Toyota establishes research institute in North America

Toyota Technical Center (TTC), a division of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, has established the Toyota Research Institute of North America (TRI-NA).

Toyota plans to spend $100 million during the next four years on advanced research activity in North America and will utilize existing facility space at the Toyota Technical Center Ann Arbor, Mich., campus.

Toyota has been pursuing sustainable mobility, which addresses four key priorities: advanced technologies, urban environment, energy and partnerships with government and academia. Based on these priorities, TRI-NA will accelerate advanced research on energy and environment, safety and mobility infrastructure, according to Toyota.

The Toyota Research Institute will be directed by Noboru Kikuchi, who is the Roger L. McCarthy Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan and also a director of Toyota Central Research & Development Laboratories, Inc. in Japan. Kikuchi will report directly to Yasuhiko Ichihashi, president of Toyota Technical Center-NA. TRI-NA initially will employ 35 researchers and administration staff, and plans to add 10 researchers in 2008 and an additional 20 by 2010.

"Creating the Toyota Research Institute is the next step to strengthen Toyota's advanced research function throughout North America and to discover cutting-edge technologies for sustainable mobility," says Kikuchi.

"Toyota's decision to establish the Toyota Research Institute in Ann Arbor to direct advanced research activities for North America is another piece of good news for Michigan," Michigan Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm says. "Toyota's decision demonstrates that Michigan is a leading state for research and offers an attractive business climate for companies to grow."