Posted on

APOLLO FUTURE MOBILITY GROUP announces its urban delivery vehicle UME was awarded the “Best of Best” in the “Commercial” category in the Automotive Brand Contest 2021 in Germany

HONG KONG, Jun 30, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Apollo Future Mobility Group Limited ("AFMG", the "Company", HKEx stock code: 860) announces today that its urban delivery vehicle - the UME, developed by its German team, was awarded the title of "Best of Best" in the "Commercial" category in the Automotive Brand Contest 2021 ("abc2021") organized by German Design Council.Highlighting the appreciation of the abc2021 judging panel members to the UME design, the panel's official verdict reads: "UME's Urban Delivery Vehicle with its holistic sustainable concept approach is an attractive solution for electric last mile transport of goods. The idea of sending the vehicle as an assembly kit to local micro-factories is truly remarkable. The modular superstructures also allow for a variety of deployment scenarios. A well thought-out, coherent commercial vehicle concept that is also convincing in its form with its modern, friendly product language."Unveiled for the first time at the Third China International Import Expo 2020 hosted in November 2020, the UME, meaning "Utility Meets Electric", is designed to be a cost and time effective tool to fulfill the last mile in the supply chain, constituting a green solutions package aiming at reducing carbon emissions of the transportation sector that is still prevalent in conventional fossil-fuel-powered light urban delivery trucks commonly used in developing countries. The UME is a L7e-CU vehicle (EU regulation) adapting a one-size-fits-all approach yet can be open to numerous use-cases depending on the customer's individual requirements. Delivering an approachable look with a minimalist design, the UME consists of symmetric parts, essentially reducing the number of parts required to increase manufacturing cost-effectiveness by allowing the same tooling for multiple uses. Key features of the UME include its Trolley Battery System that allows a Quick-Change-Charging scenario that keeps the vehicle on the road without any delivery downtime; modular cargo units that can be used as closed box or open pick-up to enable multiple usages ranging from courier to food delivery; and keyless access that is ideal for fleet and sharing usage. To achieve low-cost manufacturing, the UME can be shipped in knock-down kits that will be assembled in local micro factories in the target markets where it will also create job opportunities in the mobility industry. As the leading mobility award, the Automotive Brand Contest awards uniquely honour forward-thinking and future-oriented designs: public and individual transport innovations, top performances in communication and groundbreaking technical developments - the expert jury distinguishes projects that are clearly in the fast lane in the world of mobility.Mr. Ho King Fung, Eric, Chairman of Apollo Future Mobility Group Limited, comments, "With the UME our goal is to create a mobility tool for a shift towards green solutions. By creating an ecosystem around electric urban delivery vehicle that includes micro-factories and battery-swap stations, offering a high level of digitisation and connectivity, we not only present a vehicle, but a holistic approach for the future of urban commercial vehicles."About the Automotive Brand ContestThe Automotive Brand Contest was established in 2011. The German Design Council (Rat fur Formgebung), established by the German parliament Bundestag in 1953, honours outstanding product and communication design and draws attention to the fundamental importance of brand and brand design in the automotive industry. The interdisciplinary panel consists of members working in media, design, industrial companies, higher education institutions and architecture. The official awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in Frankfurt am Main in autumn. For more details, please visit https://www.abc-award.com/About Apollo Future Mobility Group LimitedApollo Future Mobility Group Limited (HKEx stock code: 860) is a leading integrated mobility technology solution provider with proprietary and disruptive mobility technologies. It is determined to build a world-leading one-stop service platform for "future mobility" through the integration of global advanced mobility technologies.The Group focuses its business developments on three pillars, namely Engineering Services Outsourcing (ESO), Technology Development and Automobile Manufacturing through Apollo Automobil and Apollo Advanced Technologies (AAT). In addition to the development and sales of hypercars and luxury electric sports cars under the "Apollo" brand, the Group provides one-stop turnkey mobility technology solutions by integrating the Group's existing electric vehicle technologies, from ideation, design, modeling, engineering, simulation, prototype production, actual testing, to the delivery of pre-production prototypes to clients, striving to provide the global mobility market with a seamless and comprehensive solution platform. The Group also endeavors significant efforts in mobility technology development in electric vehicle technologies, like development of a new 800V SiC dual inverter and vehicle control units. The Group's subsidiaries include Apollo Automobil, Ideenion Automobil AG and GLM Co. Ltd which is a leading electric vehicle developer in Japan. In addition, the Group has also expanded its mobility technology offerings by investing in Divergent Technologies, Inc., the world's first 3D printing automotive manufacturing platform, and EV Power, a leading electric vehicle charging solutions provider.For more details, please visit https://apollofmg.com/ Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

