Aisin Seiki to Establish Development Center for AI Technologies

With the purpose of strengthening its potential in the field of AI technologies, Aisin Seiki plans to construct the Hakata Laboratory in Fukuoka. The project is expected to be implemented in May 2020.

In the auto industry, gradually shifting to electrification and adoption of CASE technologies, rivalry between automotive manufacturers, involving IT businesses, is reaching a new level. Under these circumstances, to enhance its development capacity in the field of AI technologies, which are assumed to play a key role in the future automotive industry, Aisin invests significant financial resources into establishment of a development center for AI in Hakata-ku, in an attempt to support talented specialists and make improvements to the engineering capabilities.

Five years ago, the Japanese manufacturer of automotive components founded the Kyushu Development Center geared to design automotive technologies of the future, including image identification algorithm, spatial recognition and automotive control solutions. Later, Aisin also founded the Daiba Development Center in Tokyo, and since then, was focused on development of algorithms with the use of AI and hardware for practical implementation of the new technologies.

At the new Hakata Laboratory, technical specialists will work on software solutions for controlling the surrounding area of a vehicle and evaluating passengers' status by image analysis using AI technologies. Moreover, Aisin plans to develop technologies for hardware, including sensors that detect objects with light and radio waves, and to perform evaluation tests using real vehicles.

Outline of Kyushu Development Center