Toyota Non-automotive activities

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Aerospace
Toyota is a minority shareholder in Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation, having invested US$67.2 million in the new venture which will produce the Mitsubishi Regional Jet, slated for first deliveries in 2013. Toyota has also studied participation in the general aviation market and contracted with Scaled Composites to produce a proof-of-concept aircraft, the TAA-1 in 2002.

Philanthropy
Toyota is supporter of the Toyota Family Literacy Program along with National Center for Family Literacy, helping low-income community members for education, United Negro College Fund (40 annual scholarships), National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (US$1 million) among others. Toyota created the Toyota USA Foundation.

Higher education
Toyota established the Toyota Technological Institute in 1981, as Sakichi Toyoda had planned to establish a university as soon as he and Toyota became successful. Toyota Technological Institute founded the Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago in 2003. Toyota is supporter of the "Toyota Driving Expectations Program," "Toyota Youth for Understanding Summer Exchange Scholarship Program," "Toyota International Teacher Program," "Toyota TAPESTRY," "Toyota Community Scholars" (scholarship for high school students), "United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Internship Program," and "Toyota Funded Scholarship." It has contributed to a number of local education and scholarship programs for the University of Kentucky, Indiana, and others.

Robotics
In 2004, Toyota showcased its trumpet-playing robot. Toyota has been developing multitask robots destined for elderly care, manufacturing, and entertainment. A specific example of Toyota's involvement in robotics for the elderly is the Brain Machine Interface. Designed for use with wheelchairs, it "allows a person to control an electric wheelchair accurately, almost in real-time", with his mind. The thought controls allow the wheelchair to go left, right and forward with a delay between thought and movement of just 125 milliseconds.

Agricultural biotechnology
Toyota invests in several small start-up businesses and partnerships in biotechnology, including:

  • P.T. Toyota Bio Indonesia in Lampung, Indonesia
  • Australian Afforestation Pty. Ltd. in Western Australia and Southern Australia
  • Toyota Floritech Co., Ltd. in Rokkasho-Mura, Kamikita District, Aomori Prefecture
  • Sichuan Toyota Nitan Development Co., Ltd. in Sichuan, China
  • Toyota Roof Garden Corporation in Miyoshi-Cho, Aichi Prefecture