Tag Archives: owners

Toyota Employees Share Why They’re Proud ToyoPets Members

For some pet homeowners, their beloved animals are part of their households. These furry additions to households include some main advantages. In reality, analysis exhibits that pet possession can enhance an individual’s total well-being and be a direct pathway to happiness.

Some studies additionally reveal that the bond between individuals and their pets is linked to a number of well being advantages, together with decreased emotions of loneliness and anxiousness, elevated alternatives for train and outside actions and extra alternatives to socialize, based on the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC).

At Toyota, some workers who’re pet homeowners know these advantages firsthand. That’s why in 2018, ToyoPets, a enterprise partnering group (BPG), was created to provide pet homeowners an area to attach and work on animal advocacy collectively. It was additionally put into place to help the various, inclusive, and passionate pet proprietor neighborhood.

“ToyoPets is committed to driving Toyota forward as a company in the community through our outreach efforts,” says Mary Barry, ​​a pet proprietor and loyalty technique analyst at Toyota Financial Services (TFS). “We work with local organizations through volunteering, donations and learning opportunities for employees.”

Unconditional Love 
For some ToyoPets members, being a pet proprietor is an ongoing lesson in unconditional love. According to Dallas Campos, a senior analyst for Travel Services at Toyota Motor North America (TMNA), who has 4 canines, three cats, one bunny, 22 chickens and 4 roosters, they supply the purest type of love.

“Your furry friends look up to you for everything,” Campos says. “Most importantly, your love and affection. However, being a pet parent also comes with its fair share of rewards as the unconditional love and loyalty they offer you and your family.”

In addition to like and companionship, pets will also be a shining beacon throughout difficult instances.

Campos provides, “When I have a hard day, my pet is always there to comfort me. They provide mental relief and help me reduce my stress, which is beneficial for my professional life throughout the day.”

Fostering Connection
Patricia Pruitt, ToyoPets chair and journey analyst at TMNA, enjoys connecting with fellow colleagues and bonding over their mutual love and respect for animals.

“ToyoPets is a great BPG for all animal lovers,” she says. “It is also a great networking platform. I have met so many wonderful fellow employees through ToyoPets that I would not have met in my day-to-day. We all share a common interest.”

Members from ToyoPets agree that assembly with different pet lovers is extremely helpful.

“It helps drive engagement and helps me feel connected to Toyota in a new way,” Campos says. “When I feel connected and enjoy who I work with, it helps drive productivity and makes me a happier employee.”

Mary Barry, a loyalty technique analyst with TFS, is a fur mother to 2 Miniature American Shepherds, Birdie and Willie. Barry shares Campos’ sentiments and appreciates the alternatives that the group affords.

“Joining ToyoPets provides you with a like-minded community of fellow pet owners and advocates,” she says. “It can provide you with leadership opportunities, as well as a chance to meet other employees who you may not have had the chance to meet professionally. It can help you get involved in your community and participate in fun events.”

Paws-itive Activities 
From volunteer actions the place workers learn to canines at shelters to trunk-or-treat festivities the place they fill their trunks with sweet, ToyoPets members discover inventive and constructive methods to remain engaged.

“Our volunteer events help employees give back to the community and support nonprofits in the surrounding neighborhoods,” says Amanda Darr, a collision program senior analyst with the Lexus Division. “ToyoPets also explores and develops opportunities to participate in community outreach programs and events with local and national nonprofit organizations.”

For instance, the BPG, which consists of 880 members throughout the corporate, hosts fundraisers and occasions that help nonprofits like Spay & Neuter Network and Patriot Paws.

The group additionally hosts social actions together with pleased hours with dog-friendly environments and holiday-inspired outings.

Jillian Martinez, a gross sales operations analyst at TMNA who has been a ToyoPets member for a little bit over a 12 months, participated within the Halloween festivities final October together with her one-year-old pup, Zinnia, and had a memorable time.

