IT&ITS Business, e-Toyota&GAZOO

IT&ITS Business

At the time of the liberalization of the communications business in the 1980s, Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) entered the communications business with an investment in Teleway Japan Corporation (TWJ), International Digital Communications Planning Inc. (IDC) and IDO Corporation. This growth field attracted considerable attention, however, and as a result of business mergers and consolidation, Toyota came to support KDDI Corporation. In 2001, Toyota established the IT & ITS Sales Division (now the Vehicle-Connected Product Business Division) to develop the information technology (IT) business with a focus on mobile phone sales.

Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) use IT such as state-of-the-art electronics technologies and telecommunications technologies that link people, vehicles, and traffic environments and infrastructure to create new social systems that can achieve environmentally-friendly, safe, efficient, and convenient traffic and social environments. These initiatives are intended to build vehicle transport systems that will help Toyota maintain a leading edge in the automobile industry in the future. In recent years, research and development is being conducted through collaboration by industry, government, and academia under national projects in various countries. As a central leader in this field, Toyota has driven these efforts globally. Toyota is conducting research and development with the aim of establishing commercial applications of ITS, primarily through the ITS Planning Division (now the IT & ITS Planning Division), which was established in 1996.

Year
Month
Toyota Developments
Industry Developments
1984
November
Participates in the establishment of Teleway Japan Corporation (TWJ)
 
1985
April
 
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation privatized
1986
November
Participates in the establishment of International Digital Communications Planning Inc. (IDC)
 
1987
March
Toyota makes core investment in establishment of IDO Corporation
 
1988
March
Toyota invests in NTT Corporation
 
March
Toyota makes core investment in establishment of Infonex Co., Ltd.
 
August
Japan Digital Road Map Association established (Toyota is one of the founders)
 
1989
February
Telecommunications Department established
 
June
Toyota participates in establishment of Himawari Network, Inc. (based in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture)
 
August
Telecommunications Department changes name to Telecommunications Division
 
1990
February
Satellite relay trial conducted during Nationwide Dealers QC Conference
 
1991
January
Toyota participates in Prodigy FS Project, a multimedia and PC communications project (through December)
 
March
Toyota investigates Car User Information Center Project (through December 1992)
 
May
CDCRAFT test marketing conducted (through December 1992)
 
July
Regional Digital Phone corporations established. Toyota makes core investments in Tokyo Digital Phone (July), Kansai Digital Phone (November), and Tokai Digital Phone (March 1992)
 
1992
March
Toyota participates in establishment of Music Bird Co., Ltd.
 
December
Toyota participates in establishment of ZIP-FM Inc.
 
1993
May
Car Multimedia System Study Group formed with Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi, and Mazda (meets through October)
 
October
Toyota invests in NTT Mobile Communications Network Inc. regional subsidiaries (Kansai, Kyushu, Shikoku, Chuo, Chugoku, Tokai, Tohoku, Hokkaido, and Hokuriku)
 
1994
January
Vehicle, Road and Traffic Intelligence Society (VERTIS) established (name changed to ITS Japan in 2004)
 
March
Toyota participates in establishment of Digital Tu-ka Group Corporations regional subsidiaries (Kyushu (March), Chugoku (October), Tohoku (April 1995), Hokkaido (July 1995), Hokuriku (September 1995), Kansai (October 1995), and Shikoku (October 1995))
 
April
Toyota conducts enterprise resource planning (ERP) package assessment and testing in Singapore
 
September
Toyota makes core investment in establishment of Astel Tokyo Corporation (September) and Astel Chubu Corporation (October)
First ITS World Congress held in Paris
 
Intelligent Multimode Transit System (IMTS) development concept launched
 
1995
January
Product & Marketing Planning Department and Business Promotion Department established in Telecommunications Division
 
April
Toyota begins serving as general agency for Tereway Japan Corporation
 
July
Toyota participates in Japanese electronic toll collection (ETC) public-private sector R&D and trials
Vehicle Information and Communication System (VICS) Center established
July
ITS Planning Group established in Management Planning Division (now the Corporate Planning Division)
 
August
Toyota invests in establishment of Toyohashi Cable Network Inc.
 
