Toyota readying Intellitouch touchpad controllers?

Filed under: Technology, Toyota

"Intellitouch" is the name Toyota will apparently use to refer to a new electronic control scheme it is developing. That's according to Car and Driver, which has spotted the name in a new Toyota trademark application. According to the submission, the name refers to "electronic touch sensitive controllers, sold as an integral part of motor vehicles."

C/D speculates that for Toyota to bother developing a brand name, there must be more to the new gadgets than just touchscreen navigation. In fact, the magazine thinks Toyota is gearing up for Intellitouch to compete with Cadillac's Cue and Ford's MyFordTouch and their capacitive touch switchgear. The control setup could also be similar to the gesture-based touchpad systems already offered by Audi and shortly, by BMW.

Another Toyota trademark filing is for "EBIN," a wireless charging system for personal electronics. While inductive chargers have been around for a while, several automakers are rushing to include them in upcoming models. General Motors recently trademarked the name, "Dockspot" for its version.

Toyota readying Intellitouch touchpad controllers? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jul 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota sales rebound to reclaim spot as world's largest automaker

Filed under: Car Buying, Europe, Japan, Toyota

Toyota has pushed ahead of General Motors and Volkswagen as the world's largest automaker in the first half of 2012.

According to a new Bloomberg report, the 4.9 million units sold by the Japanese automaker in the first six months of 2012 represents an impressive 34-percent jump. Toyota's sales beat out GM by 300,000 units and VW by 520,000.

Still, The General's sales were up 2.9 percent to 4.67 million vehicles sold, while Volkswagen moved 4.45 units, an 8.9 percent increase. While Toyota has enjoyed success in its top markets, North America and Japan, GM and VW have struggled with the economic crisis in Europe.

The Japanese automaker was able to accomplish this even in the wake of the disastrous tsunami in its home market and flooding that occurred in Thailand. According to IHS Automotive market analyst Rebecca Lindland, the strong start may be followed by a downturn in momentum: "they are still restocking dealerships, pulling in consumers who may have waited... but that positive impact will trail off as the year progresses."

Toyota previously took the top spot as the largest global automaker from GM back in 2008 amidst the American financial crisis, but General Motors reclaimed that title in the wake of Japan's natural disasters.

Toyota sales rebound to reclaim spot as world's largest automaker originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jul 2012 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota dumps four-cylinder Sienna for 2013, details other MY changes

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Toyota

The four-cylinder Toyota Sienna is officially a thing of the past. Toyota has opted to ditch the minivan's entry-level 2.7-liter engine, thereby making the 266-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 standard equipment. The move makes some sense, as the entry-level four cylinder didn't really manage better fuel economy - the 187-hp powertrain managed 19 miles per gallon city and 24 highway, whereas the V6 gets 18/25.

Buyers can look forward to a few small changes for the 2013 model year, including easier-to-clean fabrics on LE trim as well as an eight-way power adjustable driver's seat and four-way power passenger throne. LE guise also delivers three-zone climate control with individual control for the driver, passenger and rear seats. Stepping up to Limited trim will net consumers a standard Blind Spot Monitor, though the tech may also be had on SE and XLE versions as an individual option.

Prices have jumped up a bit, starting with the base Sienna at $25,450, or $1,390 more than the 2012 model. Toyota says that on average, prices have increased by around $466 over all trims. The topped-out Sienna all-wheel drive Limited tips the wallet at $41,240 before tacking on any additional options. Check out the press release below.

Continue reading Toyota dumps four-cylinder Sienna for 2013, details other MY changes

Toyota dumps four-cylinder Sienna for 2013, details other MY changes originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cars.com reveals American Made index for 2012

Filed under: Sedan, Truck, Ford, Honda, Toyota

Put on your flag shorts and Liberty Bell hat. Cars.com has released its American-Made Index, proclaiming that four out of the top five American-made vehicles are Japanese brands.

The Toyota Camry, built in Kentucky, was ranked the most American vehicle sold today, with the Michigan-built Ford F-150 coming in as the second-most American vehicle. The Honda Accord, Toyota Sienna and Honda Pilot round out the top five. And yes, all of these models are available in red, white or blue.

Cars.com's criteria for selecting the most American vehicle includes sales volume, percentage of American sourced parts and where the vehicle is assembled. Vehicles must have at least 75 percent domestic parts to even qualify for the list, which kept the F-150 off last year.

However, the accounting system devised by Cars.com was called "flawed" by the American Automotive Policy Council, which represents Detroit's car makers in Washington D.C.

"The truth is: Three of the 16 major automakers doing business in the U.S. - Chrysler, Ford and GM - produce more than half the cars assembled here, use twice as many U.S. parts per vehicle than their competitors, are headquartered in the U.S. and employ two-thirds of America's autoworkers," said former Missouri Governor Matt Blunt, current president of the AAPC.

Nothing like using July 4 for political grandstanding.

Cars.com reveals American Made index for 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Jul 2012 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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