New Toyota Concept-i Fantastic Car interior and Exterior design videos Good afternoon, everyone! I am so happy to welcome you to the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show.
But before I begin to tell you about what we have at the show this year I'd like to acknowledge and welcome Tomoyama-san, Sr. Managing Officer, TMC. Thank you, Tomoyama-san for joining us today.
Now, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t share our 2016 sales results:
The industry ended with a best-ever December and best year with 17.5 M sales, exceeding 2015 and the 7th consecutive year of growth. Notably we've seen the car-truck mix move from 50/50 to 37/63 over the past three years, demonstrating the shift to SUVs and trucks is real.
Toyota Motor Sales sold 2.45M vehicles in 2016.The Toyota brand was the #1 retail brand for the 5th consecutive year and, for the 15th consecutive year, the Camry was the no. 1 selling vehicle in America.
Lexus had its 2nd best year in its 27-year history.
OK, let’s get to it. Toyota has an amazing floor display this year that we are really proud of. You’re going to get a first look at Entune 3.0, our next-generation telematics system. We’re also showing off Smart Device Link. It’s a platform for app developers to connect smartphones with vehicles. I encourage every one of you to stop by and have a look.
But today, we’re going to do something a bit different. We’re going to introduce you to a really special concept vehicle. And why is it so special? Because with all the talk about advances in automobile technology, it’s easy to lose sight of why we make cars in the first place. They’re for people. And at Toyota, we think the important question isn’t whether vehicles of the future will be equipped with automated or connected technologies. Of course they will. The important question is this: what will be the relationship between those vehicles and the people who use them?
Will it be cold? Robotic? Sterile? Tool-like? Technology on wheels and nothing more? Or will it be warm and friendly? Engaging? Immersive?
Because cars have always done more than just get us from point A to point B. They are our home on wheels. We connect with them. We build an emotional relationship. And thanks to our research into advanced artificial intelligence, we think that the future of the automobile is a vehicle that can connect with us right back.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to introduce you to the advanced artificial intelligence system we call “Yui.”