Toyota has shared some of its biggest inventions with the world outside of the automobile industry. Wake Forrest University, for example, is using Toyota's T.H.U.M.S. software to study the damaging effects of hits and tackles on football players. Their goals: to understand how to better treat injured players and develop safer helmets. NASCAR previously used the same technology to improve the structure of seats and revise their 2010 rule book.

Less obvious examples of Toyota sharing their insights and innovation include the Japanese automaker's work with Allegheny Hospital and Yellowstone National Park. Allegheny Hospital…

It seems like automakers and consumers alike are on the elusive quest for a better way to power electric cars. That quest is getting a little less equal. Toyota Motor Co., the largest seller of hybrid vehicles worldwide is working on developing a magnesium battery that holds twice the energy of lithium-ion cells. According to Jeffrey Makarewiez, the engineer managing the U.S. project, the work in Ann Arbor complements other future electric-power chemistry at Toyota labs in Japan.

"Going from nickel-metal hydride to lithium ion, you essentially double energy capacity," Makareweiz says. "Lithium ion theoretically, under ideal conditions, has…

Quality Control (QC) is a key factor affecting the integrity of automakers products and maybe more importantly customer satisfaction. To raise their QC and thereby their customer loyalty, Toyota has opened two additional field quality offices in the U.S. 

Toyota's new quality offices are located in Houston, Texas and Jacksonville, Florida and will assign even more researchers in the field to identify and correct quality issues as early as possible. The effort is to ensure that finished products are the best that they can be. The new offices in Texas and Florida will complement three which have already…