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Toyota has announced its establishment
of a primary research laboratory to develop cutting-edge robotics and
artificial intelligence (AI) in Silicon Valley near Stanford University,
California.
Dubbed the Toyota Research
Institute, which is part of a huge $US1 billion(NGN 1,992,300,000 billon) cash
injection to accelerate development of new technologies over the next five
years that it says will not only improve its vehicles, but society as a whole.
Some of the core areas to be studied
for future product deployment include driverless cars, collision prevention and
safety systems and improving vehicle accessibly, especially for seniors.
The Silicon Valley Toyota Research
Institute will be headed up by Dr Gill Pratt (pictured), Toyota's executive
technical adviser, who said: "We also plan to apply our work more broadly,
for example, to improve production efficiency and accelerate scientific discovery
in materials."
To be established in January, the
new research Centre will fast-track the deployment of not only vehicle-related
technology, but also 'big data'. In turn, this will contribute to a
"sustainable future where everyone can experience a safer, freer and
unconstrained life", insists the company.
With a staff of around 200 experts
planned, Toyota will be hoping to poach the cream of Silicon Valley's crop, and
will also have some help from Stanford University and MIT. It has set aside
$US50 million (NGN 99,615,000,000 billion) to deploy and foster research Centres
at leading universities.
The man who gave the green light to
the billion-dollar investment, Toyota president Akio Toyoda, said the new
research facility would lead to improved cars.
"As technology continues to
progress, so does our ability to improve products. At Toyota, we do not pursue
innovation simply because we can; we pursue it because we should".
"It is our responsibility to
make life better for our customers, and society as a whole," said Toyoda.
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