“I think coming out to trunk-or-treat was a great experience,” she says. “My goldendoodle and I did a ‘Spiderman: Into the Multiverse’ costume where she was dressed up as Peter Parker Spiderman and I was Spider-Gwen. All the kids were so excited to see us dressed up and pet my dog.”

Driving the Message Forward 
These sorts of enjoyable and fascinating occasions are a trademark of ToyoPets. They additionally tie into Toyota’s total ethos and overarching philosophies.

“ToyoPets is committed to exemplifying the Toyota Way in all of our efforts by Acting for Others, Continuing the Quest for Improvement, Creating Room to Grow, and more,” Barry says. “BPGs like ToyoPets give employees a place where they feel like they belong. It helps us grow professionally and personally and can bring a lot of joy outside of our day-to-day work.”

Tesla Owners Get Free Full Self-Driving for a Month To See How It Works

Tesla car house owners who did not go for the $12,000 Full Self-Driving (FSD) possibility may have the flexibility to strive it out free of charge, supplied the automobile is correctly geared up for it. Elon Musk shared the information on X in a easy submit, nevertheless it appears there is a bit extra occurring behind the scenes concerning Tesla’s infamous driver-assist system.

An inside Tesla memo seen by Bloomberg News allegedly instructs firm workers to put in FSD on all automobiles. They are additionally instructed to take house owners on a brief take a look at drive to exhibit the system. Bloomberg’s report suggests this is applicable not simply to new purchases, however house owners of older automobiles who are available in for providers. Musk’s assertion on X additionally implies this. We contacted Tesla requesting extra data however a response wasn’t obtained earlier than publication. We will definitely replace the submit ought to we hear again.

 

It’s additionally unclear if this FSD tutorial is motivated by authorized causes, a advertising push, or a mixture of the 2. In December 2023, Tesla recalled over two million vehicles for a software program replace to its Autopilot system, requiring extra stringent measures to make sure drivers do not abuse the system.

A prolonged investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration particularly discovered fault with the autosteer operate in Full Self-Driving. The ensuing replace added extra driver notifications to maintain arms on the wheel in addition to a system deactivation for repeated misuse.

In the Tesla memo, Musk reportedly said that nearly no person realizes how effectively the system works, and stated that instructing car house owners on it was a “hard requirement” in response to Bloomberg.

How Long Will A Toyota Prius Last With Regular Maintenance?

Toyotas are as reliable as they arrive, however house owners nonetheless have to put in some work to make sure their Prius sticks round for a very long time. Keeping up with common upkeep might be your first accountability. Regularly checking the fundamentals, like your automotive’s fluids, oil, and filters, will guarantee it is working as effectively as attainable. Remember, simply because a Prius is a hybrid doesn’t suggest you are excluded from altering your engine oil. Also, in the event you discover one thing is unsuitable or a brand new mild in your dashboard, you wish to deal with it shortly, and getting common checkups ought to at all times be a high precedence.

Outside of standard automotive upkeep, you may wish to focus in your Prius’s battery if you want in your automobile to succeed in upwards of 250,000=300,000 miles. Unsurprisingly, the very best factor to do is to have your Prius’s battery inspected usually. This lets you keep up-to-date on its standing and change it earlier than it dies or full any mandatory upkeep earlier than issues get out of hand. Toyota recommends you may have your battery inspected no less than annually.

Another factor to bear in mind is your battery’s cooling system. Keeping it clear ensures your battery by no means overheats, which shortly contributes to battery deterioration. Dirt, pet hair, and mud can simply switch out of your cabin into the cooling fan, so you must clear it each two or three years. Air filters additionally contribute to your battery’s lifespan, regulating its airflow. Replacing them when it is time (annually or each 15,000 miles) ensures your battery stays cool and wholesome long-term.

Jaguar I-Pace homeowners indignant as good charging means eliminated

Jaguar I-Pace homeowners are indignant at JLR for abruptly pulling third-party entry to its automobiles, ending the EV’s means to work with good charging know-how. 

