Toyota Connected Leverages Twilio to Build A Faster and More Responsive 'Drivelink' Experience

Twilio Flex Powers Toyota Connected’s Innovative Roadside Assistance Platform

SAN FRANCISCO, November 1, 2022 — Twilio Inc. (NYSE: TWLO) (LTSE: TWLO), the customer engagement platform that drives real-time, personalized experiences for today’s leading brands, and Toyota Connected North America, Inc. (TCNA), an independent software and data innovation center of excellence, today announced Twilio Flex is powering TCNA’s Drivelink telematics service platform. 

TCNA leverages the latest technology to help provide more than 5.5 million drivers in North America with convenience, access to emergency services and more behind the wheel. Drivelink can help provide access to emergency services and security features, as well as roadside assistance, to customers through a network of agents who can assist drivers and passengers in various ways. Drivelink is not only a service that can assist in an emergency situation, but also a feature that can elevate the driver’s experience – from providing navigation to even assisting customers with in-vehicle operations. 

Drivelink, powered by Twilio Flex, is now live and, since its implementation, TCNA customers have already started reaping the benefits of the updated platform. The platform allows for flexibility and agility, enabling the ability to implement an idea quickly, within hours or days – not months. For instance, TCNA gathered feedback from agents and was able to quickly implement an automated public safety answering point (PSAP) function, allowing the agent to use geolocation to call the proper first responders to help those in need wherever they are in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Since launch in 2019, Drivelink has been a lifeline for millions of drivers, with more than 3 million automated and agent-operated customer support calls made in the ensuing three years. The platform, now supported by Twilio Flex, provides drivers with the following capabilities and more in the U.S., Canada and Mexico: 

• Roadside Assistance: Whether a flat tire or a tow, roadside assistance is always just a tap of the SOS button away.
• Stolen Vehicle Locator: If a vehicle has been stolen, a Drivelink agent can assist authorities to help track down and recover the vehicle.
• Automated Crash Notification: If someone gets in a car accident and their airbag deploys, it sets off an automatic notification for an agent to reach out.
• Destination Assist: Drivers can click on a map to call an agent who can help find the destination and send it to the navigation in the car. Destination Assist feature available in US and Canada only. 
• Call reconnect: If a vehicle disconnects from the network, the call will be picked up by the same agent so the customer has continuity of service.

“Millions of drivers trust Toyota to help provide them peace of mind,” said Steve Basra, CEO and president of TCNA. “The solutions we offer are imperative to our mission of elevating the drivers’ experience. In a world that’s highly competitive and ripe for disruption, we provide the types of services that facilitate a more meaningful relationship with our customers, and Twilio’s tools enable that to happen.”

“Twilio and Toyota share a common DNA as we are both companies of builders,” said Jeff Lawson, CEO of Twilio. “We understand that the power and magic come from tackling problems and building solutions that delight customers. Drivelink, powered by Twilio Flex, is only the beginning of the innovations we’ll see in the near future from the TCNA team. I can’t wait to see what they build next.”

Steve Basra and Jeff Lawson will be at SIGNAL, Twilio’s customer and developer conference, discussing how Toyota and Twilio built this next-gen contact center solution and its impact to date in helping keep drivers safe. SIGNAL 2022 will take place virtually November 2-3, 2022 (Americas & EMEA) and November 3-4, 2022 (APAC). To learn more and register for free click here.

About Toyota Connected, Inc.

Based in Plano, Texas, Toyota Connected North America (TCNA) was established in 2016 to drive Toyota's global efforts for an intelligent mobile society. With big data collected from vehicles and analyzed on a cloud platform, Toyota Connected humanizes the driving experience by providing customers secure, seamless and contextual services, elevating the customer experience while benefiting dealers, distributors, and partners. At the heart of TCNA is Toyota's belief in human-centered mobility and a fundamental commitment to personal privacy.