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.

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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

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.

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

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HEADLINE: Toyota seeks damage control, in public and private

CAPTION: In public, Toyota is running apologetic TV ads and vowing to win back customers'' trust. Behind the scenes, the besieged carmaker is trying to learn all it can about congressional investigations, maybe even steer them if it can. (Feb. 9)

[Notes:ANCHOR VOICE]

NB. THIS IS A VOICEOVER TRANSCRIPT, NOT A FULL SHOT LIST.

(Springfield, New Jersey)

"You just feel this jerk, this whoop! Type feeling."

That''s 2010 Prius Owner Scott Kivowitz describing the problem with his brakes.

"My first time experiencing it, it did scare me."

He''s anxious to get word from Toyota on when he can take his car

in for the recall fix.

(Scott Kivowitz, 2010 Prius Owner)

"The way I''m experiencing it is when I go over potholes and I have to hit the break pretty hard, it sort of gives a bit for a split second, and you feel this jump of acceleration and then the brakes kick in right away."

The automaker is recalling 437 thousand of the new Prius cars and other hybrids to fix the brakes.

The company''s president of American sales apologized on the company''s website.

BUG: Toyota.com

(Jim Lentz, Toyota President)

"I want to sincerely apologize to Toyota owners. I know that our recalls have caused many of you concern and for that I am truly sorry."

Toyota says recalled Prius owners will be notified by mail in the next few days of when and where they can bring their cars in to be

fixed.

(Ted Shaffrey, The Associated Press)

"Until very recently, Toyota had a fantastic reputation. The magazine Consumer Reports for the last six years has rated

the 2010 Prius one of their Top Picks among all new cars. It was rated on road tests, reliability and safety."

(Miami)

Many Toyota Dealers, like this one in Miami, say all the recalls are having a devastating effect on sales.

(Frank Marsala, Kendall Toyota)

"The biggest factor is the loss of sales, you know we have a fixed overhead here we have a lot of people on the payroll we have

advertising and process so, to cut your sales in half for 30 days is painful, but in the long run it will be a good thing for Toyota and Toyota dealers."

Trying to get ahead of the bad publicity, Toyota has been running TV commercials apologizing for their automobile''s problems.

NATS: "in recent days our company has not been living up to the standards you expect from us."

The commercial promises consumers it has stopped production of new cars until all problems are fixed.

Ted Shaffrey, The Associated Press, Springfield, New Jersey

SHOTLIST:

1. Wide then zoom in of "Robina" the robot, moving in zigzag motion on a stage

2. Close of Robina's body zooming out to a mid

3. Mid then zoom in of Robina taking a pen

4. Mid of Robina taking a notebook then writing its autograph

5. Close of Robina signing its name

6. Zoom in of Robina showing her autograph that it had just written on notebook

7. Cutaway of photographers

8. Wide of the "Violin Robot"

9. Close of violin robot showing the robot playing the violin, pan right, zoom out

10. A man riding the "Mobiro", a mobility robot, and greeting a woman who joins him on another Mobiro robot

11. Tilt up of man riding Mobiro

12. Close then tilt up of the man on Mobiro

13. Wide of two people on Mobiro waving their hands

14. Wide of press conference with Katsuaki Watanabe, President of Toyota Motor Corporation, standing at podium

15. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Katsuaki Watanabe, President of Toyota Motor Corporation:

"We have created robots in the past years, and our idea has been to establish a better relationship between robots and people. Robots should help and support human activities. I wish to see a huge development in robots for people and society so we hope to put that into real use soon."

16. Violin robot waving

STORYLINE:

Toyota unveiled three of its "partner robots" on Thursday, a showcase for their newest robotic technology.

'Robina', a legless robot-on-wheels, has since earlier this year been working as a guide in the showroom at Toyota's headquarters.

Her feminine voice introduces herself, talks about the company, and is extremely knowledgeable on Toyota cars.

In Thursday's demonstration, Robina interacted smoothly with a human, including carrying on a simple dialogue.

It also showed how it could sign its name in script, holding a fat felt-tip pen with its three fingers.

The second robot featured was "Violin Robot", which played Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance".

Compared to a human professional, its rendition was a trifle stilted and, well, robotic, though accurate.

The 152-centimetre (five-foot) tall all-white robot, used its mechanical fingers to push the strings correctly and bowed with its other arm, coordinating the movements well.