This means homeowners will now, in essence, see their power payments soar, as a result of they’ll not have the ability to remotely cost their EVs to preset quantities on the most economical instances.

Smart power tariffs equivalent to Intelligent Octopus Go – which may obtain charges equal to 2.4p per mile by remotely regulating the automotive’s cost – are not appropriate with the I-Pace.

Apps for in style chargers such because the PodPoint Solo and Ohme Home Pro, which may additionally regulate charging instances themselves, are additionally now redundant. 

However, JLR stated that those that use its really useful Octopus Go tariff are unaffected, because it requires no knowledge entry. This differs to Intelligent Octopus Go because it has set instances for cheaper pricing and homeowners are required to set their very own charging schedules.

JLR’s personal InControl Remote app can be used to preset a charging time, the corporate stated.

I-Pace proprietor Ailsa Chandler – who has now been moved by Octopus from the Intelligent to the usual Go tariff – instructed Autocar that this creates a brand new inconvenience and added price pressures.

“I, like many others, have a 7kW charger,” she said. “On this new tariff, you now want a very good charging window in an effort to profit from the diminished charges. I measured mine the opposite evening: on the four-hour tariffs that Octopus are actually providing, this might prime up simply 30% cost.

“Before [on the Intelligent tariff] I might set the share and a leaving time and Octopus would meet that with out me having to do something, and within the least expensive means doable.

“Now this diminished quantity of cost means I both use public chargers to prime this up or I’ve to pay full tariff pricing – one thing I wasn’t doing earlier than and which is able to price me much more cash.

“I just don’t know why they’ve done it. It’s like we’re moving backwards.”

Her views are echoed by hundrds of homeowners writing on on-line boards. One wrote that their “jaw dropped” they usually “still can’t get [their] head around it”. Another, who had solely picked up their I-Pace final week, stated “the lack of flexibility is a killer”. One merely stated they have been “furious”.

Asked why the change was being made, JLR stated the transfer is a part of an effort to “continue keeping our clients’ data as safe as possible” amongst the “ever-growing list of third-party applications”. 

AGV Launches Limited Edition Pista GP RR GHIACCIO

AGV’s Pista GP RR has arguably essentially the most various listing of householders of any helmet mannequin. It’s a staple on this planet of bike influencers and membership racers who can afford it get it, and that is earlier than we contact on all of the MotoGP and WorldSBK that sport it.

But the Pista GP RR is not low cost, and as such, you would not wish to go to an area observe day and see half the pack carrying the identical helmet you simply spent half a month’s wages on. Well, worry not as a result of AGV has you lined with the limited-edition Pista GP RR GHIACCIO.

AGV Piesta GP RR GHIACCIO

Cold as Ice

Directly translated from Italian, “ghiaccio” means “ice”, and it is a becoming identify for this limited-edition mannequin, because it gleams with icy shades it doesn’t matter what angle you catch it from. This is right down to the 100% carbon fiber shell, which has a metallic silver-green end not seen on every other Pista GP RR. Furthering the aesthetic look are white metallic alloy air vents and a magenta iridium Pro Spoiler, which provides a flicker of coloration to the in any other case ice-cold look.

As with any Pista GP RR, the limited-edition GHIACCIO meets and exceeds the ECE22.06 and FIM homologation requirements. That’s what you get once you purchase a precise duplicate of the helmet utilized by MotoGP stars like Marco Bezzecchi, Luca Marini, and Joan Mir.

AGV Piesta GP RR GHIACCIO

Clarity and Comfort

The finest helmet is the one that you just neglect you are carrying, and that is what AGV strives for with all its Pista GP RR fashions. Comfort begins with the suitable match, so the Pista GP RR options AGV’s Adaptive Fit system, which permits riders to decide on the optimum thickness for the higher head, nape, and cheeks.

There’s no getting round the truth that our imaginative and prescient is restricted after we placed on a helmet. AGV goals to mitigate visible restriction as a lot as potential by becoming the Pista GP RR with a 5mm-thick optical class 1 Ultravision visor, which gives a 190-degree discipline of view.

