{"id":150536,"date":"2025-06-15T17:12:13","date_gmt":"2025-06-15T17:12:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/toyota-is-lagging-in-car-software-development-so-it-has-turned-to-a-leader-in-the-field-china\/"},"modified":"2025-06-15T17:12:14","modified_gmt":"2025-06-15T17:12:14","slug":"toyota-is-lagging-in-car-software-development-so-it-has-turned-to-a-leader-in-the-field-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/toyota-is-lagging-in-car-software-development-so-it-has-turned-to-a-leader-in-the-field-china\/","title":{"rendered":"Toyota is lagging in car software development. So, it has turned to a leader in the field: China."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Toyota is the \u00a0largest car manufacturer\u00a0 in the world, having sold nearly \u00a011 million vehicles\u00a0 last year. However, the sales outlook for 2024 has two distinct interpretations.<\/p>\n

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The optimistic view is that, despite the anticipated rise of the \u00a0electric vehicle (EV)\u00a0 market, Toyota continues to bet on hybrids, allowing it to maintain its position as the \u00a0world\u2019s top-selling automaker\u00a0. While its presence in EV technology is minimal, the goal is to arrive at the right time or, if arriving late, to outperform rivals. <\/p>\n

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Conversely, the pessimistic outlook suggests that \u00a0Toyota’s momentum is waning\u00a0. Global sales fell by \u00a03.7%\u00a0, and although the company is making steady progress in the United States with its hybrids, it experienced a significant \u00a06.9% drop in China\u00a0. The competitive market poses serious threats to manufacturers, and losing traction in the world’s largest national market could be a hard challenge to overcome in the future.<\/p>\n

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2024 marks the third consecutive year that Toyota has lost sales in China, a country known for being the largest EV market globally. Up until this year, Toyota\u2019s presence in China has been almost negligible, with its only EV being the \u00a0Toyota bZ3\u00a0.<\/p>\n

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Now, Toyota has confirmed that it will launch the \u00a0Toyota bZ3X\u00a0 (more focused on the affordable SUV market) and the \u00a0Toyota bZ7\u00a0, both developed in partnership with local company \u00a0GAC\u00a0. Still, three electric models fall short when compared to giants like \u00a0BYD\u00a0 or \u00a0Geely\u00a0, which boasts numerous brands.<\/p>\n

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Moreover, the Chinese market rewards manufacturers not only for offering efficient vehicles but also for enhancing \u00a0interior quality\u00a0 and \u00a0software functionality\u00a0. Consumers are increasingly attracted to features ranging from classic infotainment offerings to converting the car’s interior into a \u00a0karaoke venue\u00a0.<\/p>\n

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This scenario has posed significant challenges for Western manufacturers, who have struggled to understand local consumer preferences. Toyota’s response? Teaming up with those who excel in this arena.<\/p>\n

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Toyota\u2019s Alliances with Xiaomi and Huawei<\/h2>\n

In response to the evolving market, Toyota has chosen a strategic yet arguably smart route. \u00a0Partnering with Xiaomi and Huawei\u00a0 positions its products as integral components of a broader digital ecosystem that encompasses an array of related products.<\/p>\n

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Since the introduction of the Xiaomi \u00a0SU7\u00a0, the company has emphasized communication between mobile phones and cars, effectively transforming the vehicle into an extension of an omnipresent family of products. Their secret weapon is \u00a0HyperOS\u00a0.<\/p>\n

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\n \"Absent\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

My colleague Ricardo Aguilar shared insights on \u00a0Xataka\u00a0, revealing that the integration between Xiaomi\u2019s system and mobile phones surpasses \u00a0Apple CarPlay\u00a0 or \u00a0Android Auto\u00a0. The operating system replicates important information across up to five screens, with personalized applications showcasing phone content via a mirroring effect.<\/p>\n

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The system even allows for \u00a0Apple CarPlay\u00a0 to function simultaneously with the base operating system, displaying its interface on the central and rear screens, while \u00a0HyperOS\u00a0 runs in the background on the dashboard and Head-Up Display. The same interoperability exists for \u00a0Android Auto\u00a0.<\/p>\n

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Similarly, products employing \u00a0HarmonyOS\u00a0, the software developed by Huawei, are gaining traction among vehicles released in collaboration with manufacturers like \u00a0Aito\u00a0, \u00a0Chery\u00a0, and \u00a0JAC\u00a0. Notably, they utilize their proprietary chips to attain independence from U.S.-based companies.<\/p>\n

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In 2021, Huawei showcased its aspiration for \u00a0HarmonyOS\u00a0 as a \u00a0multiplatform software\u00a0 aimed at integrating various products within a singular family. This inspires customers who own a \u00a0Huawei phone\u00a0 to consider a car that offers a seamless user experience.<\/p>\n

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Like Xiaomi, Huawei\u2019s strategy entails presenting itself as an enticing option for high-end or luxury vehicles, a concept vividly illustrated in this video<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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The approach adopted by both Chinese firms starkly contrasts with Toyota’s, which has seen minimal investment in software thus far. Even though they have recently confirmed plans to invest more in developing their own operating system, they recognize the competitive risks posed by faster-moving rivals.<\/p>\n

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To navigate these waters, Toyota is forming alliances with both technology giants. As a result, the \u00a0Toyota bZ7\u00a0 will be compatible with both \u00a0operating systems\u00a0. Each entity is set to employ its unique artificial intelligence developments. For instance, Toyota is collaborating with Huawei to create a \u00a0personal identification system\u00a0 enabling users to activate their desired profile with simple voice commands.<\/p>\n

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In addition to Xiaomi and Huawei, Toyota has also partnered with \u00a0Momenta\u00a0, a Chinese firm focusing on \u00a0autonomous driving systems\u00a0, a highly coveted market within China. The government’s intervention has been necessary to prevent manufacturers from overstating their capabilities to consumers.<\/p>\n

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Photo | Toyota<\/p>\n

In \u00a0Xataka\u00a0, I receive inquiries from relatives and friends about the value of purchasing a Chinese car. This is my response.<\/p>\n


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General News – 2<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Toyota is the \u00a0largest car manufacturer\u00a0 in the world, having sold nearly \u00a011 million vehicles\u00a0 last year. However, the sales outlook for 2024 has two distinct interpretations. The optimistic view is that, despite the anticipated rise of the \u00a0electric vehicle (EV)\u00a0 market, Toyota continues to bet on hybrids, allowing it to maintain its position as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":150537,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36399],"tags":[475,2397,2484,3968,22019,403,37056,23870,2702],"class_list":["post-150536","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-car","tag-china","tag-development","tag-field","tag-lagging","tag-leader","tag-software","tag-toyota","tag-turned"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150536","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=150536"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150536\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/150537"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=150536"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=150536"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=150536"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}