The future of self-driving connected cars received a big boost this week when one of the world’s largest automotive suppliers, DENSO, announced their intention to invest in a broader range of innovative automotive technologies. DENSO based in Japan with North American headquarters in Southfield, Michigan and facilities in a number of states will use their exhibit at the upcoming CES 2018 to showcase automotive startups and related innovative technologies ranging from bio sensors to cybersecurity.
Three successful ventures will be demonstrating their technologies at the CES exhibit on January 10th and 11th, and startups seeking to present their technologies are invited to sign up to pitch to Tony Cannestra, DENSO’s director of Corporate Ventures. The 20-minute pitches are open to startups with technology applicable to autonomous driving.
Cannestra commented on their broadening investment approach in a press release, saying, “DENSO‘s vision for the future of mobility goes beyond automotive, and it will take the combination of a broad range of emerging technologies to make that vision a reality. This year we’ll look especially at companies tackling automated driving, cybersecurity and both biometric and vehicle sensors, including LIDAR and radar. Our CES meetings will play a big role in decisions over the next year.
DENSO’s startup investments target innovative technologies with applications in connectivity, autonomous drive, shared mobility and electrification (CASE). The company has also committed to investments in R&D and manufacturing CASE technologies. They are making a $4.3 billion global R&D commitment and $1 billion investment in its largest US manufacturing facility to produce electrification and safety technology.
