The special hydrogen-powered Mirai gets its new tech from Kymeta, which Toyota says is the "world's leader in flat-panel antenna technology." These new antennas and their satellite connections allow for "huge amounts of data" to be sent to the car, which should be more stable and secure, "particularly in emergencies such as natural disasters." Toyota has an exclusive right to develop and test Kymeta's on-car antenna, but Kymeta also partners with Panasonic for an antenna that works with boats on the open water.
Toyota's goal here is to make future cars more communicate-y by installing a "Data Communication Module" into more vehicles. In a statement, Toyota Motor Corporation's senior managing officer, Shigeki Tomoyama, said, "For several years, Toyota met with emerging companies around the world to investigate new technologies. We were very excited to learn about Kymeta, because their flat antennae technology could solve the challenge of vehicle-based satellite communications."
