YORK TOWNSHIP AND YPSILANTI, Mich. — Toyota Motor Co. may not be the first company that comes to mind when it comes to Michigan automakers, but the Japanese carmaker says the state is playing a key role in the research and development of new products and technologies.
Research, design and development of North American SUVs and trucks is happening at Toyota's facilities in Washtenaw County. It's making and testing autonomous vehicles here, as well as performing safety tests for federal regulators and other organizations. The technology and innovation being produced are significant in Toyota's transformation toward its connected, multi-pronged powertrain future.
"This is a Toyota success story, but it is also a Michigan success story," Shinichi Yasui, executive vice president of Toyota Motor North America Research & Development, said during a tour of its R&D center. "Michigan, as we all know, is a global capital of the auto industry. It is a state that brought mobility to the world."
