LEAD IN:

Toyota is returning to rally car racing with the debut of a Yaris WRC to compete in next year's World Rally Championship (WRC) series.

The car maker is also teaming up with Microsoft to open the Toyota Research Institute.

STORY-LINE:

Revving back on to the World Rally Championship (WRC) stage, this is the car Toyota is hoping will help race ahead of the competition.

The Yaris WRC will make its debut in the 2017 World Rally Championship as the Toyota Gazoo Racing team.

Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation, made the announcement at the Paris Motor Show.

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I am pleased to introduce Toyota's new WRC Yaris which will debut in next year's WRC series race. It's been 17 long years since we competed in WRC. So I guess you could say we are well rested," he says.

Toyota is collaborating with software giant Microsoft , which is supporting the racing project.

Information gathered from the racing car's performance will be used to enhance other vehicle projects.

The two companies have worked together previously collecting data through the Toyota Connected company.

They will now collaborate and form the Toyota Research Institute.

"We are indeed very happy to have Microsoft on our team in a quest to make ever better cars. With 100 million Toyotas on the road today, to me the true benefit of selling all those cars is that we can study and learn from them in order to one day totally eliminate automobile accidents and fatalities. That is one of our primary goals at the newly formed Toyota Research Institute. Its mission: to reach the next frontier in mobility. Or to put it another way: to boldly go where no car has gone before," says Toyoda.

Toyota also announced that it is working to develop driverless car technology and will be concentrating on two different modes of autonomy: chauffer mode and guardian mode.

Paris, France - 29 September 2016

1. Wide of Toyota presentation with WRC (World Rally Championship) Yaris driving on stage

2. Wide of Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation walking on stage

UPSOUND: (English) Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation:

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I am pleased to introduce Toyota's new WRC Yaris which will debut in next year's WRC series. It's been 17 long years since we competed in WRC. So I guess you could say we are well rested."

3. Wide of Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation on stage

UPSOUND: (English) Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation:

"It's wonderful to be here in Europe, the centre of automotive racing with a heritage and brand I've long admired. A racing fan myself, nothing gives me greater pleasure than test driving one of the vehicles like this new Yaris built right here in France."

4. Wide of Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation on stage

UPSOUND: (English) Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation:

"Microsoft has been an investor in our data analytics company Toyota Connected, making them more than just a software supplier. We are indeed very happy to have Microsoft on our team in a quest to make ever better cars. With 100 million Toyotas on the road today, to me the true benefit of selling all those cars is that we can study and learn from them in order to one day totally eliminate automobile accidents and fatalities. That is one of our primary goals of the newly formed Toyota Research Institute. Its mission: to reach the next frontier in mobility. Or to put it another way: to boldly go where no car has gone before."

5. Wide of Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation on stage

UPSOUND: (English) Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation:

"Though not widely known, Toyota has been working on the development of autonomous cars for many years now. The team will be building on this foundation, developing two kinds of autonomy : chauffer mode and guardian mode.

6. Wide of Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation on stage with Yaris

LEAD IN:

Toyota is returning to rally car racing with the debut of a Yaris WRC to compete in next year's World Rally Championship (WRC) series.

The car maker is also teaming up with Microsoft to open the Toyota Research Institute.

STORY-LINE:

Revving back on to the World Rally Championship (WRC) stage, this is the car Toyota is hoping will help race ahead of the competition.

The Yaris WRC will make its debut in the 2017 World Rally Championship as the Toyota Gazoo Racing team.

Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation, made the announcement at the Paris Motor Show.

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I am pleased to introduce Toyota's new WRC Yaris which will debut in next year's WRC series race. It's been 17 long years since we competed in WRC. So I guess you could say we are well rested," he says.

Toyota is collaborating with software giant Microsoft , which is supporting the racing project.

Information gathered from the racing car's performance will be used to enhance other vehicle projects.

The two companies have worked together previously collecting data through the Toyota Connected company.

They will now collaborate and form the Toyota Research Institute.

"We are indeed very happy to have Microsoft on our team in a quest to make ever better cars. With 100 million Toyotas on the road today, to me the true benefit of selling all those cars is that we can study and learn from them in order to one day totally eliminate automobile accidents and fatalities. That is one of our primary goals at the newly formed Toyota Research Institute. Its mission: to reach the next frontier in mobility. Or to put it another way: to boldly go where no car has gone before," says Toyoda.

Toyota also announced that it is working to develop driverless car technology and will be concentrating on two different modes of autonomy: chauffer mode and guardian mode.

Paris, France - 29 September 2016

1. Wide of Toyota presentation with WRC (World Rally Championship) Yaris driving on stage

2. Wide of Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation walking on stage

UPSOUND: (English) Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation:

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I am pleased to introduce Toyota's new WRC Yaris which will debut in next year's WRC series. It's been 17 long years since we competed in WRC. So I guess you could say we are well rested."

3. Wide of Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation on stage

UPSOUND: (English) Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation:

"It's wonderful to be here in Europe, the centre of automotive racing with a heritage and brand I've long admired. A racing fan myself, nothing gives me greater pleasure than test driving one of the vehicles like this new Yaris built right here in France."

4. Wide of Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation on stage

UPSOUND: (English) Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation:

"Microsoft has been an investor in our data analytics company Toyota Connected, making them more than just a software supplier. We are indeed very happy to have Microsoft on our team in a quest to make ever better cars. With 100 million Toyotas on the road today, to me the true benefit of selling all those cars is that we can study and learn from them in order to one day totally eliminate automobile accidents and fatalities. That is one of our primary goals of the newly formed Toyota Research Institute. Its mission: to reach the next frontier in mobility. Or to put it another way: to boldly go where no car has gone before."

5. Wide of Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation on stage

UPSOUND: (English) Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation:

"Though not widely known, Toyota has been working on the development of autonomous cars for many years now. The team will be building on this foundation, developing two kinds of autonomy : chauffer mode and guardian mode.

6. Wide of Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation on stage with Yaris

US: CES TOYOTA

SOURCE: AP TECHNOLOGY

RESTRICTIONS: TECHNOLOGY CLIENTS ONLY

LENGTH: 3.22

SHOTLIST:

AP Television

Vegas, 5th January 2016

1. Bob Carter, Senior Vice President of Automotive Operations at Toyota, on stage in front of a video presentation

2. SOUNDBITE: Bob Carter, Senior Vice President of Automotive Operations at Toyota:

"Toyota's vision of the future mobility includes two important pathways that we must travel simultaneously. One will eventually provide access to mobility for everyone, no matter what their physical limitations are, via the adoption of fully autonomous technologies, importantly including personal robotics. The other will provide a more immediate reward and as Dr. (Gill) Pratt will describe, is the goal of TRI (Toyota Research Institute) to accelerate machine learning."

3. Pull out from audience members taking photos to presentation on big screen on stage

4. SOUNDBITE: Dr. Gill Pratt, CEO, Toyota Research Institute:

"Number one: We want to enhance the safety of automobiles again with ultimate the goal, as Bob said, of creating a car that is incapable of causing a crash."

5. Audience members taking photos

6. SOUNDBITE: Dr. Gill Pratt, CEO, Toyota Research Institute:

"Number two: We want to increase access to cars to those who cannot otherwise drive this includes people with special needs and seniors. That's the area where we need full autonomy as opposed to driver assist, and stopping accidents from happening."

7. Presentation on car technology on big screen on stage

8. SOUNDBITE: Dr. Gill Pratt, CEO, Toyota Research Institute:

"A team at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) is going to lead a project called 'The Car Can Explain' - a really neat title to get. So this is about teaching machines and AI (artificial technology) systems in particular to tell stories about themselves. Explanatory stories. Autonomous technology strives to be perfect, how do we actually get to that critical point where a car is incapable of causing a crash."

9. Presentation on materials science on big screen on stage

10. SOUNDBITE: Dr. Gill Pratt, CEO, Toyota Research Institute:

"Our interest at Toyota is finding new materials for a number of reasons. Materials that can increase the strength and lower the weight and the cost of cars. It includes materials that can improve the efficiency and lower the cost of fuel sales. Materials for all uses. What we aim to do at TRI in this field is to utilise computation and machine learning to accelerate scientific discovery in this area. To lower the cost and improve the performance of future mobility systems."

