developers
and, in some cases, purchasing the companies. Toyota has acquired the
autonomous vehicle division of ride-hailing service Lyft for $550 million,[137] invested a
total of US$1 billion in competing ride-hailing service Uber's self-driving vehicle
division,[138][139] invested $400 million in autonomous vehicle technology
company Pony.ai,[140] and announced a partnership with Chinese electronics e-
commerce company Cogobuy to build a "Smart Car Ecosystem."[141]
In December 2020 Toyota showcased the 20-passenger "e-Palette" shared
autonomous vehicle, which was used at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games.[142]
[143]
 Toyota has announced it intends to have the vehicle available for commercial
applications before 2025.[144]
Since February 2021, Toyota has been building the sensor-laden "Woven City"
which it calls a "175-acre high tech, sensor-laden metropolis" at the foot of Mount
Fuji. When completed in 2024 the Woven City will be used to run tests on
autonomous vehicles for deliveries, transport and mobile shops with the city’s
residents participating in the living laboratory experiment. [145][146]

Motorsports[edit]
The Toyota TS050 Hybrid that won the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans, preserved with dirt from the race

Main article: Toyota in motorsport

See also: Toyota Gazoo Racing and Toyota Racing Development
Toyota has been involved in many global motorsports series, providing vehicles,
engines and other auto parts under both the Toyota and Lexus brands.
Toyota Gazoo Racing (GR) is Toyota's performance brand that is used in many of
the world's major motorsports contests. Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe, based
in Cologne, Germany, competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship, while
the Finland-based Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT participates in the World Rally
Championship. Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa competes in the Dakar Rally.
Between 2002 and 2009, the Toyota Racing team competed in Formula One. Toyota
won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2018, 2019 and 2020 with a Toyota TS050 Hybrid,
and in 2021 with a Toyota GR010 Hybrid.
Toyota Racing Development USA (TRD USA) is responsible for participation in
major motorsports contests in the United States including NASCAR, NHRA, Indy
Racing League and Formula Drift.
Toyota also makes engines and other auto parts for other Japanese motorsports
including Super Formula, Super GT, Formula 3, and Toyota Racing Series.

Non-automotive activities[edit]
Aerospace[edit]
Toyota is a minority shareholder in Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation, having
invested US$67.2 million in the new venture which will produce the Mitsubishi
Regional Jet, slated for first deliveries in 2017.[147] Toyota has also studied
participation in the general aviation market and contracted with Scaled
Composites to produce a proof of concept aircraft, the TAA-1, in 2002.[148][149]
Pleasure boats[edit]
In 1997, building on a previous partnership with Yamaha Marine, Toyota created
"Toyota Marine",[150] building private ownership motorboats, currently sold only in
Japan. A small network in Japan sells the luxury craft at 54 locations, called the
"Toyota Ponam" series, and in 2017, a boat was labeled under the Lexus brand
name starting May 26, 2017.[151]
Philanthropy[edit]
The Toyota Municipal Museum of Art in Aichi, sponsored by the manufacturer

Toyota supports a variety of philanthropic work in areas such as education,

conservation, safety, and disaster relief.
Some of the organizations that Toyota has worked with in the US include
the American Red Cross, the Boys and Girls Club, Leaders in Environmental Action
for the Future (LEAF), and the National Center for Family Literacy.[152]
The Toyota USA Foundation exists to support education in the areas of science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics. [153]
In addition, Toyota works with nonprofits to improve their processes and operations
such as the Food Bank For New York City.[154][155]
Toyota also supports a variety of work in Japan.[156]
The Toyota Foundation takes a global perspective providing grants in the three
areas of human and natural environments, social welfare, and education and culture.
[157]

Higher education[edit]
Toyota established the Toyota Technological Institute in 1981, as Sakichi Toyoda
had planned to establish a university as soon as he and Toyota became successful.
Toyota Technological Institute founded the Toyota Technological Institute at
Chicago in 2003. Toyota is supporter of the Toyota Driving Expectations Program,
Toyota Youth for Understanding Summer Exchange Scholarship Program, Toyota
International Teacher Program, Toyota TAPESTRY, Toyota Community Scholars
(scholarship for high school students), United States Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce Internship Program, and Toyota Funded Scholarship. [158] It has contributed
to a number of local education and scholarship programs for the University of
Kentucky, Indiana, and others.[158]
Robotics[edit]
Main article: Toyota Partner Robot
Toyota trumpet-playing robot

