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Clear Channel’s Total Traffic Network and Toyota have teamed up to give drivers real-time traffic and weather updates on their dashboard. In a three-year deal, Total Traffic Network, a subsidiary of Clear Channel Media and Entertainment, will work with Toyota in order to relay real-time updates of both traffic and weather conditions straight to a driver’s dashboard via HD radio technology. Announced at 2013’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the deal means that a number of 2013 Toyota and Lexus models will have the feature as standard on their dashboard, which will show updates through both text and graphics. The new in-dashboard services will include The Weather Channel’s Doppler weather radar, as well as real-time weather forecasts from TTN’s traffic updates. In addition, both local and national forecasts will be available for over 120 cities in the U.S., according to Toyota. Traffic updates will be provided through maps and incident coverage reports which are updated every two minutes, as well as upcoming 15, 30 and 45-minute predictive traffic information. Both services will be provided for free to customers. Toyota also plans to eventually expand the service coverage beyond HD radio, and make the service accessible for vehicles equipped with Entune by connection to a driver’s smartphone. Kevin Dorsey, President of National Media Groups for Clear Channel Media and Entertainment commented: “This new agreement with Toyota highlights our ability to leverage our distribution, programming and technology platforms to bring consumers what they want, where they want it and without annoying subscriptions. Our digital expertise helps to provide one-of-a-kind solutions for our partners and we are looking forward to joining forces with Toyota to further enhance the driving experience.” Toyota and Clear Channel are not the only ones focusing on dashboard applications and technology in the new year. Ford has also announced an update to their cars, the Glympse app, which can be used to tell friends and family where you are via GPS technology and voice commands when on the road.

In this year’s report, the Toyota Prius has replaced the Honda Fit as the best value for car buyers. “It’s extremely reliable, roomy, rides well, gets great fuel economy, and is inexpensive to operate,” says Rik Paul, automotive editor at Consumer Reports. Consumer Reports rated Toyota Motor and Lexus models as the best value for buyers in six of 10 categories. The magazine said Toyota and Lexus hybrids stand out as having excellent value. The Japanese automakers hybrids rated No. 1 in three of four categories. Click Here for the Full Story

Toyota today announced a $1 million contribution to the American Red Cross and other nonprofit organizations to support relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Sandy in the regions worst-hit by the storm. In addition, Toyota will match employee contributions to the American Red Cross and other non-profits doing relief and recovery work in affected communities. Beginning Nov. 1, Toyota Financial Services (TFS) and Lexus Financial Services (LFS) will launch a “Customer Outreach” calling campaign to lease and retail customers who are delinquent, or become delinquent, due to circumstances related to the storm and who reside in the 13 states directly impacted by the hurricane (CT, DC, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VA, VT and WV) and in the District of Columbia. Click Here for the Full Story

The Scion FR-S earned industry recognition on October 30th, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada with the Hottest Sport Compact award on the first day of the 2012 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas. “Scion is honored the FR-S earned the SEMA Hottest Sport Compact award, which adds the judges’ esteemed endorsement to the thousands of enthusiastic owners who have already taken this sports car to the next level in a few short months,” said Scion Corporate Manager Jaycie Dane. “Personalization is a core component of the Scion brand, making the SEMA show a perfect spot to showcase the vast possibilities of the FR-S.” Click here for the full story

Toyota celebrated the 25 millionth vehicle manufactured in North America today at a ceremony at its Georgetown, Ky., plant coinciding with the start of production for the all-new 2013 Avalon.  The milestone vehicle – a Classic Silver Hybrid Avalon – represents 26 years of manufacturing, a direct investment of nearly $24 billion in North American operations and 365,000 jobs created in the United States. Speaking at a line-off ceremony in Georgetown today, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky President Wil James said, “This is a pivotal time in Toyota’s history.  What better way to cap off 26 years of manufacturing excellence than with the all-new Kentucky-assembled Avalon, a shining example of what our customers have to look forward to in the future.”

The 2013 Toyota Venza has received the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) highest rating for frontal, side and rollover crash tests.  Venza received five stars after NHTSA tested both the front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive models. Also called the New Car Assessment Program, NHTSA created the 5-Star Safety Ratings System to provide consumers with information about its evaluation of the crash protection and rollover safety of new vehicles.

