Toyota’s UX Journey with Optimal

Amid fierce competition in the European automotive sector, Toyota Europe has established itself as a digital experience leader, creating user-friendly interfaces that serve millions of continental drivers. Their polished vehicle dashboards and digital customer touchpoints aren't the result of guesswork—they come from a carefully planned website and app structure based on thorough user testing and feedback.

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By leveraging strategic user testing, Toyota Europe has transformed how they organize vehicle features and optimize digital experiences for drivers and vehicle owners alike.

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Challenge: Mapping the Digital Vehicle Experience

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Toyota Europe faced a significant challenge in organizing their expanding digital ecosystem across vehicle interfaces and mobile applications. With the automotive industry rapidly evolving toward digital experiences and electric mobility, Toyota needed to develop intuitive content  architectures that would resonate with both traditional vehicle owners and early adopters of electric vehicles.

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Additionally, the company needed to optimize their MyToyota app services, ensuring a streamlined experience for customers managing their vehicle ownership journey.

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Solution: Designing the Perfect Digital Journey

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To address their challenges, Toyota Europe implemented focused UX testing methods:

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• For their Digital Experience Platform (DXP) vehicles, Toyota conducted extensive tree testing to evaluate multiple iterations of information architecture. This methodical, iterative approach allowed them to refine how drivers would navigate and access vehicle features and settings through digital interfaces.
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• For their MyToyota app, Toyota deployed specialized card sorting and tree testing exercises focused specifically on the 'services' section and overall information architecture, ensuring owners could easily access maintenance schedules, service booking, and vehicle-specific information.
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• To address the emerging market of electric vehicles, Toyota conducted dedicated information architecture studies, recognizing that these vehicles present unique feature sets and information needs compared to traditional combustion engine vehicles.
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Results: Insights That Drive Innovation

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Toyota Europe's strategic use of UX research tools delivered tangible results:

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• The multiple iterations of tree testing for DXP vehicles revealed optimal patterns for organizing vehicle features, enabling Toyota to create intuitive digital interfaces that increased feature discovery and driver satisfaction.
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• By focusing research on the MyToyota app services section, Toyota gained unique insights into how vehicle owners prioritize and access post-purchase services, enhancing the ownership experience beyond the driving experience itself.
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• The dedicated studies for electric vehicle information architecture established a foundation for clear communication of new concepts and features unique to electric mobility, facilitating easier adoption for customers transitioning from traditional vehicles.
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Lasting Benefits on the Digital Roadmap

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Toyota Europe's investment in information architecture research continues to deliver sustained benefits:

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• The refined digital vehicle interfaces have improved the in-car experience, leading to more intuitive interactions and increased driver satisfaction across their vehicle lineup.
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• The optimized MyToyota app has strengthened relationships with existing customers, making vehicle ownership and maintenance more transparent and accessible.
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• The specialized electric vehicle information architecture has positioned Toyota to effectively communicate new concepts and features as they expand their electric vehicle offerings.
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Toyota Europe's case demonstrates how user insights can transform digital interfaces from basic utilities to strategic advantages, directly impacting driver experience, owner satisfaction, and ultimately, business performance in the competitive automotive landscape.

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Want to learn how you can get started gathering meaningful user insight for your digital products? Reach out to us today.

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