Even in the current economic climate, automakers are under pressure to continue to innovate to stay ahead of the curve. Ford's voice activated Sync system has been a hit and Toyota is all set to follow suit with Safety Connect.
Toyota's collision notification will notify a response centre automatically when an airbag is deployed or a rear-end collision occurs. Through cellular technology, an emergency response team can be made available as needed.
The stolen vehicle locator uses GPS technology to pinpoint the location of a vehicle after it has been stolen.
The Destination Assist feature allows online access to directions and operator help.
The telematics technology has been largely been developed by Microsoft, but AT&T is developing a rival platform.
Toyota is attempting to keep up with the needs and expectations of a younger generation growing up on iPods and high speed internet connections that expects perfect access to information at all times.