Toyota Technology: It’s Out of This World!

Toyota cars, trucks and SUVs are out of this world, but you already knew that! But, what you may not know is that Toyota is providing the voice of a robot astronaut being launched into space!

The tiny tike, a 13.4-inch humanoid robot named Kirobo, is heading for the International Space Station to assist with the first human-robot conversation experiment in space. To gear up for the travels, Kirobo participated in safety and zero-gravity tests, and the hope is that through Kirobo, which was developed through the Kibo Robot Project, Toyota Motor Corp. will learn a lot about how to improve interactive conversation technology.

Toyota is no stranger to voice-recognition technology by any means! Currently, in-Toyota infotainment system Entune gives drivers and their passengers a phenomenal user experience—letting them connect seamlessly to popular mobile applications and data services accessible from your Toyota delivered via most smartphones using Bluetooth or a cellular data connection.

Recently, Nuance Communications, a heavy-hitting voice-recognition software company, signed an agreement to purchase Tweedle Connect, which is behind the acclaimed Entune. Nuance’s Dragon Drive automotive-grade voice-recognition platform is already is installed in many Toyota vehicles, providing cool features like voice dialing, navigation, business and music search, message dictation, temperature control—the list goes on! Once Tweedle Connect partners up with Nuance’s Dragon Drive, we're pretty sure the planetary night sky will be the limit on Toyota Entune’s capabilities! The earthlings here at Westboro Toyota also predict that in-car users will have an even more amazing experience—from personal assistance to having an even “smarter,” safer and connected vehicle.

And, this isn’t Toyota’s first time at the space rodeo, either! Awhile back the rugged, half-ton Toyota Tundra made history by pulling the Space Shuttle Endeavor to its new home at the California Science Center. That’s just another example of how Toyota embraces technology and the challenges that come with integrating successful products into our vehicles. Toyota engineers had to provide extensive tests to make sure Tundra had the towing capacity for NASA’s iconic monstrosity—which it did, of course, and voilà —Toyota, once again made history!

Do you have questions about how Toyota technology offers a better ride? Contact Westboro Toyota to discuss Entune and other cool Toyota features with an experienced sales professional. Right now, Westboro Toyota’s Summer Savings Event is going strong, and there are plenty of out-of-this-world pre-Fourth of July deals going on right now. Stop by to test drive a new Toyota and get a FREE $10 Exxon-Mobil gift card!