DENSO has announced a significant investment in startup company ActiveScaler, a developer of Managed MaaS (Mobility-as-a-Service) systems powered by artificial intelligence. DENSO’s investment will help expand ActiveScaler’s platform and technologies, which simplify and better customize shared mobility experiences. The agreement also will help accelerate deployment of Managed MaaS systems for leading mobility operators and fleet service providers.
With the increase in global demand for more scalable and efficient services for moving people and goods, ActiveScaler’s technology will help enhance growth and simplify implementation with a modular set of components that enable mobility service providers and fleet managers to tailor MaaS solutions to their specific business needs.
“DENSO’s focus is to develop technologies that advance the future of mobility, and enable connected and automated driving,” said Yoshifumi Kato, senior executive director at DENSO Corp. “These technologies directly influence the development of MaaS systems, which will disrupt the future of urban mobility for people and goods by making transportation solutions more seamless and accessible. ActiveScaler will help fleet operators accelerate new business opportunities by integrating the emerging MaaS ecosystem with higher performance and faster time to market.”
Tony Cannestra, director of corporate ventures for DENSO, emphasized the importance of collaboration for innovative technology development. “Technologies that simplify and better customize shared mobility experiences are a key focus area for DENSO, and we will strongly support those technologies with strategic investments and boundary-pushing collaborations. ActiveScaler’s robust platform has the potential to impact how commercial fleets navigate city streets around the world, and we look forward to seeing how our technologies can help.”
“We want to be the engine behind the future of MaaS – hence the term ‘Managed MaaS,’ which will transform current fleet businesses to provide next generation mobility services,” said Abhay Jain, CEO of ActiveScaler. “Traditional fleet management services and systems are quickly becoming obsolete because of issues like high upfront software and hardware costs, poor ecosystem integration and lack of flexibility, which are limiting the type and quality of services that can be offered.
“Our new AI-powered technology and fresh approach provides the ability to build end-to-end MaaS businesses featuring advanced analytics and automation, high security and regulatory compliance while reducing environmental impact. This is essential for current, as well as future, businesses built around multi-mode transportation and autonomous vehicles,” added Jain.
DENSO continues to evaluate technology investment opportunities, including both core automotive solutions and innovative technologies with potentially significant implications for the future of transportation.
Opportunity for Startups at CES 2018
DENSO plans to expand its venture capital investments in a broad range of new technologies to make a world of self-driving, truly connected cars a reality. Startups attending CES can sign-up for a 20-minute pitch meeting by visiting densomedia-na.com/cesstartups. Meetings will take place from 1-4 p.m. PST on Wednesday, Jan. 10 and Thursday, Jan. 11 at DENSO’s CES exhibit in LVCC, North Hall No. 7917.
