On August 25, Dynamic Map Platform announced that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Osaka Gas to jointly promote the implementation of autonomous vehicles within related facilities and on surrounding public roads, with the aim of improving the operational efficiency of the company's energy business.
<Structure diagram of the dynamic map>
A dynamic map is a concept for a map database that has information classified into four layers based on the real-time nature of the information. We are working on building a system that provides high-precision 3D map data that forms the basis of "static information" such as lane information and road surface information, and also delivers semi-dynamic to dynamic map information.
Through this initiative, we aim to contribute to resolving the social issue of labor shortages and improving safety in the work environment. During fiscal year 2025, we will conduct site surveys and driving tests to identify technical and equipment challenges and verify the project from various perspectives.
The background to this is the urgent, cross-industry social issue of driver shortages, which has led to the introduction of autonomous driving in various industries. While autonomous driving demonstrations are being conducted on expressways under government leadership, autonomous driving within limited areas operated by private companies is largely left to individual companies, and there are challenges in terms of technology and safety.
As a future initiative, Osaka Gas will focus on building a dynamic map information distribution system for vehicles, including the status of cars and people within facilities, and will provide autonomous driving services tailored to the diverse needs of each industry it is involved with. Furthermore, they will integrate with customer systems as needed, aiming to improve operational efficiency through the introduction of autonomous vehicles that are more grounded in real-world use.
