Japanese companies Toyota Connected and NTT Data, a provider of IT services, announced a new business alliance to increase the functions and services of the Mobility Service Platform (MSPF) offered globally by Toyota Motor Corporation.
With this agreement, the companies aim to expand connected car markets and increase software development capabilities and expand operations.
In the automotive industry, the value of cars is changing significantly, due to diversification of market needs, the development of new areas such as MaaS and CASE, the entry of new industries utilizing IoT technology, and the emergence of new services such as ride sharing and car sharing. Toyota entered this era by announcing its Connected Strategy at the end of 2016. In order to accelerate MaaS initiatives, Toyota is promoting the deployment of MSPF that supports the MaaS strategy. Toyota Connected will develop MSPF and operate its cloud data center for big data collected from connected cars, which are increasing by millions each year worldwide.
Through these initiatives, the strengths of both Toyota Connected and NTT Data will be combined in their core mobility services business area.
Toyota Connected brings its experience in the business of connected car service, as well as its know-how in service development and operations such as car sharing, which have been developed in Japan and overseas. These will be multiplied by NTT Data’s global IT resources and know-how in utilizing technologies such as cloud and big data. Both companies will work to strengthen and advance their global development and operation capabilities through collaboration and personnel exchanges in the mobility services business, including MSPF.
In the mid-term, both companies noted they will work to maximize their cooperation and synergy, utilizing the customer contact points of Toyota Connected and the customer base of NTT Data, which includes industries such as distribution, retail, and finance, in order to enhance the service capabilities of MSPF with regard to the Smart City Initiative, and further expand the platform business on a global scale.
“This business alliance with NTT Data, with its open and advanced software development capabilities, will enable us to take care of accelerating the development of our TOYOTA’s connected strategies. The alliance will strengthen the global structure for providing higher quality mobility services, and contribute to the creation of a thriving mobility society.” said Shigeki Tomoyama, President, Toyota Connected.
“Social change regarding mobility is truly an advanced challenge for the digital age, and NTT Data is eager to contribute in this field,” said Yo Honma, NTT Data President and CEO. “By merging Toyota Group’s experience and knowledge regarding mobility with NTT DATA Group’s know-how in IT, we will offer a framework and services to support a next-generation society.”
Toyota Connected, uses technology and automotive and IT know-how to create new mobility services that utilize integrated vehicle connectivity and big data.