Read More
Posted on

Bussr Joins BMW Foundation and MIT Global Sustainability Initiative

SINGAPORE, Jun 26, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Singapore-based transport disruptor Bussr is joining the BMW Foundation and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to participate in their global mobility and sustainability initiatives. The initiative will kick start with a global workshop panel of cross-sectoral leaders on June 23.The global workshop will "Explore how digital and socio-ecological transformations will change the ways in which humans interact with civic and social mobility, within the existing infrastructure as well as within entirely new infrastructure systems."Uniquely qualified to present new ideas and perspectives on the topic of mobility, Bussr is one of the world's leading innovators in the global transit and ground passenger transportation market, which will reach US$908.8 billion by 2027.Bussr is a world-leading AI-based mobility company that offers advanced technology for cities' public transportation, private transport operators, corporates, and schools. Bussr uses advanced AI algorithms for elegant booking, payments, analytics, and operations to facilitate mobility to millions of people.With the confident aim of changing the way the world moves from A to B, Bussr is the bold vision of former Microsoft Chief Architect, co-founder and CTO Ajay Bhandari, former Rocket Internet founder and CEO Hussein Abdelkarim, and veteran technology consultant and co-founder I.M. Shousha.Ajay, who will speak at the prestigious event, said, "We are seeing undeniable and massive population shifts towards urban centers, and now is the time to have an honest but optimistic discussion about how we can leverage technology to give equitable access to mobility services. It's also important that we make transport services and infrastructure sustainable and viable for operators and society overall. We are thrilled to talk at this important event, and we look forward to providing insight wherever we can."With everyday citizens seeking better lives in our cities, the world's urban population has increased by 55% in the previous 50 years and now accounts for more than 80% of global GDP. Mobility is key to this growth, with demand for urban road passenger transport predicted to double by 2050.Forward-thinking global centers have realized that mass transport, such as subways, buses, ferries, and trains, as well as cycling and walking, are the way of the future. The rise of electric cars (EVs), micromobility, Uber, Didi, and Grab have made some gains in recent years, but much more needs to be done to solve the global transportation sector's inherent throttling.Ajay, Abdelkarim, and Shousha view today's transportation industry as a busy, but chaotic dance. Currently, private passengers must arrange their travel manually, connecting multiple modes of transportation at different times that may or may not be convenient. On the other hand, transport providers still use manual scheduling techniques based on outmoded tradition rather than real-time data, which results in massive inefficiencies across the board.The trio believes that their digitization of mobility networks will add a coordinated elegance to the way people travel. With its AI-powered technology, each Bussr journey is a synchronized, smooth jump from point A to point B, leaving cities less polluted and filled with people rather than vehicles. All of this contributes to Bussr's overall objective of "Digitizing mobility. Connecting the world."Bussr's Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platform serves as a private-use app as well as an end-to-end, omnichannel payment, ticketing, and fleet management solution for transport providers. Its specialized AI platform constantly analyzes millions of data points to assist mass transit systems to operate at peak efficiency for both passengers and operators.For private passengers, the Bussr app is accessible for both iOS and Android, and gives end-to-end travel alternatives such as public buses, ride-sharing, trains, or even bike and scooter rentals to complete a trip. The user simply enters Point A and Point B, and the Bussr app uses its advanced AI algorithms to offer the optimal route in terms of time, cost, and carbon footprint by reducing reliance on single-occupant motor vehicle use.Bussr's platform, which is available to cities, transport operators, schools, and corporations, may be branded or white-labeled for any use case. Bussr enables ticketing and payment administration, as well as extensive data insight on passenger flow, timing, and density. Operators are then able to correctly predict and plan for future passenger and transportation demands.More than 900 transport partners already benefit from Bussr technology. In addition, 60 major payment providers are already on the Bussr platform, with 100,000 retail stores in 500 cities and towns.The global workshop will be hosted by RESPOND, an initiative of the BMW Foundation. RESPOND works with entrepreneurs across the globe to drive innovation, accelerate sustainable business models, and empower responsible leadership in order to solve the world's social, environmental, and economic challenges.Media Contact:HA, Bussr TechnologiesEmail: press@bussr.comWeb: https://www.bussr.com Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

