Toyota is helping drivers stay connected with their vehicles 05/25/2011
As social networks continue to be a major part of our society, more automakers have been working to integrate themselves in order to reach out to consumers.
Now, Toyota Motor Company and Salesforce.com are teaming up to build a social networking service that will allow new models to become "friends" with their drivers, according to Reuters. With this new system, it will allow tweet- like reminders for various maintenance tips for the vehicle. Company executives were looking to further integrate the company with the social networking site.
"Social networking services are transforming human interaction and modes of communication," Toyota president Akio Toyoda told a joint news conference with Salesforce.com chief executive officer (CEO) Marc Benioff in Tokyo. "The automobile needs to evolve in step with that transformation."
The Associated Press reports that the exchanges between the car and driver can either be kept private or can be shared with other "Toyota Friends" or publish it on Facebook. The news provider reports that this whole project will cost more than $10 million combined from both Toyota and Salesforce.com.