Toyota reported it will launch a service offering customization and updates for cars as customers increasingly hold on to their vehicles for longer.

The service, known as Kinto Factory, will start later this month and will offer new safety features, refreshed interiors, and software upgrades to car computer systems.

In fact, what we see so far is that the company is trying to transform itself from a maker and seller of cars to a more service-based “mobility company”.

The new service is part of Toyota’s Kinto brand, launched in 2019 and offers various car-sharing services.

Shinya Kodera, the Kinto president,  told reporters that for the sake of sustainability, it’s best for cars to be “used for a long time in a healthy condition and eventually collected and recycled.”

He also added that the company would consider expanding its Kinto Factory service abroad.

According to the available data, Kinto subscriptions had increased to 28,000 by November from 1,200 at the launch two years ago.