AISIN Group, a Japanese automotive technology giant, and QC Ware, a quantum computing-as-a-service company, have announced a research collaboration exploring the impact of quantum optimisation and quantum Machine Learning algorithms on automotive applications.
The collaboration utilised commercially available quantum computers from D-Wave Systems and Rigetti Computing.
Aisin is a leading global supplier of components and systems for the automotive industry and one of the world’s largest transmission manufacturers.
Its customers represent a wide range of automotive manufacturing giants, including Toyota, Volkswagen Group, PSA Group, Volvo and the BMW Group.
Katsuhiko Eguchi, Executive General Manager, Corporate R&D Division, Aisin Seiki, said: “The auto industry must change drastically to meet the new dynamics of next-generation mobility. At Aisin, we continuously build our technological capabilities, focusing on innovation and future-oriented research and development. Our goal is to advance Digital Transformation, and to bring new value-added products to global markets.
“QC Ware and Aisin’s research is focused on solving critical automotive parts design challenges, including quality assurance in automatic transmission software. We are also exploring how we can remove computational bottlenecks in Big Data calculations on logistic services. We want to be well-prepared with top-rate quantum computing skills when quantum computers are ready for commercial use.”
According to IDC senior research analyst Heather West, findings from IDC’s QuantumComputing Adoption Trends: 2020 Survey Findings indicate that while most manufacturing companies demonstrate a high interest in quantum computing, only a small percentage have been able to jump-start their quantum computing initiatives partially due to complex technology and skill set limitations.
“Aisin is at the forefront of emerging tech and research initiatives in Japan and globally,” said Matt Johnson, CEO, QC Ware. “While the main objective of our research collaboration is knowledge transfer and quantum computing skills building for competitive advantage, it also helps us at QC Ware to understand how quantum algorithms can address the current and future needs of the automotive industry.”
