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Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), USA, Inc. today announced the launch of its proprietary telematics system, Safety Connect. The all-new telematics system will be available on select Toyota models starting in late summer 2009, helping to bring its drivers an added peace of mind.
“We are proud to introduce these services and advance our relationships with our customers by providing them the features they need to feel safer and more secure while on the road,” said Jon Bucci, TMS vice president, Advanced Technology Department.
“When developing our telematics systems, we ramped up our R&D efforts, intent on creating a system that reflects the voice of our customers and their clearly expressed strong desires for safety and security features on their next vehicle purchase.”
New Offerings Built on a Solid Heritage of Quality
With characteristic Toyota vision, sights have been set on bringing Toyota’s proprietary telematics system to the U.S. for many years.
“Prior to entering the U.S. market full force, Toyota practiced a deliberate approach to product development based on our experience in Japan, in-depth research and relentless product testing in order to both deliver to customers’ expectations and produce systems befitting the Toyota name,” said Bucci. “Safety Connect is the result of several years of due diligence and dedicated teams working in partnership with our highly experienced providers.”
Safety Connect: A Secure Foundation
Safety Connect provides the fundamental services necessary to extend confidence to drivers on the road. Available on select vehicles, Safety Connect includes the following four safety and security facets:
Automatic Collision Notification (ACN)
Safety Connect’s ACN will help drivers receive the necessary response from emergency teams. In the event of either an airbag deployment or a severe rear-end collision; the response center will be automatically notified via embedded cellular technology and GPS. Once the response center agent receives the vehicle ID and the vehicle’s location, the agent can speak with the driver to ascertain the level of emergency. If the driver is unable to communicate, the agent automatically treats the call as an emergency. The response center agent then uses the vehicle’s GPS location to determine the nearest Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) available to provide emergency support and will offer to stay on the line until emergency assistance arrives.
Stolen Vehicle Location (SVL)
Safety Connect subscribers will be able to rely on an extra level of security in the event that their vehicle is stolen. If this should happen, Safety Connect will assist in tracking the location of the stolen vehicle using the vehicle’s GPS. Once a police report has been filed and the owner contacts the Safety Connect call center to report the theft, call center agents will assist local authorities to help recover the vehicle—keeping the owner apprised of the progress.