11. Toyota Research Institute logo on big screen

12. SOUNDBITE: Gill Pratt, CEO, Toyota Research Institute:

"And this is why Toyota and TRI are working to transform mobility from outdoors to include indoors. In fact, when we think about the love that people have for their cars, home robots may eventually become more even personally prized in the future than cars have been in the past."

13. End of presentation

LEADIN:

Toyota says its vision for the future includes artificial intelligence and robotics.

In automobiles the company aims to create the ultimate car that cannot crash.

But beyond that it is also moving towards producing software, data and robots.

STORYLINE:

Toyota is presenting its vision of the future at CES. Bob Carter, Senior Vice President, Automotive Operations, Toyota explains:

"Toyota's vision of the future mobility includes two important pathways that we must travel simultaneously. One will eventually provide access to mobility for everyone, no matter what their physical limitations are, via the adoption of fully autonomous technologies, importantly including personal robotics. The other will provide a more immediate reward and as Dr. (Gill) Pratt will describe, is the goal of TRI (Toyota Research Institute) to accelerate machine learning."

As part of a USD $1 billion investment, the Toyota Research Institute will open for business this month. Its mandates are to create cars that are incapable of having an accident, create cars that can be driven by the elderly and disabled, research materials that will make cars lighter and more efficient and use artificial intelligence and robotics for both outdoor and indoor mobility technology.

"Number one: We want to enhance the safety of automobiles again with ultimate the goal, as Bob said, of creating a car that is incapable of causing a crash," says Dr. Gill Pratt, CEO of the Toyota Research Institute.

"Number two: We want to increase access to cars to those who cannot otherwise drive this includes people with special needs and seniors. That's the area where we need full autonomy as opposed to driver assist, and stopping accidents from happening," he adds.

Toyota has committed $50 million over the next five years to support collaborative research into artificial intelligence and robotics at Stanford University and MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The programme has funded just under thirty projects that include research into a future vehicle programmed to react to unexpected events such as debris falling off a truck travelling in front of it. The aim is to measure cars for known and unknown risks - creating the ultimate car that cannot crash.

A further project includes teaching machines to tell stories about themselves. The ultimate aim is for an AI car to be able to explain its actions when it does something unexpected in a life or death decision.

"A team at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) is going to lead a project called 'The Car Can Explain' - a really neat title to get. So this is about teaching machines and AI (artificial technology) systems in particular to tell stories about themselves. Explanatory stories. Autonomous technology strives to be perfect, how do we actually get to that critical point where a car is incapable of causing a crash," explains Dr. Pratt.

Toyota is also investing in finding new materials to improve the performance of future automobiles.

"Our interest at Toyota is finding new materials for a number of reasons. Materials that can increase the strength and lower the weight and the cost of cars. It includes materials that can improve the efficiency and lower the cost of fuel sales. Materials for all uses. What we aim to do at TRI in this field is to utilise computation and machine learning to accelerate scientific discovery in this area. To lower the cost and improve the performance of future mobility systems," says Pratt.

Pratt explains that Toyota will no longer be solely a car manufacturer, that it is moving towards software and data including the creation of robots.

"And this is why Toyota and TRI are working to transform mobility from outdoors to include indoors. In fact, when we think about the love that people have for their cars, home robots may eventually become more even personally prized in the future than cars have been in the past," says Pratt.

CES runs until 9 January.

====

Clients are reminded:

(i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: info@aparchive.com.

(ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service

(iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory.

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4081168

LEAD IN:

Toyota has revamped its plug-in hybrid with a longer cruising range and quicker charging.

The new Prius PHV also comes with solar panels and can be charged by plugging into a regular home electricity socket.

STORY-LINE:

This is Toyota's new Prius plug-in hybrid (PHV) which goes on sale in Japan today (Wednesday 15 Feb 2017).

The auto maker is hoping it will sell better than the first model from five years ago that officials acknowledged had flopped.

Sales in the U.S., where it's called Prius Prime, started late last year. It is set to launch in Europe and other countries in March.

Chairman of the Board of Directors at Toyota Motor Corporation, Takeshi Uchiyamada calls the PHV the future of eco cars.

"This is the key and core of the eco car and this is the car which should become the mainstream of the eco car from now on. What comes after the hybrid car? That will be PHV (plug in hybrid). This is Toyota's answer."

A hybrid switches between a gas engine and an electric motor that is powered by that gas engine.

A plug-in hybrid can travel further as a pure electric vehicle, which is zero-emission, but needs recharging when its battery is spent.

The cruising range of the new plug-in as an electric vehicle is 68.2 kilometres (42.4 miles), about five times the earlier model's 26.4 kilometres (16.4 miles).

Deputy Chief Engineer of Toyota Motor Corporation, Shoichi Kaneko says the Prius PHV can also be charged using solar panels on the roof.

"Finally, we converted solar energy to driving energy. We have made the option of a solar energy charging system available which will become a first for the mass production car."

Toyota says the car can drive up to 6.1 kilometres per day on solar power generated power.

The car can be fully charged in two hours and 20 minutes, from a 200-volt outlet and in 14 hours at a 100-volt outlet. At a special charging machine, it reaches an 80 percent charge in just 20 minutes.

Toyota hopes to sell 2,500 PHV cars in Japan a month. It gave no overseas targets. It sold only 22,000 of the earlier PHVs.

The lacklustre sales contrast with Toyota's leadership in hybrid vehicles; it has sold 10 million globally since the first Prius went on sale in 1997.

Nearly half of the vehicles Toyota sells in Japan are hybrid models.

Tokyo – 15 February 2017

1. Close of the new Prius PHV being unveiled

2. Wide of Takeshi Uchiyamada, Chairman of the Board of directors, Toyota Motor Corporation, on the stage

3. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Takeshi Uchiyamada, Chairman of the Board of directors, Toyota Motor Corporation:

"This is the key and core of the eco car and this is the car which should become the mainstream of the eco car from now on. What comes after the hybrid car? That will be PHV (plug in hybrid). This is Toyota's answer."

4. Close of new Prius PHV

5. Wide of Shoichi Kaneko, Deputy Chief Engineer, Toyota Motor Corporation, on stage

6. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Shoichi Kaneko, Deputy Chief Engineer, Toyota Motor Corporation:

"Finally, we converted solar energy to driving energy. We have made the option of a solar energy charging system available which will become a first for the mass production car."

7. Various of solar panel on the roof part of Prius PHV

8. Close of PHV sign

9. Various of plug in part on the side of the car

10. Close of Prius PHV sign

11. Various of Toyota managers and Japanese actresss who will front the TV ad for the Prius PHV

LEAD IN:

Toyota has revamped its plug-in hybrid with a longer cruising range and quicker charging.

The new Prius PHV also comes with solar panels and can be charged by plugging into a regular home electricity socket.

STORY-LINE:

This is Toyota's new Prius plug-in hybrid (PHV) which goes on sale in Japan today (Wednesday 15 Feb 2017).

The auto maker is hoping it will sell better than the first model from five years ago that officials acknowledged had flopped.

Sales in the U.S., where it's called Prius Prime, started late last year. It is set to launch in Europe and other countries in March.

Chairman of the Board of Directors at Toyota Motor Corporation, Takeshi Uchiyamada calls the PHV the future of eco cars.

"This is the key and core of the eco car and this is the car which should become the mainstream of the eco car from now on. What comes after the hybrid car? That will be PHV (plug in hybrid). This is Toyota's answer."

A hybrid switches between a gas engine and an electric motor that is powered by that gas engine.

A plug-in hybrid can travel further as a pure electric vehicle, which is zero-emission, but needs recharging when its battery is spent.

The cruising range of the new plug-in as an electric vehicle is 68.2 kilometres (42.4 miles), about five times the earlier model's 26.4 kilometres (16.4 miles).

Deputy Chief Engineer of Toyota Motor Corporation, Shoichi Kaneko says the Prius PHV can also be charged using solar panels on the roof.

