Toyota, KDDI and Tokyo Hire-Taxi Association Begin
Verification Testing for 'Connected Taxis'

Toyota City, Japan, April 25, 2017―Toyota Motor Corporation and KDDI Corporation, together with the Tokyo Hire-Taxi Association (THTA), have begun verification testing on data collection for making "connected taxis" a reality. Such taxis, by communicating with data centers, are expected to make possible new services that will, among others, improve taxi-customer convenience and support taxi drivers. The verification testing, which will center on the collection and analysis of data from taxis in the Tokyo metropolitan area, is being done to clarify technical requirements for taxi-related connected services and to enable practical application of large volumes of driving data.

In the verification testing, big data generated through real-time collection of both driving video and vehicle data―captured by Toyota's data-transmission TransLog driving recorder installed in taxis and transmitted via KDDI's LTE network―will be analyzed to determine the needs of communications networks for "connected taxis". The testing is also aimed at enhancing the functions of a mobility services platform being established by Toyota, for which it will, among others, mark the start of technical studies for the generation of dynamic maps that cover the state of congestion of individual traffic lanes and the existence of roadway obstacles.

Toyota

• Installing data-transmission TransLog drive recorders in 500 taxis in the Tokyo metropolitan area and real-time collecting of driving video and vehicle data
• Analyzing big data for enhancing the functions of the mobility services platform Toyota is establishing, for developing new services for taxi business operators and for developing next-generation taxis

KDDI

• Providing SIM cards to be installed in data-transmission TransLog drive recorders and providing a high-quality 4G LTE network
• Confirming network quality in vehicle-data processing and conducting studies on the necessary requirements of next-generation networks

THTA

• Selecting 500 taxis to be used in the verification testing and coordinating with taxi business operators

Toyota and KDDI are promoting car connectivity. To maintain stable, high-quality data communications between vehicle onboard data communication devices and data clouds, they have partnered to establish a global communications platform. Meanwhile, THTA is pursuing various activities that will allow the provision of better services for taxi business operators and taxi users.

In the future, as well, Toyota, KDDI and THTA intend to actively conduct other verification testing and technological development toward the development of next-generation taxis and new services.