ON THE MOVE
THE TALE OF TOYOTA’S DESIGN
Toyota’s symbol is an unmistakable icon on the road, but did you know that the design started with a “d”, not a “t”? The family name of the founder
was Toyoda, so early vehicles carried a “Toyoda” emblem. In 1936 a competition to design a new logo led to the name change, as “Toyota” was thought to sound more appealing. The current oval logo was introduced
in 1989 to commemorate the firm’s 50th
anniversary – and it’s rich with
symbolism. The two perpendicular ovals inside the larger oval represent the heart of the customer and the heart of the company, overlapping to represent a mutually beneficial
relationship. The overlapping ovals also create a “T”, as well as a steering wheel symbol. The outer oval symbolises the world embracing Toyota, while the space within the logo represents Toyota’s “infinite values” of superb quality, value, joy of driving, innovation, safety, the environment and social responsibility. Each oval has a different stroke
thickness, to imitate Japan’s famous brush art.
WILL SELF-DRIVING HIT THE SWEET SPOT?
Self-driving vehicles and other advanced technologies could really benefit road safety, but how well will drivers receive them? To find out, Toyota’s Collaborative Safety Research Centre is conducting studies with five American institutions. “The development of advanced
vehicle technologies may be progressing faster than the ability of some people to fully understand their capabilities,” says Chuck Gulash, the centre’s Director. “By openly sharing our insights with the broader automotive, government, NGOs and technology communities, we believe we can improve society’s acceptance of these new and promising technologies.”
SOUTH AFRICANS HAPPY TO INVEST IN PRE-OWNED VEHICLES
Research conducted by Gumtree SA has found that in 2017, twice as many used vehicles were sold as new ones. Jeff Osborne, Head of Automotive for Gumtree SA, said that several factors have influenced this trend, including a tough economy, the growth of online platforms that enable the buying and selling of pre-owned cars, improved warranties and service plans on pre- owned vehicles from dealerships and better availability of financing. He adds that hatchbacks make up 34% of their listings, with Toyota one of the most prevalent brands in the category. This trend was also evident in the
results of Gumtree’s first Pre-Owned Car Awards, held in November last year, which assessed 2015 models in 10 different categories, looking at value, reliability and reasonable maintenance costs. In the SUV Under R325 000 category, the 2015 Toyota RAV4 2,0 GX took top spot, with the People’s Choice Award going to the 2015 Toyota Fortuner 2,5 D-4D.
“I think many people have lost some
of the status imperative about new cars and are less self-conscious about pre-owned. They want to make a smart choice,” says Osborne.
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