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-   -   Toyota introduces Connect app in India (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/188565-toyota-introduces-connect-app-india.html)

Toyota has introduced a smartphone app in India. Connect, as the app is called, offers features like assisted navigation with traffic updates, 24x7 operator service, vehicle maintenance & service reminders and GPS-based road side assistance. The Toyota Connect app is available for Android as well as iPhone users and can be downloaded from the official website.

The Toyota Connect app provides various navigation-related features, including offline 3D maps voice guidance, live traffic updates and lane guidance. It also provides details about the tolls on a specific route and speed limits.

The app can be used to receive vehicle service reminders and owners can also track the live service status of their cars during the scheduled service process. An e-payment option has also been provided to offer an additional cashless payment method for Toyota customers in India.

The Connect app can further be used to access information about the applicable warranty and insurance on a Toyota vehicle. Toyota is also offering road side assistance based on the GPS location, through the app.

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So basically just like Honda Connect. Lame on Toyota's part to not even come up with a new name.

And in my experience, these apps (and accompanying device I'm assuming) are theoretically great but not that slick in execution. Hope Toyota has ironed out the glitches.

Downloaded the 'Toyota Connect' app to use it for my Corolla Altis. Pretty disappointed with it. IMO, the 'Honda Connect' app is much more informative than the Toyota app. Atleast Toyota could have changed the name to differentiate it from Honda?! How lazy!

The Toyota app doesn't display your car's service history, next service due date, journey information and vehicle tracker (i.e. - information that is useful to the user). Honda connect gets all this (vehicle tracker + journey info is available against a subscription charge). As of now, the Toyota app is free to download and use.

There is a sort of live service tracker available in the app, but I'm not sure how accurate it is/will be. The Toyota app also has an in-built sat-nav in it, but nowadays almost everyone has Google Maps (which is brilliant and glitch free) on their phones. So, I don't know how useful will people find the untested sat-nav from Toyota?

The most helpful/informative part of the app is the sea of maintenance-related information available about each model. The app gives a lot of details about each aspect of the car (brakes, ABS, warranty policy, DIY maintenance tips, service intervals, etc.).

Common features between the Toyota and Honda app would be the dealer locator, helpline numbers, etc.

All in all, needs a LOT of improvement/changes to become more useful. Not the most useful/informative app in it's current form.

Be that as it may, I would love to see more manufacturers offer apps like these. The more there are, the more incentive there is to offer a differentiated experience, and the better the apps will get over time. I wish some company would offer features like automatically turning on the air conditioner and remotely starting the car in these apps—and a few readings from the onboard sensors to complete the picture.