Denso Corporation has opened its Seattle Innovation Lab where it will develop connected technologies and advance its Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platform.
The lab supports Denso’s recent expansion into software-based solutions to complement its hardware expertise, bolstering its North American R&D strategy. It also furthers Denso’s exploration of new business domains, such as MaaS.
“Throughout Denso’s 70 years, we’ve worked hard to reinvent our solutions and maintain a leadership role in the automotive industry. A large part of that is investing in R&D,” said Yoshifumi Kato, senior executive director, Engineering Research and Development Center, Denso Corporation.
MaaS involves the integration of various forms of transportation services through connected technologies that are accessible on demand to travelers. In this area, Denso is already developing cloud computing technology that collects and analyzes data from car sharing fleets and shares it with mobility service providers via the cloud to help improve fleet management.
At the Seattle Innovation Lab, Denso will collaborate with the city’s many tech companies and universities to further develop its cloud computing technology, including edge computing for automated driving, and speed up its platform development for MaaS systems.
“Our Seattle Innovation Lab will play a key role in shaping Denso’s technology for current and new customers, regionally and around the globe,” said Kenichiro Ito, senior executive officer for Denso Corporation and chief executive officer of Denso’s North American headquarters.
“As we continue to innovate in emerging fields, we are changing what is possible for the future of transportation and mobility, and setting the course for how we achieve it.”
Denso also recently opened an Innovation Lab in Montréal, Canada, focused on advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence.
Bill Foy, senior vice president of engineering at the company, said, “Denso’s advanced R&D approach integrates agile development on a global scale. In North America we’re partnering with innovative thinkers to execute on technologies and products that will define mobility for years to come.”