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Toyota builds its 500,000th Corolla in Mississippi

Toyota assembles the Corolla at plants around the world: from Brazil and South Africa to Turkey, Pakistan, China, Taiwan and Thailand. But the one we get here is built in Mississippi, and that location has just finished its 500,000th Corolla. The plant in Blue Springs, MS, is just one of a half-dozen assembly plants Toyota operates in the United States, but reached the half-million mark faster than any of the others. It began production late in 2011 and took over Corolla assembly from the NUMMI plant in California previously operated via joint venture with General Motors and now occupied by Tesla. Last year, the 2,000 workers at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Mississippi built 180,000 Corollas, contributing to the 10 million units of the model Toyota has sold in America since it was introduced here in 1968 and the 21 million vehicles Toyota has made in America over the years. 500,000th Corolla Speeds Off the Line at Toyota Mississippi Blue Springs plant celebrates milestone achieved at record pace BLUE SPRINGS, MISS. (Feb. 12, 2015) – Toyota Mississippi is celebrating the 500,000th Corolla coming off the line at the Blue Springs, Miss., production facility. The production accomplishment was achieved faster than any other Toyota plant in the U.S. – a testament to the 2,000 hardworking team members who have answered increasing consumer demand since the plant opened in 2011. "The 500,000th Corolla vehicle is a milestone we're excited to be celebrating," said Fred Volf, Toyota Mississippi, vice president of manufacturing. "We are proud to produce the Corolla, and it wouldn't have been accomplished without the 2,000 dedicated team members who support this operation." The milestone is one more to add to the long list of achievements for Toyota Mississippi and the Corolla. Toyota has sold more than 10 million Corollas in the U.S. and 40 million worldwide since the vehicle debuted here in 1968. The success of Corolla contributes to Toyota's accomplished domestic manufacturing footprint and represents Toyota's commitment to producing vehicles where they are sold. Since 1986, more than 21 million Toyota vehicles have rolled off the line in the U.S. and including dealers and suppliers, Toyota has generated 365,000 U.S. jobs. Toyota's local presence is felt by those in Northeast Mississippi through substantial economic investment, employment, philanthropic efforts and environmental responsibility.

Japan offering $20,000 incentives for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles

That tailwind Toyota may be feeling in Japan won't be from a stiff breeze off the northern Pacific Ocean. The Japanese automaker is getting ready to start selling its first production hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle in its native country next year. And the government is ponying up real big in incentives, Reuters says. The Japanese government will provide incentives worth about $20,000 per fuel-cell vehicle, Reuters reports, citing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. That sort of government money will bring Toyota's first hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle to the customer at under $50,000. Just so we're clear, Japan's incentives for battery-electric vehicles top out at about $8,500. That sound you hear is a bunch of Nissan executives tearing their hair out. Last month, Toyota said the price for the fuel-cell sedan would be about $69,000 in Japan, and while the company hasn't priced it for US consumption, the word's out that the car may be in the $50,000 range stateside. The fuel-cell sedan, which has a full-tank range of about 300 miles, goes on sale in Japan next April and will start sales in Europe and the US next summer. Honda is also debuting its first production fuel-cell vehicle next year, so Toyota's got company among automakers who are probably all raising a glass and saying "kampai" to the Japanese government right about now.

Toyota and Lexus will have standard automatic braking by 2017

Last week, NHTSA and IIHS announced that 20 auto manufacturers and three agencies had agreed to include automatic emergency braking (AEB) as standard equipment by 2022. Toyota was one of those 20 companies, but this week they upped the AEB ante: Nearly every Toyota and Lexus model and trim level will have standard AEB by 2017. That's next year. Many models already offer AEB as part of the Lexus Safety System+ and Toyota Safety Sense packages, but consumers have had to pay extra for these options (unless they leased a Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle; it already has AEB as standard equipment.) By the end of next year, all but the Lexus GS, Toyota 4Runner and Toyota 86 — which was developed together with Subaru — will have AEB installed at no extra cost. (Interestingly, the new Prius Prime unveiled at the New York International Auto Show has Safety Sense as an option rather than standard equipment.) The AEB function is part of Toyota's safety suites, which will be included in 25 Lexus and Toyota models. Both makes have a precollision system that detects the possibility of collision with the car ahead and engages the brakes if the driver doesn't react quickly enough, as well as lane departure alerts and automatic high beams. Toyota's move leapfrogs ahead of Honda making its Honda Sensing system, which includes AEB tech, available as a flat $1,000 option on every Civic Sedan. Related Video: This article by Kristen Hall-Geisler originally ran on TechCrunch, a leading technology media property, dedicated to obsessively profiling startups, reviewing new Internet products, and breaking tech news.