NTT and Toyota in R&D tie-up for connected car platforms

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NTT Group and Toyota have agreed to collaborate on developing, verifying, and standardizing technology in the connected car field, combining the automotive-related technologies of Toyota with the ICT of NTT Group companies.

Toyota and the NTT Group, sharing their technologies and knowledge – and making use of big data obtained from vehicles – will carry out joint research and development of technologies necessary for solving various issues, including traffic accidents and congestion, as well as providing customers with new mobility services.

Areas of collaboration include:

(1) Platform for data collection, accumulation, and analysis

Creating technologies for building and administering a platform to realize collection and accumulation of huge amounts of vehicle information and other data received from large numbers of vehicles, for distributing large amounts of data, and for analyzing and processing the collected big data in real time.

(2) IoT networks and data centers

Studying the network topology of global infrastructure and optimal data center deployment necessary for safe and reliable collection and distribution of large amounts of data, based on assumption of vehicle use cases.

(3) Next-generation communication technologies (5G, edge computing)

Conducting studies to determine the optimal mobile communications system for vehicle use cases, and performing connection tests of such systems to promote 5G standardization for automotive vehicles, and verify the applicability of edge computing technology.

(4) Agents

Developing technologies for providing drivers with user-friendly services by combining driving advice based on understanding of the environment inside and outside the vehicle, voice interaction technology, and other technologies by using artificial intelligence.

Based on its knowledge of vehicle use cases and data requirements on the vehicle side, Toyota said it will research and develop an ICT platform for connected cars, aimed at mobility service value creation.

NTT Group’s contribution to the R&D partnership breaks down like this:

NTT Data Based on its advanced analytics capability and experiences in supporting the social infrastructure in Japan, NTT Data will develop technologies for building platform to realize collection, accumulation, and analysis of huge amounts of vehicle information.
NTT Communications Will establish next-generation global ICT infrastructure optimized to the IoT by leveraging its globally expanding ICT services (Tier 1 IP backbone, VPN and data centers).
NTT DoCoMo Building on its role in leading standardization efforts for the next-generation 5G mobile communications system and in conducting advanced R&D, will promote 5G standardization for automotive vehicle use and lead the way in 5G mobile communication system trial.
NTT Will conduct R&D on edge computing technology and promote international standardization. Will also carry out R&D on driving advice and voice interaction technologies, making use of know-how from the NTT Group AI technology corevo®.*

Both companies are planning a field trial for 2018 to assess the feasibility and usability of services in the connected car field.

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