Toyota

Toyota is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The company designs, manufactures and sells passenger cars, commercial vehicles, luxury vehicles under the Lexus brand, and a range of other automotive products and services. Toyota operates manufacturing facilities and sales networks across more than 170 countries and regions worldwide, including significant operations in Asia, North America, Europe and Africa. The company is one of the world's largest automobile manufacturers by production volume and revenue, consistently ranking among the top global automakers. Toyota is publicly listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and several other exchanges, with the Toyota family retaining a significant ownership stake through Toyota Industries Corporation and other holdings. The company employs several hundred thousand people globally across its manufacturing plants, research and development centres, and sales operations. Toyota's product portfolio includes popular models such as the Corolla, Camry, RAV4, Hilux and Land Cruiser, alongside hybrid and electric vehicles such as the Prius and bZ series. The company pioneered mass-market hybrid technology with the Prius in 1997 and has since expanded into battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Toyota was founded in 1937 by Kiichiro Toyoda as a spinoff from his father's company, Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, and grew rapidly in the post-war period to become a global automotive leader known for its production efficiency and quality management systems.