In 2004, Toyota showcased its trumpet-playing robot. [159] Toyota has been developing
multitask robots destined for elderly care, manufacturing, and entertainment. A
specific example of Toyota's involvement in robotics for the elderly is the Brain
Machine Interface. Designed for use with wheelchairs, it "allows a person to control
an electric wheelchair accurately, almost in real-time", with his or her mind. [160] The
thought controls allow the wheelchair to go left, right, and forward with a delay
between thought and movement of just 125 milliseconds.[160] Toyota also played a part
in the development of Kirobo, a 'robotic astronaut'.
In 2017, the company introduced T-HR3, a humanoid robot with the ability to be
remotely controlled. The robot can copy the motions of a connected person. The
2017 version used wires for the connection but the 2018 version used 5G from a
distance up to 10 km.[161][162]
Agricultural biotechnology[edit]
Toyota invests in several small start-up businesses and partnerships
in biotechnology, including:

 P.T. Toyota Bio Indonesia in Lampung, Indonesia

 Australian Afforestation Pty. Ltd. in Western Australia and Southern
Australia
 Toyota Floritech Co., Ltd. in Rokkasho-Mura, Kamikita District, Aomori
Prefecture
 Sichuan Toyota Nitan Development Co., Ltd. in Sichuan, China
 Toyota Roof Garden Corporation in Miyoshi-Cho, Aichi Prefecture
Sewing machine brand[edit]
Aisin, another member of the Toyota Group of companies, uses the same Toyota
wordmark logo to market its home-use sewing machines. Aisin was founded
by Kiichiro Toyoda after he founded the Toyota Motor Corporation. According to
Aisin, he was so pleased with the first sewing machine, he decided to apply the
same Toyota branding as his auto business, despite the companies being
independent from each other.[163]

