These possibilities moved a little closer with the announcement of Toyota’s e-Palette. Toyota Motor Corporation President Akio Toyoda unveiled the concept and the new mobility eco-system it could bring at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
The self-driving electric concept vehicle could radically impact the way we experience services such as ride-sharing, e-commerce, and logistics.
Toyota envisions that the e-Palette Concept will be made available in three sizes, to suit a wider range of business needs for right-sized and right-place mobile solutions.
A flexible design framework will allow the e-Palette Concept to be shared to support various business needs and transition seamlessly from one application to another.
The variations in sizes mean the e-Palette could transform a wide range of services from ride-sharing or car-pooling to mobile offices, retail space, medical clinics or even a pizza oven on wheels.
To foster the development of such business applications Toyota has also formed the e-Palette Alliance, with service providers such as Amazon, DiDi, Pizza Hut, and Uber exploring various uses of the e-Palette Concept to support their existing business needs. DiDi, Mazda, and Uber will also join as technology partners.
In addition to supporting the services provided through Toyota's Mobility Services Platform, the e-Palette Concept Vehicle's open vehicle control interface and a set of software tools will allow partner companies to install their automated driving system and vehicle management technology. When a partner company's automated driving system is installed, Toyota's Guardian technology will act as a safety net by detecting distracted or drowsy driving and taking action to help prevent accidents.
Toyota also continues to discuss the creation of new mobility services with other service providers and technology development companies.
Toyota plans to conduct feasibility testing of the e-Palette Concept in various regions, including the United States, in the early 2020s. It also hopes to contribute to the success of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 by providing mobility solutions like the e-Palette and other innovative mobility offerings.
