Australia’s best-selling car company Toyota is rolling out a range of cloud and app-based ‘connected services’ – some for free and others for a monthly fee.
It’s a potentially lucrative move for a company that sells more than 200,000 new cars here each year. Its decision to charge a subscription fee is sure to be closely watched by rivals.
The first vehicle to receive Toyota Connect Service here is a new vehicle Corolla Cross SUVs, with technologies to be deployed across the range as they are regularly updated.
Toyota will offer a range of services free of charge to customers for 12 months, after which time they will be offered three packages to choose from.
The simplest package, called Toyota Essentialswill remain free forever and include:
- SOS . emergency call function
- Automatic emergency collision notification
- Vehicle details for your application
- Fuel level
- Oread the meter
- EASYempty phenomenon
- Wother doors are locked or not locked
- Whether wtouch is open or closed
Intermediate package, called Toyota Connect +will add the following in return for the $9.95 monthly fee:
- Track stolen cars
- Door lock and unlock and remote start
- Remote engine start
- Remote climate control system
- WOMENSet up notifications about when the vehicle is being used by other drivers
- Access detailed information about recent trips and vehicle location
Packages on shelves, called Toyota Connected Multimediaadd the following extras above and beyond the previously mentioned plans for $12.50 a month:
- Connected navigation
- Connected voice assistant, activated by saying “Hey, Toyota”
- Connected rides, providing start and end navigation to and from your vehicle
- Configure multimedia, add navigation and trip settings for up to three drivers
Toyota Australia’s Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Franchise, Sean Hanley states Connected Services “is designed to deliver a better driving experience with a range of employment-focused technologies for Ownership becomes easier, safer and more enjoyable.”
In addition, seven models were equipped with the initial release of select Toyota Connected Services for a free three-year period: camry, HiLux, LandCruiser 300, Fortuner, Yaris Cross, HiAce and Granvia.
You can read all the details and FAQ here.