"Finally, we converted solar energy to driving energy. We have made the option of a solar energy charging system available which will become a first for the mass production car."

Toyota says the car can drive up to 6.1 kilometres per day on solar power generated power.

The car can be fully charged in two hours and 20 minutes, from a 200-volt outlet and in 14 hours at a 100-volt outlet. At a special charging machine, it reaches an 80 percent charge in just 20 minutes.

Toyota hopes to sell 2,500 PHV cars in Japan a month. It gave no overseas targets. It sold only 22,000 of the earlier PHVs.

The lacklustre sales contrast with Toyota's leadership in hybrid vehicles; it has sold 10 million globally since the first Prius went on sale in 1997.

Nearly half of the vehicles Toyota sells in Japan are hybrid models.

Tokyo – 15 February 2017

1. Close of the new Prius PHV being unveiled

2. Wide of Takeshi Uchiyamada, Chairman of the Board of directors, Toyota Motor Corporation, on the stage

3. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Takeshi Uchiyamada, Chairman of the Board of directors, Toyota Motor Corporation:

"This is the key and core of the eco car and this is the car which should become the mainstream of the eco car from now on. What comes after the hybrid car? That will be PHV (plug in hybrid). This is Toyota's answer."

4. Close of new Prius PHV

5. Wide of Shoichi Kaneko, Deputy Chief Engineer, Toyota Motor Corporation, on stage

6. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Shoichi Kaneko, Deputy Chief Engineer, Toyota Motor Corporation:

"Finally, we converted solar energy to driving energy. We have made the option of a solar energy charging system available which will become a first for the mass production car."

7. Various of solar panel on the roof part of Prius PHV

8. Close of PHV sign

9. Various of plug in part on the side of the car

10. Close of Prius PHV sign

11. Various of Toyota managers and Japanese actresss who will front the TV ad for the Prius PHV

LEAD IN:

Toyota has revamped its plug-in hybrid with a longer cruising range and quicker charging.

The new Prius PHV also comes with solar panels and can be charged by plugging into a regular home electricity socket.

STORY-LINE:

This is Toyota's new Prius plug-in hybrid (PHV) which goes on sale in Japan today (Wednesday 15 Feb 2017).

The auto maker is hoping it will sell better than the first model from five years ago that officials acknowledged had flopped.

Sales in the U.S., where it's called Prius Prime, started late last year. It is set to launch in Europe and other countries in March.

Chairman of the Board of Directors at Toyota Motor Corporation, Takeshi Uchiyamada calls the PHV the future of eco cars.

"This is the key and core of the eco car and this is the car which should become the mainstream of the eco car from now on. What comes after the hybrid car? That will be PHV (plug in hybrid). This is Toyota's answer."

A hybrid switches between a gas engine and an electric motor that is powered by that gas engine.

A plug-in hybrid can travel further as a pure electric vehicle, which is zero-emission, but needs recharging when its battery is spent.

The cruising range of the new plug-in as an electric vehicle is 68.2 kilometres (42.4 miles), about five times the earlier model's 26.4 kilometres (16.4 miles).

Deputy Chief Engineer of Toyota Motor Corporation, Shoichi Kaneko says the Prius PHV can also be charged using solar panels on the roof.

"Finally, we converted solar energy to driving energy. We have made the option of a solar energy charging system available which will become a first for the mass production car."

Toyota says the car can drive up to 6.1 kilometres per day on solar power generated power.

The car can be fully charged in two hours and 20 minutes, from a 200-volt outlet and in 14 hours at a 100-volt outlet. At a special charging machine, it reaches an 80 percent charge in just 20 minutes.

Toyota hopes to sell 2,500 PHV cars in Japan a month. It gave no overseas targets. It sold only 22,000 of the earlier PHVs.

The lacklustre sales contrast with Toyota's leadership in hybrid vehicles; it has sold 10 million globally since the first Prius went on sale in 1997.

Nearly half of the vehicles Toyota sells in Japan are hybrid models.

Tokyo – 15 February 2017

1. Close of the new Prius PHV being unveiled

2. Wide of Takeshi Uchiyamada, Chairman of the Board of directors, Toyota Motor Corporation, on the stage

3. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Takeshi Uchiyamada, Chairman of the Board of directors, Toyota Motor Corporation:

"This is the key and core of the eco car and this is the car which should become the mainstream of the eco car from now on. What comes after the hybrid car? That will be PHV (plug in hybrid). This is Toyota's answer."

4. Close of new Prius PHV

5. Wide of Shoichi Kaneko, Deputy Chief Engineer, Toyota Motor Corporation, on stage

6. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Shoichi Kaneko, Deputy Chief Engineer, Toyota Motor Corporation:

"Finally, we converted solar energy to driving energy. We have made the option of a solar energy charging system available which will become a first for the mass production car."

7. Various of solar panel on the roof part of Prius PHV

8. Close of PHV sign

9. Various of plug in part on the side of the car

10. Close of Prius PHV sign

11. Various of Toyota managers and Japanese actresss who will front the TV ad for the Prius PHV

LEAD IN

Toyota is the latest car manufacturer to unveil a concept vehicle at CES, designed for fully autonomous driving in a connected world.

The company is highlighting the importance of its new artificial intelligence system nicknamed 'Yui'.

STORY-LINE

Toyota's claiming this concept car puts the focus on the user.

According to the company the Concept-i has been created around the philosphy of 'kinetic warmth' - the theory that mobility technology should be fun as well as warm and welcoming.

Key to this type of technology is advanced artifical intelligence that can anticipate people's needs. The idea is that the AI system - nicknamed 'Yui' - allows the vehicle to build a more human relationship with the driver.

Toyota claim their design means the driver can also concentrate on the road more.

Concept-i, therefore, does not have a central console but instead has coloured lights in the footwells to tell you when the vehicle is being driven manually or automatically. Projectors in the rear deck are designed to alert the driver to blind spots.

Yui is also in the exterior door panels so that the AI system can greet people as they approach the vehicle.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) runs 5-8 January 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. More than 3,800 exhibitors are expected to show their products to over 150,000 visitors.

Las Vegas, 4 January 2017

1. Various of the unveiling of Toyota's Concept-i

UPSOUND: (English) Bob Carter, Vice President Toyota Motor Sales

"Now Yui learns from us, grows with us, builds a relationship that is meaningful and emotional...."

2. Car unveiled by Yui, followed by on stage presentation by Bob Carter, Vice President Toyota Motor Sales.

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Bob Carter, Vice President Toyota Motor Sales

"It's a design philosophy that's guided every element of the Concept-i's creation, beginning with artificial intelligence. Now it follows our belief that the vehicle of the future should not start with just technology. It should start with the experience of the people who use it. So we built the Concept-i from the inside out, focussing on making it immersive, warm and energetic. With a user experience assistance from the Toyota innovation hub in San Francisco the interior is designed to help support that user experience. Now you'll notice lines flow from the centre of the dashboard throughout the vehicle and Yui can travel around them using light, sound and even touch to communicate critical information. There's an amazing 3D heads up display to help keep the driver's eyes, and most importantly their attention, to the road, but information also appears like magic on the dashboard on the walls on the seats wherever you need it whenever you need it. Even the exterior of the vehical is about building a relationship between the car and the world around it, communicating with others on the road while expressing motion and excitement and even a little bit of magic but this is not just a design story. Now for years we at Toyota said we at Toyota said we need to look beyond simple driver vehicle interface and focus on the driver vehicle relationship. Now thanks to Yui the Concept-i is built to enhance that relationship. This is a vehical that grows with you. The more you drive the smarter Yui gets. It learns to anticipate your needs and that intelligence, it's more than about planning your next route. Yui uses sophisticated biometric systems to monitor the driver's intention and emotions."

4 . Toyota's Concept-i on stage

5 . SOUNDBITE: (Englsih) Professor Gill Pratt, Toyota Research Institute

"Toyota is involved in many aspects of making future cars safer and more accessible. Yui and Concept-i is a small part of that work, but it has the potential for becoming more than a helpful friend. It has the potential for becoming the kind of friend that looks out for you and keeps you safe. It has the potential to become a guardian as well as a chauffeur."

