Too Afraid to Ask: What is a Differential? – Toyota USA Newsroom

Turning is important.

But it’s not something we really think about, is it? Of course not. Why would you? Cars have been turning since their invention, and years of research and development have gone into making turning smoother and easier.

But all that began with a differential. But that’s still kind of vague. So, we asked Jess Buck from Toyota Motor North America Research & Development to give us a quick tutorial on what, exactly, a differential is.

And, as existence of this video proves, she did just that.

Originally published September 19, 2025