Toyota Tsusho, Electric Vehicle Japan, CDSI, Kodansha and Mapion will jointly commercialize next-generation mobility systems which reuse core components to ensure high cost-performance while offering a wide range of contents and multi-functionality.

Toyota Tsusho Corporation (head office: Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture; "Toyota Tsusho"), Electric Vehicle Japan Inc. (head office: Toyonaka, Osaka Prefecture; "EVJ"), CDS Institute of management strategy, Inc. (head office: Tokyo; "CDSI"), Kodansha Ltd. (head office: Tokyo; "Kodansha"), and Mapion Co., Ltd. (head office: Tokyo; "Mapion") announce today they will develop new mobility systems designed not only to solve environmental issues and community transport problems, but which offer users new value and services to ensure mobility comfort and enjoyment.

Since fiscal 2016, Toyota Tsusho has conducted a demonstration project granted by the Ministry of the Environment to build a system to reuse motors, ECUs, batteries and other core components collected from hybrid vehicles no longer used by their owners. The purpose of the project is to standardize a system under which core components can be reused in power systems for a wide range of applications primarily in the mobility field, including electric carts, tourism and leisure buses, and agriculture-use trucks. EVJ and CDSI, meanwhile, are prototyping, designing and customizing vehicles to adopt remanufactured products. In addition to reusing components, vehicles are being developed with such new functions as remote monitoring, remote control and automated driving. The vehicles will also be connected to external services to provide users with a wealth of beneficial local information, tourism information, traffic data, and weather forecasts, thereby raising user convenience and satisfaction.

Furthermore, with Toyota Tsusho’s support, EVJ will design a new scheme enabling vehicle dismantling and maintenance companies throughout Japan to develop local business for vehicle assembly and maintenance. Specifically, EVJ will design an assembly and maintenance support structure and manuals to facilitate the generation of new business and revitalization in local communities, while stimulating the reuse and recycling of urban recourses in local communities. In the first phase of the initiative, Toyota Tsusho, EVJ and CDSI will develop “green-slow-mobility” (slow-driving, environmentally friendly compact electric vehicles) schemes featuring compact and light vehicles and seek to expand vehicle adoption.

In October 2018, Kodansha began selling communication robot “ATOM” (ASTRO　BOY) in Japan, the birthchild of the “ATOM Project” joining Kodansha and five other companies. ATOM is Japan’s first animation character-based robot. ATOM combines cloud-based AI with front-end AI to enable natural conversations in which the robot responds to human expression. ATOM is adept at word games, riddles, psychological tests, and other interactive contents which allow users to spend time enjoyably when travelling. Kodansha has teamed with Mapion to develop mobility-oriented contents such as local information and guidance for local sights. A communication robot ATOM equipped with these contents has been installed on an electric cart. In the future, the companies plan to localize ATOM for individual communities and help enhance services for next-generation mobility.

Toyota Tsusho, EVJ and CDSI, in cooperation with Kodansha and Mapion, will jointly exhibit next-generation mobility prototypes at the Local Value Creation Expo held at Makuhari Messe (Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture) over three days beginning February 27, 2019.

Next-generation “Green-Slow-Mobility” Featuring Reused Hybrid Systems

The exhibit will feature a vehicle currently under development for green-slow-mobility, along with a demonstration of local information and tourism guidance for vehicle users and connectivity with the communication robot ATOM from Kodansha. Booth visitors can enjoy both the demonstrations and detailed panels clearly explaining the project. Please see the expo website for more information in Japanese.

Local Value Creation Expo: https://www.sousei-expo.jp/

<Mobility>

Toyota Tsusho
1. Create business plan and models
2. Collect hybrid vehicle component and standardize reuse systems
3. Promote various remanufactured product
4. Provide traceability systems

EVJ
1. Prototype and design vehicles
2. Develop and Manufacture localized vehicles for each region, and make its Motor Vehicle Inspection and Registration
3. Establish network of regional auto maintenance companies for vehicle manufacturing and maintenance
4. Create manufacturing and maintenance manuals for above network of maintenance companies

CDSI
1. Develop IoT/ICT devices for remote monitoring, remote control, and automation
2. Support vehicle prototyping, design, and business model establishment
3. Coordinate overall project development
4. Set standards for inter-system communications and data exchange Contents, etc.

Kodansha
1. Supply communication robot ATOM
2. Provide and collaborate on contents
3. Develop mobility contents
4. Develop original contents for local government organizations

Mapion
1. Collect local information and tourism information
2. Construct local information and tourism information database
3. Provide local information and tourism information