Toyota to bring auto hardware, software update service in Japan

Toyota Motor said on Tuesday it will introduce a service next year that would provide customization and updates for cars as customers increasingly hold on to their automobiles for long period.

The service, known as Kinto Factory, will be launched in January and provide new safety features, refreshed interiors, and software upgrades to the computer systems of the cars.

The automaker is transforming itself as an automaker that can provide more services that are currently largely provided by mobility companies. The new service is part of Toyota’s Kinto brand, which was started in 2019 and offers car-sharing services.

Kinto president Shinya Kodera said that in order to sustain the vehicles, it’s best for them to be used for a long period in a healthy condition and eventually collected and recycled.

The company would think about expanding its Kinto Factory service abroad, Kodera added.

Kinto subscriptions had increased to 28,000 by November from 1,200 at the launch two years ago, which the company remarked as a little short of “what we expected”.