October
Toyota begins serving as general agency for Kansai Digital Phone
2nd ITS World Congress held in Yokohama
October
Toyota establishes a website on the Internet
 
November
Automated driving public testing conducted in Tsukuba
 
1996
January
Teleway Service Co., Ltd. established
 
March
ITS Planning Group changes name to ITS Planning Division
 
April
Toyota investigates using communications satellites for broadcasting video data to dealers (through November)
VICS services launched
April
 
Universal Traffic Management Society of Japan (UMTS) established
May
Toyota begins selling VICS receivers
 
June
Information Business Medium-Term Plan Step I adopted
 
September
Toyota invests in Zenrin Co., Ltd.
3rd ITS World Congress held in Orlando
Septembe
Toyota invests in establishment of Chita Medias Network Inc.
First ITS Asia-Pacific Forum held in Japan
September
 
Advanced Cruise-Assist Highway System Research Association (AHSRA) established
October
Toyota invests in Mikawawan Network Co., Ltd.
 
October
Toyota participates in IC Card System General Research Institute
 
 
Toyota conducts Nagano Olympics traffic simulations
 
1997
March
Toyota participates in establishment of Internet Initiative Japan Inc. (IIJ)
 
July
Western base for U.S.-related telecommunications established in San Jose
 
August
 
2nd ITS Asia-Pacific Forum held in Australia
September
 
4th ITS World Congress held in Berlin
October
First edition of 'Toyota's ITS Initiatives' pamphlet released (updated and released annually since then)
 
November
MONET Service launched
 
1998
February
Toyota provides Nagano Olympics official cars and ITS onboard devices
 
February
Toyota participates in establishment of Japan Digital Contents Trust, Inc.
 
April
Videoconference system tests for Tokyo Corolla dealers conducted (through December)
 
May
Sales of Toyota Intelligent Mobility Enhancement for taxi (TIME-t) started
 
May
Toyota invests in establishment of Mobile Broadcasting Corporation
 
June
Sales of Toyota Intelligent Mobility Enhancement for delivery (TIME-d) commenced
 
June
Telecommunications Business & Research Division name changed to IT & Telecom Business Division
 
June
Eastern base for U.S.-related telecommunications opened in New York
 
July
Toyota participates in establishment of Oribe Network Co., Ltd. (based in Tajimi City, Gifu Prefecture)
IDO and the CELLULAR Group launch cdmaOne service
July
Toyota Mapmaster Incorporated established
 
July
Toyota begins serving as general agency for IDO
 
October
Dealer Information Business Conference held
5th ITS World Congress held in Seoul
December
 
Teleway Japan and Kokusai Denshin Denwa Co., Ltd. merge and change name to KDD Corporation
1999
January
Business Planning & Administration Department, Telecommunications Business & Research Division name changed to Business Planning & Administration Department
 
April
Toyota begins serving as general agency for Cellular Corporation
 
May
 
Eight regional NTT DoCoMo subsidiaries established
May
 
Trials of Toyota Crayon EV commuter system begin in vicinity of head office in Toyota City
June
Toyota begins serving as general agency for MONET
 
July
Use of electric vehicle Crayon commenced within Toyota
Third ITS Asia-Pacific Forum held in Malaysia
August
IMTS trials started at Higashi-Fuji Technical Center
 
September
Japan Mayday Service Co., Ltd. (commonly known as HELPNET) established
ORSE established
September
First order for ETC installation on Tomei Expressway received from Japan Highway Public Corporation
 
October
 
Digital Tu-ka changes its name to J-Phone
November
 
6th ITS World Congress held in Toronto
December
Sales of Toyota Intelligent Mobility Enhancement for welfare (TIME-w) commenced
 
 
Traffic flow simulation business launched
 
2000
January
BR-Global Strategic IT Department established
 
April
 
ETC trials begin in Chiba
July
 
4th ITS Asia-Pacific Forum held in Beijing
July
 
IDO and Cellular launch 'au' integrated brand
September
HELPNET services launched
 
September
Information Business Medium-Term Plan Step II (2001?2003) adopted
 
September
@NAVI.COM services launched
 
Octobe
Sales of Toyota Intelligent Mobility Enhancement for bus (TIME-b) commenced
Daini Denden Inc. (DDI), KDD, and IDO merge to form DDI Corporation
November
 
