Toyota Launches Social Network for Cars, "Toyota Friend", to Enhance Customer Experience

Strategic Insights -

Toyota Motor Corp., the world's top automobile seller, is introducing a social network for its cars, dubbed "Toyota Friend", that allows users to connect with Twitter and Facebook. The service, launched through an alliance with Salesforce.com Inc., aims to provide owners of future Toyota electric and plug-in hybrids with a platform to connect with each other, their dealership, and Toyota itself. Toyota Friend will allow drivers to receive alerts and notifications on their vehicles' performance, and users can extend their communication to public social networks. The service will initially be available in Japan with Toyota's electric vehicles (EV) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHV) set to debut in 2012.

Key Takeaways:

  • Toyota is building a social network for its cars, called "Toyota Friend", to connect owners and enhance customer experience.
  • The service will allow users to connect with their cars, dealership, and Toyota, and receive alerts and notifications on their vehicles' performance.
  • Toyota Friend will be accessible through smartphones, tablet PCs, and other advanced mobile devices.
  • The service will initially be available in Japan with Toyota's electric vehicles (EV) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHV) set to launch in 2012.
  • Toyota plans to advance toward the realization of future mobility by teaming up with global IT companies.
  • The alliance between Toyota and Salesforce.com will also lead to the development of cloud services for Toyota's open platform and creation of new business opportunities.
  • Investments in Toyota Media Service Co. (TMS) have been made by Salesforce.com (223 million yen), Toyota (442 million yen), and Microsoft Corporation (335 million yen).

Statistics:

  • Toyota Friend will be accessible through 500 million active users on Twitter, with over 200 million users estimated to have Twitter accounts.
  • Facebook, one of the most-trafficked sites in the world, has more than 500 million active users, with Toyota Friend users able to connect with them.
  • Toyota's electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles will debut in 2012, with an estimated number of users not specified in the article.
  • Salesforce.com and TMC have invested a total of 600 million yen in Toyota Media Service Co. (TMS), with investments made by the three companies totaling 1,000 million yen.

Sources:

  • [Toyota Motor Corp. Website: NYSE:TM]
  • [The New York Times: Toyota to Build Its Own Social Network for Cars]
  • [Salesforce.com Website: NYSE:CRM]
  • [Toyota News Release: TMC Forms Alliance with Salesforce.com to Launch "Toyota Friend"]
  • [Toyota Media Service Co. (TMS) Press Release: TMC and Salesforce.com to Invest in TMS]