Katsuaki Watanabe, President of Toyota Motor Corporation, said robotics would become a core business for the company.

Toyota will test out its robots at hospitals, Toyota-related facilities and other places starting next year, he said. And the company hopes to put what it calls "partner robots" into use by 2010, he said.

Watanabe and other Toyota officials said robotics was a natural extension of the car maker's use of robots in manufacturing, as well the development of technology for autos related to artificial intelligence, such as sensors and pre-crash safety systems.

"We have created robots in the past years, and our idea has been to establish a better relationship between robots and people." Said Watanabe. " Robots should help and support human activities. I wish to see a vast development in robots for people and society so we hope to put that into real use soon."

Toyota Motor Corporation has already shown robots that roll around to work as guides and have fingers dexterous enough play the trumpet.

Watanabe presented a picture of the future, in which wheelchair-like "mobility robots," which Toyota also showed on Thursday, would offer "bed-to-bed" services to people, including the elderly and the sick, just like cars take people "door-to-door."

At the demonstration, two people showed up riding on the mobility robots and scooted around, waving to each other, on the moving two-wheeled chairs.

The Japanese automaker, which makes the Prius hybrid, the best-selling Camry sedan and Lexus luxury model, has been a latecomer in robots compared to its domestic rival Honda Motor Company.

Toyota said it was working with universities and its group companies to speed up robotics development, but ruled out a collaboration with Honda for the time being.

Other major Japanese companies, including Hitachi Limited, Fujitsu Limited and NEC Corporation, have developed robots.

Keyword wacky

SHOTLIST:

Tokyo, Japan - 9 May 2007

1. Wide of Katsuaki Watanabe, President of Toyota, walking into news conference

2. Cutaway of media

3. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Katsuaki Watanabe, President of Toyota:

"Rather than think about other companies, I feel that we must do our utmost to satisfy customers around the world. I believe that it is an important factor to put the utmost effort in trying to sell 8.89 (m) million cars. Different divisions within the company such as the development sector to marketing sector need to improve in quality. This would be our focus and something that cannot be missed. There is plenty left for us to do."

4. Various cutaways of news briefing

5. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Katsuaki Watanabe, President of Toyota:

"It concerns the internal issues of our company, but as you may see, we need to seek to resolve issues in development and marketing. We see them as opportunities even in difficult times, and we will strive to continue to achieve growth."

6. Various of Lexus cars displayed at Toyota showroom

7. Various of Prius, Toyota's hybrid car

FILE:

Tokyo, Japan - 19 October 2005

8. Zoom into model at General Motors auto show

9. Various of General Motors cars display at the motor show

FILE:

Lansing, Michigan - 15 February 2001

10. Various of General Motors assembly plant

STORYLINE:

Toyota's profit in the January-March quarter climbed nine-percent as the automaker marked its seventh straight fiscal year of record sales amid robust demand for its Corolla, Camry and Lexus models.

Toyota Motor Corporation, which beat General Motors (GM) in worldwide vehicle production and sales in the first quarter for the first time ever, reported a quarterly group profit of 440.1 (b) billion yen (3.67 (b) billion US dollars) from 404 (b) billion yen the same period the previous year.

Toyota's sales are surging as soaring gas prices boost the appeal of its models, which are reputed worldwide for fuel-efficiency, including gas-and-electric hybrids like the Prius.

Analysts say Toyota is growing so quickly it's just a matter of time before it overtakes problem-laden General Motors Corp. of the US to become the world's number-one automaker, a title that technically hinges on annual worldwide vehicle production.

Toyota's sales in the fiscal fourth quarter rose ten-percent to 6.3 (t) trillion yen (52.5 (b) billion US dollars) from 5.75 (t) trillion yen the previous year.

Detroit-based GM, the world's largest automaker the last 76 years, is seeing its US market share shrink, and has announced a restructuring plan to stem billions in losses.

Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe was typically understated when asked about the prospects of beating GM.

"Rather than think about other companies, I feel that we must do our utmost to satisfy customers around the world," he said.

"There is plenty left for us to do," he added.

He said his company aims to boost sales in "every region" around the world, while acknowledging the auto industry remains tough, with many obstacles.

"We see them as opportunities, and we will strive to continue to achieve growth," he told reporters at a Tokyo hotel.

Toyota sold 2.35 (m) million vehicles worldwide in the January-March period, surpassing the 2.266 (m) million vehicles GM sold in the quarter.

