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On December 12, PIX Moving officially launched it’s Shonan Innovation Factory in Chigasaki, Kanagawa, Japan. The opening ceremony gathered attendees from various fields including Hikaru Sato — Mayor of Chigasaki City, PIX shareholder representative Josaku Yanai — the Executive Vice President and Representative Director of TIS Inc., Akinobu Kiriyama-Vice President of Chigasaki City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Angelo Yu — the Founder and CEO of PIX Moving.
From left to right: Hiroaki Saito (PIX Japan Factory Manager), Hikaru Sato (Chigasaki Mayor), Angelo Yu (Founder & CEO, PIX Moving), Josaku Yanai (Executive Vice President, TIS Inc.), Akinobu Kiriyama (Vice President, Chigasaki Chamber of Commerce and Industry)
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all distinguished guests who have joined us today. It’s a great honor to share this momentous occasion as we officially commence operations at our Japan factory. This factory embodies our vision for smart mobility and autonomous driving. Through this platform, we aim to integrate cutting-edge technologies and innovative concepts into more real-world applications. We look forward to fostering continued business and capital partnerships with various partners, driving the advancement of autonomous driving technology, and delivering safer, more convenient, and eco-friendly transportation solutions for our society.” Angelo Yu, Founder & CEO of PIX Moving, remarked during the ceremony.
“We’re witnessing a global shift as countries worldwide are establishing legal frameworks for autonomous driving. Self-driving vehicles are becoming an increasingly common sight in our daily lives. Soon, we’ll not only see Robo-Bus here in Japan but also across the globe — all manufactured right here at the Chigasaki factory.” Mr. Josaku Yanai, the Executive Vice President and Representative Director of TIS Inc., stated at the opening event.
PIX Factory at the Opening Ceremony
01/ Local Production, Global Reach
In July this year, PIX Moving, a global leader in robotics, and its shareholder TIS Inc. jointly announced the establishment of a joint venture company, Pixel Intelligence Co., Ltd., in Japan. PIX Moving’s first overseas robotics factory is located in Chigasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.
Unlike traditional automotive manufacturing, the joint venture factory between PIX and TIS employs extensive AI algorithm design and manufacturing processes. It has established metal 3D printing/composite 3D printing workstations and RTM (Real-Time Molding) workstations. This approach eliminates the high costs associated with mold design and development, allowing for rapid customization to meet diverse client needs.
3D Printing and RTM (Real-time Molding Workstation)
This factory will drive the mass production of PIX robotic products such as Robo-Bus, Robo-Shop, and Robo-Go, enabling local production and delivery in Japan. Additionally, the factory’s products will be shipped to other countries worldwide, including the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
02/ Why Japan? A Strategic Move
Japan has positioned autonomous driving as a crucial national development strategy. As early as 2013, when Japan announced its “Declaration on Creating a World-Leading ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems) Nation”, the country identified autonomous driving as one of the key areas for development with significant impact on society, economy, and industrial competitiveness. Japan outlined a commercialization timeline for autonomous vehicles and a technology development roadmap for 2014–2030. According to a report by Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun on June 12, 2024, Japan plans to promote Level 4 autonomous driving nationwide.
The convergence of factors such as an aging population, congestion in central urban areas, and a public preference for public transportation has led Japan to focus its commercial applications of autonomous driving more on scenarios with stronger public attributes. This timing aligns perfectly with PIX Moving’s move to establish its robotics factory in Japan.
PIX Shonan Innovation Factory in Chigasaki
03/ Establishing Global Distributed Micro-Factories
PIX Shonan Innovation Factory took less than six months from the start of setup to official production, owing to PIX Moving’s proprietary AI algorithm-powered design and manufacturing toolchain. In addition to the short construction time, PIX micro-factory significantly reduces production processes and decreases dependency on supply chains. The factory also has a small footprint and low construction costs, making it easy to implement global distributed manufacturing. This approach allows production facilities to be located closer to market demand, reducing energy consumption and costs associated with global logistics and transportation. It achieves the goal of local production for local sales. In the current global landscape, distributed manufacturing is particularly important for breaking down trade barriers.
04/ Driving Global Commercialization
PIX Moving’s autonomous vehicles including Robo-Bus, have been deployed in over 30 countries and regions. The opening of the Chigasaki factory marks a pivotal step in PIX’s globalization journey, enabling faster commercialization and wider adoption of PIX products worldwide.
PIX Global Users
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