All new Toyota and Lexus models sold in South Africa from September 2019 will now feature in-car Wi-Fi and a host of connectivity features. Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) is the only organisation in the world to offer these features in one package across its model range.
The new venture was announced at a press conference in Sandton on Thursday, August 29. The device, jointly designed and developed by Toyota and Altron subsidiary, Netstar, is called Toyota Connect and runs through the My Toyota app.
It comes equipped with 15GB of data provided by Vodacom Business as well as a number of connectivity features such as roadside assistance, monitoring of battery health and vehicle services, and a digital logbook.
“Once a customer has opted in, the data aggregated from the telematics module will provide insights to Toyota, their dealer network, customers, fleet owners and third-party service providers such as the Automobile Association (AA), providing accident and breakdown assistance,” says Altron Group Chief Executive, Mteto Nyati.
President and CEO of TSAM, Andrew Kirby, promises more imminent features such as licence renewal, expanding benefits for fleet and small business owners, and car rental support.
“As Toyota transitions from being an automotive to a mobility-solutions organisation, it becomes imperative to collaborate with companies whose visions align with ours. The importance of telematics and telecommunications in tomorrow’s vehicles cannot be overstated – hence our partnership with global technology group Altron (through Netstar) and telecoms giant Vodacom in this project. Consumers are increasingly becoming aware of how connected technologies can enhance their lives and our task as a forward-thinking organisation is to evolve in tandem with market expectations,” says Kirby.
Picture: Toyota
