The Company will Work with Microsoft to Advance Analytics, Data Management
Toyota’s presence in Plano continued to grow and gain national prominence after the company announced Monday that it would base its new Toyota Connected Inc. division in the North Texas city and invest $5.5 billion into the project.
The new company will employ roughly 100 people. It will expand Toyota’s capabilities in the fields of data management and data services development, according to a release.
It will serve as a data science hub for the automaker’s global operations, and it will support a variety of consumer-, business- and government-related initiatives.
“Toyota Connected will help free our customers from the tyranny of technology,” said Zack Hicks, chief executive officer of Toyota Connected and chief information officer at Toyota Motor North America. “It will make lives easier and help us to return to our humanity.”
TWO MANDATES FOR THE NEW VENTURE
Toyota said the new company will launch with two mandates:
- Deliver seamless and contextual services, and support product development for customers, dealers, distributors, and partners through cutting-edge data analytics.
- The new company will consolidate initiatives in data center management, data analytics and data-driven services development.
It also builds on an existing relationship with Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) to hasten research and development efforts and to deliver new solutions for connected cars, as well as elevated customer experiences, Toyota said in the release.
Microsoft engineers will work with Toyota Connected in the new Plano facility to provide continuous support across technologies and to leverage a variety of data analytics and mobile programs.
MICROSOFT’S AZURE CLOUD PLATFORM
According to the release, Toyota will adopt Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing platform.
Toyota’s new North American headquarters campus is under construction and it will be home to thousands of workers, many of whom have moved from California, Kentucky and other places.
Microsoft has a large DFW presence, with more than 1,200 people working at its offices in Irving.
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R E A D N E X T
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The North Texas nonprofit will receive a half-million dollars from the Toyota USA Foundation to help increase the number of girls entering into a college-level STEM degree program.
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Toyota Insurance Management Solutions, which parked its new headquarters in Plano earlier this year, now offers customers customizable coverage via Toyota Auto Insurance. Flexible options are available for rideshare drivers or pet passengers.
