IT & ITS Business, e-Toyota & GAZOO

e-Toyota & GAZOO

The advances in information technology and the spread of telecommunications devices starting in the mid-1990s had profound effects not only on industry, but on the very fabric of society.

The e-TOYOTA business, which begins with "e" for "evolutionary", is as its name implies the vanguard business of Toyota's evolution and a banner for establishing next-generation business models. The e-TOYOTA business was launched in Japan and its activities are currently being expanded overseas as well.

With the goal of integrating vehicles and IT services, the e-TOYOTA business operates internal and external websites per Toyota business and brand, and also 'GAZOO.com', an automobile portal site that provides information on new and used cars and automotive services to meet diverse customer needs and offers a wide range of information to increase contacts with car enthusiasts.

In the telematics field, the e-TOYOTA business provides various services that support safe, secure, and convenient car-related activities for customers such as the G-BOOK information service for onboard terminals and G-Link for Lexus. Toyota is currently developing the telematics service in China and the United States.

Toyota is also introducing 'evolutionary Customer Relationship Building (e-CRB),' a cutting-edge customer relationship management (CRM) system designed to build long-term and trusting relationships with customers, in Thailand, Australia, China, and other countries and is developing the Sales Logistics Integrated Management (SLIM) service that provides integrated management from production to sales.

In this way, Toyota seeks to not simply plan solutions and tools, but to realize unique supply chain management that optimally links all stages of business from production and logistics to sales and after-sales service.

Year
Month
Description
1994
September
Corolla Gifu launches New Car Logistics Improvement Project
1995
January
BR Group for dealer operations established in No. 3 Vehicle Division Management Planning Department
1996
January
Team for C.S. Creation Dept. established in Domestic Planning Division

Members of the Team for CS Creation Dept., Domestic Sales Operations Supporting Div.

September
Used car Visual Information System, UVIS is launched at Toyota Corolla Kagawa

A first-generation UVIS personal computer

1997
October
Gazoo terminal is launched at Netz Toyota Tomakomai Co., Ltd.

A first-generation Gazoo terminal

December
Gazoo launched
 
The first Toyota Sales Logistics (TSL) Independent Study Announcement Committee is held at Toyota Corolla Kagawa
1998
April
Gazoo services expanded nationwide (Toyota Corolla Sapporo and Netz Toyota Tomakomai)
April
GAZOO.com, a membership-based website, launched

An Internet page at that time

1999
December
GAZOO Shopping Mall opens (Toyota's entry into E-commerce)
2000
January
GAZOO Business Division established in JR Central Towers
April
Toyota Tokyo Corolla-Tsutaya Joint Dealership established
GAZOO services for mobile phones launched

Exterior of a Joint Dealership (Tokyo Corolla)

June
'E-TOWER' multimedia kiosks launched

E-TOWER

August
GAZOO.com television commercials aired featuring the song 'Kocchi Oide' by the Japanese pop group 'Ketsumeishi'
October
E-TOWERs installed in convenience stores
October
GAZOO Media Service Corporation established
'GAZOO Lifestyle Pack' launched in collaboration with Toyota Coop
November
GAZOO.com receives 10th Logistics Systems Awards METI Minister's Prize
December
Toyota Pavilion opens at Internet Fair 2001 Japan
2001
January
Operation of official site, Toyota Internet Drive transferred to GAZOO Business Division
September
G-BOOK telematics service concept announced
October
Agreement on joint research of telematics signed with General Motors
November
WiLL CYPHA and G-BOOK displayed at Tokyo Motor Show
December
Toyota receives Prime Minister's Prize at Internet Fair 2001 Japan
2002
January
Name changed to e-TOYOTA Division
August
G-BOOK press conference held at Meiji Kinenkan
October
G-BOOK services on WiLL CYPHA launched

The G-BOOK (2002 model)