Earlier this month, GM reported a 62 (m) million US dollars profit in the first three months of the year for a second consecutive quarter of black ink.

It lost 10.4 (b) billion US dollars in 2005 but underwent massive restructuring and trimmed its losses to two (b) billion US dollars in 2006.

SWITZERLAND: GNV TOYOTA LAUNCH

SOURCE: AP TECHNOLOGY

RESTRICTIONS: TECHNOLOGY CLIENTS ONLY

LENGTH: 1.36

SHOTLIST:

++Video as incoming++

AP Television

Geneva, Switzerland - 1 March 2016

1. Zoom out and back into stage unveiling new Toyota CHR crossover

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Karl Schlicht, executive vice president for sales and marketing, Toyota

"This is not yet another concept. This is the real production C-HR, true to form and a design breakthrough for Toyota and the segment. A car that will change the face of Toyota, it's distinctive, it's evocative and alive. It is designed to appeal to an entirely new type of customer."

3. Wide zoom in to executives in front of C-HR on stage

LEADIN:

Toyota's unveiled it's new coupe, high-rise hybrid aimed, they say, at young, urban creatives.

The company has been keeping people guessing about when the new model would hit the production lines.

STORYLINE:

This is it.

We've seen various versions of what Toyota has primed us to expect, but after all the guessing the car maker has finally raised the curtain on the C-HR.

The C-HR is as its name suggests small, aimed at a younger driver.

Launching at the Geneva Car Show executive vice president for sales and marketing Karl Schlicht admits: "We are a little late".

But Schlicht says there was a very good reason:

"This is not yet another concept. This is the real production C-HR, true to form and a design breakthrough for Toyota and the segment. A car that will change the face of Toyota, it's distinctive, it's evocative and alive. It is designed to appeal to an entirely new type of customer."

Toyota will soon find out whether drivers agree that the newest member of the Toyota family of hybrids has been worth the wait.

====

Clients are reminded:

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There will only be a few hundred, and they won't be cheap, but Toyota is about to take its first small step into the unproven market for emissions-free, hydrogen-powered vehicles.

The world's largest automaker announced Tuesday that it will begin selling fuel cell cars in Japan on December 15, and in the US and Europe in mid-2015.

The sporty-looking, four-door Toyota Mirai will retail for 6,700,000 yen (57,600 US dollars) before taxes.

Toyota Motor Corp hopes to sell 400 in Japan and 300 in the rest of the world in the first year.

Fuel cell vehicles run on compressed hydrogen gas, which in the Mirai's case is stored in two tanks mounted underneath the vehicle.

They emit no exhaust, though fossil fuels are used in the production of hydrogen and to pressurise it. Both Honda and Hyundai have or are also experimenting with limited sales and leases of fuel cell cars.

Besides the relatively high cost, buyers will have to contend with finding fuel.

Only a few dozen hydrogen filling stations have been built worldwide, though governments are subsidising the construction of more.

It's an uncertain future that depends both on whether makers can bring down the price, and a wide-enough network of filling stations is built.

Sales will be limited to the primarily urban areas that have stations.

In Japan, with about 30 stations, that means the regions around Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya cities in central and western Japan and the northern part of Kyushu island in the south.

A few stations have opened in California in the United States, and there are plans to build some in the Northeast. Germany and the United Kingdom are among European countries that have or plan to build them.

The first buyers are expected to be affluent people who are environmental aware, and governments and companies that want to go green.

The Mirai can travel 650 to 700 kilometers (400-435 miles) on its two tanks of hydrogen.

Hydrogen may be more expensive than gas initially, because there are so few customers but, over time, Toyota expects it will be cheaper to run a car on hydrogen than with gas.vehicles a year.

The company's Executive Vice President Mitsuhisa Kato said he was confident "its innovation will surpass the Prius."

Both Honda and Hyundai have or are also experimenting with limited sales and leases of fuel cell cars.

AP TELEVISION

Tokyo - 18 November 2014

1. Toyota's hydrogen-powered car - "Mirai" appearing on stage

2. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Yoshikazu Tanaka, Toyota Motor Deputy Chief Engineer:

"It is a car of the next century, a car that leads to making a society use hydrogen energy. To realise this concept, we have put in all our advanced technology into the development. As a result, we believe we developed a car that is not only good for the environment, but it is also a vehicle that is fun, quiet, pleasurable and comfortable to drive."

