- Target on developing global standard in automated driving test systems, to support automotive OEMs and sensor
manufacturers- Technologies and expertise of 3 Group companies and Applus+ IDIADA will be integrated, and seamless coordination will
be achieved between reproducible physical environmental testing and virtual environmental testing
TOKYO, Sept 16, 2021 - (JCN Newswire) - Three MHI Group companies have concluded an agreement with Applus+ IDIADA
(IDIADA), a Spain-based multinational company that performs engineering, testing and homologation for the automotive
industry, on joint development of a testing and verification system for highly automated vehicles. IDIADA has an
abundant track record in vehicle development, testing and homologation for automakers in Europe, and is contributing to
the formulation of international standards in these areas.
Today, development of automated driving systems is vigorously underway worldwide, and in the years ahead, dramatic
capability improvements and increasing adoption of such systems are anticipated. To ensure their safe and secure
operation, it must be verified that sensors and systems will function normally under the diverse natural environments
that highly automated vehicles will encounter; moreover, needs are expected to increase in the coming years for testing
under all possible weather conditions. In response, three MHI Group companies and IDIADA will jointly develop an indoor
integrated environmental testing facility enabling high-precision testing of highly automated vehicles under any freely
chosen combination of natural environments (snow, fog, rain, glare, etc.) and driving conditions, plus a system that
enables comprehensive verification in virtual environments. The aim is to contribute to shortening the development time
and reducing development costs of automated driving systems for automotive OEMs and sensor manufacturers.
In developing the targeted integrated environmental testing facility, the three MHI Group companies will each contribute
their proprietary technologies: MHI, its radar wave reflection and dispersion control technologies; MHI Air-Conditioning
and Refrigeration, its environmental testing technologies for air-conditioning and refrigeration units; and Mitsubishi
Heavy Industries Machinery Systems, its system integration technologies relating to automotive testing systems.
MHI Group, as part of its growth promotion strategy delineated in its 2021 Medium-Term Business Plan, is currently
taking steps to develop its solutions business in mobility and other new areas. The new project is one of an array of
initiatives being taken focused on infrastructure to support "CASE" era automobiles. Going forward, working in
collaboration with IDIADA, IDIADA and MHI Group will pursue establishment of a global standard in automated vehicle
testing and verification systems as a way of contributing to the broad adoption of safe and secure automated driving
systems.
"CASE" is an acronym derived from the words "connected," "autonomous/automated," "shared" and "electric." It refers to
the current technological trend in the automotive industry to create next-generation mobility services offering
outstanding safety and convenience.
About Applus+ IDIADA
With over 25 years of history, Applus+ IDIADA is a leading engineering company providing design, testing, engineering
and homologation services to the automotive industry worldwide. Applus+ IDIADA counts on more than 2,500 engineers from
over 25 countries specialised in vehicle development. The headquarters, composed of a 360-hectares technical center with
its own proving ground and a comprehensive set of laboratories, is located near Barcelona, Spain. The company also has
an international network of subsidiaries and branch offices in 24 countries, which ensures that their clients receive
fast and customised services.
IDIADA A.T. (80% owned by Applus+ and 20% by the Government of Catalonia) has been operating under an exclusive contract
from the 351-hectare technology centre near Barcelona (owned by the Government of Catalonia) since 1999. The contract to
operate the business and use the assets runs until September 2024 and although it is renewable in five-year periods
until 2049, it has been decided that there will be no further extensions but a tender for a new 20 or 25 year
concession.
About MHI Group
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world's leading industrial groups, spanning energy, logistics & infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense. MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep
experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon neutral world, improve the quality
of life and ensure a safer world. For more information, please visit www.mhi.com or follow our insights and stories on www.spectra.mhi.com.