Member Feature: DENSO - The future connected

THE FUTURE CONNECTED

DENSO is globally recognised for manufacturing excellence, technological advancements, and environmental responsiveness

The company says it is committed to sustainable growth and to the health of the Australian automotive industry as a whole. “DENSO was established in Kariya, Japan in 1949 primarily as a manufacturer of starters, generators, and radiators to the Toyota Motor Co,” DENSO Automotive Systems Australia Manager Aftermarket Sales, Con Stogiannou, said. Today, DENSO has grown from its electrical beginnings into a corporation of 211 group companies in 35 countries and regions and is proud to have a global workforce of over 170,000 employees. From the outset, DENSO identified that its success relied heavily upon the skills of its people, product development, and modern facilities. “Globally, DENSO has built a culture of participation, collaboration, and creative thinking,” Con said. “Locally, this led to the establishment of our stateof-the-art technical training, R&D and Testing Center.” The center has become a hub for sharing knowledge, refining skills, and, most importantly, innovation. “DENSO’s commitment to the Australian automotive industry is most evident in our dedication to local research and development,” Con explained. “Based in Victoria, our testing facility allows our customers to perform extensive product evaluation and prototype vehicle testing in one secure location.” The facility includes chambers for high/lowtemperature testing, sunlight replication, and a wide range of system diagnostics. “DENSO has always been considered an innovator,” Con said. “With the growth of our technical prowess came innovation, and in the mid-1950s we began to expand our business fields beyond the production of electrical components. “This allowed us to establish a competitive edge in the ability to develop and deliver seamless systems instead of single products.” The hard work and persistence paid off, and in 1961 DENSO was awarded the Deming Prize for quality control. “This laid the foundations for the concept and our culture of Quality First,” Con explained. New goals came with this newfound confidence, and the company looked beyond its shore, launching its global expansion campaign. “To meet the growing needs of regional car manufacturers, NipponDENSO Australia was established,” Con said. “This was DENSO’s first manufacturing plant outside of Japan, and in 1972, we began assembling a range of thermal products expanding to include radiators, condensers, meter clusters, caravan air-conditioning, and a/c tubing.” From 1972 through to the end of local vehicle manufacturing in 2017, DENSO says it built a reputation for quality and innovation that was the envy of its competitors. “As a result of the decline of local automotive manufacturing, DENSO Australia’s facility ceased production operations, and in late 2017 we shifted our focus towards the growth of local aftermarket product sales and expanding our Australian-based R&D Engineering capabilities,” Con described. “As DENSO prepares to celebrate its 50th Anniversary here in Australia, it reflects upon a legacy that dates back to the company’s founding principles, to embrace change without fear, to confront and overcome every challenge with a view to the future, and to continue to create new products and technologies.” The automobile industry is undergoing its most significant transformation in a century due to the rapid evolution of technology. In this period of change, DENSO explains that its primary goal is working to meet the future mobility needs of society in four major areas of technology: Electric Vehicles; Advanced Safety/Autonomous Vehicles; Connectivity; and Factory Automation/ Agriculture. The team at DENSO certainly takes a long-term view of the future, which is highlighted by its innovative work in vehicle connectivity. DENSO’s MaaS project is already providing a glimpse of the future trends in-vehicle connectivity.

“The MaaS program has harnessed our global innovation expertise, and we’re driving the future of vehicle connectivity,” Con said. “This new technology replicates real-life urban environments and traffic conditions in a virtual space, then collects and analyses the data to anticipate traffic issues. The result is a more safe, secure, and convenient mobility experience for drivers and passengers alike.” DENSO MaaS Architecture consists of two major technologies. Firstly, the Mobility IoT Core digitises a vehicle’s condition with a high degree of accuracy and sends vehicle data to the cloud. Mobility IoT Core enables real-time data collection and device control. The second is the Digital Twin, which reproduces the real world in a virtual digital space, using the data collected through Mobility IoT Core. Digital Twin provides actionable space-time information to various service providers to help them easily provide their unique services. “In the future, communication between vehicles and the cloud will enable the collection of busy city traffic patterns, environmental conditions, and travel demands that will control automobiles safely from the cloud,” Con explained. DENSO says there is no doubt that its team will drive the future of vehicle technology. However, while DENSO is heavily invested in its innovative MaaS program, it is still expanding its range of mobility-related technologies that currently includes starter motors and alternators; automotive air conditioning; bus air conditioning; diesel products; engine cooling; engine sensors; ignition products; and portable air conditioning. “As a trusted Tier One supplier to the world’s automobile manufacturers, DENSO original equipment technologies are present in almost all vehicles around the globe,” Con said. “In Australia that means we can offer the service and repair industry an extensive range of aftermarket components, all with the same OEstandard quality and reliability.” Available locally through its authorised distributor network and its approved partners, DENSO says purchasing product through these channels “guarantees DENSO’s genuine unsurpassed quality, a comprehensive warranty, and the full suppport of our vast Australian service network.” “From common rail systems that dramatically improve diesel engine performance to night view technology that detects pedestrians, DENSO’s plethora of world-first advances can be attributed to our three qualities, refined manufacturing processes, meticulous quality control, and our people,” Con explained. Innovative products and components can only be realised if they can be manufactured. Con says the technicians and engineers at DENSO painstakingly refine every detail of the manufacturing systems to enable the creation of the best technologies and products. “We focus on safety because cars carry people,” Con remarked. “We were one of the first parts manufacturers to build our own test courses to evaluate our products, ensuring that people could confidently drive cars using our components.” DENSO’s local advanced test facilities are comparable with those of major carmakers. They include chambers for high/low-temperature testing, sunlight replication, a wide range of system diagnostics, and noise and vibration chambers that simulate the diverse conditions drivers encounter every day. “Our mantra is to continue to create value by using our technology and experience to drive further progress in new mobility-related fields,” Con explained. “We are passionate about the Australian automotive industry. Our local R&D Engineering group strives to develop technological solutions to meet the challenges we face in this unique Australian environment. “Our sales and service teams are dedicated to the needs of our local customers, ensuring that they not only receive the best products and service for their business daily but are also represented in DENSO’s global vision.” As a long-time supporter of the AAAA, DENSO has highlighted that the timely and concise information that the Association delivers helps keep it abreast of industry changes, challenges, and successes as a whole. “We respect Australia’s proud past and support its strong future, and the valuable work that the AAAA does aligns with our goals,” Con said. To discover more about DENSO, visit www.denso.com.au