[Interview] Toyota Performance Evaluation Driver
"Focusing on Making Good Cars... Unifying Driving Sensation Is a Challenge"
Toyoda Akio Chairman, as Master Driver
Suggests Direction for Vehicle Development and Driving Quality
"Surprised After Test Driving Hyundai Ioniq 5 N"
"Our role is to fully understand the mind of the Master Driver (Akio Toyoda, Chairman of Toyota) and complete a ‘good car.’"
On the 25th, at the Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama in Toyota City, Japan, Satoshi Toyooka, head of the Advanced Technical Skills Institute Division, explained the vision of his department. The term ‘Chowan (凄腕)’ in Japanese means outstanding skill or ability.
Established in 2015, this division consists of master craftsmen known as evaluation drivers, considered the best among test drivers. While traditional racing drivers test cars by pushing them beyond their limits, evaluation drivers are engineer-drivers who check vehicle performance through ride comfort and sensory evaluation and propose solutions to improve it.
Toyota Chuwan Skill Development Department test driver Satoshi Toyooka (photo far right), Hisashi Yabuki, assistant director (center), and Masahiko Yahagi, assistant director of Toyota Technical Center R&D support, are posing for a commemorative photo in front of a Toyota high-performance vehicle. Photo by Toyota Joint Press Corps
This organization, with about 70 members, reports directly to the chairman. Test drivers have levels, and the highest rank, Master Driver (S2 grade), is held by Chairman Toyoda under the pseudonym ‘Morizo.’ Chairman Toyoda takes pride in leading this evaluation department and sets the direction for driving feel in vehicle development. Toyooka said, "Being a Master Driver is not just about driving skills. It also involves guiding development direction from a management perspective."
There is a reason why these craftsmen, who have devoted decades solely to car evaluation, listen closely to the chairman’s words. In the early 2000s, when Toyoda was vice president, he was often labeled as a ‘manager who doesn’t understand cars’ both inside and outside the company. To overcome this perception, Toyoda took regular driving lessons once a month from the legendary driver Hiromu Naruse and later built his skills enough to debut as an active motorsports driver. In 2007, he made his first appearance at the N?rburgring 24-hour endurance race under the alias ‘Morizo’ and continues to compete as a driver even now at the age of 68.
Manager Satoshi Toyooka (right in photo), test driver of Toyota Chuwan Skill Development Department, and Masahiko Yahagi, chief assistant responsible for R&D support at Shimoyama Technical Center. Provided by Toyota Joint Press Corps. Photo by Toyota Joint Press Corps
Toyooka said, "At that time, Toyota was seen as a brand with durable and accessible cars. Morizo-san wanted to go beyond that and create ‘better cars’ as products themselves."
Of course, Chairman Toyoda does not instruct on every detailed aspect of engineering. When he presents an overall driving feel image, such as a wild car or a smooth and lively car, it is the Advanced Technical Skills Institute Division’s responsibility to materialize it. Hisashi Yabuki, a top driver in this division, said, "We are working to unify the driving feel intended by the Toyota brand, centered on feedback from the Master Driver."
The role of test drivers in the electric vehicle era is expected not to change significantly. Yabuki said, "Electric vehicles have good acceleration and a low center of gravity, so the ‘taste of driving’ may differ, but the vehicle performance evaluation system itself has not changed."
Test driver Hisashi Yabuki of Toyota Chuwan Skills Development Department. Photo by Toyota Joint Press Corps
Test drivers recently shared brief impressions after driving the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. Toyooka said, "I drove the Ioniq 5 N, and it is a highly refined vehicle that even surprised Morizo-san. It seems they paid great attention to creating virtual engine noise for the electric car. We also learned a lot during the test drive."
The Shimoyama Toyota Technical Center, where the interview took place, is a core R&D facility that tests Toyota’s luxury brand Lexus and high-performance GR vehicles. Located on a 6.5 million square meter site in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, it features various driving test courses including public roads, high-speed driving, and special tests.
Masahiko Yahagi, assistant manager of the Technical Center R&D Support Department, said, "We modeled the facility after the N?rburgring test course in Europe to enable similar levels of testing. We also implemented measures for noise, rivers, and animal protection, and used local timber in building construction to harmonize with the local community."
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