Controversies[edit]
Corrosion lawsuit[edit]
In November 2016, Toyota agreed to pay $3.4 billion to settle allegations that
roughly one-and-a-half million of its Tacoma, Tundra, and Sequoia pickup trucks and
SUVs had been outfitted with frames prone to corrosion and perforation. According
to court papers, the corrosion could reach levels high enough to compromise the
vehicle's structural integrity.[164]
Death from overwork[edit]
See also: Karōshi
On February 9, 2002, Kenichi Uchino, aged 30 years, a quality control manager,
collapsed then died at work.[165][166] On January 2, 2006, an unnamed chief engineer of
the Camry Hybrid, aged 45 years, died from heart failure in his bed.[165]
Fines for environmental breaches[edit]
In 2003, Toyota was fined $34M for violating the United States Clean Air Act.[167]
In January 2021, Toyota was fined $180M for violating U.S. emissions regulations
from 2005 to 2015.[168][169][170] At the time, this was the biggest civil penalty ever levied for
violating United States Environmental Protection Agency emission reporting
requirements.[168][169]
2009–2011 unintended acceleration recalls[edit]
See also: 2009–2011 Toyota vehicle recalls
Between 2009 and 2011 Toyota, under pressure from the U.S. National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), conducted recalls of millions of vehicles after
reports that several drivers experienced unintended acceleration. The first recall, in
November 2009, was to prevent a front driver's side floor mat from sliding into
the foot pedal well, causing the pedals to become trapped. The second recall, in
January 2010, was begun after some crashes were shown not to have been caused
by floor mats and may be caused by possible mechanical sticking of the accelerator
pedal.[51] Worldwide, approximately 9 million cars and trucks were impacted by the
recalls.[53]
NHTSA received reports of a total of 37 deaths allegedly related to unintended
acceleration, although an exact number was never verified. [52] As a result of the
problems, Toyota faced nearly 100 lawsuits from the families of those killed, drivers
who were injured, vehicle owners who lost resale value, and investors who saw a
drop in the value of their shares. While most of the personal injury and wrongful
death lawsuits were settled confidentially, [54] Toyota did spend more than US$1
billion to settle a class action lawsuit to compensate owners for lost resale value,
[55]
 and the company agreed to pay a US$1.2 billion criminal penalty to the United
States government over accusations that it had intentionally hid information about
safety defects from the public and had made deceptive statements to protect its
brand image. The penalty was the largest ever levied against a car company. [56]
Takata airbag recalls[edit]
See also: Takata airbag recalls
Toyota, like nearly every other automobile manufacturer, was impacted by the recall
of faulty airbag inflators made by Takata. The inflators can explode, shooting metal
fragments into the vehicle cabin. Millions of vehicles produced between 2000 and
2014 were impacted by the recall, with some needing multiple repairs. [171][172]
June 2010 Chinese labour strike[edit]
On June 21, 2010, a Chinese labor strike happened in Tianjin Toyoda Gosei Co,
Tianjin. Toyoda Gosei Co supplies parts to Tianjin FAW Toyota Motor Co.[173]
Opposition to California's fuel efficiency standards[edit]
In October 2019, Toyota backed the Trump Administration's proposal that federal
authority should override California's ability to set its own emissions standards for
automobiles. The proposal would reduce California's 2025 fuel efficiency standard
from about 54.5 to 37 MPG.[174] This shift by Toyota away from fuel efficiency
damaged the company's reputation as a green brand.[175][168]
Greenwashing controversies[edit]
Toyota has repeatedly been the subject of greenwashing controversies, owing to
their criticism of electric cars, while promoting hydrogen and hybrid vehicles – with
the manner in which they have advertised and marketed hybrid vehicles causing
particular consternation.[176][177][178]
Toyota President, Akio Toyoda, has made repeated statements about electric cars,
claiming that they are “Overhyped” and that “the more EVs we build, the worse
carbon dioxide gets.”[179] This stance has led Transport & Environment to rank Toyota
as the least ready OEM to transition to battery electric vehicles by 2030, stating:
“Toyota has not set a target for 2030 and it plans to produce just 10% BEVs in 2025.
It is expected to rely on polluting hybrid technologies. [180]”
Alongside their commitment to hybrid vehicles, Toyota has repeatedly stated its
commitment to producing hydrogen cars, claiming that they will be the future of the
company.[181][182][183] Many journalists and environmental activists have accused Toyota
of greenwashing due to their stance on hydrogen vehicles in the face of clear
evidence that they are considerably less efficient than battery electric cars, and will
create more greenhouse gas emissions due to energy-intensity of the hydrogen
extraction process.[184][185][186][187]
Self-charging hybrids[edit]
In 2019, Toyota launched a global campaign for its self-proclaimed ‘self-charging
hybrid’ vehicles, which use fossil fuel to charge the on-board batteries in their cars,
rather than using an external electricity source, as with plug-in hybrids.
The language around ‘self-charging’ hybrids caused much consumer criticism that
this was misleading, as the vehicles did not self-charge, but instead required users to
input fossil fuels, and these vehicles could not run on electric power alone – as was
made clear during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Toyota contacted the owners of
these vehicles to inform them of the need to regularly refuel the vehicles with fossil
fuels.[188][189]
Complaints about self-charging hybrid advertising were recorded in multiple
countries,[190] and in 2020 the Norwegian Consumer Authority banned the adverts
outright in Norway for misleading consumers, [191] stating: “It is misleading to give the
impression that the power to the hybrid battery is free of charge, since the electricity
produced by the car has consumption of gasoline as a necessary condition.”. [192]
Later in 2020, a study by Transport & Environment[193][194] concluded that real-world
CO2 emissions from hybrid vehicles were, on average, over two and a half times
those of official test values.[195][196] Another report found that even the most efficient
hybrid vehicles produce at least 40-70% of the emissions of a petrol or diesel car,
and will have created 15% more emissions in its manufacturer than a battery electric
vehicle would have.[197][198][199]
As the world’s biggest producer and marketer of hybrid vehicles, Toyota has
attracted the greatest attention in the wake of these reports, given that the Japanese
manufacturer plans to increase hybrid production at a time when most major
manufacturers are switching to solely producing electric vehicles by 2035 due to the
contribution of cars to the Climate crisis.[200][201]
This was compounded in early 2021, when Toyota was fined a record $180 million
for failing to comply with the Clean Air Act’s emissions reporting requirements from
2005 to 2015.[202][203][204]
Misleading marketing[edit]
Toyota has also drawn negative attention for its marketing campaigns, which use
studies funded by the manufacturer to substantiate claims about the efficiency of
their vehicles. An exposé by IrishEVs found that Toyota Ireland had paid University
College Dublin to conduct a study of just seven cars over seven days to make claims
about the efficiency of their hybrid vehicles.[205][206]
Furthermore, Toyota Ireland had consistently used funded polls to substantiate
claims about their CO2 emissions, and their perception as a “leading brand tackling
climate change in Ireland.” No data or evidence was offered to validate these claims.
[207]

