Possible areas of interest include developing electric vehicles for worldwide distribution, creating adaptable mobility base units, and exploring innovative technologies and services aimed at achieving carbon neutrality.
Soracom Inc., a global provider of advanced Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity, and Suzuki Motor Corporation, which offers products in multiple mobility categories, including automobiles, motorcycles, and outboard motors, have signed an agreement to pursue applications of advanced IoT technologies in the field of mobility services.
The move is driven by the rapid changes underway in the global automotive industry, accelerated by broad progress in electrification and automation and by widespread consumer adoption of connected car or telematics-based capabilities. Automotive manufacturers now have the opportunity to apply recent advances in hardware, software, and connectivity to create new services and deliver new levels of comfort, convenience, and safety.
Together, Soracom, which is to be listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on March 26, 2024, and Suzuki will explore opportunities to collaborate in applying leading-edge IoT technologies to develop new offerings centred around mobility services. Potential focus areas include electric vehicles (EVs) designed for the global market, modular ‘mobility base units’, and new technologies and services designed to support carbon neutrality.
Both companies will continue to work toward developing new mobility services that can provide the infrastructure for business and life in a sustainable society, as stated in a Suzuki Motor media release.
Recently, Soracom partnered with Couchbase’s Capella, a database-as-a-service known for its scalability, security, and offline data syncing capabilities, which is already popular among companies involved in IoT connectivity. This collaboration with Soracom allows Couchbase to simplify the process for customers to connect IoT devices across various geographical locations and remote areas where traditional non-cellular networks often fail to provide connectivity.
Soracom provides connectivity solutions for IoT devices through a range of cellular networks, including 5G, 4G LTE, and LPWAN. It offers SIM cards that support different speeds and ensure connectivity across various cellular networks, making them suitable for international IoT deployments. By facilitating this connectivity, Soracom helps Capella customers use IoT devices in areas where other wireless communication technologies, such as WiFi and Bluetooth, are either unavailable or insufficient.