The Detroit Free Press is reporting Toyota’s three brands – Scion, Toyota and Lexus – swept the three top spots in Consumer Reports’ annual reliability survey, which analyzes subscribers’ experiences with 1.2 million new vehicles to predict future reliability.  Of the 27 models in the brand’s lineup, 16 earned the highest rating.  The subcompact Toyota Prius C received the top score overall.  “We are basically just taking data that the consumers and subscribers are providing to us,” said Jake Fisher of Consumer Reports Magazine. Click here to read the entire story

Reasons to not buy a sports car get eliminated one by one in the FR-S. Everybody seems to fit in the manfully bolstered bucket seats, and the rear seatback folds to extend cargo space. Click here for the full story on Yahoo Autos

Toyota Presents: The Tundra Endeavour -- Mission Accomplished

Toyota once again ranked the highest of automotive brands and No. 10 among all brands on Interbrand’s 2012 Best Global Brands list.  Topping the 13th annual 100 Best Global Brands report was Coca-Cola, followed by Apple, IBM, Google and Microsoft. In the automotive sector, Toyota was followed by Mercedes Benz (#11), BMW (#12) and Honda (#21).  Interbrands stated in their report that automotive brands are becoming more attuned to the emotional connection consumers have with their cars. Interbrand creates the ranking by examining a brand’s financial performance, the role the brand plays in influencing consumer choice, and strength the brand has to command a premium price or secure earnings for the company. Click here for the full story

Harsh conditions and harsh work is enough to beat up any truck. So how well did the Tundra hold up after its life on the ranch? This first episode will delve into the overall wear and tear of the Tundra. Footage from the disassembly plant will show exactly how well certain components such as the brakes, the pneumatic tailgate, shocks, springs and bushings fare against road conditions and long hours on the ranch. For more information, visit http://www.toyota.com/tundra/deconstructed for more information. Click Here to watch the Video

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized eight Toyota manufacturing sites in North America for achieving a ten percent reduction in energy intensity through its ENERGY STAR Challenge For Industry program. Collectively, these eight sites have reduced energy intensity by nearly 24 percent from baseline. Energy intensity is measured relative to efficiency improvements in process and equipment. The ENERGY STAR Challenge For Industry program is only awarded to individual industrial sites. To gain recognition, the site’s company must be an ENERGY STAR partner. Earlier this year, Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TEMA) received its eighth consecutive ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award for its continued leadership in protecting the environment through energy efficiency and management. “Thanks to the efforts of our team members, Toyota has reduced our total energy use per vehicle over the last five years as we achieved greater energy efficiency across North America,” said TEMA Executive Vice President Steve St. Angelo. “This demonstrates that when good ideas are shared, great things can happen as we continuously identify new opportunities to reduce energy consumption while improving our processes.” The eight Toyota facilities recognized by the EPA include: Bodine Aluminum (Jackson, Tenn., and St. Louis, Mo.); Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Alabama (Huntsville); Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (Cambridge and Woodstock, Ont.); Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana (Princeton); Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas (San Antonio); and Toyota Motor Manufacturing, West Virginia (Buffalo). Several examples of reduction in energy intensity include: Plant Kaizen (Improvement) Example Description Benefits Industry Challenge Energy Reduction (From Baseline) Lighting efficiency (Bodine Aluminum, Jackson, Tenn.) Replacement of lighting in several plant areas with energy efficient florescent lights with sensors • Reduce CO2 emissions • Cost savings • Reduce energy usage 13.8% Innovative lighting technology (Toyota Motor Mfg., Alabama) Installation of Ultra Constant Discharge lighting in the plant’s parking lot • Reduce CO2 emissions • Cost savings • Reduce energy usage 24.1% Hot water boiler linkage (Toyota Motor Mfg. Canada) Installation of new controls allowing proper mixture without numerous adjustments • Reduce CO2 emissions • Reduce water usage 28.5% • Reduce energy usage • Less complexity Paint booth HVAC system (Toyota Motor Mfg., Indiana) Elimination of using outside air to cool/heat paint booth; current air intake is taken directly from plant, making temperature consistent • Reduce CO2 emissions • Reduce energy usage • Less use of HVAC system, natural gas and electricity during peak times 36% Since 2006, Toyota’s U.S. manufacturing operations have received 18 Energy Star Plant Awards from the U.S. EPA, recognizing each plant’s energy performance over the past year and scoring in the top 25 percent of its industry. http://bit.ly/MJ2xY7