New Toyota and Lexus vehicles in South Africa get Wi-Fi
All new Toyota and Lexus vehicle models sold in South Africa will now come fitted with in-vehicle Wi-Fi capability. Named Toyota Connect, the new connectivity hub will be the MyToyota App (available on Android and iOS) which was launched by the Japanese auto manufacturer in 2014.
The solution is a collaboration between Toyota, Vodacom, and the South African technology solutions company, Altron.
“As of September 1, 2019, all-new Toyota and Lexus models sold in South Africa will come standard with in-car Wi-Fi, including 15GB of free data (which you can top up) as well as a host of connectivity features and benefits courtesy of Toyota Connect, a major extension of the MyToyota App,” says CEO of Toyota South Africa, Andrew Kirby. The importance of telematics and telecommunications in tomorrow’s vehicles cannot be overstated – hence our partnership with global technology group Altron (through Netstar) and telecoms giant Vodacom in this project. Consumers are increasingly becoming aware of how connected technologies can enhance their lives and our task as a forward-thinking organisation is to evolve in tandem with market expectations,” said Andrew Kirby, CEO of Toyota South Africa.
An electronic device, developed by Altron’s subsidiary Netstar, will be fitted into all the new Toyota and Lexus vehicles in South Africa. It will have an e-Sim supplied by Vodacom Business, which will connect to two APNs: one prepaid APN for Internet access and the other a post-paid APN for telemetry and other services.
According to Toyota South Africa, the new Toyota Connect solution is not limited only to passenger vehicles; from September 1, 2019, it will also be fitted to other vehicle categories, such as minibusses.
“This locally-developed technology enables connectivity and gives real-time data to both Toyota and its customers. It positions Altron and South Africa as relevant players in the Internet of Things globally. We are truly excited about this collaboration. Once a customer has opted in, the data aggregated from the telematics module will provide insights to Toyota, their dealer network, customers, fleet owners and third-party service providers such as the Automobile Association (AA), providing accident and breakdown assistance,” said Mteto Nyati, Chief Executive at Altron Group.
