Toyota Motor Corporation and KDDI Corporation, together with the Tokyo Hire-Taxi Association (THTA), has begun verification testing on data collection in order to make connected taxis a reality. These could make possible new services that will, among others, improve taxi-customer convenience and support taxi drivers.
The verification testing, which will center on the collection and analysis of data from taxis in the Tokyo metropolitan area, is being done to clarify technical requirements for taxi-related connected services and to enable practical application of large volumes of driving data.
Big data generated through real-time collection of both video and vehicle data captured by Toyota’s data transmission TransLog driving recorder – installed in taxis and transmitted via KDDI’s LTE network – will be analyzed to determine the needs of communications networks for connected taxis.
The testing is also aimed at enhancing the functions of a mobility services platform being established by Toyota, for which it will, among others, mark the start of technical studies for the generation of dynamic maps that cover the state of congestion of individual traffic lanes and the existence of roadway obstacles.
May 3, 2017