6 . Close zoom into Concept-i rotating on stage

LEAD IN

Toyota is the latest car manufacturer to unveil a concept vehicle at CES, designed for fully autonomous driving in a connected world.

The company is highlighting the importance of its new artificial intelligence system nicknamed 'Yui'.

STORY-LINE

Toyota's claiming this concept car puts the focus on the user.

According to the company the Concept-i has been created around the philosphy of 'kinetic warmth' - the theory that mobility technology should be fun as well as warm and welcoming.

Key to this type of technology is advanced artifical intelligence that can anticipate people's needs. The idea is that the AI system - nicknamed 'Yui' - allows the vehicle to build a more human relationship with the driver.

Toyota claim their design means the driver can also concentrate on the road more.

Concept-i, therefore, does not have a central console but instead has coloured lights in the footwells to tell you when the vehicle is being driven manually or automatically. Projectors in the rear deck are designed to alert the driver to blind spots.

Yui is also in the exterior door panels so that the AI system can greet people as they approach the vehicle.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) runs 5-8 January 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. More than 3,800 exhibitors are expected to show their products to over 150,000 visitors.

Las Vegas, 4 January 2017

1. Various of the unveiling of Toyota's Concept-i

UPSOUND: (English) Bob Carter, Vice President Toyota Motor Sales

"Now Yui learns from us, grows with us, builds a relationship that is meaningful and emotional...."

2. Car unveiled by Yui, followed by on stage presentation by Bob Carter, Vice President Toyota Motor Sales.

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Bob Carter, Vice President Toyota Motor Sales

"It's a design philosophy that's guided every element of the Concept-i's creation, beginning with artificial intelligence. Now it follows our belief that the vehicle of the future should not start with just technology. It should start with the experience of the people who use it. So we built the Concept-i from the inside out, focussing on making it immersive, warm and energetic. With a user experience assistance from the Toyota innovation hub in San Francisco the interior is designed to help support that user experience. Now you'll notice lines flow from the centre of the dashboard throughout the vehicle and Yui can travel around them using light, sound and even touch to communicate critical information. There's an amazing 3D heads up display to help keep the driver's eyes, and most importantly their attention, to the road, but information also appears like magic on the dashboard on the walls on the seats wherever you need it whenever you need it. Even the exterior of the vehical is about building a relationship between the car and the world around it, communicating with others on the road while expressing motion and excitement and even a little bit of magic but this is not just a design story. Now for years we at Toyota said we at Toyota said we need to look beyond simple driver vehicle interface and focus on the driver vehicle relationship. Now thanks to Yui the Concept-i is built to enhance that relationship. This is a vehical that grows with you. The more you drive the smarter Yui gets. It learns to anticipate your needs and that intelligence, it's more than about planning your next route. Yui uses sophisticated biometric systems to monitor the driver's intention and emotions."

4 . Toyota's Concept-i on stage

5 . SOUNDBITE: (Englsih) Professor Gill Pratt, Toyota Research Institute

"Toyota is involved in many aspects of making future cars safer and more accessible. Yui and Concept-i is a small part of that work, but it has the potential for becoming more than a helpful friend. It has the potential for becoming the kind of friend that looks out for you and keeps you safe. It has the potential to become a guardian as well as a chauffeur."

6 . Close zoom into Concept-i rotating on stage

Toyota will invest one (b) billion US dollars in a research company to develop artificial intelligence and robotics, underlining the Japanese automaker's determination to lead in futuristic cars that drive themselves and apply the technology to other areas of daily life.

Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation, said in Tokyo on Friday that the company would start operating from January 2016, with 200 employees at a Silicon Valley facility near Stanford University in the United States.

A second facility will be established near Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, also in the US.

The investment, which will be spread over five years, comes on top of the 50 (m) million US dollars Toyota announced earlier for artificial intelligence research at Stanford and MIT.

High-profile robotics expert, Gill Pratt, will head the new organisation which will be called Toyota Research Institute Inc.

Pratt was formerly a programme manager at the US military's Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency.

He joined Toyota as a technical adviser when it set up its artificial intelligence research effort at Stanford and MIT.

Pratt said the company's goals were to support older people in their homes with robotics, make cars free of accidents and use artificial intelligence to allow all people to drive, regardless of ability.

Toyota will invest one (b) billion US dollars in a research company to develop artificial intelligence and robotics, underlining the Japanese automaker's determination to lead in futuristic cars that drive themselves and apply the technology to other areas of daily life.

Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation, said in Tokyo on Friday that the company would start operating from January 2016, with 200 employees at a Silicon Valley facility near Stanford University in the United States.

A second facility will be established near Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, also in the US.

The investment, which will be spread over five years, comes on top of the 50 (m) million US dollars Toyota announced earlier for artificial intelligence research at Stanford and MIT.

High-profile robotics expert, Gill Pratt, will head the new organisation which will be called Toyota Research Institute Inc.

Pratt was formerly a programme manager at the US military's Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency.

He joined Toyota as a technical adviser when it set up its artificial intelligence research effort at Stanford and MIT.

Pratt said the company's goals were to support older people in their homes with robotics, make cars free of accidents and use artificial intelligence to allow all people to drive, regardless of ability.

AP TELEVISION

Tokyo - 6 November 2015

1. President of Toyota Motor Corporation, Akio Toyoda, and Executive Technical Advisor, Gill Pratt, walking towards podium

2. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Akio Toyoda, Toyota Motor Corporation President:

"I believe artificial intelligence technology has the potential to change our future lives and society dramatically. I am working with this technology focused on cars at the moment, but in the future I believe it will become the core of various industries. I believe it has big potential to go further than cars and to create a new industry."

3. Cutaway of journalists

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Gill Pratt, Toyota Executive Technical Advisor:

"Because the problem (referring to rapid aging of population) is more difficult here, I believe that companies in Japan understand this problem very significantly and very well. And so I think that to address this problem, as well as other problems in society - of course, Japan is a wonderful society where there is tremendous bonding between people, the idea we are all responsible for each other and for social good - I thought working with Toyota is actually the best choice."

5. Various of Toyoda and Pratt shaking hands

6. Wide of news conference

LEADIN:

Toyota gave the automotive industry a hydrogen-powered kick at the International CES event in Las Vegas.

The Japanese car manufacturers announced they're set to make available thousands of hydrogen fuel cell patents royalty-free, in a bid to encourage the industry.

Toyota's new sporty-looking hydrogen-powered 'Mirai' is the backdrop for the Japanese auto makers press event at the International CES in Las Vegas.

Bob Carter, who is Senior Vice President of automotive operations at Toyota, explains the mechanics of the vehicle.

"The Toyota Mirai is a mid-sized, four-door sedan - its front wheels are driven by electric motors. The electricity that powers the motors is made on-board, on-demand, as needed by simply combining hydrogen with oxygen, producing zero emissions, other than water vapour."

In the middle of his speech - a moment of drama as the power cut.

"I got you covered," assured Carter, as he connected a wire from the Mirai to re-boot the power in the briefing room and light up a mock-up home on stage.

"This Mirai is capable of supplying enough energy to power your home essentials as well as all of your consumer electronics in an average home for up to a week, in the event of an emergency," explains Carter.

But the high-profile event wasn't about announcing a new vehicle or component, but about giving something away.

In a bid to encourage the hydrogen auto industry to flourish, Carter announced that Toyota is set to invite royalty-free use of approximately 5,680 fuel cell related patents.

That includes critical technologies developed for the new 'Mirai' - which means "the future" in Japanese.

The list includes approximately 1,970 patents related to fuel cell stacks, 290 associated with high-pressure hydrogen tanks, 3,350 related to fuel cell systems' software control and 70 patents related to hydrogen production and supply.

By releasing these patents, Toyota are hoping to encourage the industry to flourish.

"It's obvious that there can be a higher societal value in openly sharing our IP," says Carter.

"By eliminating the traditional corporate boundaries, we can speed the metabolism of everyone's research and development and move into a future of mobility, quicker, more effectively and more economically."