Corporate affairs[edit]

Principal headquarters building of Toyota

Toyota is headquartered in the city of Toyota,[208] which was named Koromo until

1951, when it changed its name to match the automaker. Toyota City is located in
the Aichi Prefecture of Japan. The main headquarters of Toyota is located in a four-
story building that has been described as "modest". [209] In 2013, company CEO Akio
Toyoda reported that it had difficulties retaining foreign employees at the
headquarters due to the lack of amenities in the city. [210]
Surrounding the headquarters are the 14-story Toyota Technical Center and the
Honsha plant (which was established in 1938). Toyota and its Toyota Group affiliates
operate a total of 17 manufacturing facilities in Aichi Prefecture and a total of 32
plants in Japan.
Toyota also operates offices in Bunkyo, Tokyo, and Nakamura-ku, Nagoya.[208]
Worldwide presence[edit]
See also: List of Toyota manufacturing facilities

Top 10 Toyota and Lexus vehicle sales

by country, 2021[211]

Rank Vehicle
Location
in Toyota sales

1  United States 2,332,262

2  China 1,944,010

3  Japan 1,476,136

4  GCC 331,786

5  Indonesia 291,499

6  Thailand 239,723

7  Australia 232,932

8  Canada 225,215

9  Brazil 173,475

10  Taiwan 146,009

Top 10 Toyota and Lexus vehicle production

by country, 2021[211]

Rank Vehicle
Location
in Toyota production
 1  Japan 2,877,962

2  China 1,649,653

3  United States 1,144,722

4  Thailand 513,836

5  Canada 427,056

6  Turkey 228,557

7  Mexico 222,342

8  France 205,714

9  Indonesia 186,085

10  Brazil 171,283

Outside of Japan, as one of the world's largest automotive manufacturer by

production volume, Toyota has factories in most parts of the world. The company
assembles vehicles in Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, the Czech
Republic, France, Indonesia, Mexico, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, South Africa,
Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Venezuela.
Additionally, the company also has joint venture, licensed, or contract factories in
China, France, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Taiwan, the United States, and Vietnam.
North America[edit]
Main article: Toyota Motor North America

