At the Japan Mobility Show Bizweek 2024 last month, TIER IV CEO Shinpei Kato joined a panel discussion linked to the launch of the Mobility DX Platform, an initiative established by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to enhance the country’s mobility services.
Designed to connect companies, talent and information, the community-centered Mobility DX Platform is aimed at boosting Japan’s competitiveness in the development of mobility services like autonomous driving and software-defined vehicles.
Shinpei shared the spotlight with Kunio Nakaguro, chairman of the Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan, and Prof. Yutaka Matsuo of the University of Tokyo. The discussion focused on the crucial role of software communities in cultivating talent for the mobility sector.
Following are edited excerpts of Shinpei's responses to questions from the panel moderator Takeru Ito, director of the Mobility DX Office.
— What are your thoughts on the session theme, “The importance of cultivating software talent and communities”?
Today’s discussion is about developing talent and building communities. We’ve always believed that if we could do those two things in Japan, we could compete on the global stage. I'm really excited about what's ahead as the Mobility DX Platform gets into gear.
Autonomous driving will be a key focus. When we talk about autonomous driving, we’re essentially just talking about hardware and software. Even though there’s no de facto standard yet, we’ve finally started to understand that if you build a certain kind of software on a certain type of hardware, you can implement autonomous driving. From here on out, it’s all about execution – building the technology and competing on things like cost.
The number of Nobel Prizes being awarded for artificial intelligence is growing. AI and the combination of software and hardware powering it are critical in the field of autonomous driving. We need to foster talented individuals who understand traditional software and hardware, and have the ability to integrate new AI technologies.
TIER IV CEO Shinpei Kato speaks alongside University of Tokyo Prof. Yutaka Matsuo.
The AI landscape is astonishing right now, with systems powered by thousands, or even tens of thousands of interconnected GPUs. In the automotive world, it's less about ultra-high-performance systems and more about efficiency, particularly in terms of power. I brought something today to show everyone. This hardware features a product Japan can be proud of – an SoC from Renesas. I borrowed it from Hitachi Astemo for today’s session. The challenge for people working in this sector is how to effectively implement cutting-edge AI and traditional automotive software on hardware of this scale.
Autonomous driving systems use various cameras that are connected together to create a 360-degree view that AI can recognize. A major theme moving forward is how to cultivate talent capable of developing such technology.
Shinpei shows the audience a TIER IV automotive camera.
— Do you think differences between Japan and other countries are evident at events like the World Economic Forum?
The World Economic Forum addresses global economic challenges such as climate change. Software and automobiles are also in the spotlight. When you look at it from a highly abstract perspective, I don’t think there’s a significant gap between Japan and the rest of the world. However, the approach to risk and economics varies by project and company, and ethics and regulations differ from country to country. While there may not be a significant gap in the overall thinking, differences tend to arise when it comes to implementation.
Looking at Japan's automotive industry, it’s clear that this country is a global leader. However, new markets cannot be established without having all the necessary players in place. This is where it’s crucial for startups to step up and take action.
— What can Japan do to lead digital transformation in the mobility sector?
While there may not be many clear paths to victory, I believe there are several possibilities. Among them, creating communities is undoubtedly one strategy. An example of such efforts is the Japan Automotive AI Challenge, an initiative aimed at fostering talent in the autonomous driving sector. Both new and experienced developers have the chance to demonstrate their skills in competition while engaging with industry professionals. When the first event was held five years ago, only four teams participated, with a total of about 10 competitors. Since the panelists on this stage got on board, we’ve seen participation soar to about 140 teams and almost 400 competitors.
Quantity is important to raise standards. As more people get involved, we’re seeing an improvement in quality. For example, even though TIER IV is a leading startup in Japan, there are talented individuals out there creating things that even we haven’t developed yet. By building communities and focusing on their development, we can increase the chances of these efforts making a real impact in the automotive industry. That’s why I’m so committed to promoting the Mobility DX Platform.
On the same day as the panel discussion, TIER IV published press releases announcing its partnership with Hitachi Astemo and a generative AI project with the Matsuo Research Institute geared toward the development of Autonomy 2.0.
- TIER IV and Hitachi Astemo join hands on autonomous driving systems
- TIER IV and Matsuo Institute launch generative AI project for Autonomy 2.0
TIER IV is always on the lookout for passionate individuals to join our journey. If you share our vision of making autonomous driving accessible to all, get in touch.
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