Hicks said Toyota Connected has some clear ideas on what harnessing this potential might look like for a Toyota or Lexus driver.
"I know how fast you are going down the road. I know what your trajectory is. I know how many people are sitting in the car. I know what music you're listening to. I can give you services based on that," he said.
"So, when you're in the car in the morning, I know that you are going to be late because of traffic and if I'm connected to your calendar I can just say, 'Hey, do you want to let the meeting organizer know that you're running late? And by the way you need gas, and here's the cheapest place on your route,'" he added.
Monetizing that capability isn't yet a priority. There are, however, businesses in which Toyota Connected can make money, such as fleet management and telematics-based insurance. Hicks said Toyota Connected has also developed its own car-sharing software platform and will launch a service with a partner shortly.
Toyota Connected certainly isn't alone in going after those services, but Hicks thinks it can be competitive.
Hicks said Toyota won't be selling driver data to third parties, and owners would always have to opt in to services such as telematics insurance in order for a third party to obtain their data.
"If we ever break that trust," he said, "you're never going to buy a car from us again."