Toyota’s First US Made EV, Scout’s New Designer, Using Your Face To Start Your Car

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It’s the first day of June and we are ready for a great summer! Aren’t you?  Today we talk about Toyota’s first US Made EV, Scout Motors’ pillaging of a long-time Jeep designer, and the first car you can start with your face. 

• Seemingly late to the full EV game, Toyota has chosen its largest US production plant in Georgetown, KY assembly plant to produce its first U.S. built full electric vehicle by 2025
  • The batteries for the three-row electric crossover will be sourced from a new Toyota complex in Liberty, North Carolina, which is seeing an additional $2.1 billion investment, taking the total investment to $5.9 billion.
  • Susan Elkington, president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky said "We are able to be very close to our production engineering location, plus we have an unbelievable workforce at this site that can actually really take on the charge in a very short period of time to make sure the product is successful." 
  • She also indicated that the addition of the EV line will not effect the current production output of over 550k vehicles per year

• Volkswagen-backed Scout Motors announces former lead designer from Jeep, Chris Benjamin,  as its new Design Chief who has worked with  Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volvo, and Stellantis.His recent work on Jeep Wagoneer's interior design has earned broad industry accolades.
  • Benjamin’s role will transcend design to also include concept development, user experience, and how design and tech come together in Scout vehicles.
  • Scott Keough, CEO and President of Scout Motors, said, “Chris’ work is prolific. For nearly 25 years he’s brought to life vehicles that stand out on the road. His thumbprints are all over many of the most beloved off-road vehicles in the market today. I’m confident that Chris will build on that experience as he defines the next chapter of design for Scout and electric utility vehicles.”
  • The company is creating an electric truck and SUV with roll out plans by the end of 2026 from their new factory near Columbia, SC.
    
    
    
• Genesis is the first automaker to use facial recognition technology on its new GV60 which will allow owners to access and start their vehicles using only their…face. 
  • The biometric tech will allow GV60 owners to access and start their vehicles just by using their face, no key fob or smartphone needed. The system uses a near-infrared camera and advanced deep-learning processing for this function.
  • The feature, dubbed 'Face Connect', also loads the user's personal profile automatically. This includes settings for the driver's seat, steering wheel, and head-up-display positioning.
  • Other new features include 'Digital Key 2.0' which enables drivers to share access to their GV60 with up to three users via an app on their smartphone, as well asfully reclining seats and and active an air purification system

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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