3. Various of Toyota Mirai driving along streets

4. Toyota Motor Executive Vice President Mitsuhisa Kato on stage

5. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Mitsuhisa Kato, Toyota Motor Executive Vice President:

"The FCV (fuel cell vehicle) - if hydrogen energy is once accepted, it will make a great difference in the society. I believe its innovation will surpass the Prius."

6. Logo on car reading (English): "Fuel Cell"

7. Various set up shots of Hans Greimel, auto analyst at Toyota's press conference venue

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Hans Greimel, Asia Editor of Automotive News:

"Well, they often say that the hydrogen fuel cell car is is kind of like the car of the future. But now we finally see the future gradually creeping closer. There hasn't been a lot of effort yet to really make a marketable retail-ready fuel cell car. But here we see Toyota taking a step in that direction where putting of a retail price on a car, which is something that's a little bit new. We're also putting volumes on a car, sales volumes on a car, that's also kind of a new direction. So we're seeing that the fuel cell, hydrogen-powered cars are becoming more of a... creeping closer to reality."

9. Various of exhibited Mirai with open bonnet

10. Fuel Cell logo

SHOTLIST :

Tokyo, 1 August 2008

1. Toyota executive Takeshi Uchiyamada riding the "L" version of Winglet, a scooter with handles, in news conference

2. Various of Uchiyamada on Winglet

3. Wide of Uchiyamada at podium

4. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Takeshi Uchiyamada, Toyota executive:

"The concept of the robot is to make a better life for people in society. Our goal is to add to safety and comfort in the living environment, and for it to be a partner-robot to help people."

5. Close up of a different version of "M" version of the Winglet, a scooter without handles

6. Developer of Winglet demonstrating it to reporters

7. Projection showing developer on Winglet

8. Close up of M type Winglet, zoom out to the demonstration

9. Tilt up of M type Winglet

10. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Yoshihiro Kawarasaki, Toyota's developer of Winglet:

"This robot is portable, lightweight, and compact. It is easy to control and accessible to anyone. The high mobility robot is environmentally friendly and has a fine performance for the safety of the people."

11. Various of Uchiyamada demonstrating L type Winglet

STORYLINE:

Japanese automaker Toyota showed a motorised stand-up-and-ride contraption on Friday that would help people scoot around at malls and airports.

The "Winglet," so named for supposedly helping people move as though they had grown wings, takes some getting used to.

The two-wheeler is similar to a Segway, except it's slower, going up to 6 kph (3.7 mph), about the same speed as pedestrians.

It stops easily with little pressure, pivots full-circle and has been developed to be safe in crowded areas, according to Toyota Motor Corp.

It also goes smoothly over bumps on roads.

The machine is designed to respond almost intuitively, moving forward when you lean to the front, and turning when you sway to the right or left, similar to skiing.

One of three models shown comes with a protruding handle that can be grabbed and used like a steering wheel.

But Winglet has a long way to go before it can be a practical option for its intended audience of the elderly and others who find long-distance walking strenuous.

More seasoned riders, like Toyota engineers, were zipping around as though the thing was a skateboard.

They said anyone can get used to it with time, and it can be quite fun.

Toyota executive Takeshi Uchiyamada, who scooted on to the stage on the device, said no plans are set to sell the Winglet as a commercial product, and pricing is also not decided.

"The concept of the robot is to make a better life for people in society. Our goal is to add to safety and comfort in the living environment, and for it to be a partner-robot to help people," he said.

Toyota said it will start testing Winglet later this year at a Japanese airport and resort complex and next year at a shopping mall to get public feedback.

Overseas test plans are undecided.

The smallest version of Winglet, weighing 9.9 kilograms (22 pounds), can be folded up to be carried around in commuter trains or packed in car trunks, Toyota said.

Toyota envisions a future in which Winglet will be packed with wireless technology so it relays shopping information at stores.

Or it may move on its own and go recharge its batteries or come pick you up when you beckon it, toting your luggage.

Toyota has previously shown human-shaped robots that play the violin and the trumpet.

It has also shown an experimental single-seat vehicle that resembles a motorised wheelchair.

Keyword wacky

Japanese/English

Toyota has introduced the first car that uses a hybrid of petrol and electricity for power.

