KIYOSU, Japan–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. has invested in IMUZAK Inc., a startup located in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan, with strengths in optical design and assessment, to accelerate its development of interior and exterior modules for the age of autonomous driving.
The evolution of autonomous driving technology is expected to increase the need for parts equipped with sensing functions to recognize the surrounding environment, such as nearby vehicles or pedestrians and road configuration, and human-machine interface functions for communication between vehicles and people. Given this trend, Toyoda Gosei is integrating sensors and other electronic components into its exterior and interior products such as front grilles, cockpits, and steering wheels, where it has been a leading supplier for many years. The modular products it is developing with this new technology will combine functions for safety and comfort with attractive design.
Toyoda Gosei’s investment in IMUZAK will give it access to that company’s proprietary findings in the field of optics for the creation of new value as it develops exterior products that are transparent to infrared light using LIDAR* and interior products that use light in equipment operation.
This investment is the first to be made by Toyoda Gosei’s newly established Corporate Venture Capital Dept., started in January 2019 as a dedicated organization for corporate venture capital. The amount of the investment is 50 million yen, which will give Toyoda Gosei an equity stake of 19.1% in IMUZAK.
| * | Light Detection and Ranging, a sensing method that measures distance and direction by the time it takes emitted infrared laser light to reflect off of an object and return. Compared with millimeter wave radar, a sensor using the similar mechanism, LIDAR uses electromagnetic waves with a shorter wavelength, and so is characterized by high spatial resolution, or ability to detect objects in detail. |
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Outline of IMUZAK |
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| 1. Name | IMUZAK Inc. | |
| 2. Location |
2-2-1 Yagata-shi, Yamagata 990-2743, Japan |
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| 3. President | Kazumi Sawamura | |
| 4. Established | January 21, 2015 | |
| 5. Capital | 13 million yen | |
About Toyoda Gosei
Established in 1949 and headquartered in Kiyosu, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Toyoda Gosei is a leading specialty manufacturer of rubber and plastic automotive parts. Today, the Toyoda Gosei Group provides a variety of high-quality products internationally, with a network of approximately 100 plants and offices in 18 countries and regions. Through its flexible, integrated global supply system and leading-edge technologies, Toyoda Gosei aims to grow as a global company that acts flexibly and swiftly in today’s dramatically changing business environment, delivering the highest levels of satisfaction to customers worldwide through safety, comfort, well-being and the environment.