Toyota committed to a cleaner, greener and safer future as it celebrates 20 years in India
Toyota primarily focuses on solving larger issues faced by the nation than just manufacturing world class cars. This thinking drives their production system, products and services, national campaigns and all daily operations ensuring low emissions, fuel saving, energy conservation, safety as a pre requisite.
Customer First has been the key guiding principle for the company, and since the launch of its multi-purpose vehicle the `Qualis’ in India in 2000, it has been focusing on evolving customer aspirations. It has continuously pursued to be Number One in Customer Satisfaction with every product milestones.
Customer Safety is another area of priority, and Toyota is the first auto manufacturer to have standardised airbags across all grades in all models in India in 2015. Further, ABS & EBD has been standardised [with the launch of new Platinum Etios & Liva, since Sep 2016], reinstating the importance of safety. With Yaris being the first in the segment to offer 7 SRS airbags – (D+P airbags, Side airbags, Curtain Shield Airbags (CSA) and knee airbag) across all variants.
To create a safe driving culture in the country Toyota launched its first driving school in Kochi in 2015. It has launched 11 other driving schools at Kochi, Lucknow, Hyderabad (two), Chennai (two), Kolkata, Faridabad, Vijayawada and Surat. As part of the brand’s ‘Safest Car with Safest Driver’ mission for road safety, it plans to have 50 such schools across India by 2020.
Toyota is committed towards a greener tomorrow and establishing a future society in harmony with nature. It started its journey towards greening its energy source since 2015-16 and has made substantial step-up over the years. Guided by Toyota’s ‘Global Environmental Challenge’ 2050 in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, till January 2019 [in FY 2018-19] – Toyota Kirloskar Motor sourced 87% of electricity from renewable source of energy for its operations in Bidadi facility. Toyota has been recognised for its sustainable growth with its core belief “Ever-Better Cars with Ever-Better Technology for an Ever-Better Environment”.
Clean energy and smart manufacturing systems are the way forward for Toyota’s global mission of ‘Zero Carbon Emission’ through various initiatives like adoption of reverse refrigeration system, centralized control of chillers, adoption of smart ACs, etc.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor has established their Plant 2 with an ECO factory concept and implemented ECO friendly technologies like Servo press (40% energy reduction), Water based painting technology (Reducing VOC emission by 50%). Through its philosophy of “KAIZENS”, it drives continuous improvement in its environmental performance with active participation of employees in bringing the change.
The company has also been vesting enormous efforts to reduce its energy consumptions through controlling and reducing daily energy consumption in each of the operational processes instilling stringent & systematic monitoring to track energy usages. In FY 2018- 19, 76% of the water consumed in the manufacturing facility was recycled water and only 7% of fresh water was consumed.
Toyota’s strong hybrid technology is positioned as the future of eco-mobility, and has been reinforced by the launch of the new Camry Hybrid Electric Vehicle. It’s reputation of Quality Durability and Reliability (QDR) has led to steady growth in the Indian automotive market, with over 1.5 million Indians as part of the growing Toyota family.
The company is striving towards developing a more sustainable future. Through initiatives focused on education, community development and the environment, it aim to create a company that works in harmony with nature and society.