The 2016 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck is unveiled during the first press preview day of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, January 12, 2015. (Photo : Reuters)
Toyota plans to enter a partnership with GoPro camera maker with the hope of increasing profitability in the redesigned 2016 Tacoma pickup truck.
In 2024, Toyota Company and its Tacoma had a 60 percent compact pickup truck market share. However, competition emerged from General Motors when it introduced its small truck twins - Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon - reducing Toyota's market share to approximately 50 percent, Lef Lane reported.
As a move to recapture its market share and profitability, the company remodeled the 2016 Toyota Tacoma with new features like a bigger interior and more effective engine. These changes were not enough for the Japanese automaker. Rumors show that the 2016 Tacoma be the first automotive ever come out with a GoPro camera.
According to Toyota, the decision emanated from talks with the Tacoma owners. The firm noticed that owners of Tacoma had the action camera in place to capture off-road activities.
"True off-roaders are operational, and they all utilize GoPros on their vehicles," said Michael Sweers, the chief engineer of Tacoma. "Regardless of these users fishing, off-roading, or camping among other activities, the cameras help them to record their adventure."
The partnership will not only benefit Toyota but also GoPro, which is attempting to develop competitive camera models that can break into a $2 billion camera market, Petapixel reported.
There is no agreed structure concerning the financial implications of the partnership. Even though the camera mount will be applicable in all Tacoma models, the camera will not be inclusive in the final buying price of the vehicles. Buyers of the Tacoma models will have to spend a minimum of $400 to buy their personal GoPro cameras.