The Toyota executive ended his speech with a quote from former President Abraham Lincoln.

"'The best way to predict the future, is to create it'. And that's what we're doing at Toyota."

Toyota unveiled the 'Mirai' - their first ever hydrogen-powered vehicle - at a press event in Tokyo in November.

The success of the vehicle and other hydrogen cars depends on an infrastructure growing to encourage drivers to buy them.

Other Asian automakers, Honda and Hyundai, are also experimenting with limited sales and leases of fuel cell cars.

Automotive tech is set to be a big talking point at this year's International CES event in Las Vegas.

A variety of self-driving cars and integrated dashboards will demonstrate how seriously the car industry considers putting smart tech into their vehicles.

A record 10 automotive manufacturers are set to exhibit at the event including Toyota, Ford, BMW, Audi and Mercedes.

Automotive exhibits will cover over 165,000 square feet of event space, 17 percent more than last year.

The International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) will run 6-9 January 2015.

The annual technology event is set to showcase over 3,500 exhibitors including big tech companies like Sony, Samsung and LG.

AP Television

Las Vegas, US - 5 January 2015

1. Various of hydrogen-powered Toyota 'Mirai' vehicle

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Bob Carter, Senior Vice President, Toyota Motor Sales, Automotive Operations:

"'The future' is what the 'Mirai' means in Japanese, and it's arriving in October this year in the US. The Toyota Mirai is a mid-sized, four-door sedan - its front wheels are driven by electric motors. The electricity that powers the motors is made on-board, on-demand, as needed by simply combining hydrogen with oxygen, producing zero emissions, other than water vapour. Unlike other electric cars that rely on large batteries for power, this Mirai can be re-fuelled, as the doctor (Michio Kaku) said, in three to five minutes and travels up about 300 miles on a single fill-up. It will start up in the morning at minus 30 degrees Centigrade, below zero, and as many of you have already heard...(power cuts out) Wait just a moment, this happened in rehearsal - I got you covered (connects vehicle to power 'home' on stage). Now, as I was saying, as many of you already know - this Mirai is capable of supplying enough energy to power your home essentials as well as all of your consumer electronics in an average home for up to a week, in the event of an emergency."

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Bob Carter, Senior Vice President, Toyota Motor Sales, Automotive Operations:

"Traditionally, intellectual properties are fiercely guarded, because they have great monetary value. But with programmes like the CSRC (Collaborative Safety Research Centre) Steve and our patent announcements today - it's obvious that there can be a higher societal value in openly sharing our IP. By eliminating the traditional corporate boundaries, we can speed the metabolism of everyone's research and development and move into a future of mobility, quicker, more effectively and more economically. Indeed, I believe that today marks a turning point in automotive history. I'm going to close with a quote that captures the idea from President Abraham Lincoln, who said: 'The best way to predict the future, is to create it'. And that's what we're doing at Toyota."

4. Close of screen reading: "Toyota. #ToyotaMirai"

5. Wide of Carter on stage, UPSOUND: (English) "Please accept my thanks for all of you coming and I hope you enjoy CES tomorrow. Good afternoon"; applause

LEADIN:

Toyota unveils a new hybrid-powered crossover coupe at the Paris Motor Show.

The bold styling is turning heads, with clear inspiration from the SUV sector but with the economy of Toyota's proven hybrid motor.

STORYLINE:

Pulling back the covers on the first new launch of the Paris Motor Show in France.

This is Toyota's latest hybrid-powered, the C-HR Concept.

It has been designed with the European markets in mind, and - if it goes into production - would sit in Toyota's range beneath its RAV4 SUV.

Didier Leroy, Toyota Europe's president and CEO sees the hybrid sector as one of the Japanese car sectors key areas of development, but is not ruling out other forms of alternative-fuel power.

"We do not believe there is only one ultimate technology because in the future the best way of powering a car will really depend on customer use," he says.

Globally, Toyota's hybrid production has now reached seven million units - led by its popular Prius model, with over three million sales worldwide.

Karl Schlicht, executive vice president of Toyota Europe says: "Hybrid equals Toyota and Toyota equals hybrid."

13,000 journalists will visit Mondiale de l'Automobile which runs until October 19 and features over 260 brands from 18 different countries.

Lamborghini, Ferrari and Jaguar are all expected to launch new models in Paris.

AP Television

Paris, France - October 2, 2014

1. Wide of Toyota C-HR concept being unveiled

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Didier Leroy, president and CEO, Toyota Europe

"We do not believe there is only one ultimate technology because in the future the best way of powering a car will really depend on customer use."

3. Wide of Toyota C-HR concept on turnstile

4. Karl Schlicht, executive vice president, Toyota Europe

"Hybrid equals Toyota and Toyota equals hybrid."

5. Cutaway of journalist filming C-HR

6. Wide of Toyota C-HR concept on turnstile

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus008540

VOICE-OVER:

TOYOTA HAS RECALLED SIX AND A HALF MILLION CARS ACROSS THE GLOBE FOR A VARIETY OF PROBLEMS SPANNING NEARLY 30 MODELS, INCLUDING ITS POPULAR COROLLA AND HIGHLANDER MODELS.

IN THE US, ONE POINT EIGHT MILLION CARS ARE AFFECTED. THE MOST SERIOUS ISSUE INVOLVES FAULTY ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS THAT COULD CAUSE AIR BAGS TO DEACTIVATE.

SOUNDBITE (English) Jessica Caldwell, Auto Analyst, Edmunds.com

"I think the fact that there has been no reported deaths or injuries associated with this recall is encouraging. Automakers need to make these recalls and get these cars fixed before that happens."

NEWS OF YET ANOTHER SAFTEY ISSUE IS WORRISOME FOR MANY CAR OWNERS.

SOUNDBITE (English) Alison Largura, Toyota Highlander Owner

"I'm disappointed because I feel like there have been a lot of other car manufacturers that have been shown to be concealing safety defects in their cars."

TOYOTA IS UNDER PRESSURE TO ANNOUNCE RECALLS QUICKLY AFTER A US GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION FOUND IT HID INFORMATION ABOUT PAST DEFECTS.

SOUNDBITE (English) Jessica Caldwell, Auto Analyst, Edmunds.com

"Oh, Toyota has definitely learned their lesson after the 2009 and 2010 recalls. They're definitely being more proactive about any issues that arise."

SOUNDBITE (English) Jason Ressler, Toyota Yaris Owner

"I'm sure Toyota does not want another experience like they had in 2009 and 2010."

THAT RECALL OF MORE THAN 14 MILLION VEHICLES INVOLVED ISSUES OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION IN THE PRIUS MODEL. IT ULTIMATELY COST THE COMPANY MORE THAN $1.2 BILLION IN FINES.

The latest MASSIVE RECALL COMES ON THE HEELS OF ONE AT GENERAL MOTORS THAT AFFECTED MILLIONS OF CARS WITH FAULTY IGNITIONS.

TOYOTA SAID IT IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON REMEDIES FOR THE PROBLEMS. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PARTS FOR FREE WHEN new parts become AVAILABLE.

ROBERT BUMSTEAD, ASSOCIATED PRESS

AP TELEVISION

Chicago, Illinois - April 9, 2014

1. various, Toyota dealership

2. Various, Toyota vehicles

AP TELEVISION

New York - April 9, 2014

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Jessica Caldwell, Auto Analyst, Edmunds.com

4. Various, Toyota vehicles

AP TELEVISION

Chicago, Illinois - April 9, 2014

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Alison Largura, Toyota Highlander Owner

6. Various, Toyota vehicles

AP TELEVISION

New York - April 9, 2014

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Jessica Caldwell, Auto Analyst, Edmunds.com

AP TELEVISION

Chicago, Illinois - April 9, 2014

8. Various, Toyota vehicles

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Jason Ressler, Toyota Yaris Owner

AP TELEVISION

Detroit Michigan - April 2, 2014

10. Wide, General Motors headquarters

AP TELEVISION

Chicago, Illinois - April 9, 2014

11. Various, Toyota vehicles

SHOTLIST:

1. Wide of news conference

2. Mid of Toyota official handing reporters out copies of the companies quarterly earnings

3. Cutaway of cameramen

4. Wide of Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation walking towards podium

5. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation:

"The strong yen that has continued for a long time is finally in the process of being corrected. Going forward, there are prospects of growth in the auto market, with recovery in the United States and growth in the emerging nations. With adversarial winds receding, we hear views that it is time for us to be more aggressive, but in my view, we are just at the starting line on the path to sustainable growth."

