2. Toward Zero Traffic Accidents

Taking on Challenges

Nidec’s Mission-critical Technologies Making Automobiles Safer, Greener, and More Comfortable

Today’s automobiles are increasingly required to be safer, more eco-friendly, and more comfortable than ever before. The Nidec Group offers a wide variety of automotive modules to help make cars crash-free, fuel-efficient, eco-friendly, and comfortable to ride.

Autonomous Driving Systems
Now Under Development to Protect Human Lives

Eliminating traffic accidents is the ultimate hope for anyone living in car-reliant society. With an eye toward a crash-free future, many automobile manufacturers are working to develop automated driving systems, with which a car will safely take you to your destination without passenger inputs. The pace of developing automatically operated cars is accelerating, with test driving on public roads starting in Japan, following in the footsteps of the U.S. and Europe. One of the key features enabling autonomous driving is the automatic braking system, which ensures effective braking upon detection of an imminent crash even if the driver does not press the brake pedal.

Nidec’s Automotive Products To
Automatically Stop Cars and Save People’s Lives

3 Key Technological Strengths

The autonomous driving system, a future safety technology designed to mitigate road traffic collisions, consists of four critical technologies: sensor, control unit (artificial intelligence), motor controller, and motor. For example, if someone runs out in front of a car, the sensor and associated control unit detect the person, send a command to the motor controller, and in turn, activate the motor. The hydraulic pressure generated by the motor then brakes the car to a stop. The Nidec Group possesses advanced capabilities in three of these four critical technologies.

Nidec’s Technological Buildup
Through the Acquisition of Honda Elesys

In March 2014, the Nidec Group welcomed Honda Elesys Co., Ltd. (now Nidec Elesys Corporation) as its new subsidiary. With the addition of Nidec Elesys, a front-runner of advanced safety technology whose strengths lie in the production of electronic control units (ECUs) for automotive motors, the Nidec Group is now able to offer high-value-added modules comprising multiple components.
In the case of automatic braking systems, Nidec Elesys possesses millimetric wave radar and camera technology for the sensor that measures the relative distance and speed between your car and another car or obstacle in front, as well as electric servo brake ECU technology that serves as the motor controller. Together with its existing brake motor technology, Nidec now offers products that leverage three out of the four core technologies required for automatic braking. We will integrate our existing technologies with those that are newly acquired to contribute to the solution of social issues.