AGV Piesta GP RR GHIACCIO

Price and Availability

The Pista GP RR GHIACCIO is available in at $1,924.95, and like all limited-edition AGV lids, the most well-liked sizes are promoting out quick.

If you’ll be able to’t discover this helmet in your measurement, I extremely advocate trying out the other Pista GP RRs on offer, as some have significantly tempting reductions.

Toyota Issues DO NOT DRIVE Advisory for Certain 2003-2005 Models with Recalled Takata Airbags

PLANO, Texas (Jan. 25, 2024) – To additional urge homeowners to acquire an pressing and free security recall restore, Toyota is issuing a right away DO NOT DRIVE advisory for sure mannequin yr 2003-2004 Corolla, 2003-2004 Corolla Matrix, and mannequin yr 2004-2005 RAV4 automobiles within the United States concerned within the Takata airbag recollects. Approximately 50,000 automobiles are concerned on this discover.

Certain airbags discovered within the topic automobiles are underneath an URGENT airbag security recall. Due to the age of the automobiles, if the airbag deploys, a component inside is extra more likely to explode and shoot sharp metallic fragments which may trigger SERIOUS INJURY or DEATH to the motive force or passengers. Owners SHOULD NOT DRIVE these automobiles till the FREE security recall restore has been carried out. Toyota urges homeowners to contact their native seller as an alternative of driving their car to be repaired. Dealers might present certainly one of a number of choices FREE of cost, resembling cellular restore on the car’s location, towing to the dealership, car pickup and supply, or different alternate transportation choices.

Toyota will restore or change the airbag for FREE. Toyota is notifying identified homeowners of those automobiles each month by way of a wide range of communication channels. To see in case your car is concerned in a security recall go to Toyota.com/recall or nhtsa.gov/recalls and enter your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or license plate data.

For any further questions, Toyota buyer assist can also be accessible by calling the Toyota Brand Engagement Center (1-800-331-4331).

Maruti Suzuki Introduces ‘ROCK N ROAD SUV Experiences’ For Its Adventure-seeking SUV Owners

The new platform provides each brief and lengthy journeys for house owners of Maruti SUVs just like the Jimny, Grand Vitara, Brezza, and Fronx

Maruti SUVs

  • New program developed solely for Maruti SUV house owners.

  • Events deliberate particularly for Maruti SUV fashions, suiting particular strengths.

  • Maruti’s present lineup contains three SUVs and one crossover, with new fashions slated to be added quickly.

Maruti Suzuki is embracing the SUV life-style strongly over the past couple of years with the launch of the Grand Vitara, the 5-door Jimny and the Fronx crossover. Now, it’s going a step additional by introducing a brand new initiative referred to as ‘Rock N Road SUV Experiences,’ a curated expertise for Maruti SUV house owners.

What Is The Program About?

Maruti Rock and Road Experience event

The program goals to allow house owners to expertise their Maruti SUVs outdoors of town streets with curated out of doors experiences. It includes two codecs – ‘ROCK N’ ROAD Expeditions’ and ‘ROCK N’ ROAD Weekenders,’ providing brief and lengthy expeditions. There’s even a multi-city Off-road Championship, ‘ROCK N’ ROAD 4X4 Masters’ as properly, to recognise the off-roading expertise within the nation.

There are occasions deliberate particular for Maruti SUV fashions, suiting particular strengths, thus catering to every sort of proprietor. You can take a look at its exclusive website to get an thought of what all is on provide.

Also Check Out: Maruti Jimny Extreme: Customised To Look Bigger & Bolder

Maruti’s SUV Portfolio

Currently, Maruti has three correct SUVs in its lineup: Jimny, Brezza, and Grand Vitara. Maruti additionally counts the Fronx crossover as a key member of its SUV lineup. It is believed that Maruti has plans to introduce a 3-row version of the Grand Vitara and a new Hyundai Exter-rivalling micro-SUV within the subsequent couple of years. That stated, its first electric vehicle, the eVX SUV, is slated to be launched by the end of 2024.