6. Wide of Toyoda at podium

7. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation:

"Looking back, in the years since my succession as President in June 2009, we have faced many challenges. For Toyota, this was a period of perseverance but also a period of learning through extraordinary and invaluable experiences, which we could not have gained under normal circumstances."

8. Various of Toyota cars on display in a showroom

STORYLINE:

Toyota's quarterly profit more than doubled to 313.9 billion yen (3.2 billion US dollars) as cost cuts and better sales worked with a weakening yen to add momentum to the car manufacturer's comeback.

Toyota Motor Corporation, which last year reclaimed the title of the world's top-selling car manufacturer, said on Wednesday it expects the strong results to continue in its new business year that ends in March 2014.

It projected a 1.37 trillion yen (13.8 billion US dollar) profit, up from 962 billion yen (9.72 billion US dollar) for the year ended March 2013.

The annual earnings result was better than the average forecast of 912 billion yen (9.2 billion US dollar) in a FactSet survey of analysts and also outdid the company's own forecast for 860 billion yen (8.7 billion US dollar) profit.

Toyota reported a 121 billion yen (1.22 billion dollar) profit for the January-March quarter of the previous year.

"The strong yen that has continued for a long time is finally in the process of being corrected. Going forward, there are prospects of growth in the auto market, with recovery in the United States and growth in the emerging nations," said Toyota President, Akio Toyoda, in Tokyo on Wednesday.

"With adversarial winds receding, we hear views that it is time for us to be more aggressive, but in my view, we are just at the starting line on the path to sustainable growth."

A recent plunge in the yen, brought about by the economic and monetary policies of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who took office late last year, is a boon for Japanese exporters such as Toyota.

The US dollar has gained about 20 per cent against the yen and is now trading at nearly 100 yen.

Toyota has undergone hard times in recent years, starting with the massive recall fiasco which hurt its image in the crucial US market and came on the heels of the financial crisis that also slammed its business.

Then the company's production was devastated by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan.

But the maker of the Prius hybrid and Camry sedan has been gradually recovering.

"In the years since my succession as president in June 2009, we have faced many challenges. For Toyota, this was a period of perseverance but also a period of learning through extraordinary and invaluable experiences," Toyoda told reporters.

Analysts warn that Toyota faces intense competition from a powerful Hyundai of South Korea as well as more established US car manufacturers General Motors Company and Ford Motor Company.

SHOTLIST:

Geneva, Switzerland - 6 March 2013

1. Wide pan of i-Road car driving on display

2. SOUNDBITE: (English), Robert Tickner, head of communications Toyota Europe (partly overlaid with video of the Toyota i-Road presentation)

"This is kind of a kind of fun personal mobility concept, and really it is a concept at this stage. There is also a very serious proposition. It's a zero emissions product which can be used in urban areas to go short distances maybe on a commuting basis or as an integrated mobility solution basis. "

3. SOUNDBITE: (English), Robert Tickner, Head of communications Toyota Europe (partly overlaid with video of the Toyota i-Road presentation)

"The car is only 850 millimetres wide. Plus, it has this very innovative active leaning system which enables it to wind through narrow streets and very tights environments. So it's a very usable concept in an urban environment."

4. SOUNDBITE: (English), Robert Tickner, Head of communications Toyota Europe (partly overlaid with video of the Toyota i-Road presentation)

"This car takes about 3-hours to charge on a standard domestic plug and that gives about 45 kilometres (30 miles) of range."

5. Wide of Toyota i-Road driving slowly towards camera and stopping

6. SOUNDBITE: (English), Robert Tickner, head of communications, Toyota Europe (partly overlaid with video of the Toyota i-Road presentation)

"I think the first thing to notice is that we have a steering wheel so its very much like a regular car rather than the handlebar mechanism you might find in a scooter. Then, down here in the foot well we have two pedals, so a bit like an automatic transmission type of car. So, we have an accelerator and a break. On the left hand side here we have buttons. Again like an automatic transmission. So, we have drive, we have neutral and we have reverse."

7. Toyota i-Road driving past camera

LEADIN

It's not just the super cars which are pleasing the crowds at the Geneva Motor Show, Toyota is showing off what it believes is its smartest car to date.

The i-Road is a fully electric micro-car aimed at urban driving conditions.

STORYLINE:

This is the ultimate "mini me" car.

The i-Road doesn't take passengers and while the Smartcar was small, this Toyota's a micro-car.

It's already one of the most talked about concepts at the Geneva Motor Show, drawing crowds to these hourly presentations.

It doesn't really look like a car.

Rather, it is more of a three-wheeled motorbike with a roof.

But the three-wheeled micro-car has a new leaning system, which allows it to take sharp corners, an electric engine, and all the things you would expect in a modern car such as a stereo and air-condition.

The top speed will be set depending on the country.

In Europe it will most likely be set at 45 kilometres (30 miles) per hour, meaning it can be driven on a small motorbike license rather than a full car license.

The three-wheel car runs on an electric motor which means a full 3 hour charge can take you thirty miles, that's easily a small shopping trip across the city, but it's not so suitable for a trip along the scenic route around the countryside.

But according to Robert Tickner, Head of communications Toyota Europe, the design makes it ideal as a city car.

The car will now be tested on the roads of the French city of Grenoble over the next year.

If the trial is successful Toyota hopes that the car will be available to customers in the next four year's time.

SHOTLIST:

1. Various of Toyota officials handing out news release

2. Wide of news conference starting

3. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota:

"The larger Toyota becomes, the more difficult it becomes to create the mood for each worker to feel he or she plays a direct role in supporting Toyota. The objective of the changes being announced today is to build an organisation where people can take ownership of their work as we enter a new phase of growth in vehicle sales."

4. Wide of news conference

5. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota:

"Management and organisational changes are normally a company's internal affair. However, we decided to make the announcement because we feel this is an enormous change that is being made towards Toyota's sustainable growth and towards the realisation of Toyota's global vision."

6. Wide of news conference

7. Various of Toyota cars on display

STORYLINE:

Toyota on Monday announced sweeping management changes at a news conference in Tokyo.

The company has appointed a former executive at US rival General Motors, Mark Hogan, to be on its board, the first time in the Japanese automaker's 76-year history it is appointing board members from outside the company.

Under the changes announced by President Akio Toyoda,

Toyota has also set up a new division called "No. 1" to oversee North American, European and Japanese markets, and another, "No. 2", for emerging markets.

It also promoted four non-Japanese managers to oversee regional businesses, including James Lentz, an American who already leads Toyota Motor Sales in the US and who will head the North American region.

Announcing the changes at a news conference in Tokyo, Toyota's president, Akio Toyoda, said the company's objective was to " build an organisation where people can take ownership of their work as we enter a new phase of growth in vehicle sales."

The appointment of Hogan, effective April 1, underlines efforts at Toyota Motor Corp. to grow more international, nimble, transparent and responsive to regional markets as it recovers from difficult years, including the massive recall fiasco in the US, to regain its position as the world's top automaker.

Like other conservative Japanese companies, Toyota has been far more insular than its Western counterparts, and had been closed in the past to the idea of board members from outside company ranks.

The changes reflect soul-searching at the company following the massive global recalls over sticky gas pedals, faulty floor mats, problem breaks and other defects that spanned several years from 2009, and affected more than 14 (m) million vehicles - some models being recalled repeatedly.

The recalls tarnished Toyota's reputation for quality and raised questions about its ability to respond to problems that crop up in its rapidly expanding global empire, and to reassure international authorities and customers of its trustworthiness and transparency.

The board appointments require approval from shareholders at a meeting in June.

