5 brands team up to develop next-gen vehicle communications system

Suzuki, Subaru, Daihatsu, Toyota, and Mazda—five of the industry’s largest carmakers—have come to an agreement to jointly develop the technical specifications for a next-generation vehicle communications system.

The aim is to promote the common use of communications systems by using standardized connected services to link cars and other vehicles. The five companies involved have realized that their businesses and their customers will benefit if they band and develop connected services together.

Moreover, the process of delivering and implementing any development they make can be carried out faster with the five car companies working together towards the same goal.

Development could revolve around the concept of “CASE,” Toyota’s vision of what the future could be in terms of mobility. CASE stands for Connected cars, Autonomous/Automated driving, Shared, and Electric.

Companies Suzuki, Subaru, Daihatsu, and Mazda will incorporate their respective vehicle communications technologies into Toyota’s own. They will optimize each other’s resources such as facilities and personnel.

The five companies are looking at three steps in developing a next-generation communications system: “positioning the development of vehicle communications devices, which are basic functions of the connected car, as a cooperative domain; positioning the development of applications and services as an in-house domain; and achieving greater efficiency and accelerating the development of vehicle communications devices.”

While in an agreement, the automakers are openly considering collaborative initiatives with other like-minded companies and plan to continue developing services that can open doors for revenue streams and enrich the lives of people and solve social problems.

Photo from Toyota

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