7th ITS World Congress held in Torino
November
 
Seven cellular corporations merge and change name to au
December
Toyota participates in Kyoto Public Car System Project
 
2001
January
Transport Business Department established in Intelligent Transport Systems Planning Division
 
January
Sales Planning Department, IT & Telecom Business Division reorganized as IT & ITS Sales Division
 
January
Toyota InfoTechnology Center Co., Ltd. established
 
January
bitWallet, Inc. established
 
March
Sales of onboard ETC devices begin
General use of ETC begins in Chiba, Tokyo, and Okinawa
March
Construction of ETC roadside system completed at 81 tollbooths
 
March
Toyota participates in Internet ITS Project sponsored by Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) (through March 2002)
 
April
Toyota InfoTechnology Center, U.S.A., Inc. established in the U.S.
DDI changes name to KDDI Corporation
May
Toyota conducts M200 (MYLINE) campaign
DION ADSL service launched
June
 
Various telecommunications carriers launch MYLINE services
September
 
ITS Japan established
October
IMTS trials started in Awaji Farm Park
8th ITS World Congress held in Sydney
 
MONET@NAVI services launched
au acquired by KDDI
2002
January
BR-ITS Department established
 
April
MONET shifted to GAZOO Media Service
au launches CDMA2000 1x third-generation mobile phone service
June
TIME@NAVI sales begin
 
June
HELPNET mobile phone service launched
 
July
 
5th ITS Asia-Pacific Forum held in Seoul
October
G-BOOK services launched
9th ITS World Congress held in Chicago
October
ETC maintenance in Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe region transferred to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
 
October
Internet ITS Consortium established
 
2003
January
IT & Telecom Business Division name changed to Network Business Division
 
January
BR-ITS World Congress Promotion Group established in Intelligent Transport Systems Planning Division
 
February
Installation of Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) parking garage system commenced
 
April
 
KDDI launches IP telephony services
June
 
Cumulative ETC installations exceed 1 million nationwide
October
 
6th ITS Asia-Pacific Forum held in Taiwan
November
 
10th ITS World Congress held in Madrid
November
 
KDDI launches CDMA1X WIN service
December
Communications and ITS Medium-Term Plan Step III adopted (2004?2006)
Expert Panel on Evaluation established
2004
January
BR-ITS World Congress Promotion Group expanded to BR-ITS World Congress Promotion Department
 
January
Intelligent Transport Systems Planning Division and Network Business Division reorganized into the IT & ITS Planning Division
 
January
DSRC Forum Japan established
 
February
TIME-b business terminated
KDDI launches Metal Plus service
April
Part of au basic incentives revised
 
June
 
Sales of mobile phones with auBluetooth communications function start
July
ETC installations exceed a cumulative total of one million units
 
August
TIME-t sales terminated
 
October
Toyota participates in Traffic Demand Management (TDM) pilot program in Toyota City
11th ITS World Congress held in Nagoya
October
 
Mobile Broadcasting Corporation begins broadcasts
November
Toyota announces direction for dealer classifications at Autumn Block Conferences
 
December
Toyota decides to withdraw from TIME@NAVI business
 
2005
January
Toyota decides to withdraw from ETC roadside business
 
January
Toyota revises communications service agency agreements
 
February
Toyota participates in METI's COSE Project (through March 2007)
 
March
Toyota installs IMTS at EXPO 2005 Aichi Japan
 
April
G-BOOK ALPHA services launched
Next-Generation Electronic Commerce Promotion Council of Japan (ECOM) established
April
Toyota implements grouping based on dealer's initiative plans
 
June
 
au mobile phone subscribers nationwide exceed 20 million
August
 
7th ITS Asia-Pacific Forum held in New Delhi
September
Activity Case Study Model Dealer Conference held (Tetsuryu Conference launched)
 
October
 
Japan Highway Public Corporation split up and privatized
November
 
12th ITS World Congress held in San Francisco
December
Outstanding Dealer Brain Conference held
 
2006
January
IT & ITS Sales Division (Planning Department, Sales Promotion Department and Field Operation Department) reorganized
 
