Latest news with #TradeandIndustryMinistry
Yomiuri Shimbun
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Govt, Carmakers to Join Hands on Autonomous Cars With AI; New Technology Allows Greater Adaptability, Lower Cost
Yomiuri Shimbun file photo The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry building in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo Major Japanese automobile manufacturers are planning to jointly develop self-driving technology that uses generative AI, according to sources. The companies are expected to cooperate in developing such elements as the AI infrastructure and in the collection of driving data. The government will provide financial support. It is hoped that through this endeavor, Japan's public and private sectors will catch up with the United States and China in the development of self-driving cars. The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry and the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry were to submit a strategy plan at a meeting on Thursday. Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co., Nissan Motor Co. and other Japanese major carmakers are expected to decide by this summer the fields in which they will cooperate. This move to promote cooperation in both the public and private sectors reflects concern about the changes that generative AI has triggered in the development of self-driving technology. The 'conventional' self-driving technology that Japanese carmakers have developed so far enables automobiles to maneuver the steering wheel using geographical information and driving rules that they learned beforehand. This kind of technology needs time to have the cars learn about various situations on the road, and it cannot respond flexibly to unpredictable situations. It also requires high-precision 3D maps and expensive sensors. In contrast, cars with self-driving technology that uses generative AI can ascertain their situation and independently make judgements in any unpredictable situation, based on footage taken by the dashboard camera, which functions like human eyes. Such cars can be developed at a lower cost than conventional ones. U.S. carmaker Tesla has developed high-precision self-driving technology with generative AI, and Chinese makers are accelerating their development of such cars. Japanese makers have been cautious about developing such vehicles due to safety concerns. However, with AI-supported cars expected to become mainstream, the Japanese government decided to provide financial support and support cooperation among domestic automakers in developing the AI infrastructure and collecting driving data.
The Star
3 days ago
- Automotive
- The Star
Japan to introduce automated driving system for official govt vehicles
The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry building in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo. - Photo: The Yomiuri Shimbun file TOKYO: The government aims to introduce an automated driving system for vehicles used by national and local government officials for official duties, according to a draft strategy revealed Thursday (May 29) for the promotion of the digitisation of the automotive industry. With autonomous vehicles becoming more common, it has been pointed out that Japan is falling behind. The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry as well as the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry are working to promote the introduction of the vehicles through more public-private cooperation amid intensifying international competition. For that purpose, government procurement will be utilised. As vehicles used for official government duties often use specific routes, it is believed that those vehicles can be easily replaced with autonomous ones. In autumn, the government will begin conducting pilot tests, in which autonomous vehicles drive regular routes back and forth between the economy ministry building and the Diet Building. Test runs for autonomous trucks are currently underway on a section of the Shin-Tomei Expressway. Starting in or after fiscal 2026, the tests will be expanded to include general roads between logistic facilities and expressway exits and entrances. If automated driving is realized on general roads, it will create an environment in which such services as automated deliveries and joint deliveries to improve load efficiency will become easier. Efforts to share data across automakers will also be strengthened. In addition, the government aims to strengthen the resilience of supply chains. Learning from the Covid-19 pandemic, when a shortage of semiconductor chips led to factory operations being shut down, a system will be established to enable automakers to share information regarding the procurement status of the chips, among other things, starting this fiscal year. The government will also study ways to enhance the convenience of services such as ride-sharing services, in which individuals use their private vehicles to transport others for a fee, by linking the My Number identification system to vehicle information. - The Yomiuri Shimbun
Yomiuri Shimbun
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Japan to Introduce Automated Driving System for Official Govt Vehicles; Test Runs for Automated Govt Vehicles to Begin in Autumn
Yomiuri Shimbun file photo The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry building in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo The government aims to introduce an automated driving system for vehicles used by national and local government officials for official duties, according to a draft strategy revealed Thursday for the promotion of the digitization of the automotive industry. With autonomous vehicles becoming more common, it has been pointed out that Japan is falling behind. The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry as well as the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry are working to promote the introduction of the vehicles through more public-private cooperation amid intensifying international competition. For that purpose, government procurement will be utilized. As vehicles used for official government duties often use specific routes, it is believed that those vehicles can be easily replaced with autonomous ones. In autumn, the government will begin conducting pilot tests, in which autonomous vehicles drive regular routes back and forth between the economy ministry building and the Diet Building. Test runs for autonomous trucks are currently underway on a section of the Shin-Tomei Expressway. Starting in or after fiscal 2026, the tests will be expanded to include general roads between logistic facilities and expressway exits and entrances. If automated driving is realized on general roads, it will create an environment in which such services as automated deliveries and joint deliveries to improve load efficiency will become easier. Efforts to share data across automakers will also be strengthened. In addition, the government aims to strengthen the resilience of supply chains. Learning from the COVID-19 pandemic, when a shortage of semiconductor chips led to factory operations being shut down, a system will be established to enable automakers to share information regarding the procurement status of the chips, among other things, starting this fiscal year. The government will also study ways to enhance the convenience of services such as ride-sharing services, in which individuals use their private vehicles to transport others for a fee, by linking the My Number identification system to vehicle information.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
MITI considers HDC, MATRADE merger
KUALA LUMPUR: The Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI) is studying the merger of the Halal Development Corporation (HDC) and the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE). Its Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Aziz said the matter is under discussion because there were several other proposals put forward such as strengthening the country's halal industry. 'We want to strengthen the halal industry by focusing on halal development and do not want any overlap in terms of halal trade. 'We want MATRADE to focus more on halal trade in terms of providing access to halal products, while we want to ensure that HDC focuses more on halal development,' he told reporters after the ASEAN-GCC Economic Forum 2025 here today. Tengku Zafrul said the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) would focus on investments involving the halal industry.
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Tengku Zafrul: Miti studying proposal to merge HDC and Matrade
KUALA LUMPUR: The Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) is studying the proposed merger of the Halal Development Corporation (HDC) and the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade). Its minister, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz, said the matter is currently under discussion, alongside several other proposals aimed at strengthening the country's halal industry. "We want to enhance the halal industry by focusing on halal development and avoiding overlaps in halal trade responsibilities. "We want Matrade to concentrate more on halal trade by facilitating market access for halal products, while HDC should focus on halal development," he told reporters after the Asean-GCC Economic Forum 2025 here today. Tengku Zafrul added that the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) would continue to focus on investment activities related to the halal industry.
