A2: Auto Industry

The Freep profiles the local team behind the Toyota Venza, which is available to car buyers next month. It was designed at the Toyota Calty Design Research facility and engineered at the Toyota Technical Center in Ann Arbor Township, which employs about 300 people. Says Benjamin Jimenez, project chief designer: “The concept phase is really where we define the vehicle – it’s the upfront decision-making part. We’ve gained a lot of trust, and we learned a lot in doing it. It’s really helped us, and it shows the value of localization.” [Source]