Read More
Posted on

DENSO Shares Company Direction Updates at Annual Dialog Day

YOKOHAMA, Japan, May 28, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - DENSO, a leading mobility supplier, hosted its annual Dialog Day, where it shared how the company is achieving its Long-term Policy 2030. At this year's event, which was attended by more than 200 reporters, analysts, and investors, DENSO highlighted how the concepts of "Green" and "Peace of Mind" are guiding technology development, and shared updates on its software focus and financial targets."In our fiscal year 2021, DENSO will innovate in manufacturing, mobility and society domains to contribute to a safer, more sustainable society that brings new choices and value that will be useful to as many customers as possible," said Koji Arima, President and CEO of DENSO Corporation. "In this effort, we'll continue to develop technologies, achieve carbon neutrality, eliminate accidents and create new business to make people and society happy."Going Green DENSO has always been committed to sustainability. As part of that commitment, DENSO is accelerating its efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035. DENSO is making strides in three key areas:Monozukuri: Reducing factory CO2 emissions to zero- DENSO will accelerate the use of renewable energy; the implementation of thorough energy conservation activities; the adoption of low-carbon materials, equipment and production processes; and the introduction of Factory IoT. By end of March 2022, Anjo Plant will be carbon neutral ahead of 200 facilities in the world.Mobility Products: Creating cleaner, greener mobility- DENSO will prioritize energy management technology centered on drive and thermal systems, promoting technological development in many sustainable areas, from BEVs, HEVs, PHEVs and FCEVs, to urban air mobility, e-Fuel and contact-less power supply. DENSO aims to achieve sales of one trillion yen in electrification by 2025.Utilization of energy: Collecting and reusing CO2- DENSO will work to develop technologies that recycle and repurpose CO2. This includes solutions that store three types of energy: battery, hydrogen and fuel, as well as new technologies such as artificial photosynthesis. DENSO looks to achieve sales of 300 billion yen in these areas by 2035. The company launched its first CO2 circulation plant at its Anjo Electrification Innovation Center this yearBringing Peace of Mind to Everyone On and Off the RoadTo bring "Peace" to society, we are working in three areas:Zero traffic accidents: Freer, safer movementDENSO will accelerate the development of in-vehicle sensors that cover the entire circumference of the vehicle and work on the development of advanced driving technology that help prevent accidents. DENSO will also accelerate sales expansion of core and aftermarket products and aim to achieve sales of 500 billion yen in the ADAS field in 2025.Comfortable Space: Comfort for peace of mindDENSO will develop technology to remove viruses from the air and visualize harmful substances. It controls the four environments of temperature, sound, air, and visibility, and creates a space for peace of mind. By 2025, DENSO will provide such products to be mounted in vehicles and public spaces.Support for People: Building a Society that Expands People's PotentialDENSO will apply its expertise beyond automotive, striving for sales of 300 billion yen in the 3 fields of agriculture, logistics, and factory automation by 2030.Strengthening Software CapabilitiesThe role of software in mobility is expanding - from helping achieve zero CO2 emissions to eliminating traffic accidents and optimizing connectivity. To provide value to customers and continue to attract top talent, DENSO will participate in industry groups standardizing software's application in mobility to focus on. It will also establish the Electronic PF/Software Management Department on June 1, 2021, as well as accelerate the reassignment of 1,000 employees to software development and 2,000 employees to new growth areas, like CASE products. Together, these activities will help the company quickly deliver leading-edge in-vehicle software to customers.Incorporating Sustainability into Financial Management StrategiesDENSO is implementing management changes that will help solve social issues and accelerate business growth. It will do this by:- Expanding production and sales of CASE products and new mobility technologies.Reducing fixed costs.- Targeting a research and development expenditure of 450 billion yen and a capital expenditure of 350 billion.These will help DENSO reach the following targets:- A return on equity (ROE) of over 10% by 2025.- An operating income margin of 10% in 2025.- A direct operating expense (DOE) of at least 3.0%.Please see presentation slides from below link.https://www.denso.com/global/en/about-us/investors/business-briefing/ About DENSODENSO is a $44.6 billion global mobility supplier that develops advanced technology and components for nearly every vehicle make and model on the road today. With manufacturing at its core, DENSO invests in its 200 facilities to produce thermal, powertrain, mobility, electrification, & electronic systems, to create jobs that directly change how the world moves. The company's 168,000+ employees are paving the way to a mobility future that improves lives, eliminates traffic accidents, and preserves the environment. Globally headquartered in Kariya, Japan, DENSO spent 10.0 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021. For more information about global DENSO, visit https://www.denso.com/global. Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

