Toyota Motor Corporation announced the “LQ”, a concept vehicle that leverages advanced technology to build an emotional bond between car and driver.
The next generation of the Toyota “Concept-i”, a concept vehicle first exhibited at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show, LQ is equipped with automated driving capabilities and “Yui,” a powerful artificial intelligence-powered interactive agent designed to learn from the driver and deliver a personalized mobility experience.
“In the past, our love for cars was built on their ability to take us to distant places and enable our adventures,” said LQ development leader Daisuke Ido. “Advanced technology gives us the power to match customer lifestyles with new opportunities for excitement and engagement. With the LQ, we are proud to propose a vehicle that can deliver a personalized experience, meet each driver’s unique mobility needs, and build an even stronger bond between car and driver.”
As a mobility company, Toyota believes that when people are free to move, anything is possible. This vision is built on an understanding that mobility goes beyond physical transportation to include the human need to be moved and engaged emotionally.
LQ follows this philosophy under a core development theme of “Learn, Grow, Love.” Yui and LQ’s automated driving technology, both developed in partnership with Toyota Research Institute (TRI), combine to create a unique mobility experience that builds the relationship between vehicle and driver by learning from and responding to individual preferences and needs. The name expresses Toyota’s hope that this approach will “cue” the development of future vehicles that enhance the relationship between car and driver.
LQ will be on public display at the “Future Expo”, a special exhibition of the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show from October 24 to November 4. In addition, Toyota announced “Toyota Yui Project Tours 2020”, a public test-drive event scheduled to run from June to September 2020. The public will have the opportunity to register for a chance to be selected to experience the LQ and the “Yui” AI. By using a smartphone app in advance to provide their interests and preferences, selected participants will join a test drive of the “LQ” with “Yui”.
