Adient PLC will develop a new seat for autonomous vehicles. Following on from its development of the AI17 concept seating system for luxury self-driving cars, Adient plans to develop an autonomous driving seating system that incorporates a new concept. The company is gearing up to exhibit the system at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show this...
self-driving cars
WP29 to Work on International Safety Standards for Hands-Free Driving
The U.N.’s World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP29) will begin developing safety standards this autumn for autonomous driving starting at Level 3, which covers conditional automation. Having taken the initiative in deliberations at WP29, Japan will also take the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic and cybersecurity measures into consideration as the country seeks...
Mitsubishi Electric Tackles Autonomous Driving From Two Sides
Mitsubishi Electric Corp. (TYO:6503) President and CEO Masaki Sakuyama recently revealed his company’s plans for realizing autonomous driving. Speaking at a business strategy briefing in Tokyo, Sakuyama said Mitsubishi Electric intends to focus on developing both autonomous systems and cooperative vehicle–infrastructure systems. The company is seeking to develop autonomous systems that will control autonomous driving...
Honda Reveals Strategy to Tackle Next-Generation Technologies
Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (TYO:7267) announced on June 8 its strategy for next-generation technologies. In autonomous driving technology, Honda is targeting 2025 for the introduction of a Level 4 highly automated driving system, which allows for fully autonomous driving in most situations. Under its vehicle electrification strategy, the company will develop an electric vehicle (EV)-dedicated...
JAMA, MLIT to Submit Autonomous Steering Proposal to WP29 in Bid for Leading Role
The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) will compile a proposal for standards on autonomous steering technology by the end of 2017. JAMA will submit the proposal with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) and other organizations to a specialist conference of the U.N.’s World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP29). The...
Renesas Teams up With China’s Great Wall Motors on New Energy Vehicles
Renesas Electronics Corp. (TYO:6723) announced on May 25 that it will be working on a joint development effort with Chinese-based Great Wall Motors Co. Ltd. (GWM). The two companies will work to develop automotive semiconductor technologies and solutions for self-driving cars and new energy vehicles (NEVs) such as electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles...
Toyota Boshoku Eyes Autonomous Driving in Plans to Develop New Comfort Seats
Toyota Boshoku Corp. (TYO:3116) is aiming to develop four new seats for increased passenger comfort in compact cars, with the company planning to commercialize these seats between 2018 and 2019. With its eye on autonomous driving coming into practical use, Toyota Boshoku is placing comfort as a critical area in the market of automobile interiors....
New Nissan Leaf Will Come With Autonomous Driving System
Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. (TYO:7201) Executive Vice President Daniele Schillaci said in an interview on May 24 attended by Japan Automotive Daily that the new Nissan Leaf will come equipped with ProPilot self-driving technology. The electric car is slated for launch in the second half of this year, said Schillaci, who was appointed chairman of...
NTT Data, Gunma University Target Fully Autonomous Driving for 2020
NTT Data Corp. (TYO:9613) and Gunma University recently announced that they will collaborate on bringing next-generation vehicles capable of fully autonomous driving into practical use. They will jointly research technical elements required for a society with fully autonomous driving, including AI and technology for Big Data processing. The two partners will start demonstration tests in...
Japan’s LDP Puts Forth Policy Proposals for Autonomous Driving, Seeks Tie-up With Germany
Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) recently made its policy proposals for autonomous driving. Japan’s governing political party called for putting in place a shared database to enhance control technology, as well as for the use of quasi-zenith satellites. In 3D mapping, the LDP is seeking active international cooperation with the likes of Germany so as...
Nissan Targets 16.5 Trillion Yen in Sales Under New Business Plan
Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. (TYO:7201) announced on May 11 its new medium-term business plan, which is to run through to fiscal 2022. Based around steady growth and development, the plan seeks in even a harsh economic climate to maintain the automaker’s operating profit margin at 8 percent. While doing so, the company aims to increase...
Roland Berger Study: Almost Half of Consumers Would Favor Self-Driving Cars
As many as 46 percent of consumers worldwide would forego having their own cars if self-driving cars became a reality, a Roland Berger study has found. The consulting firm’s survey incorporates the online responses of some 10,000 consumers across 10 countries, including Japan, the U.S., China and Germany. Roland Berger’s position is that automakers and...
Aioi Nissay Dowa and Gunma University Start Joint Research on Autonomous Cars
Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Co. Ltd. and Gunma University on April 19 launched a joint research project that will push forward the technological pursuit of commercializing fully self-driving vehicles, as well as the development of dedicated insurance products. The pair has launched an on-campus research lecture series and will look to acquire incident data through...