The Toyota Camry is assembled in several facilities around the world including Australia, China, Taiwan,
Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Russia, Thailand, India, Vietnam, and the United States
Toyota Motor North America is headquartered in Plano, Texas, and operates as
a holding company for all operations of the Toyota Motor Corporation in Canada,
Mexico, and the United States. Toyota’s operations in North America began on
October 31, 1957, and the current company was established in 2017 from the
consolidation of three companies: Toyota Motor North America, Inc., which
controlled Toyota’s corporate functions; Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. which
handled marketing, sales, and distribution in the United States; and Toyota Motor
Engineering & Manufacturing North America which oversaw operations at all
assembly plants in the region. While all three companies continue to exist in legal
name, they operate as one company out of one headquarters campus.
Toyota has a large presence in the United States with six major assembly plants
in Huntsville, Alabama, Georgetown, Kentucky, Princeton, Indiana, San Antonio,
Texas, Buffalo, West Virginia, and Blue Springs, Mississippi. In 2018, Toyota and
Mazda announced a joint venture plant that will produce vehicles in Huntsville,
Alabama, starting in 2021.[212]
It has started producing larger trucks, such as the new Tundra, to go after the full-
size pickup market in the United States. Toyota is also pushing hybrid electric
vehicle in the US such as the Prius, Camry Hybrid, Highlander Hybrid, and various
Lexus products. Currently, Toyota has no plans to offer diesel motor options in its
North American products, including pickup trucks.[213]
Toyota Canada Inc., which is part of Toyota Motor North America, handles
marketing, sales, and distribution in Canada. Toyota Motor Manufacturing
Canada operates three assembly plants: two in Cambridge, Ontario and one
in Woodstock, Ontario.[214] In 2006, Toyota's subsidiary Hino Motors opened a heavy
duty truck plant, also in Woodstock, employing 45 people and producing 2,000 trucks
annually.[215]
Europe/Western Asia[edit]
Main article: Toyota Motor Europe
Toyota Motor Europe is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, and oversees all
operations of the Toyota Motor Corporation in Europe and western Asia. Toyota’s
operations in Europe began in 1963. Toyota has a significant presence in Europe
with nine production facilities in Kolín, Czech Republic, Burnaston,
England, Deeside, England, Onnaing, France, Jelcz-Laskowice, Poland, Wałbrzych,
Poland, Ovar, Portugal, Saint Petersburg, Russia, and Arifiye, Turkey.[216] Toyota also
operates a joint venture plant with Citroën and Peugeot in Valenciennes, France.
Australia[edit]
Main article: Toyota Australia
In 1963, Australia was one of the first countries to assemble Toyotas outside Japan.
However, in February 2014, Toyota was the last of Australia's major automakers to
announce the end of production in Australia. The closure of Toyota's Australian plant
was completed on October 3, 2017, and had produced a total 3,451,155 vehicles. At
its peak in October 2007, Toyota manufactured 15,000 cars a month. [217] Before
Toyota, Ford and GM's Holden had announced similar moves, all citing an
unfavorable currency and attendant high manufacturing costs. [218]
Financials[edit]
Toyota is publicly traded on the Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka,
and Sapporo exchanges under company code TYO: 7203. In Japan, Toyota's stock
is a component of the Nikkei 225 and TOPIX Core30 indices.
In addition, Toyota is foreign-listed on the New York Stock
Exchange under NYSE: TM and on the London Stock Exchange under LSE: TYT.
Toyota has been publicly traded in Japan since 1949 and internationally since 1999.
[219]

Company strategy[edit]

New Toyota factory in Ohira, near Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan: A month after this picture was taken,
the region was devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. The plant was only lightly damaged,
but remained closed more than a month, mainly due to lack of supplies and energy, in addition to a badly
damaged Sendai port.

The Toyota Way[edit]

Main article: The Toyota Way
The Toyota Way is a set of principles and behaviors that underlie the company's
approach to management and production (which is further defined as the Toyota
Production System).
The company has been developing its corporate philosophy since 1948 and passing
it on as implicit knowledge to new employees, but as the company expanded
globally, leaders officially identified and defined the Toyota Way in 2001. Toyota
summarized it under two main pillars: continuous improvement and respect for
people. Under the continuous improvement pillar are three principals: challenge
(form a long-term vision), kaizen (a continual improvement process), and genchi
genbutsu ("go and see" the process to make correct decisions). Under the respect
for people pillar are two principals: respect and teamwork.[220]
In 2004, Dr. Jeffrey Liker, a University of Michigan professor of industrial
engineering, published The Toyota Way. In his book, Liker calls the Toyota Way "a
system designed to provide the tools for people to continually improve their
work."[221] According to Liker, there are 14 principles of The Toyota Way that can be
organized into four themes: (1) long-term philosophy, (2) the right process will
produce the right results, (3) add value to the organization by developing your
people, and (4) continuously solving root problems drives organizational learning.
The 14 principles are further defined in the Wikipedia article on The Toyota Way.
Toyota Production System[edit]
Main article: Toyota Production System
The Toyota Way also helped shape the company's approach to production, where it
was an early pioneer of what would be come to be known as lean manufacturing.
[222]
 The company defines the Toyota Production System under two main pillars: just-
in-time[223] (make only what is needed, only when it is needed, and only in the amount
that is needed) and Jidoka[224] (automation with a human touch).
The origin of the Toyota Production System is in dispute, with three stories of its
origin: (1) that during a 1950 trip to train with the Ford Motor Company, company
executives also studied the just-in-time distribution system of the grocery store
company Piggly-Wiggly,[225] (2) that they followed the writings of W. Edwards Deming,
[226]
 and (3) they learned the principles from a WWII US government training program
(Training Within Industry).[227]
After developing the Toyota Production System in its own facilities, the company
began teaching the system to its parts suppliers in the 1990s. Other companies were
interested in the instruction, and Toyota later started offering training sessions. The
company also has donated the training to non-profit groups to increase their
efficiency and thus ability to serve people.
Logo and branding[edit]

