Toyota expands research and development

Toyota Motor North America  coincided is 40th anniversary of research and development with the announcement of the opening of its expanded Research & Development Purchasing and Prototype Development centers in York Township, Mich., just south of Ann Arbor.

The $154 million investment is part of a plan to unify its operations. Toyota moved its direct procurement and supplier engineering development team from Kentucky, and vehicle development and powertrain talent from California.

The R&D team also introduced is newest executive leader, Shinichi Yasui. Yasui, who arrived in April. He is Toyota’s engineering and manufacturing president, executive vice president of TMNA R&D and managing officer of Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC).