Source: Gasgoo
Japan has set a target for its automakers to sell 12 million next-generation software-defined vehicles (SDVS) at home and abroad by 2030, as part of a national strategy that will include cooperation between the country’s auto giants.
According to the report, Japan will step up production to ensure that the country has a 30% share of the global SDV market. Major automakers such as Toyota, Nissan and Honda Motor will work together to develop technologies in areas such as generative artificial intelligence and semiconductors.
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) on May 20 unveiled a draft digital transformation strategy for the country’s automotive industry. The three pillars of the strategy are SDVS, new forms of transportation such as driverless taxis, and the use of vehicle data.
Image source: Toyota
Japan’s main focus is on developing SDVS, or improving vehicle functionality through software rather than hardware such as engines and components. For example, cars that do not have autonomous driving technology can get autonomous driving capabilities through software upgrades.
The efforts of domestic automakers in this emerging area will affect their future competitiveness. The government’s plan also calls for automakers to increase SDV sales to 19 million units by 2035.
To support development and market expansion, Japan will encourage its automakers to collaborate in seven areas where unique patented technologies are unlikely to be developed.
The seven areas are chips, application programming interfaces that connect vehicle software and systems, virtual simulation, generative artificial intelligence for automated detection, security measures against cyberattacks, high-precision three-dimensional maps for autonomous driving, and technology to measure the distance between vehicles and objects or pedestrians.
In these areas, highly skilled workers are crucial. The government has announced plans to launch a new human resources development framework this autumn, seeking help from large domestic manufacturers, start-ups and industries outside the automotive sector to train engineers.