Read More on : Jimny on road price

Kia’s Latest Theft Deterrent Is A Bank Vault For The Ignition Cylinder

Kia plans to supply a brand new “theft deterrent device” to house owners to assist guard in opposition to their cars being stolen. The machine is a steel casing that mounts to the automotive’s ignition cylinder and is already out there for set up freed from cost.

The new ignition cylinder protector, proven above, is designed to forestall would-be thieves from eradicating the cylinder physique from the automotive’s steering column, a theft methodology popularized by social media shops like TikTok. It’s meant to suit into Kias that aren’t eligible for the security-minded software program improve the corporate despatched out again in February 2023, such because the 2011-2021 Rio, the 2011-2016 Forte, and the 2011-2016 Sportage (a full listing of the vehicles eligible for the machine may be seen under). 

“Vehicle security is a top priority for Kia and we continue to take action to support our customers by helping to protect their vehicles from thefts, which have been encouraged by content spread across social media,” Kia America service operations VP Greg Silvestri stated in a statement. “Reinforcing the ignition cylinder body is the latest step to help guard against these methods of theft and we strongly encourage owners of vehicles that don’t have engine immobilizers and are not able to receive our security software upgrade to have this free security measure installed.”

In the 11 months because the safety replace was launched, Kia says it is put in the change on practically 960,000 autos. It’s additionally given out over 330,000 free steering wheel locks to additional deter thefts, a rudimentary answer the corporate carried out in July 2023. This ignition cylinder guard is one more enchancment Kia hopes house owners will make the most of.

Kia says it is already begun notifying eligible house owners concerning the new machine with directions to deliver their automobile to the closest dealership to have it put in freed from cost. If you suppose your automotive could also be eligible, head on over to Kia’s website and punch in your VIN.

Eligible Cars Model Year
Kia Sportage 2011-2016
Kia Forte 2011-2016
Kia Soul 2010-2022
Kia Rio 2011-2021
Kia Sedona 2014

Why EV Makers Can Sell You More Power Over The Air

You might have seen automakers providing an additional increase of efficiency to homeowners of electrical automobiles. Mercedes, Tesla, Polestar, and others are all doing it over the air. Another 68 horsepower for simply $1,195 might sound tempting in your new Polestar 2, however how does it work?

EVs will not be like inner combustion vehicles which can be successfully hardware-limited to a specific amount of output in inventory kind. By altering just a few settings within the inverter of an EV, it’s attainable to unlock extra energy with none bolt-ons, albeit with limits.

Electric drivetrains revolve round voltage and present—the latter is expressed as amps. Current in an electrical motor interprets immediately into torque whereas voltage determines your motor pace. Increasing present for a given motor pace means extra wattage (horsepower). It’s actually that straightforward. Voltage in a traction system stays comparatively fixed for a given state of cost, so altering the present is how electrical vehicles get kind of energy to the bottom. 

The secure restrict for an electrical drivetrain to maintain is named the continual present score. Current creates warmth, however so long as that warmth might be managed, it’s all gravy. Measure the warmth and you may restrict the present to secure ranges. Nothing will get melted, there’s no loud popping, and no dashboards flip into Christmas bushes.

BMW battery module

Without correct cooling, failures inside a battery module like this BMW unit may very well be catastrophic. 

More is usually attainable, although, and that is the place burst present enters the image. This is a stage of amperage greater than the continual score that may be held for a restricted period of time earlier than the temps get uncontrolled. If you could have a posh and succesful liquid cooling system for the motor, battery, and inverter—as most EVs do—you are able to do this with a point of freedom.

Assuming an automaker has examined the thermal limits related to briefly rising present and is assured they are often dealt with, you could have your power-increasing over-the-air replace able to ship. 

The true restrict is actually battery chemistry. Most automotive batteries can present an immense quantity of energy in a burst. Just cross a wrench between the optimistic and unfavourable leads in your personal car’s 12V battery to witness this (no really don’t) nevertheless the drivetrain may very well be incapable of dealing with it in a plethora of key areas. A connector, contactor, or different element would possibly fail below the stress. 

