NTT is working with Toyota to develop a global telecommunications platform for connected cars.
Toyota is one of the largest automakers in the world, while NTT is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world.
The new partnership will see both companies sharing relevant technologies, knowledge and expertise to create a connected car platform.
The companies say they will make use of big data obtained from vehicles and carry our joint research and development of technologies for various issues relating to automotive mobility, such as safety and congestion.
Specifically the areas of collaboration will be:
- the development of a platform for data collection, accumulation, and analysis;
- internet of things networks and data centers;
- next-generation communication technologies, such as 5G, edge computing; and
- user-friendly services for inside and outside vehicles, such as voice interaction tech based on artificial intelligence.
NTT recently launched what the company claims is the world’s largest software-defined wide area network, spanning more than 190 countries and including more than 75 local cloud data centres.
A software-defined network is more flexible and is less restricted by the underlying hardware, which means that it can be more easily programmed for a variety of different applications, including connected cars.
Shuichi Sasakura, senior vice president network services of NTT Com, says: “The global NTT SD-WAN Service Portfolio is an end-to-end solution that provides organisations with a highly flexible and agile network that is fully tailored to their specific requirements and enables them to better compete in today’s digital economy.”
However, a fundamental component – or basis – of connected and autonomous car technology is thought to be 5G telecommunications networks, which are still being constructed in a number of countries.
NTT last year became a technology partner for Formula 1 racing team McLaren (pictured), for which it will provide networking, cloud, data connectivity services.