2003
February
Alliance formed with Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. for G-BOOK, first collaboration with another company
March
e-CRB kick-off meeting held at FTMS (China)
April
GAZOO Media Service Corporation name changed to Digital Media Service Corporation
April
Toyota establishes joint venture music business with Dentsu Inc. and Sony Corporation and invests in Media Rag Corporation
June
e-CRB kick-off meeting held at TMT (Thailand)
July
Toyota launches and starts deployment of G-BOOK (03G-Book) on all vehicle series (including vehicles produced by Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. series)
September
Alliance formed with Mitsubishi Motors Corporation for G-BOOK
September
Toyota places first in website ranking
2004
February
Alliance formed with Mazda Motor Corporation for G-BOOK
March
e-CRB launched in Thailand
March
G-BOOK prototype displayed at Bangkok International Motor Show
April
DMAP established as subsidiary of Digital Media Service in Thailand
July
e-CRB kick-off meeting held in Australia
September
G-BOOK security and operator services made part of basic services
2005
April
G-BOOK ALPHA launched at Tokyo ANA Hotel
April
BMTS established as subsidiary of Digital Media Service in Beijing, China
April
e-CRB launched in Australia
April
Digital Media Service made a wholly-owned subsidiary
May
e-CRB kick-off meeting held at TMCI (China)
May
BMTS established as subsidiary of Digital Media Service in China
June
Lexus G-Link launched at Tokyo ANA Hotel

G‐Link

August
e-CRB launched at TMCI (China)
2006
June
Introduction of e-CRB at all TMCI dealers in China completed
June
e-CRB services commenced at all GTMC dealers in China
July
Remote Immobilizer for G-BOOK and G-Link developed
November
GAZOO.com redesigned (press conference held in Nagoya)
December
Gazoo mura Project launched
2007
February
GAZOO Racing website launched
March
e-CRB operations commenced at Malaysian model dealer
May
G-BOOK mX and world's first map on demand service launched at Mega Web

The G-BOOK mX concept

August
e-CRB launched at FTMS (China)
October
Introduction of G-BOOK in China announced at ITS World Congress held in Beijing
2008
February
Digital Media Service name changed to Toyota Media Service Corporation
February
Data communications module (DCM) installation as a standard feature on the new Crown begins
March
e-CRB operations commenced at South Korea model dealer
April
Sales Logistics Integrated Management (SLIM) Project commenced in order to reduce defective inventory in all processes, from production and sales to collection
May
'Alphard' and 'Vellfire' press conference and 'Metapolis,' a linked virtual new vehicle introduction event, held
October
Toyota Metapolis grand opening held
December
TMCI (China) establishes G-BOOK mass-production center
2009
January
GAZOO Racing activity policy announced at Tokyo Auto Salon
January
Introduction of telematics services in North America announced at the Consumer Electronics Show and the Detroit Auto Show
March
China TMCI G-BOOK services start (Lexus RX350)
May
Prius launch held at Toyota Metapolis for first time
June
GAC Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. commences full-scale implementation of the SLIM system
August
iQ GRMN launched through GAZOO Racing (limited edition of 100 vehicles)
December
Gazoo mura rolled out to remaining areas of Japan
2010
February
GAZOO.com redesigned
March
GAZOO Racing site updated
August
GAZOO SPORTS site launched
2011
January
New North American Telematics service 'Entune' announced at the Consumer Electronics Show
March
Online road traffic map service for the regions hit by the Great East Japan Earthquake commenced
April
Microsoft and TMC forge a strategic partnership to build a platform for next-generation telematics service
May
Strategic alliance formed with Salesforce.com to build 'Toyota Friend' social network for Toyota customers and their cars
June
Sales of G-Station, a charger for EVs and PHVs which can connect via the Internet with the Toyota Smart Center, announced
September
Entune service commenced in line with the launch of the new Camry in North America
October
Launch of global cloud-platform-based Telematics services in emerging markets announced
November
Development of the H2V Manager, a charging support tool for PHVs and EVs, announced
November
PHV Drive Support (PDS) service for Prius PHVs, which connects the vehicle and owner via the Internet, announced