SenseTime Opens Self-Driving Facility in Japan
SenseTime, the world's highest-valued AI startup, opens a self-driving facility in Japan.
SenseTime, the world's highest-valued AI startup backed by Alibaba, opens a new self-driving facility in Joso, Japan. Located just 50 kilometers from Tokyo, this new center builds upon a previous 2017 partnership with Honda focused on autonomous driving technology.
While SenseTime is best known for its object recognition software used across retail, healthcare, and public security sectors in China, the company is now expanding its automotive ambitions. Bloomberg reports that SenseTime is currently raising $2 billion in fresh funding to fuel this growth, joining other Chinese tech giants like Baidu in bringing autonomous vehicles to Japan through partnerships with SoftBank's SB Drive.
Japan is investing heavily in AI and autonomous driving technologies primarily to cope with an aging workforce. The country aims to deploy driverless cars on Tokyo roads by the 2020 Olympics, following successful autonomous taxi trials that take place in August.