Aims to make a positive impact on people and society through autonomous driving technology and public transportation—solving issues such as driver shortages and shrinking bus services in rural areas.
PROFILE
- Name
- Yasuhiro Nakano
- Company
- Advanced Smart Mobility Co., Ltd. (AS Mobi) Japan
- Department / Position
- Engineering Department No.2 / General Manager
- Favorite Words
- Technology is for people
Solving social issues in transportation and logistics.
AS Mobi is developing technologies for the autonomous driving of buses and trucks. In Japan, the shortage of bus drivers, passengers, and bus services in underpopulated rural areas and the shortage of truck drivers in the logistics industry are becoming more and more serious. Our mission is to find solutions to such social issues through autonomous driving. In particular, we focus on regional and local public transportation, and conduct research and development of autonomous driving to provide a "comfortable and friendly means of transportation for all people." My involvement is mainly in software, where I’m in charge of developing technologies to control vehicle movements such as "run," "turn," and “stop."
The Japanese government is currently undertaking a project colloquially known as “RoAD to the L4,” which focuses on the research, development, demonstration, and deployment of Level 4 autonomous driving technology and so-called “Enhanced Mobility Services.” It is highly rewarding for me to be able to give back to society through this project.
Harnessing technology for the public good through my work.
I’ve loved cars since kindergarten and became interested in programming when I was in middle school, so I’m overjoyed to work in a role that combines the two. I was involved in the development of ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) technology at my previous job, but I think that the most effective place to realize this technology is in public transportation, rather than passenger cars. This is because buses and trucks have a somewhat fixed route with fewer differences between vehicles and fewer irregular movements, so they are more suited to autonomous driving. I joined AS Mobi because I wanted to be part of the development of technology in the public transportation sector, which has the potential to benefit a wide range of people.
Technology enables a better future for people, communities, and the planet.
We are currently working with Kyocera on the joint development of "Trota," an autonomous bus. Kyocera is supporting us with various technologies, such as their ECU autonomous driving system, as well as many types of cameras and sensors. In addition to being able to trust the high performance and reliability of their products, I was also impressed by the genuine and honest relationship I was able to build with Kyocera’s engineers.
My first goal for the future is to accomplish the RoAD to the L4 project. Beyond that, I want to create a society where people can live comfortably through the advancement of public transportation. For example, in Japan, there is potential to develop bus routes down to the last mile and create a society where people don't have to worry about getting around even if they don't own a car. Furthermore, advancements in public transportation should have a positive impact in terms of environmental protection. So, through the field of autonomous driving, I would like to develop technologies that will lead to a better future for people, our community, and the planet.
- For more information about "Trota":
- https://www.kyocera.co.jp/smartcity/autonomous_bus_proof-of-concept/index.html（Japanese）
- To learn more about Advanced Smart Mobility:
- https://www.as-mobi.com/en/
(Information as of January 2023)
