Toyota Motor North America, Inc. (TMNA) is the North American operating subsidiary of Japan's Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE: TM). Headquartered in Plano, Texas, TMNA oversees all of the parent company's operations in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, including research and development, manufacturing, sales, and marketing. The current consolidated structure was established in 2017. Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America.
As an operating company, TMNA is responsible for the sales, marketing, and distribution of Toyota and Lexus brand vehicles. Its product lines include a wide range of cars, trucks, SUVs, and electrified vehicles, such as hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and battery electric models. The company operates 14 manufacturing plants in North America that have produced over 50 million vehicles. Through its Toyota Financial Services division, the company also offers vehicle financing, leasing, and insurance products to consumers and dealers.
In its tracked patent litigation history, Toyota Motor North America has exclusively been a defendant, a posture typical of a large operating company. The company has been sued four times and has not initiated any patent lawsuits as a plaintiff. All four of these defensive cases have been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, a jurisdiction often favored by patent plaintiffs.
The lawsuits against TMNA originate from entities that appear to be non-practicing entities (NPEs) asserting patents related to automotive technology. The plaintiffs include Bunker Hill Technologies LLC, an entity of patent monetization firm Dominion Harbor Enterprises, asserting a patent related to electric vehicle charging. Another plaintiff, Fleet Connect Solutions LLC, is described by Unified Patents as an NPE and has asserted patents related to wireless communications and fleet management. Similarly, Autonavigare LLC has filed suits against multiple automakers, including Toyota, over patents covering in-vehicle navigation and infotainment systems. The fourth case was brought by Chemtron Research LLC.