- Smart and sassy AI “eco-copilot” helps Toyota drivers experience ecological awareness while safeguarding the joys of driving
- ELECTRA® suggests refinements to driver behavior that optimize fuel efficiency and save the planet
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 17, 2024) — Today, Toyota Research Institute (TRI) introduced ELECTRA®, a voice-activated AI “eco-copilot.” Now available fleetwide, Electra is a sophisticated Large Language Model (LLM) designed to help Toyota drivers stay on course for a Beyond Zero future without having to change lanes in the present.
A product of Toyota’s extensive AI research, Electra® has been trained on automotive and climate data sets that give her a deep understanding of these complex systems, all in support of her mission: to help drivers feel agency around the impacts of the Toyota fleet, without sacrificing the gas-powered driving experience they know and love. Electra® draws upon vast knowledge of roadway conditions, fuel efficiency, and environmental factors to give each trip a smaller environmental impact — up to 10% less. The LLM periodically connects to the internet for up-to-the-moment information, and learns through repeated user interactions how to formulate suggestions most appropriate for each driver.
“Electra® embodies our commitment to our drivers' changing concerns in our quickly changing climate,” said TRI CEO Gill Pratt. “Electric vehicles are needed, so Toyota is diversifying what electric can mean. Letting Electra® take the wheel helps drivers grow into their eco-consciousness regardless of what’s under the hood.”
Toyota was the first to launch a car with a hybrid drivetrain, combining a traditional internal fuel combustion engine with an electric motor, a 50% improvement on fuel efficiency, and the Prius family is still the world's top-selling gasoline-electric vehicle. "Prius" has in fact become synonymous with "eco-conscious" for most concerned automobilists. Now, to meet concerns regarding the alleged link between fuel combustion and accelerated climate collapse, Toyota is working to help drivers feel more positively about their impact regardless of the powertrain they drive. The Electrified Diversified campaign widens the very definition of electric to include more cars, leaving no driver behind when it comes to feeling good behind the wheel.
Electra® will be unveiled on January 17 at the National Press Club. On January 18, TRI CEO Gill Pratt and Chief Developer Terry Wheeler will take questions at the Washington, DC Auto Show’s Public Policy Day. Visitors to the Auto Show can interact with Electra® at the Toyota pavilion. Chat with Electra® now at electrified-toyota.com. Toyota drivers can download the voice-enabled Electra® as a firmware update for use in newer vehicles. For assistance, contact your nearest Toyota dealer.
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