Toyota and Lexus sold 309,766 battery electric vehicles globally in the first nine months of 2026, more than double the year-earlier figure, even as overall global sales fell 3.4% to 7.51 million vehicles. The company said China sales plunged nearly 20% over the same period, its eighth straight month of decline, with Toyota attributing weak demand there partly to rising gasoline prices hurting gas and hybrid vehicle sales.
tech.slashdot.org
· 2026-11-01
Toyota and Waymo announced plans to begin testing a fleet of autonomous Toyota bZ4X electric vehicles in Japan in 2027, building on a preliminary partnership the companies struck in April 2025. Toyota will manufacture and equip the bZ4X with Waymo's self-driving hardware at its Takaoka plant in Aichi Prefecture, and the companies plan to later expand testing to the UK and other right-hand drive markets.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-30
Waymo announced that its next robotaxi will be a purpose-built Toyota bZ4X, assembled entirely at Toyota's Takaoka plant in Japan with Waymo's self-driving sensors and computers installed during manufacturing rather than added afterward. Testing and validation will begin in Japan next year, with the vehicles later rolling out to the UK and other international markets.
theverge.com
· 2026-10-30
Waymo and Toyota announced a partnership under which Toyota will manufacture 2027 bZ4X electric vehicles fitted with Waymo's self-driving system at its Takaoka plant in Japan. Testing will begin in Japan next year, with plans to extend the right-hand-drive vehicles to the U.K., where Waymo has been testing Jaguar I-Pace vehicles in London ahead of a planned robotaxi launch.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-30
Subaru confirmed to Auto Motor und Sport that it will phase out gas-powered models in Europe, starting with the Outback by year-end, followed by the Impreza, Crosstrek and Forester in 2027. By 2028, its European lineup will consist solely of three EVs—the Solterra, E-Outback and Uncharted—developed jointly with Toyota. Subaru also said it is now developing its own EV technology, including batteries and motors, separately from Toyota for future models.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-21
Cox Automotive's new report shows electric vehicles captured 6.1% of the US auto market, their best share since the third quarter of 2025, marking three consecutive quarters of growth after sales fell when federal tax credits expired last year. Toyota, Rivian and Subaru led gains, with Toyota bZ and Lexus RZ sales roughly doubling after refreshed models added Tesla-style charging ports, bigger batteries and faster charging. Tesla's sales fell 20% year-over-year but it still sold more than half of all EVs in the quarter.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-14
CarGurus data shows some used 2026 Toyota RAV4s listing for $3,000 to $6,000 more than new dealership prices, as Toyota's shift to an all-hybrid lineup has left supply unable to meet demand. Hybrid sales broadly are surging, with Toyota reporting a 29 percent jump and Kia's more than doubling in the third quarter of 2026, while Cox Automotive data shows nearly one in six new US cars sold is now a hybrid.
wired.com
· 2026-10-09
Researchers at Axiom used a language-based AI model, GPT-6 Astra, to autonomously navigate a 2024 Toyota Corolla to a drive-thru for lunch. The AI, normally designed for text and code generation, controlled the vehicle with real-time data from cameras and the steering system, under supervision of a safety driver. This experiment demonstrated that large language models might develop a basic understanding of physical environments, raising questions about their potential in real-world applications.
wired.com
· 2026-10-07
Flai has expanded its AI-driven customer relationship management platform, now handling over 50,000 appointments each month for more than 10 major U.S. dealer groups. The software automates customer engagement, outbound campaigns, and appointment scheduling across sales and service, resulting in a twentyfold revenue increase within a year. The company recently raised $27 million in Series A funding, supported by investors including Toyota’s venture arm and Y Combinator.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-06
Retail standards body GS1 is phasing out the decades-old UPC barcode system in favor of two-dimensional codes, similar to QR codes, that can hold far more data than today's barcodes. The transition traces back to Masahiro Hara's 1994 invention of the QR code at Denso, which Denso chose not to patent-enforce, allowing free global adoption. GS1's 'Sunrise 2027' initiative aims to have retailers equipped to scan the new codes within the next few years.
thehustle.co
· 2026-10-02
A group of tech workers connected OpenAI's ChatGPT to the controls of a Toyota Corolla, letting the AI attempt driving maneuvers like turns in a real-world test. According to 404 Media, one participant named Mahns said the system could fail a turn on one attempt and then succeed on a similar or different turn shortly after, without being explicitly trained for it.
tech.slashdot.org
· 2026-09-30
Three computer scientists connected leading AI language models to a Toyota Corolla's steering, throttle and brakes using a comma four device and GPS telemetry, then had each model attempt a short parking-lot driving course with no human input beyond a foot hovering over the brake. Only OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra completed the full course, doing so on its second try in about five minutes over a distance of under 500 feet, while most other attempts failed to get past the first corner.
futurism.com
· 2026-09-27
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