Message from the President December.2017

Television programs and newspapers frequently cover next-generation automotive technologies in their reports. The switch to electric-powered cars and automated driving lie at the center of themes for the development of such technologies.

The alleviation of global warming is the main goal in the switch to electricity. Car manufacturers are moving forward with the shift to electricity in order to realize reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in the context of increasingly strict exhaust controls worldwide. They have started development projects for studying and finding practical application for next-generation batteries for electric vehicles (EVs), such as all-solid-state batteries and lithium-air batteries, with lithium batteries in the center.

Automated driving is mainly aimed at changing Japan into a society with the safest and smoothest road traffic in the world. Reducing the number of traffic accidents, alleviating traffic jams and providing mobility support for the elderly are all in the social background for automated driving.

At the Tokyo Motor Show 2017 held from October 27 to November 5, automakers proactively sent out the message that the traditional idea of cars as social infrastructure, or a means of transportation, would evolve into future roles as a means for mobility closely associated with living and society. When driving is automated, cars themselves become living spaces similar to homes and offices. Automated driving enables us to reach our destinations without concentrating our attention on driving alone. Automated driving has the potential to produce times and conditions similar to those in other types of space.

Meitec is also doing business with customers in the manufacturing industry that are working on next-generation automobile technologies. Many technology components are produced, integrated and exhibited as new functions and roles according to objectives under the broad theme of the switch to electric-powered cars and automated driving. What we notice in the course of these processes is that almost all new and innovative technologies are produced by combining traditional technology components and technologies on their extensions. The mission of engineers is to produce one from zero. However, they do not produce all of the components of that one. They link the technology components already in place with the next, new technologies by finding good ways to combine or blend them. Making this approaches concrete can be considered another task of engineers.

I believe our engineers are doing their jobs every day, with a solid understanding of what our customers in the manufacturing industry are thinking, the types of technology they need and the problems they face. Meeting the demands of the customers in front of us is essential, but we must at the same time prepare ourselves for what customers are thinking and looking for with their eyes fixed on the future.

Our customers may be constantly thinking about now, the next and what comes after the next. If that is the case, our engineers must keep their antennas raised at all times and prepare themselves ahead of our customers. I believe the capacity to do this enables engineers to continue to work as professionals throughout their lives.