Toyota Connected opens second India office in Chennai

Toyota Connected India, a subsidiary of the Toyota Connected Corporation, has launched a new office in Chennai. 

The new office will work closely with an existing Toyota Connected India facility in Bengaluru, along with six other Toyota Connected offices globally. The firm plans to expand its Chennai team to more than 100 over the next few years. 

A temporary office is currently in operation and the company plans to shift its staff to a new office scheduled to open at Indian Institute of Technology Madras Research Park in early 2020.

The Chennai office will focus on enhancing development capabilities for connected services utilizing technologies such as machine learning (ML)  and artificial intelligence (AI), the company said in a statement.

Toyota Connected, the mobility solutions wing of Japanese automotive giant Toyota Motor Corporation, forms a critical element of automaker’s transition to a mobility company. It uses vehicle data and artificial intelligence to build predictive and contextual automotive solutions.

“Powered by cloud infrastructure and cutting-edge technology for high performance and scalability, these services will enhance convenience and safety for millions of Toyota customers and global affiliates,” said GK Senthil, Chief Technology Officer and Head of the Chennai office for Toyota Connected India.

Takahiko Ando, the CEO of Toyota Connected India said the company was looking to attract top talent for its new office.

“We are also pursuing partnerships with premier Indian educational institutions to mutually leverage R&D expertise in these areas,” added Ando.

The key focus areas for the company will be in-vehicle infotainment, mobility and Toyota’s telematics services platform.    

The Nagoya, Japan-based entity, established in 2000, has undergone significant expansion over the past three years. Some of the prominent new centres include the creation of Toyota Connected North America in Plano, Texas in 2016, and London-based Toyota Connected Europe in 2018. 

Toyota entered the Indian auto market some 20 years ago with a collaboration with Kirloskar Motor. The company recently said it is working with another auto giant Suzuki Motor Corporation to introduce battery electric vehicles (BEV) in the Indan market, according to media reports.