Toyota and Japan’s Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) have committed to a research and development investment of 500bn yen ($3.26bn) to advance artificial intelligence (AI) in self-driving cars, reported Reuters.
The partnership aims to produce automotive software that leverages AI to prevent accidents by taking autonomous control of vehicles.
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The envisioned driver assistance system will harness AI to process data from traffic environment sensors and accordingly predict and respond to potential accidents in real time.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance vehicle safety using advanced technology.
The system will leverage the IOWN (Innovative Optical and Wireless Network) next-generation optical communication platform developed by NTT to manage the substantial data required for analysis, reported The Japan times.
Utilising light rather than electrical signals, IOWN boosts communication capacity and lowers power consumption.
Furthermore, it is expected to support the forthcoming 6G standard, which will replace the current ultrahigh-speed wireless communication standard 5G.
This collaboration between Toyota and NTT began with 5G-connected car technology in 2017 and extended to a smart city project in 2020.
Toyota has already implemented hands-free driving features in its Mirai fuel-cell vehicle since 2021, as part of its commitment to innovation in autonomous driving.
The companies aim to have a functional system by 2028 and plan to offer it to other automakers.
This move is part of a strategic push by Japanese car manufacturers to gain a foothold in the competitive autonomous driving market, where Tesla and Chinese companies currently have a strong presence.
Furthermore, Toyota’s recent expansion of its partnership with Hyundai emphasises its focus on future mobility solutions, including hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles and humanoid robots.
