Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) is pleased to announce that on January 19, 2024, Isuzu Motors Ltd. (Isuzu) became a new signatory to an agreement previously reached by MC and four other interests to collaborate on digital transformations (DX) in regional public transportation. The agreement, which focuses on autonomous-driving services in Kanagawa Prefecture's Hiratsuka City, was originally signed on April 7, 2023 by MC, Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa Chuo Kotsu Co., Ltd., Aisan Technology Co., Ltd., and A-Drive Inc.

Through its work to address logistics and mobility related challenges with DX-driven innovations, Isuzu has demonstrated that its values align with our five-partner commitment to this autonomous-driving project. Our shared goal to find mobility solutions made Isuzu's inclusion in our agreement a logical step forward.

Under the terms of this agreement, our six signatories today commenced a self-driving -bus proof of concept (PoC) in Hiratsuka City that shall take advantage of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's program for subsidizing projects that aim to maintain or improve regional public transportation. We look forward to validating the commercial potential of this autonomous-driving solution.

 

The objective of our six-party agreement is to help revitalize Japan's regional communities by offering them public transportation services that are convenient, accessible and sustainable. We intend to achieve this through close collaboration, initiatives that effectively leverage our respective resources, and DX-driven, next-generation mobility solutions that focus on autonomous-driving technology applications.

 

(1) Digital transformations in regional public transportation.

(2) More convenient mobility options through MaaS *. *Mobility as a service

(3) Regionally based self-driving PoC (mentioned in this release).

(4) Verification of problems in both operating and servicing self-driving buses.

(5) Other initiatives necessary to achieve our agreement's objective.

 

 

Based on the Three Corporate Principles, which serve as MC’s core philosophy, MC has continued to grow together with society by contributing to the sustainable development of society through its business activities while pursuing value creation. MC’s revised “Materiality” was announced in Midterm Corporate Strategy 2024 as a set of crucial societal issues that MC will prioritize through its business activities, towards the strategy’s goal of continuous creation of MC Shared Value (MCSV). Guided by this Materiality, MC will continue to strengthen its efforts towards sustainable corporate growth. Out of the six material issues relating to “Realizing a Carbon Neutral Society and Striving to Enrich Society Both Materially and Spiritually”, this project’s activities particularly support “Contributing to Decarbonized Societies”, “Utilizing Innovation to Address Societal Needs” and “Addressing Regional Issues and Growing Together with Local Communities”.