NTT and Toyota invest $3.3B in AI autonomous driving technology

• NTT of Japan and Toyota Motor Corporation have announced that they will jointly invest 500 billion yen (approximately 3.3 billion USD) to develop AI-based autonomous driving technology to eliminate traffic accidents.
• This investment plan will promote the development of autonomous driving technology and enhance road safety.

What happened

Japanese tech giant NTT and automaker Toyota Motor Corporation have jointly announced an investment of 500 billion yen (approximately £3.3 billion) to develop AI-driven autonomous driving technology, aiming to eliminate traffic accidents and enhance road safety. This investment plan will promote the advancement of autonomous driving technology and establish safe and reliable mobile service standards. It is hoped that these standards will be widely adopted across the industry and by partners.

The mobile AI platform they plan to build will include three main parts. These are AI infrastructure, intelligent communication infrastructure, and a distributed computing platform. The joint project is expected to start in 2025. The goal is to work with partners by 2028, and widespread use is likely to begin in 2030. Toyota emphasised that the company is developing software-defined vehicles with safety and security as top priorities.

In 2017, NTT and Toyota, along with Ericsson, Intel, and NTT Docomo, created the Automotive Edge Computing Consortium. Their aim was to build a network system for processing data from connected cars. Last week, the alliance reached a cooperation agreement with GSMA to leverage its Open Gateway API programme to accelerate the development of automotive services through 5G technology.

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Why it is important

The collaboration between NTT and Toyota will accelerate the development of AI-based autonomous driving technology. This will have a direct impact on improving road safety and reducing traffic accidents. Autonomous driving technology can intelligently identify the causes of accidents and automatically take over the vehicle in emergencies, thereby enhancing driving safety.

Moreover, this partnership will promote the integration of data sharing and communication technologies, which is crucial for building an intelligent transportation ecosystem. Intelligent transportation systems can optimise traffic flow, reduce congestion, and enhance overall travel efficiency. Autonomous driving technology can capture road information more promptly and comprehensively, allowing for appropriate responses that improve driving comfort, particularly for elderly drivers. This, in turn, helps to enhance travel efficiency and safety.

Additionally, this collaboration, in conjunction with GSMA’s Open Gateway API initiative, leverages 5G technology to accelerate the development of automotive services. This will provide the necessary communication infrastructure and services for autonomous driving technology.