16:53 JST, November 4, 2024
Nissan Motor Co. and Mitsubishi Corp. have decided to set up a joint venture to provide self-driving and electric vehicle services by the end of fiscal year 2024, it has been learnt.
The two companies aim to offer a service for transporting passengers using Level 4 autonomous driving technology – where the vehicle does not require a human to drive under certain conditions – and electric vehicle batteries for home energy storage, among other services . .
The joint venture will be funded equally by the car manufacturer and the trading company. Verification tests will begin in 2025.
As for autonomous driving, Nissan is currently developing the vehicles, while Mitsubishi is working on commercializing a system that uses artificial intelligence and can map out optimal routes. Based on the results of the developments, the joint venture will operate driverless taxis and other services in accordance with the government’s deregulation measures. The services will be first introduced in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, and Namie, Fukushima Prefecture. Nissan is conducting demonstration experiments with automated driving and other technologies at both locations.
In the field of EV batteries, the two companies are exploring a service that could connect EVs to homes and electricity grids, allowing people to use the electricity stored in their cars at home or sell it to energy companies. They are also looking at a project that promotes the collection of used EV batteries for secondary use and recycling, as a problem has arisen with many used EV batteries ending up abroad.
Nissan plans to increase sales for autonomous driving and electric vehicle companies to ¥2.5 trillion by fiscal year 2030, but the automaker had encountered difficulties in conceptualizing companies that would use the vehicles themselves.
Mitsubishi is accelerating its moves to invest in start-ups and other companies developing autonomous driving software, anticipating future expansion of the autonomous driving market amid declining birth rates, aging populations and labor shortages. The company also works with major car manufacturers in the field of EV batteries.
