Suzuki, Subaru, Daihatsu, Toyota and Mazda form JV on Technical Specs for Next-Gen Vehicle Communications Devices

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Suzuki, Subaru, Daihatsu, Toyota and Mazda Reach Agreement on Joint Development of Technical Specifications for Next-generation Vehicle Communications DevicesSuzuki Motor, Subaru, Daihatsu, Toyota Motor and Mazda Motor announced this morning an agreement to jointly develop technical specifications for next-generation vehicle communications devices. The Japanese companies – led and dominated by Toyota – said they want “to promote the common use of communications systems, by using connected services to link automobiles and society with the aim of creating new appeal, value and services, to be standardized for early provision of safer and more convenient connected services.”

Within the field of CASE (connected, autonomous/automated, shared, and electric), which is bringing about major alterations in the auto industry, advances are being made in the connected domain. These include the communications and data aspects of technology and business such as cloud services, IoT, big data, and AI. These are the basic functions of the connected car. Regulators thus far appear to be oblivious to the anti-trust and monopoly or cartel implications of such consolidations and their possible negative effects on customer pricing. The industry views connected cars as a major new source of revenue. Therefore, more is better.There is a technical reason for consolidation. Individual auto manufacturers are separately developing vehicle communications devices, and where the same connected services such as remote operation functions are provided, each company is adopting a different approach in proceeding generic clomid online with development and deploying relevant resources.

The companies claim they can provide safer, more convenient connected services to customers as early as possible, by positioning the development of vehicle communications devices as:

  • a cooperative domain;
  • setting the development of applications and services as an in-house domain;
  • and achieving greater efficiency and accelerating the development of vehicle communications devices.

Each company – it’s said – can focus more on the development of applications and services on this common infrastructure through these steps.

At this time, Suzuki, Subaru, Daihatsu, and Mazda, while incorporating their own technologies into the base vehicle communications technologies developed by Toyota, will together build systems for next-generation connected cars with common connection specifications from vehicles to networks and the vehicle communications device center. “By stabilizing the communication quality between vehicles and vehicle communications device center further, it will be possible to provide more convenient connected services to customers, such as clearer calls between customers and operators and faster connection speeds. At the same time, it will be possible to reduce the development burdens of each participating company and simplify system operation and version upgrades that include additional new functions, thereby optimizing resources such as facilities and personnel,” the companies – Japan Inc minus Honda and Nissan  – said.

About Ken Zino

Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
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