Employee at the Toyota Automobile Museum explains development of Toyota name and brand

In 1936, Toyota entered the passenger car market with its Model AA and held a
competition to establish a new logo emphasizing speed for its new product line. After
receiving 27,000 entries, one was selected that additionally resulted in a change of
its moniker to "Toyota" from the family name "Toyoda", which means rice paddy. The
new name was believed to sound better, and its eight-stroke count in the Japanese
language was associated with wealth and good fortune. The original logo was a
heavily stylized version of the katakana characters for Toyota (トヨタ).[228]
As the company started to expand internationally in the late 1950s, the katakana
character logo was supplemented by various wordmarks with the English form of the
company name in all capital letters, "TOYOTA." [228]
Toyota introduced a worldwide logo in October 1989 to commemorate the 50th year
of the company, and to differentiate it from the newly released luxury Lexus brand.
[229]
 The logo consists of three ovals that combine to form the letter "T", which stands
for Toyota. Toyota says that the overlapping of the two perpendicular ovals inside
the larger oval represents the mutually beneficial relationship and trust between the
customer and the company while the larger oval surrounding both of these inner
ovals represents the "global expansion of Toyota's technology and unlimited
potential for the future".[230][231] The new logo started appearing on all printed material,
advertisements, dealer signage, and most vehicles in 1990.
In countries or regions using traditional Chinese characters, e.g. Hong Kong and
Taiwan, Toyota is known as "豐田".[232] In countries using simplified Chinese
characters (e.g. China and Singapore), Toyota is written as "丰田"[233] (pronounced
as Fēngtián in Mandarin Chinese and Hɔng Tshan in Minnanese). These are the
same characters as the founding family's name "Toyoda" in Japanese.

Some new vehicles, like this Tacoma, still use the heritage TOYOTA wordmark

Toyota still uses the katakana character logo as its corporate emblem in Japan,
including on the headquarters building,[234] and some special edition vehicles still use
the "TOYOTA" wordmark on the grille as a nod to the company's heritage. [235]
On July 15, 2015, the company was delegated its own generic top-level
domain, .toyota.[236]
Sports sponsorships[edit]
Toyota sponsors several teams and has purchased naming rights for several
venues, and even competitions, including:

 Toyota Alvark Tokyo, basketball team

 Toyota Cup
 Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
 Toyota Center, Kennewick, Washington
 Toyota Field, San Antonio, Texas
 Toyota Park, Bridgeview, Illinois
 Toyota Sports Center, El Segundo, California
 Toyota Stadium, Georgetown, Kentucky
 Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas
As of 2017, Toyota is an official sponsor of Cricket Australia,[237] the England and
Wales Cricket Board[238] and the AFL.[239] In March 2015, Toyota became a sponsor
partner for the Olympic Games, in the form of supplying vehicles and
communications between vehicles until 2024. [240]

See also[edit]

 Companies portal

 List of Toyota engines

 List of Toyota manufacturing facilities
 List of Toyota transmissions
 List of Toyota vehicles
 Nagoya Grampus, formerly the company's football club and still sponsored
by them
 Toyota model codes
 Toyota Verblitz, the company's rugby team