Read More
Posted on

Fujitsu Signs Strategic Collaboration Agreement with AWS to Accelerate Digital Transformation in the Mobility Industry

TOKYO, May 12, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Fujitsu today announced a Strategic Collaboration Agreement with Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), an Amazon.com company, to accelerate the digital transformation (DX) of the mobility industry. This collaboration will position Fujitsu as an important player in accelerating DX and expanding business for companies in the mobility industry including automobile manufacturers, insurance providers, and logistics companies.Enterprises in the mobility space currently face a once in a century paradigm shift. They increasingly require the right digital tools to move from business models based primarily on vehicle delivery to models that provide value through mobility services utilizing vehicle data and offer new value through innovation based on CASE (Connected, Autonomous, Shared, Electric) technologies, which is expected to enable all people to travel safely and comfortably to where they want to go, and to reduce the burden on the environment. To help accelerate this transition, Fujitsu and AWS will collaborate to develop fully managed mobility solutions, offered by Fujitsu through AWS Marketplace (1). This will see Fujitsu combining its Digital Twin and security solutions for the mobility industry with AWS's world-leading cloud services.Fujitsu will work with the AWS Professional Services Team (2) to help companies in the mobility industry develop and operate new systems, as well as modernize their existing systems. Fujitsu will also boost its own system development capabilities by certifying an additional 750 engineers on AWS.Collaboration OverviewThe collaboration leverages both companies' respective strengths, including Fujitsu's expertise in technologies and system development in the mobility industry, and AWS's breadth and depth of cloud services. The collaboration consists of the following:1. Development of fully managed mobility solutionsFujitsu is collaborating with AWS Professional Services Team to develop fully managed solutions centered on Fujitsu's technologies, including the in-vehicle camera image analysis platform, Fujitsu Future Mobility Accelerator Digital Twin Analyzer, the stream data processing platform Fujitsu Future Mobility Accelerator Digital Twin Utilizer, the integrated infrastructure to support the utilization of mobility data FUJITSU Future Mobility Accelerator Digital Twin Collector, and the management center for vehicle security Vehicle-Security Operation Center (V-SOC) to help data utilization and service development for connected cars. These solutions will not only be available directly from Fujitsu, but will also be available through the AWS Marketplace in Japan in October 2021, and globally including in Europe and North America at a future date. Together with AWS, Fujitsu will create use cases, such as data utilization and services for connected cars, and deliver them globally as AWS Connected Mobility Solution (3) templates.2. Development of systems utilizing AWS services in the mobility industryFujitsu will collaborate with AWS Professional Services to help companies in the mobility industry, such as automobile manufacturers, insurance companies, and logistics companies, use AWS services to develop, operate, and modernize systems for mission-critical business and mobility services. Fujitsu will provide this assistance in Japan from June 2021, and will subsequently roll out in global markets including in Europe and North America.3. Strengthening system development capabilities in the cloud with AWS certificationsFujitsu will strengthen its system development capabilities in the cloud by training 750 new AWS-certified systems engineers. Reinforcing this capability will enable Fujitsu to deliver systems that promote DX in the mobility industry.Role of Fujitsu and AWSFujitsuDevelops technologies of mobility solutions including Digital Twin Analyzer, Digital Twin Utilizer, Digital Twin Collector, V-SOC and develops and delivers fully managed mobility solutions. Additionally responsible for the implementation of mission-critical systems and mobility service systems for companies in the mobility industry.AWSDesigns optimal architecture for developing mobile management services built with AWS cloud services and designs for full management.Comment from Shunsuke Onishi, Head of Private Enterprise Solution Business Group, Global Solutions Business, Head of Global Services Business Group, Global Solutions Business, Fujitsu Limited"Through our collaboration with AWS, we will deliver robust support to our customers with mobility technologies we have developed over the years. Collaborating with AWS, which boasts world-class capabilities and global reach, allows us to contribute to the realization of a more sustainable future with DX for mobility not only in Japan, but around the world."Comment from Bill Foy, director of worldwide Automotive GTMS, Amazon Web Services, Inc."The rapid evolution of technology in the mobility industry can challenge companies to keep pace. Our work with Fujitsu will enable customers such as OEMs, fleet managers, and logistics companies to make better use of their data and innovate agilely and cost-effectively in the cloud," said Bill Foy, director of worldwide Automotive at AWS. "In addition, by training and certifying hundreds more of its engineers on AWS, Fujitsu is set to play a leading role in mobility managed services for years to come and help its customers continuously increase their capabilities, insights, and agility."(1) AWS Marketplace:AWS Marketplace is a curated, digital catalog where customers can find, test, buy, deploy, and manage third-party software, data, and services.(2) AWS Professional Services:The AWS Professional Services organization is a global team of AWS experts that can help customers realize their desired business outcomes when using the AWS Cloud(3) AWS Connected Mobility Solution:A connected device framework that supports building, deploying, and maintaining scalable IoT solutions with serverless microservices: provisioning and lifecycle management, and over-the-air update command handling.About FujitsuFujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company offering a full range of technology products, solutions and services. Approximately 126,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.6 trillion yen (US$34 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021. For more information, please see www.fujitsu.com. Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

Read More
Posted on

How Bussr’s AI-Based Technology Is Set to Reshape the World’s Roads and Economies