January
Priority trial dealer activities commenced
 
June
TIME-w business terminated
 
July
ETC Technology Group established in IT & ITS Planning Division
Eighth ITS Asia-Pacific Forum held in Hong Kong
August
TiMO, Toyota's first exclusive mobile phone, launched
First Evaluation Expert Investigation Committee meeting held
August
MNP kick-off meeting held
 
October
Toyota conducts MNP Special Contest
13th ITS World Congress held in London
October
 
Mobile number portability (MNP) starts
November
Sales of mobile phones exclusively for Lexus owners initiated
First Japan ITS Promotion Forum held
December
Public-road tests of vehicle-infrastructure cooperative systems conducted in Aichi Prefecture under a Driving Safety Support Systems (DSSS) verification program
 
December
ETC installations exceed a cumulative total of four million units
 
2007
February
Toyota announces development of Map on Demand service
 
March
TIME-d business terminated and alternative version developed and introduced
 
April
Toyota proposes Yume no Machizukuri (Urban Development of Dreams) to Toyota City
 
April
Toyota conducts MNP Special Contest Part II
 
May
G-BOOK mX service launched
 
May
Demonstrations of next-generation and future vehicle-infrastructure cooperative systems conducted
 
June
 
Council for Science and Technology Policy launches Giving Back to Society Acceleration Project
September
Withdrawal from TIME@NAVI completed
 
October
 
14th ITS World Congress held in Beijing
November
 
Status of development of vehicle-infrastructure cooperative Driving Safety Support System (DSSS) announced (Higashi-Fuji Technical Center)
2008
February
 
Navigation-brake assist developed
March
Verification testing of vehicle-infrastructure cooperative systems on public roads conducted in Toyota City
Satellite Positioning Information Center liquidated
March
Toyota receives letter of appreciation from au for reaching 1.5 million au connections milestone
 
March
IT & ITS Group achieves profitability on full cost basis
 
March
ETC roadside business terminated
 
June
Service for TiMO, Toyota's first exclusive mobile phone, launched
 
June
Toyota conducts demonstration trials for mobile phone and G-BOOK navigation system collaborative function (through August)
 
July
 
Ninth ITS Asia-Pacific Forum held in Singapore
July
 
Community Network Center Inc. (CNCI), a local cable television business holding company, established
October
Verification testing of vehicle-infrastructure cooperative systems on public roads commenced in Tokyo
 
 
 
15th ITS World Congress held in New York
2009
January
Multimedia Planning Department e-Toyota Division reorganized and BR Multimedia Planning Department established
Toyota City becomes an environmental model city
February
Public demonstrations of large-scale verification testing of vehicle-infrastructure cooperative systems conducted in Odaiba, Tokyo
 
March
 
KDDI and other carriers launch platform for transferring mobile phone search positioning data to car navigation systems
April
Vehicle-infrastructure cooperative systems Aichi Prefecture trials conducted in Toyota City
 
May
Toyota introduces a zone system at the head office area's parking lots
 
July
 
10th Asia-Pacific Regional ITS Forum held in Bangkok
September
 
Dedicated Short-range Radio Communications (DSRC) infrastructure installed on highways in Tokyo Metropolitan region and services launched
September
 
16th ITS World Congress held in Stockholm
October
BR Multimedia Planning Department (previously not belonging to any group) transferred to the IT & ITS Group
 
October
DSRC unit linked to navigation system made available on the Lexus LS as an option
 
2010
January
Connected Vehicle Product Planning Department established under the BR Multimedia Planning Department
 
January
BR 2020 & BR Next-Generation Mobility Planning Promotion Group established in Corporate Planning Division
 
February
 
ETC installations exceed cumulative total of three million units nationwide
May
 
Toyota forms alliance with U.S.-based Tesla Motors to develop electric vehicle
July
 
Rentals of Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicles (PHVs) commenced in Goto City, Nagasaki Prefecture
August
Toyota City Low-Carbon Society Verification Promotion Council launched
 
September
Toyota InfoTechnology Center R&D workshop held at Suppliers Center
 
September
Smart grid trials started at Rokkasho Village in Aomori Prefecture
 
October
 
17th ITS World Congress held in Busan
October
 
ITS World Congress Tokyo 2013 Organizing Committee established
October
 
HELPNET membership exceeds 400,000