Toyota was No. 1 in global vehicles sales last year, dethroning General Motors, which had been the top-selling automaker for more than seven decades before losing the title to Toyota in 2008.

But GM retook the sales crown in 2011, when Toyota's production was hurt by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan.

SHOTLIST

Silver Spring, Maryland - 24 February 2011

1. Close of Toyota sign

2. Wide of Toyota dealership showroom

3. Blue Toyota Rav-4 model

4. Close of Toyota logo on car

New York, New York - 24 February 2011

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeff Bartlett, Deputy Editor, Autos Online:

"The latest Toyota recall is actually in two parts, it's affecting Lexus GS Sedans as well as some SUV's from Toyota that includes the 4Runner as well as the Highlander. They've also expanded an older recall from 2009 that affects a variety of models in a variety of years."

Silver Spring, Maryland - 24 February 2011

6. Mid of Toyota 4Runner

7. Close of Toyota logo on car

New York, New York - 24 February 2011

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeff Bartlett, Deputy Editor, Autos Online:

"It is agreed upon that there are mechanical causes, meaning physical causes for unintended acceleration, and those had been addressed in previous recalls things such as sticky pedals or floor mat entrapment. These latest recalls are reaction to another potential physical cause which is addressing the space and potential movement of the pad underneath the carpet on the driver's side."

FILE: Date and Location Unknown

9. Wide exterior of Toyota dealership

10. Cars driving down highway

Silver Spring, Maryland - 24 February 2011

11. Set up shot of Tammy Darvish, Vice President Darcars Automotive Group

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Tammy Darvish, Vice President Darcars Automotive Group:

"I think this will have no effect on sales at all. You know all manufacturers have recalls, not just cars. It could be toys, it could be toasters, it could be blenders, any product that is mass produced is subject to recall. The good news is, is that Toyota like all manufacturers take the matter very seriously because of the safety factor."

13. Mid of Toyota RAV-4

14 Mid of Toyota RAV-4 logo on car

15. Wide of Toyota dealership showroom

STORYLINE

Toyota Motor Corp. recalled 2.17 (m) million vehicles in the United States on Thursday to address accelerator pedals that could become entrapped in floor mats or jammed in driver's side carpeting, prompting federal regulators to close its investigation into the embattled automaker.

The US Transportation Department said it had reviewed more than 400-thousand pages of Toyota documents to determine whether the scope of the company's recalls for pedal entrapment was sufficient.

Toyota has now recalled more than 14 (m) million vehicles globally to fix accelerator pedals and other safety problems since 2009.

The company has received intense scrutiny from the government since August 2009, when four people were killed in a high-speed crash involving a Lexus near San Diego.

US regulators largely cleared the company earlier this month, saying that electronic flaws were not to blame for reports of sudden, unintended acceleration that led to hundreds of complaints.

Transportation officials tied the problems to mechanical defects dealt with in recalls and "pedal misapplication," in which the driver stepped on the accelerator instead of the brakes.

The company has, however, paid the US government a record 48.8 (m) million US dollars in fines for its handling of three recalls.

The world's No. 1 automaker has tried to move beyond the recalls, vowing to heed customer complaints and upgrade its safety technology.

The company has installed on new vehicles brake override systems, which automatically cut the throttle when the brake and accelerator pedals are applied simultaneously, and created engineering teams to examine vehicles that are the subject of consumer complaints.

In its latest safety action, Toyota said more than half of the vehicles under recall were being added to a massive 2009 recall that fixed gas pedals getting trapped in the floor mat.

The Japanese automaker said it would add three models to the 2009 pedal entrapment recall: about 600-thousand 4Runner SUVs from the 2003-2009 model years; 761-thousand RAV4 compact SUVs from the 2006-2010 model years; and 17-thousand Lexus LX 570s from the 2008-2011 model years.

The recall also includes 372-thousand RX 330, RX 350 and RX 400H vehicles from the 2004 through early 2007 model years and 397-thousand 2004-2006 Toyota Highlander SUVs and hybrid versions to replace floor carpet covering and retention clips on the driver's side that could interfere with the accelerator pedal arm.

Toyota also recalled 20-thousand 2006 through early 2007 GS 300 and GS 350 all-wheel drive vehicles to change the shape of a plastic pad embedded in the driver's side floor carpet that could cause pedal interference.

Toyota still faces dozens of lawsuits from owners.

The National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration (NHTSA) has received about 3,000 reports of sudden acceleration incidents involving Toyota vehicles during the past decade, including allegations of 93 deaths.

The NHTSA, however, has only confirmed five of them.

SHOTLIST

AUDIO AS INCOMING

FILE: (date and location unknown)

1. Zoom in of Toyota sign

2. Pan of Toyota showroom

3. Close-up of Toyota emblem

New York City - July 02, 2010 ++AUDIO AS INCOMING++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Jessica Caldwell, Auto Analyst, Edmunds.com

"What they're really feeling is still the pinch of people very weary of their brand. And although we're not seeing sales completely nose dive, they're definitely not as strong as they used to be. And if you look at a lot of their year over year comparisons for both Toyota and Lexus, I mean they're not as strong as a lot of their competitors, especially Lexus. A lot of the luxury brands did really well this past month and Lexus was up only a little over six percent so it definitely shows they're lacking behind."

FILE: (date and location unknown)

5. Toyota vehicles at parking lot

6. Close-up of Toyota emblem

7. Close-up of Toyota sign

STORYLINE

Toyota Motor Corporation said on Friday it intends to recall 138-thousand Lexus vehicles in the United States to fix faulty engines in the latest quality problem to afflict the troubled automaker.

The Japanese automaker said flaws in valve springs, a crucial engine component, could make the vehicle stall while in motion.

Toyota confirmed in a statement it plans to file paperwork with the government on the recall next week.

With this round of recalls, analysts are beginning to question the company's strength.

"They're definitely not as strong as they used to be," said Jessica Caldwell, auto analyst with Edmunds.com.

"If you look at a lot of their year over year comparisons for both Toyota and Lexus, I mean they're not as strong as a lot of their competitors," she added.

The recall affects certain GS, IS and LS vehicles from the 2006-2008 model years powered by 4.6 and 5.0 litre V8 engines and 3.5 litre V6 engines.

No accidents or injuries have been reported.

Vehicles from the 2009 and 2010 model years are not affected.

Toyota had announced in Japan that it would recall 270-thousand Lexus vehicles around the world to address the engine stalling problems.

The global recall affects seven luxury Lexus sedan models as well as the popular Crown sedan, sold primarily in Japan.

Of the 270-thousand recalled cars, some 180-thousand were sold overseas, including the United States, and 90-thousand in Japan.

The company has received about 200 complaints in Japan but no accidents were reported there or abroad, said a Toyota spokesperson.

Some drivers told Toyota that engines made a strange noise.

The automaker was already scrambling to repair its reputation after 8.5 (m) million vehicles were recalled beginning in October

because of problems with sticking accelerator pedals and other issues.

Toyota was slapped with a record 16.4 (m) million US dollar fine in the United States for acting too slowly to recall vehicles with

defects.

Japan's major daily Asahi said Friday the latest recall of 270-thousand vehicles could cost Toyota around 227 (m) million US dollars.

Toyota could not confirm the report, which gave no sources.

Toyota will inform Japan's transport ministry of the recall on Monday.

The company said it would file its recall report in the U.S. next week.

Toyota said owners will be notified of the recall by mail and dealers will repair the engine's valve springs at no charge.

The company said owners can continue to drive their vehicles.

If they notice vibration, unusual engine sounds or rough idling, they should bring the car to a dealer for service.

SHOTLIST

1. Toyota executives walking on stage and bowing

2. Pan from Toyota workers to stage

3. Cutaway of workers listening

4. Toyota President Akio Toyoda approaching platform

5. Cutaway of workers listening

6. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Akio Toyoda, Toyota President:

"We were surrounded by critical TV and other media reports. It was very demoralising, but amidst all this, I received support from the 20 thousand Toyota employees in the US and from amongst the 20 (m) million Toyota customers there. Company leaders and team members accompanied me to the congressional hearings, and in Japan I got support from the employees, showroom staff and their families. You all supported me at a very hard time. After the hearing, when I had a chance to talk with the US Toyota leaders and team members, they were all encouraging me and were determined to fight on. The fact is, being protected and supported by these people, I thought it really is great to be a Toyota person."