SINGAPORE, Mar 21, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Singapore-based transport disruptor Bussr has the attention of the global investment community for its vision to change the way the world moves from A to B, and for the abundance of talent at its table. Bussr's vision springs from the trio of former Rocket Internet founder and CEO Hussein Abdelkarim, veteran technology consultant and co-founder I.M. Shousha, and former Microsoft Chief Architect, co-founder and CTO Ajay Bhandari.With people looking for better lives in our cities, the world's urban population has grown 55% in the last 50 years, and now generates more than 80% of our global GDP. Central to this is mobility, and demand for urban road passenger transport is expected to double by 2050. The economy is reliant on the freedom of movement for its citizens to be productive members of society. Forward-thinking cities have had the realization that the future lies in mass transit such as buses, subways, trains, and ferries, as well as walking and cycling. The rise of electric vehicles (EVs), micromobility, Uber, Grab, and Didi have made inroads over the last few years, but much more needs to be done to address the systemic throttling in the global transport sector.Hussein Abdelkarim, Shousha and Bhandari see the current transport sector as a chaotic dance. But by digitizing this mobility they trust their technology will bring a choreographed elegance to the way people travel. Each Bussr trip is a choreographed, seamless leap from place to place, leaving cities less congested, less polluted, free to breathe again. All of which are part of Bussr realizing its goal of "Digitizing mobility. Connecting the world."Bussr's Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) technology acts as both an app for private use and an end-to-end, omnichannel ticketing, payment, and fleet management solution for enterprises. Its specialist artificial intelligence (AI) platform continually monitors millions of data points to help mass transportation systems operate at optimal efficiency for both passengers and operators.Bussr's app can be branded or white-labeled for transport providers and is available to cities, operators, schools, and corporates. The enterprise use of Bussr allows the management of ticketing and payment and provides immense data insight into traveller flow, density, and timing. Operators can then accurately predict and plan the future needs of both passengers and transport solutions.Bussr's Big Thinking Has Attracted Big BackingBussr recently raised an undisclosed amount in a round led by high-profile investors, such as Bridford Group, Peng Ong of Monk's Hill, Le Mercier Group, Jack Selby of Thiel Capital, Altitude Partners, Angela Huang of Hillhouse, Duncan Clark, Founder of China BDA, Alibaba early investor and author of the book 'The House That Jack Ma Built,' Andrew Huang of Fountainvest, and AI Capital, the founding team of Siri. There are also strategic angel investors from Facebook, PayPal, Lyft, Spotify, Zoom, Didi, and Impossible Foods.The funds will expand Bussr teams across engineering and product design while also creating further strategic partnerships to enhance its reputation as a global player in mobility technology, a market that analysts say will