Toyota rolls out mobility solutions company

MANILA, Philippines — Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. (TMP) has launched a wholly owned subsidiary to provide mobility-related services, in line with its goal of providing mobility for all.

The vehicle assembler inaugurated Toyota Mobility Solutions Philippines Inc. (TMSPH), marking its venture into the development and offering new mobility solutions through a business service model.

“Along with automotive manufacturing and distribution businesses, TMP furthers its effort to provide safety and comfort for Filipinos with TMSPH’s Vehicle Usership (VU) platforms, available for individuals and the business sector,” the company said.

TMSPH president Ma. Cristina Fe Arevalo said TMP’s concept of new mobility is defined as a suite of technology and data-driven lifestyle and business solutions that can address day-to-day challenges of moving people and goods from one point to another.

“We envision TMSPH to be at the center of the ‘new mobility’ ecosystem as an integrated, ‘one-stop’ mobility solutions provider to help advance businesses and address local communities’ needs,” she said.

Arevalo added that TMSPH would primarily support the operating efficiency and growth of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises
(MSMEs), which are vital in driving economic growth.

During the launch, TMSPH presented an initial pipeline of services, including fleet-connected service, on-demand shuttle booking app, car sharing or rental, logistics matching service, and fleet management service.

In addition, the newly formed subsidiary would complement Toyota Financial Services Philippines Corp. (TFSPH) in promoting and managing units under its full operating lease product called KINTO.

“The first of its kind among Toyota affiliates in the Southeast Asian region, TMSPH is considered as a New Mobility Dojo that is projected to modernize domestic mobility systems and Internet of Things, potentially creating employment opportunities for technical but customer-centric professionals,” TMP said.

TMP president Atsuhiro Okamoto said the new venture would better shape the industry’s role in building our modern societies and enriching human lives.

“We will accelerate the fulfillment of Toyota’s global mission to ‘Produce Happiness for All’ and vision to create ‘Mobility for All,” Okamoto said.

For his part, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual congratulated TMP for the inauguration of the new mobility solutions unit, stressing that economic and social progress requires mobility.

“People can use it to access goods, services, information, employment, information, markets, as well as getting in touch with family and friends. Mobility indeed can improve the quality of life,” Pascual said.

“As cities become “smarter,” new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), sensors, and intelligent systems could be used to build solutions that make mobility more efficient and effective. This is especially true as the mobility ecosystem becomes more digitally connected and shared,” Pascual added.

According to the chief of the Department of Trade and Industry, TMP’s efforts to offer a wide range of mobility-related products and services to consumers as well as industrial, commercial, and agricultural enterprises, such as renting out cars to running shuttles for business.

“It will not only create hundreds of jobs but also lower the costs of doing business and help the economy grow even more,” Pascual said.

Pascual said mobility solutions could help improve MSMEs’ access to efficient logistics that suit the needs and financial capabilities of the enterprises, explaining that financing solutions can unburden MSMEs of the huge upfront costs of acquiring vehicles to support their operations.

Meanwhile, TMP expressed confidence that the Philippines can rebound to the pre-pandemic momentum of motorization, stressing that automotive manufacturing remains its core business and would continue to serve as a major driver of economic development.

TMP emphasized that it provides staunch support to local manufacturing, a backbone of the Philippine economy, through a strategic network of vehicle and parts manufacturing industries, as well as the export of automotive parts and components by local Toyota Group suppliers.

“Our vision has always been to contribute to the Philippine economy and society through our automotive manufacturing business,” TMP chairman Alfred Ty said.

Ty said the company has provided jobs to approximately 63,000 Filipinos as of last year.

“We have also contributed $17.1 billion in terms of auto component exports to our Toyota Group worldwide since we started export operations in 1997, “ Ty added.