Yamaha Motor Integrated Report 2020
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Self-Driving Technology Addressing the Declining Labor Force Growing demand for high-mix, low-volume production combined with chronic labor shortages is making it difficult for logistics operators to maintain an efficient production structure for meet-ing demand with conventional equipment and operations pre-mised on the deployment of workers. Yamaha Motor and Tier IV, Inc. have established eve autonomy, Inc. as a joint-venture com-pany for operating an automated transporter solutions business to tackle this issue. Both companies are engaged in the joint devel-opment of automated transport pilot products at our Hamakita Factory (Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture). The units commenced operations on the logistics line of the plant on March 2020 as we aim to create smart factories taking advantage of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies.Our autonomous vehicle initiatives are not limited to the logis-tics of factory floors. The Company concluded a Partnership Agreement for Low-Speed Autonomous Driving Technology Evaluation Trials within Iwata City (Iwata, Shizuoka Prefecture) and has been conducting field tests on public roads with low-speed autonomous vehicles since July 2019. The purpose of the trials is to evaluate and ascertain any issues with the autonomous driving system and to study the driving environment toward real-world rollouts of low-speed autonomous vehicles.Portfolio in Growth AreasBased on current and future market, technological, and socio-environmental trends, Yamaha Motor has designated growth areas in its Long-Term Vision of “ART for Human Possibilities” as well as its medium- to long-term growth strategies to foster sustainable growth, and is promoting the creation of new value. To that end, we are working to transform the intellectual properties that support these efforts into advanced “assets” in line with each respective growth area.Intellectual Property Activities StrategyBased on the approach outlined in the Portfolio in Growth Areas, the Company has laid out its Four Policy Pillars of Intellectual Property Activities with an eye on growth areas and on potential growth areas for the future, all under the banner of “IP for Business.” Today, the depart-ments of each business segment and the relevant intellectual property departments communicate closely and coordinate to drive various initia-tives based on these four pillars.Yamaha Motor’s Intellectual Property ActivitiesFour Policy Pillars of Intellectual Property ActivitiesMove one step ahead of conven-tional intellectual property activities that consist primarily of intellectual property creation linked to product and technology development in existing businesses.Pursue intellectual property activities that preempt technological develop-ments and the expansion of business areas by looking beyond our existing technologies and markets.Indicate advanced fields that target further preemption and business area expansion through analysis of the intellectual property landscape.Contribute to management decisions and strategy formulation from the perspective of intellectual property analysis in addition to market and technological growth analysis.1234Through the above, we will examine new technologies that further the Company’s strengths, the exploration of new markets and business fields, business collaborations, M&As, and technical tie-ups from the perspective of intellectual property. In these ways, we will buttress further improvements in the com-petitiveness of the Yamaha Motor Group and sustainable growth while linking our efforts to new intellectual properties.37Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. Integrated Report 2020

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