7. Pan from stage to applauding audience

STORYLINE:

Toyota''s brand is in crisis but its cars are safe, top executives told thousands of workers at a meeting on Friday aimed at boosting morale amid the automaker''s recall crisis.

Two thousand workers gathered at Toyota''s headquarters in the Japanese city named after the automaker and some 7-thousand more watched

at factories via live video feed.

Suppliers and dealers also attended the event, billed as "an urgent meeting for all Toyota. Toward a New Beginning for Toyota."

The world''s number 1 automaker has recalled 8.5 (m) million vehicles worldwide in the past few months for braking problems, sticking gas pedals and faulty floor mats, damaging its reputation for quality.

The key note speech was given by the company''s president Akio Toyoda.

Dressed in a grey workers jacket, an emotional Toyoda seemed to be fighting back tears at times as he thanked the company''s staff and customers at "a very hard time", especially during the recent US congressional hearing over quality lapses.

"The fact is, being protected and supported by these people, I thought it really is great to be a Toyota person," he said.

Earlier Takeshi Uchiyamada, executive vice president, said the Toyota brand was in "a serious crisis" and acknowledged Toyota must improve its monitoring of consumer complaints and do better at crisis management.

SNTV Features

The Toyota F1 racing team are hopeful of registering their first ever win in the upcoming Formula One season after having failed to lead the way to the chequered flag in the last seven seasons.

Speaking at a media briefing in Tokyo on Friday (March 7th), Toyota expressed their confidence in the new car and the team drivers after a successful practice schedule last month.

Italian Jarno Trulli and German Timo Glock are the main drivers for the Panasonic Toyota Racing team in the upcoming season.

SUGGESTED VOICEOVER:

The Toyota F1 team had high hopes when they first competed in Formula One racing.

After seven seasons, the Japanese team is still looking for their first ever win in a F1 race.

But with just over a week before the latest Formula One season gets underway, the Toyota team is full of confidence and optimism.

The team has signed up F1 veteran Jarno Trulli of Italy and Timo Glock as their main drivers, while local boy Kamui Kobayashi is their reserve driver.

Toyota motor racing president Katsuaki Watanabe gave a morale boosting talk to his team members at a media briefing in Tokyo on Friday.

SOUNDBITE: (Japanese)

"I believe I have been saying every year, but definitely this year, we will put all our efforts in the top race of F1 to present everyone with our first victory and inspiration."

SUPER CAPTION: Katsuaki Watanabe, President of Toyota.

Glock, who was present in Tokyo on Friday, knows that if Toyota are to win their first win on an F1 track they will need more than positive words from their head honcho.

Toyota dropped the high profile Ralf Schumacher for another German, Glock, for the upcoming season.

Glock is making a come back to Formula One after a gap of three years, having made the debut with the now-defunct Jordan team.

Despite the team's record, Glock is optimistic.

The team enjoyed encouraging results in the winter testing in Barcelona, where fellow driver Jarno Trulli set the fastest time of the day during a qualifying run.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"First of all I think that the top time, the quickest time from Jarno was really positive for us, for the team, for everybody in the team. To show everybody that, what we said already that the new car is definitely a step in the right direction, much better than the last year's car."

SUPER CAPTION: Timo Glock, Toyota F1 driver.

Toyota's challenge would be to replicate such performance on a race track in a consistent manner.

With Trulli having won just once in the past and Glock still learning to compete with the big boys, Toyota will have their work cut out for them in the forthcoming season.

SHOTLIST: Tokyo, Japan - March 7th, 2008.

1. 00:00 - Mid-shot of the car and drivers Kamui Kobayashi and Timo Glock, zooming into Timo Glock

2. 00:12 - Wide shot of the car and drivers Kamui Kobayashi and Timo Glock

3. 00:17 - Wide shot of Katsuaki Watanabe, President of Toyota

4. 00:21 - SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Katsuaki Watanabe,

5. 00:42 - Cut away of the photographers

6. 00:49 - Entry of Timo Glock and then zoom in to shaking hands with the executives of Toyota

7. 00:58 - Close up of Toyota Motor Sports banner, zooming out to press conference

8. 01:06 - SOUNDBITE (English) Timo Glock,

9. 01:28 - Wide shot of photo-op of drivers and Toyota executives, zooming in to Katsuaki and Timo Glock.

JAPAN HYBRID CAR

SOURCE: AP TELEVISION NEWS

RESTRICTIONS: TECHNOLOGY CLIENTS ONLY

LENGTH 2:42

SHOTLIST:

Tokyo - July 25, 2007

1. Toyota "Plug-In Hybrid" car driving away

2. Close up of power plug -in

3. Wide pan shot of a man charging electric charger into the feeder

4. Pan shot of the side of car from the sign saying "plug-in hybrid" to the electric charging point

5. Tilt up of the car

6. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Yoshikazu Tanaka, Chief Engineer, Toyota Motor Corporation

"Electric vehicles have some obstacles such as the initial cost, not very convenient charging spots available and the long time to charge the car in order to for them to be realistic at the moment. But, with this (Toyota's plug-in hybrid) technology, it will become easier to have eco vehicle. The users themselves can contribute to protecting the environment by charging their cars by themselves. Users themselves take part in using clean energy. We think this will become a trigger to change the current way we power cars "

7. Pan from ground to car driving through

8. Prius driving through

9. Pan shot from traffic of the conventional cars to gas station

10. Close up of metre

11. Mid shot of fuelling

12. Back shot of sign saying Plug In Hybrid to Prius driving forward

LEAD IN :

Toyota Motor Corp have unveiled a new plug-in hybrid vehicle.

Plug-in hybrids, including Toyota's, generally have batteries that power an electric motor, with an internal combustion engine for use when the batteries run low.

The batteries can be recharged by plugging them into a standard wall outlet.

The plug-ins run longer on electricity, especially for shorter distances, than the more common hybrids on the roads such as Toyota's Prius.

STORYLINE:

The Toyota Plug-in HV is a hybrid car that you can power up at home.

The latest eco-car unveiled by Toyota runs on the same nickel metal hydride battery as the Toyota Prius and has a cruising range of 8 miles (13 kilometres) on electricity, which is further than similar cars on the market like the Prius.

Toyota is the first manufacturer to receive government approval to conduct tests for a plug-in hybrid on Japanese public roads.

Yoshikazu Tanaka, Chief Engineer at Toyota says this car may change the way people fuel their vehicles.

So far mass production of plug-ins is so far being held back by costs and battery technology that limit the vehicles' range.

Manufacturers are racing to bring the technology to market as consumers seek alternatives to traditional engines and high petrol prices.

Although most automakers are working on hybrids, Toyota has the advantage of 10 years of experience in selling the technology, and 10 years of feedback from drivers on which to base improvements, rather than relying on information from labs.

Toyota has placed a large emphasis on hybrid technology:

It offers several hybrid models besides the Prius, including the hybrid Camry and hybrid Lexus models.

It has set a target of selling a million hybrids a year sometime after 2010.

The more common hybrids such as the Prius switch between an electric motor and petrol engine to deliver better mileage.

They don't need to be plugged in to recharge because they recharge the motor as they run, converting energy from the wheels and braking.

Toyota said in June 2007 that its cumulative sales of hybrids passed 1 million vehicles since it began selling the Prius a decade ago.

Details of its plug-in hybrid tests for the U.S. and Europe are still undecided.

General Motors is developing the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid, and says it hopes its plug-ins can reach showrooms

by 2010.

Earlier this month, Ford announced a partnership with Southern California Edison to test rechargeable hybrid vehicles and hasten mass production of plug-in hybrids.

Ford has been testing plug-in hybrids based on the Escape sport-utility vehicle, for one, but has not said when it plans to start mass producing them.

==============

Clients are reminded:

(i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: info@aparchive.com

(ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service

(iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory.