Toyota starts operations of its TRI-AD software center to accelerate the development of automated driving technology

Japanese car maker Toyota announced Tuesday that its Toyota Research Institute-Advanced Development, Inc. (TRI-AD), a software center for autonomous driving tech, will begin full-scale operations in all areas of the new office that opened in July of this year.

TRI-AD is developing software for automated driving at Toyota Motor Corporation. Toyota’s says its mission is to create world-class technology and build the safest car in the world, as well as strengthening coordination with the research results of Toyota Research Institute (TRI) and research and advanced development within the Toyota Group. Activities include developing automated driving software, leveraging data-handling capabilities and creating a straight line from research to commercialization’.

TRI-AD aims to create safe mobility by bridging Silicon Valley’s innovation with Japanese craftsmanship. At the same time, Toyota says the TRI-AD ‘will leverage our location in Nihonbashi to also become a bridge between people, technology and culture’.

As part of these activities, Toyota says it has created an in-house “Dojo”. This program is designed to enable members to ‘acquire the mindset and skills that are always needed for a rapidly changing technology landscape; and will be made available to the public in the future’.

Toyota says the new office was designed to provide a facility for high-technology research and development engineering, as well as a fun and innovative environment for employees. With “Inspiration”, “High Productivity” and “Happy Work” as three pillars, Toyota says it has ‘incorporated many novel ideas proposed directly by our employees via “Hello New Office Workshop” meetings’.