Toyota has concluded an agreement with DiDi to expand collaboration in Mobility as a Service (MaaS) in China on July 25. According to the press release by Toyota, the company will invest 600 million U.S. dollars (approximately 66 billion yen) in DiDi and a joint venture, which the two companies will establish with GAC Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. (GTMC) for vehicle-related services for ridehailing drivers.
Through this new agreement, Toyota and DiDi plan to shift to full-scale implementation of services that they have been developing in China. By creating more-efficient and high-quality ride-hailing businesses, the two companies will provide mobility service solutions that contribute to Chinese society.
The collaboration will allow Toyota and DiDi to expand the various connected services provided by MSPF in its value chain including vehicle management, maintenance, insurance, and financing for customers and drivers to realize the high potential of the MaaS market in China. Toyota also aims to introduce and promote the widespread use of battery electrified vehicles (BEVs) suitable for future mobility services in China.
"I am delighted that we are strengthening our collaboration, which utilizes Toyota's connected technologies and next-generation BEVs, with DiDi, China's mobility service market leader. Looking ahead, we will work with DiDi to develop services that are more attractive, safe, and secure for our customers in China," said Shigeki Tomoyama, Executive Vice President of Toyota.
"DiDi is committed to help our cities achieve new energy and smart transportation goals with partners from home and abroad. We look forward to combining DiDi's expertise in AI-based large-scale mobility operations and Toyota's leading connected vehicle technology to build a next-generation intelligent transportation framework for sustainable cities," said Stephen Zhu, Senior Vice President of DiDi.