reach US$908.8 billion by 2027. And Bussr, by digitizing this mobility market, trust that their technology will bring an elegance to the way people travel.The Bussr app is available on Android and iOS, and can provide full travel options utilizing ride-sharing, public buses, trains, renting of scooters, and even bicycles to complete a trip. The user enters Point A and Point B, and the app manages every facet of the journey, AI providing the optimal route in terms of time and cost, while reducing the carbon footprint by reducing dependence on single-occupant vehicle use.Bussr also offers real-time communication, fleet maintenance, and automated workflows creating the foundations of efficient fleet management. Cities and operators will ultimately be able to manage their citizen and passenger mobility needs better while reducing pollution and congestion. Future-proofing benefits for governments and private mobility partners include facial recognition capabilities for passenger check-in, safety, and security.More than 900 transport partners are enjoying the advantages of Bussr technology including Bluebird, the largest private transportation group in Southeast Asia, and Royal Platinum and Pahala Kencana, the largest intracity and intercity private operators in Indonesia. There are also 60 major payment providers already on the Bussr platform, and with 2,500 destinations in 370 cities, more than 6,000,000 travellers used Bussr's network in 2020.Please contact:Media Relations, Bussr TechnologiesE: press@bussr.com, Web: www.bussr.com Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

Read More
Posted on

Honda, Cruise and GM Take Next Steps Toward Autonomous Vehicle Mobility Service Business in Japan

TOKYO, Jan 20, 2021 - (JCN Newswire) - Honda has announced that it will collaborate with Cruise and General Motors on self-driving vehicles for its autonomous vehicle mobility service (MaaS) business in Japan, based on the development and commercial agreements signed in October 2018.Cruise will be sending the first of its self-driving test vehicles to Japan and start development for testing this year.Further ahead, Honda aims to launch its MaaS business using the Cruise Origin, a vehicle the three companies are jointly developing exclusively for autonomous vehicle mobility service businesses. Honda Mobility Solutions Co., Ltd., established in February 2020, will be the operator of such MaaS business in Japan.Comments by Dan Ammann, CEO of Cruise:"Cruise's mission to provide safer, cleaner and more accessible transportation is not limited to the US. These are major changes that are needed almost everywhere in the world, and this is a small, but symbolic step with Honda on our global journey."Comments by Takahiro Hachigo, President & Representative Director, Honda Motor Co, Ltd.:"This collaboration with Cruise will enable the creation of new value for mobility and people's daily lives, which we strive for under Honda's 2030 Vision of serving people worldwide with the joy of expanding their life's potential. Through active collaboration with partners who share the same interests and aspirations, Honda will continue to accelerate the realization of our autonomous vehicle MaaS business in Japan." Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com

