KOTANI MAIL September 16, 2015
To All Pioneer Members
Dear Friends,
In early September, Pioneer Corporation made two public announcements regarding its approach to the realization of automated driving and advanced driving support, which is one major area in the Car Electronics business growth strategies. One announcement is about the development of 3D-LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) "driving space sensor" and the other one is upon the basic agreement to discuss with German global mapping company HERE on the utilization of " advanced maps".
Recently we see and hear quite often various stories about automated driving and advanced driving support here and there. Not just automobile manufactures, but many companies from different industries are looking for the chances to enter this new market. Pioneer has been developing related technologies based upon our asset knowledge.
Last year Pioneer made a big decision to focus its management resources onto Car Electronics business. And we are now on the next stage to start making concrete growth strategies and actualizing those plans. Upon this theme, I have been discussing with many Pioneer members during the direct discussion session series which I started from this April.
Our tackle towards automated driving is one major theme among our total Car Electronics business growth strategies. We are a unique presence who holds and develops the wide range of resources which are indispensable to realize automated driving, namely, 3D-LiDAR from utilizing optical technologies and the expertise that our map creation subsidiary Increment P Corporation (iPC) foster to create advanced map data, in addition to the navigation technologies, probe data and cloud platforms. And also with using alliances, Pioneer aims to become an "essential company" in the society of automated driving.
3D-LiDAR is, in the field of sensors, considered to be the best key device indispensable to the achievement of highly advanced automated driving. We aim to be number one position in LiDAR market by promoting high quality, compact & low-cost products supported by our optical disc technologies built up over many years. We will start from practical use for the iPC’s mapping vehicles of advanced map but will enlarge business for private passenger vehicle usages by optimizing our proprietary technologies.
Regarding advanced maps for automated driving, to cover global area in the future, we made a basic agreement to discuss on the utilization of the maps with a world major mapping company HERE. HERE and Pioneer will start discussion on the utilization of advanced maps, harnessing HERE’s expertise in map and Pioneer’s 3D-LiDAR.
After those announcements, through the newspaper articles like NIKKEI and the investors’ reactions to our automated driving business explanation session on September 8th, I feel their very high and strong interest and expectation rising towards Pioneer’s new activities.
We have started setting practical business strategies and plans under the big Car Electronics business direction. I will promote this momentum and share the necessary info with you timely. And I believe now is the good timing to start appealing our ideas and technologies to the public, including this autumn Tokyo Motor Show exhibition.
As you may feel, before having new business success and achieving goals, we still need to overcome various hurdles and develop our abilities; like finance base to secure necessary investment, more competitive and speedy technology development, good alliance coordinating ability, products ideas appealing to customers, stronger marketing and sales abilities for actual outlet, and human resources to make those happen. Although those themes and difficulties are not easy to handle instantly, let’s get together and tackle for the bright future.
With best regards,