Toyota Launches New RAV4 SUV with Improved Safety

Nagoya, Dec. 17 (Jiji Press)–Toyota Motor Corp. on Wednesday released a new version of its RAV4 SUV, the first model to use the Japanese automaker’s Arene software platform for better safety. The RAV4 underwent its first full redesign in about six years. The new model will initially be sold in Japan as a hybrid vehicle, with prices starting at 4.5 million yen. Toyota expects domestic monthly sales of about 3,000 units. A plug-in hybrid version is scheduled for release within fiscal 2025. Arene uses artificial intelligence to speed up voice-response functions for features such as air conditioning, Toyota said, noting that it also improves hazard detection and automatic braking control, strengthening overall safety performance. The automaker also said that additional functions can be added through software updates after purchase. Toyota aims to gather data for Arene as part of efforts to develop so-called software-defined vehicles, whose capabilities are expected to be upgraded over time. In 2024, the automaker sold about 1.04 million units of the RAV4 across roughly 180 countries and regions. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]