Read More
Posted on

Toyota Shows e-Palette Geared Towards Practical MaaS Applications

Toyota City, Japan, Dec 22, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - Toyota Motor Corporation has announced an operations management system to support the providing of services that will enable practical use of the e-Palette, a battery-electric vehicle for autonomous mobility as a service (Autono-MaaS) applications(1) that will realize future mobility services. In collaboration with a range of partners, it is also planning to operate the vehicles in Woven City, a fully connected prototype city, while targeting commercial use in multiple areas and regions in the early 2020s.When announcing his goal to transition Toyota to a mobility company at the January 2018 CES, President Akio Toyoda also announced the e-Palette as a symbol of mobility that goes beyond cars to provide customers services and new value. The e-Palette, with automated driving functions, had its debut at last year's Tokyo Motor Show. It will provide a loop-line bus transportation service for athletes and related staff in the Olympic and Paralympic villages at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 that was postponed until July next year.The spread of COVID-19 this past year has changed the way we live our lives, creating more diverse needs for mobility that include transportation that enables proper distancing between passengers, and a future of transportation of goods and services rather than people moving about. The shrinking and aging of society will also produce a range of mobility issues, so communities will increasingly need new mobility services, such as the e-Palette and other Autono-MaaS options, to address these issues.To meet expectations such as these, Toyota aims to realize just-in-time mobility services that "go to where it is needed, when needed, and on time" and that provide the services and goods that are needed, when needed, and on time. To this end, it has developed an operations management system for e-Palette vehicles based on the Toyota Production System (TPS) ideology. This operations management system will be provided as new functions on Toyota's Mobility Services Platform (MSPF)(2) and will consist of the Autonomous Mobility Management System (AMMS), for connecting to vehicles and the e-Palette Task Assignment Platform (e-TAP) for connecting to people. The system will reduce customer waiting times and alleviate congestion to ensures services provide safety, peace of mind and comfort.With the aim of achieving the ultimate TPS-based just-in-time mobility service, AMMS is able to dispatch e-Palette vehicles when needed, where needed, and in the amount needed. Operation schedules can be changed flexibly, with vehicles automatically dispatched and returned, according to real-time mobility needs. When additional vehicles are introduced into service, the intervals between vehicles are adjusted to ensure even spacing of services. Vehicle abnormalities are also automatically detected and, if that happens, the vehicles are automatically returned to the depot and replacement vehicles are immediately dispatched on the route to ensure the stability of operation. In an emergency, the vehicles can be stopped and returned to service remotely, with an extra level of safety management, to provide passengers with peace of mind.In line with the "Jidoka (automation with a human touch)" approach of TPS, e-TAP was introduced as a visual management function. Visualization of abnormalities in vehicles and workers enables a single person to manage several vehicles, rather than one person continually monitoring one vehicle, which enables operation with fewer workers. Work instructions are automatically provided to workers required for operation, including onboard operators and maintenance personnel. Task management including delay and front-loading enables shorter lead-times for maintenance and the provision of high-quality services even with limited workers.Keiji Yamamoto, President of Toyota's Connected Company, commented, "As per the Toyota Philosophy that President Akio Toyoda introduced at our recent financial results announcement, we see our vision as "Creating Mobility for All" and believe that every person working at Toyota should take action that delivers happiness to mankind in line with our mission of Producing Happiness for All. One of the platforms for executing these actions is the e-Palette. With the addition of an operations management system, the evolved e-Palette will be refined and will grow with the never-finished, ever-growing Woven City."Human-centric, Woven City is a prototype city for testing and developing technologies such as automated driving, MaaS, personal mobility, robotics, smart homes and artificial intelligence, with e-Palette vehicles planned for operation there. Operating within a real-world environment where people live will provide a range of lessons through which the platform will continually evolve to enable services that provide customers with safety, peace of mind and comfort. Going forward, Toyota aims to work with partners to commercialize the e-Palette vehicles in multiple areas and regions in the early 2020s.(1) Combination of "autonomous" and "mobility as a service," describing Toyota's mobility services using automated driving vehicles.(2) An open platform for providing mobility service providers with a range of API-based functions required by mobility services. Copyright 2020 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com