BMW prismatic battery cell

Individual battery cells are able to excessive currents in vehicles, however the whole lot that carries the related warmth should be as much as the job, too.

Finding the bottleneck isn’t easy for some automakers. Ford Mach-E GTs not too long ago had critical points as a result of folks have been flooring it for too lengthy. It looks as if Ford wasn’t measuring warmth in the precise place and due to this fact its said horsepower restrict for the Mach-E was not really sustainable. In different phrases, it was operating too many amps. That was the primary time I had ever seen a recall for one thing like that.

The potential for power-adding OTA updates remains to be enormous, although. As know-how advances, I’d count on to see extra of this occurring. In the tip, there’s actually no purpose to not do it if it will possibly all be managed safely.

It might sound like a rip-off that OEMs aren’t supplying you with the whole lot the automotive has out of the field, however it’s finally as much as you to determine if a small achieve in efficiency is value additional funding within the automotive. Personally, I’ll maintain my money until an influence improve comes with {hardware} enhancements to issues just like the cooling system. There’s nonetheless no beating bodily upgrades, as a lot as some automotive firms might want you to assume in any other case.

Photo credit score: BMW, Polestar

What is the battery lifetime of an electrical automobile?

For many automobile homeowners, the EV represents a wholly new approach of driving and brings with it many queries and considerations. 

Obviously vary anxiousness nonetheless dominates the electrification dialog, however for a lot of there are additionally query marks over the lifetime of the battery that powers these hi-tech machines.  Wherever you look, there are tales suggesting that the costly lithium ion batteries can fail after a comparatively brief house of time, leaving the proprietor both going through a hefty invoice for a substitute or considering reducing their losses on a automobile that’s in any other case nugatory as a result of it actually doesn’t work.

And it’s not onerous to see the place these rumours and anecdotes come from, as a result of our in depth expertise of  cell phones, tablets and laptop computer computer systems has proven many who, even over a comparatively brief time frame, the batteries powering them can shortly lose effectivity, ensuing within the want for extra frequent charging. In excessive circumstances the degradation is so extreme the gadget received’t even fire-up until it’s completely on cost, which is clearly no use for an EV.

So, how dangerous is the issue actually? Well the excellent news is that EV batteries are harder than you’d suppose. In truth, the extra electrical automobiles which can be on the market and the longer they’re run for, the extra proof is produced to point out that the facility pack will typically final the lifetime of the automobile. Better nonetheless, there are many suggestions and methods you’ll be able to comply with to verify your automobile’s batteries will survive higher than most.

Electric automobile battery life

1charger

Okay, so the reality is that batteries degrade over time and with use, which means they develop into much less environment friendly as they age and, in the end, within the case of EVs the vary of your automobile will scale back. There’s additionally no denying that battery know-how doesn’t come low cost, and may the cells ever want substitute then it’s fairly probably that they’ll price extra to swap than the automobile is now price – which is why we have a tendency to exchange cell phones of their entirety slightly than substitute the battery pack. 

Yet it’s not all dangerous information, as a result of there are methods to extend the lifespan of your automobile’s battery, retaining it more healthy and extra environment friendly for longer. More importantly, whereas efficiency might degrade over time, in the end the cells ought to nonetheless be offering at the very least 70 % of their capability even after 200,000 miles, which is the kind of mileage that few automobiles ever attain, whether or not they’re ICE or EV. 

As an instance, a variety of Tesla Model S taxis working from Gatwick airport racked up over 300,000 miles every over three years, with all retaining at the very least 82 % of their batteries’ well being.

Why does an electrical automobile battery lose cost or degrade?

Continual advances in battery know-how imply that points surrounding degradation of efficiency are being diminished on a regular basis. However, even the newest lithium-ion cells aren’t utterly resistant to dropping efficiency over time, with a variety of elements taking part in a job.