PLANO, Texas, March 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Vehicle
connectivity, electrification, new forms of mobility and mobility
services, and autonomous driving technologies are driving new
opportunities for Toyota Motor North America (TMNA).
With an eye on enabling agility and scale, TMNA is creating
a new Digital Transformation & Mobility pillar, which will
be led by newly appointed Chief Digital Officer Zack Hicks. Hicks will report directly to TMNA
CEO Jim Lentz. Hicks also will
continue in his role as President and CEO of Toyota
Connected.
Effective April 2, functions reporting to Digital
Transformation & Mobility will include:
- Information Services, led in the interim by TMNA Chief
Information Officer Zack Hicks
- Connected Technologies, led by Vice President Steve Basra
- Future Mobility Business Group, led by Group Vice President
Chris Tinto
The teams will focus on areas such as shared mobility,
connectivity services and over-the-air feature upgrades to identify
new business models and future opportunities.
"Digital Transformation & Mobility brings together three
integrated teams who can focus on new business innovation, voice of
customer excellence and digital product development," Hicks
said.
"As Toyota transitions from a traditional car company into a
global mobility company, we are focused on how we can better suit
our customers' needs now and in the future," said TMNA CEO
Jim Lentz. "Bringing these mobility
functions together under Zack's leadership gives us the
ability to collaborate in unprecedented new ways."
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of
the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North
America for 60 years, and is committed to advancing
sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus
brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous
value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design,
engineering, and assembly of more than 36 million cars and trucks
in North America, where we operate
14 manufacturing plants (10 in the U.S.) and directly employ more
than 47,000 people (more than 37,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800
North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold more
than 2.7 million cars and trucks (2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2017
– and about 87 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 15
years are still on the road today.
Toyota partners with community, civic, academic, and
governmental organizations to address our society's most pressing
mobility challenges. We share company resources and extensive
know-how to support non-profits to help expand their ability to
assist more people move more places. For more information about
Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
About Toyota Connected, Inc.
Based in Plano,
Texas, Toyota Connected North
America (TCNA) was established in 2016 to drive Toyota's global
efforts for an intelligent mobile society. With big data collected
from vehicles and analyzed on a cloud platform, TCNA humanizes the
driving experience by freeing customers from the tyranny of
technology via secure, seamless and contextual services,
elevating the customer experience while benefitting dealers,
distributors, and partners. Analyzing traffic patterns, driver
behavior and connecting drivers with infrastructure and other
information is only part of TCNA's work that will open new services
and products to keep the car as a beloved companion.
Media Contacts:
Eric Booth
469-292-5290
eric.booth@toyota.com
Karen Nielsen
469-865-2659
karen.nielsen@toyota.com
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SOURCE Toyota Motor North America