Read More
Posted on

DENSO Takes a Stake in Envoy, an EV Startup Serving the Commercial Real Estate Industry’s Mobility Needs

KARIYA, JAPAN, Nov 13, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - DENSO, a leading mobility supplier, today announced it has taken a stake in Envoy Technologies, an electric vehicle (EV) startup based in Culver City, California, that offers mobility services to the commercial real estate (CRE) industry. Through the investment, DENSO aims to create new revenue streams by offering the benefits of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) to businesses, helping them move employees, customers and things more efficiently and safely. Founded in 2017 by real estate and tech entrepreneurs Aric Ohana and Ori Sagie, Envoy partners with CRE industry leaders to offer onsite mobility services like electric carsharing and EV charging for apartments, offices, and hotels. Envoy's Mobility as an Amenity service is a turn-key solution that includes technology to reserve and access vehicles, driver insurance, maintenance, and electric vehicle chargers. Even in the face of a global pandemic, the company has experienced record utilization amounting to more than 1.25 million electric miles driven. Envoy is currently available in 10 states and 14 markets in the U.S."Early on, we realized that the world's transition to electric mobility will significantly impact our built world. With investors like DENSO, along with others from commercial real estate, mobility, and energy, we are poised to accelerate that transition sustainably," said Aric Ohana, Envoy's co-founder and CEO"DENSO's global reach and involvement in all things mobility will provide Envoy the ability to scale with its products and services, and standardize electric mobility as well as related energy solutions within communities around the world," added Ori Sagie, Envoy's co-founder and Executive Chairman.By taking a stake in the company, DENSO will strengthen Envoy's ability to propose and implement mobility services, identify the requirements and functions of vehicles used in EV carsharing services, and create new business models that link commercial properties with mobility."As mobility needs change, DENSO continues to change along with them," said Yoshifumi Kato, a senior executive officer at DENSO Corporation. "Collaborating with Envoy allows us to combine our expertise in electrification and fleet management with their knowledge of commercial real estate, helping us both improve mobility for businesses so they can accomplish their goals more seamlessly."DENSO has long been focused on the MaaS market, and it is a key part of the company's Second Founding, a strategic shift that has pushed DENSO into new mobility areas. In support of this, DENSO has actively built strategic partnerships in and outside Japan to meet the needs of an array of mobility providers. These have included taking stakes in MaaS Global, a Finland-based developer of Whim* the world's first full-fledged MaaS service, and Bond Mobility, which offers micromobility services in urban environments.DENSO continues to seek additional partnerships and innovations in MaaS to help create transportation solutions that are safer, more secure and greener for all.* WhimThis application provides an optimal mobility experience by combining various means of transport, such as buses, taxis, bicycles, and car sharing. https://whimapp.com/About DensoDENSO is a $48.3 billion global mobility supplier that develops advanced technology and components for nearly every vehicle make and model on the road today. With manufacturing at its core, DENSO invests in its 221 facilities in 35 countries to produce thermal, powertrain, mobility, electrification, & electronic systems, to create jobs that directly change how the world moves. The company's 170,000+ employees are paving the way to a mobility future that improves lives, eliminates traffic accidents, and preserves the environment. Globally headquartered in Kariya, Japan, DENSO spent 9.3% of its global consolidated sales on research and development in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019. For more information about global DENSO, visit https://www.denso.com/global. Copyright 2020 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com

Read More