Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. has announced the 25 finalists in its Ideas for Good challenge, a unique initiative centered on what the company has been doing for many years: repurposing its innovative automotive technology to benefit society in the non-automotive space. These finalists will now compete for the public’s votes in an attempt to bring their ideas to life during a prototyping session in June.

From November 8, 2010 through February 28, 2011, consumers were invited to share their ideas on how to repurpose five distinct Toyota technologies to create new, non-automotive applications which ultimately benefit society. Over 4,000 submissions were evaluated by a panel of independent judges, including Joel Stitzel, Ph.D. of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center; Keith Grossman of WIRED magazine; Grace Hawthorne of Hasso Platner Institute of Design at Stanford University; Jake Ward of Popular Science magazine and Josh Morenstein of fuseproject. The panel identified the following as the top 25 submissions—five ideas inspired by each of the Toyota technologies featured in the Ideas for Good program:

Total HUman Model for Safety (T.H.U.M.S.)

Solar Powered Ventilation System

Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD)

Advanced Parking Guidance SystemTouch Tracer Display

Touch Tracer Display

The next phase of the challenge asks the public to vote for its favorite idea in each category through April 30, 2011. The total number of public votes combined with the judges’ scores will determine the top five ideas. Winners will be announced on May 9, 2011, with a design and prototyping session to follow in June. In addition to the opportunity to bring his or her idea to life, each winner will also receive their choice of one of three Toyota vehicles: the Highlander Hybrid, Prius or Venza.

To learn more about the 25 finalist ideas and cast your vote, visit www.toyota.com/ideasforgood.

Source Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

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