Toyota Motor Corporation to invest in Albert for developing automated driving technologies

Toyota Motor Corporation and Japan-based big data analysis company, Albert have agreed on a business alliance for big data analysis, mainly in the field of advanced development of automated driving technology. Toyota will invest about 400 million yen (Rs 24 crores) and will acquire new shares in Albert that will be issued through a third-party allocation of shares dated May 30, 2018.

Toyota is looking to promote the development of automated driving technologies, for which, they have established the advanced research company, Toyota Research Institute (TRI), in the United States in January 2016 and the advanced development company, Toyota Research Institute-Advanced Development (TRI-AD), in Tokyo, while also advancing its technology development centered on AI.

Meanwhile, Albert, as a group of data scientists in the domain of big data analysis, has been continuously providing optimal solutions to companies since 2005. In recent years, it has been actively expanding into the field of imagery analysis in the development of automated driving technologies. Through the business alliance, Toyota believes it will be possible to strengthen elements such as data analysis processes in Toyota's development of AI technologies, which is expected to achieve greater acceleration of Toyota's development of automated driving technologies.

Executive general manager Ken Koibuchi, who is in charge of the development of automated driving at Toyota's in-house advanced R&D and engineering company, commented, "We believe that AI technologies are indispensable for achieving our vision of 'safe and smooth mobility for all people.' To bring out the full performance of AI technologies, it is necessary to skillfully manage large volumes of data.”

Albert president Takeshi Matsumoto said, " Our company intends to support 'safe technological innovation demanded by society' through, among other efforts, the strengthening of a distinguished group of data scientists who aim for enhanced analysis."

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