Connected vehicles, AI technology and future mobility are the hottest topics in the automotive industry right now. Every automaker has its own vision for mobility in the future which they are showcasing at the CES(Consumer Electronics Show) 2018. Toyota also showcased the e-Palette concept this year at CES.
The e-Palette concept envisions the future of mobility in the form of a modular and scalable AI equipped electric vehicle platform. As it is a modular and scalable platform, it can be implemented in ride-sharing, logistics services and various other such applications. The e-palette concept mainly focuses on Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and Toyota has partnered with companies such as Amazon, DiDi, Mazda, Uber and Pizza-hut for the vehicle planning. Being an open-source vehicle control interface it will be very easy for these partners to install their own automated driving system and vehicle management technology in these vehicles.
Akio Toyoda, President, Toyota Motor Corporation said “Toyota remains committed to making ever better cars. Just as important, we are developing mobility solutions to help everyone enjoy their lives, and we are doing our part to create an ever-better society for the next 100 years and beyond. This announcement marks a major step forward in our evolution towards sustainable mobility, demonstrating our continued expansion beyond traditional cars and trucks to the creation of new values including services for customers”
Besides the e-Palette concept, Toyota also showcased the concept i-series which includes Concept-i, i-Ride and i-Walk which they also showcased at the Tokyo Motor Show 2017.