Changing the Landscape for Autonomous Vehicles

Toyota’s president, Akio Toyoda, announced new concept vehicle, e-Pallete. The announcement was made at Toyota’s CES press conference in Las Vegas. e-Pallete is an autonomous electric vehicle that can be used for both ride sharing and retail delivery. This vehicle utilizes Toyota’s autonomous technology, along with other companies, to develop Toyota’s brand from an “automobile company to a mobility company”, according to Akio Toyoda.

Millennials are now the largest living generation in America, according to Pew Research Center. With this statistic in mind, many auto companies are working with rideshare companies, like Uber and Lyft, to provide services to support the millennial lifestyle of sharing a ride versus having a vehicle of their own. Along with fulfilling millennial transportation needs, delivery services are also on Toyota’s radar; companies such as Pizza Hut and Amazon.

“The automobile industry is clearly amidst its most dramatic period of change as technologies like electrification, connected and automated driving are making significant progress. Toyota remains committed to making ever better cars. Just as important, we are developing mobility solutions to help everyone enjoy their lives, and we are doing our part to create an ever-better society for the next 100 years and beyond. This announcement marks a major step forward in our evolution towards sustainable mobility, demonstrating our continued expansion beyond traditional cars and trucks to the creation of new values including services for customers”, said Akio Toyoda.  

As the year unfolds, we are certainly excited to see what plans are on the horizon for e-Pallette. In the meantime, explore what technologies and vehicle’s Toyota has on their line-up here.