What can we deliver to customers? The temperature was minus 18℃ when the team depar ted. They left from Arvidsjaur, Sweden amid the freezing cold, crossed over the border into Finland, and headed for the city of Rovaniemi.

Vow to enhance basic performance. The European leg of the Drive Project had encountered rain and cloudy weather so far-the typical heavy gray European skies in winter. This day, however, the sun was shining down in bright rays for a change.

The MIRAI advantage. When thinking about the future of cars, discussing the environment and energy is inevitable. The team took the Autobahn to travel from Hamburg to Berlin, the capital of Germany.

Entering the sub-zero world. The winter part of the European leg started in Ivalo in Lapland, northern Finland. Located within the Arctic Circle at the 69th parallel north, sunrise on the day the team arrived came at 10:11 a.m., and sunset at 1:39 p.m.

The future 10 and 20 years from now. After leaving Ivalo, the team headed to Norway's capital of Oslo for some market research. Norway is a progressive country when it comes to electrification, and more than 10% of the new cars sold last year were electric vehicles.

Together with many teammates. The team went from Gatwick to France via the Eurotunnel, arriving in the city of Rouen in the evening. Laurent, a European member from France, said, "Normandy is one of the most beautiful places in France. I love this place," as he gazed out of the car's window.

Human analyzer. Nakanishi-san of the Vehicle Engineering Development Division has a habit of making observations and taking notes and photos. In addition to researching European cars and road conditions, he's taken it upon himself to survey crosswalk conditions and the height of curbs and guardrails.

The cars wanted in Europe. The speed of the surrounding cars told the team that they had crossed over into another country. It was, after all, the Autobahn. Some stretches of the Autobahn were monotonous, offering little variation for several hours.

The importance of signaling your intentions. The team was driving through thick fog from Cologne to Stuttgart. Along the way they drove through Bettenfeld, which TME uses as an evaluation course. Maeda-san of the Design Division of Toyota Motor Kyushu cannot hide his delight at getting behind the wheel.

The beautiful Autobahn. In the eyes of Sekiya-san of the Advanced Technical Skills Institute, who has participated in the 24 Hours Nürburgring endurance race, Germany's Autobahn is a thing of beauty.

Communication is absolutely necessary to keep you and others safe on the road. Summer has passed, and fall is slowly approaching Europe. Team 2 from Japan arrived in Brussels, Belgium, but there is no time to relax.

European roads demand a high standard. Amid the first heavy rain of the European leg, the team travelled from Slovenia to Hungary. Even on the motorway the rain seemed to be pooling on the surface, so that each passing truck sent up sprays of water which reduced visibility.

Thinking for yourself and making decisions. The role of TME's Miwa-san in the project is first and foremost managing safety. Following that, it's forging connections between the European and Japanese project members, who all have different backgrounds.

Sparking conversation about cars. “This being my first time in Europe, I’m really looking forward to learning the roads and seeing how we compare against competitor models. Above all , I want to hear local opinions. As team captain, I also want to demonstrate my leadership in TMC and with local members.

At the TME Technical Center in Brussels, Belgium, the drivers underwent their final training before beginning the European leg. Left-hand steering, roundabouts, and driving on the right side of the road - the training aimed to familiarize drivers with conditions that differ from Japan.