The Prius (pron: PREEH-us) four-door small sedan will sell only in Japan and will cost 2.15 million Japanese yen or 17-thousand-700 U-S dollars.

Toyota claims the car emits only half the carbon dioxide of a similar gasoline-powered vehicle and cuts other tailpipe emissions by about 90 percent.

It comes less than 24 hours after the Japanese government delivered an anti-global warming plan that would require individuals to curb their use of the petrol-fuelled car.

The car of the future?

Toyota on Tuesday unveiled the first environmentally-friendly hybrid car.

The four-door sedan, is cheap by Japanese standards, at 17-thousand-700 U-S dollars; efficient, doing 28 kilometres to a litre -- or 66 miles per gallon -- and easy on pollution, with a 90 percent reduction in tailpipe emissions.

SOUNDBITE: (Japanese)

"We need to aggressively challenge over- technological innovation. Furthermore, we will open the new era by repeatedly conversing with society."

SUPER CAPTION: Hiroshi Okuda, President of Toyota Motor Co.

Toyota is the first on to the market.

All the major car manufacturers, including America's Big Three, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler, and the Europeans are also working on hybrid technology.

But Toyota is the only one so far to actually bring a hybrid to the showrooms.

Toyota says it plans to sell about 1-thousand hybrids a year.

How the car will be received by consumers is unclear.

But it is sure to excite engineers across the world, who will be taking a good look at the first Prius they can get their hands on.

The hybrid is clever and expensive technology.

It runs on electricity at lower speeds when the petrol engine is less efficient and switches to petrol only after it picks up speed.

But unlike the even cleaner electric car that has to be recharged after 200 kilometres (120 miles), the driver only needs to take it to a regular gas station because its engine and brakes keep the hybrid recharged.

Although its fuel economy is an attraction in Japan, given its high petrol prices -- 90 yen per litre or 2.80 dollars U-S per gallon), how much consumers are willing to pay for a hybrid remains a question.

Both Nissan and Honda Motor Co. have recently disclosed their own hybrid technology and say they plan to put a hybrid car on the market in the next year or so.

SOUNDBITE: (English)

"This is just, you know, the headstart on various hybrid systems being developed by Japanese, American and European automakers. So we'll see how it evolves but I think this is a very good headstart."

SUPER CAPTION: Toshio Aritake, Bureau of National Affairs

But for Toyota there is a certain cache to being first.

It's also good marketing. Toyota will be in a good position to monitor customer feedback and adjust later models accordingly.

Meanwhile, a Japanese engineering firm has unveiled the world's first magnetic powered vehicle -- albeit a small one.

With this truck, seen here in a model version, the Nihon Riken company claims petrol would be redundant for transporting goods by road and could be used only for cars and heavy industry.

The company has developed a system which is says will replace petrol with magnets as an energy source.

Teruo Kawai, the head of the project team discovered how to convert the electromagnetic energy of the permanent magnet into output energy by introducing a special switching function.

In a series of applications, iron is combined with a permanent magnet to be used as one magnetic substance.

SOUNDBITE: (Japanese)

"My final goal is, at the time when people's biggest concern is pollution, to produce a car that would not cause any pollution at all. I want to make a motor which needs less battery and is effective. That's is to say, a motor with a new concept."

SUPER CAPTION: Teruo Kawai, inventor of magnetic powered vehicle

The development of new environmentally-friendly power sources is timely.

The Japanese government has just set out a plan to reduce greenhouse emissions by 5 percent, including deadly carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.

The plan calls for people to substantially reduce their use of the conventional petrol-powered car.

Tokyo, Japan. 13 and 14 October 1997

14 October 1997

1. Wide shot of hybrid powered car being unveiled

2. Close up pan across car

3. Wide shot of car show being addressed by Hiroshi Okuda

4. SOUNDBITE: Hiroshi Okuda, President of Toyota Motor Co. (Japanese)

5. Various of Toyota video explaining hybrid power system.

6. Prospective buyer sitting in car

7. Pan from prospective buyer in car to engine

8. SOUNDBITE: Toshio Aritake, Bureau of National Affairs (English)

9. Interior of the car

13 October 1997

10. Wide shot of magnetic powered vehicle.

11. Close up of vehicle.

12. Various of engineering placing magnet in power drive.

13. SOUNDBITE: Teruo Kawai, Inventor of magnetic powered

vehicle (Japanese)

14. Wide shot of vehicle being photographed