SOUTHFIELD, Mich., May 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- DENSO
International America, Inc. has entered into an investment
agreement with Peloton Technology, a developer of platooning
systems that advance safety and fuel savings for large truck
transportation fleets. DENSO and Intel Capital co-led the
$16 million oversubscribed Series A
investment round, which will help accelerate Peloton's development
and deployment of platooning technology. The technology aims to
increase fuel economy and improve safety for the global trucking
industry. The deal was finalized late last month.
Platooning technology uses vehicle-to-vehicle and
vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) wireless communication and radar to
pair trucks to travel closely together and thus create an
aerodynamic system that is similar to drafting in race cars. The
direct communication system provides a way for trucks to 'talk'
with each other and safely follow another truck with the same
features to improve braking and acceleration time, increase safety
and reduce fuel costs.
"DENSO is excited to build a strong relationship with Peloton,"
says Tony Cannestra, Director of
Corporate Ventures for DENSO International America, Inc. "As a
leader in vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) technologies, we are eager to
work closely with Peloton to implement the first large-scale
deployment of a V2V system. DENSO believes that Peloton's system
has the potential to help increase safety and fuel savings in the
transportation industry."
For more than a decade, DENSO has been researching and
developing V2X technology systems to allow cars to communicate with
surrounding vehicles and traffic signals. The application of this
technology to the trucking industry could potentially help large
fleet vehicles reduce fuel consumption by 10 percent for the rear
truck and 4.5 percent for the front truck (based on
industry-standard SAE J1321 Type II fuel economy testing conducted
by the North American Council for Freight Efficiency and trucking
fleet C.R. England).
About DENSO:
DENSO Corp., headquartered in Kariya,
Aichi prefecture, Japan, is a
leading global automotive supplier of advanced technology, systems
and components in the areas of thermal, powertrain control,
electronics and information and safety. Its customers include all
the world's major carmakers. Worldwide, the company has more than
200 subsidiaries and affiliates in 38 countries and regions and
employs more than 140,000 people. Consolidated global sales for the
fiscal year ending March 31, 2015,
totaled US$35.9 billion. Last fiscal
year, DENSO spent 9.2 percent of its global consolidated sales on
research and development. DENSO common stock is traded on the
Tokyo and Nagoya stock exchanges. For more information,
go to www.globaldenso.com, or visit our media website at
www.densomediacenter.com.
About DENSO in North
America:
Currently, in North America, DENSO employs more than 17,000
people at 33 consolidated companies and affiliates. Of these, 28
are manufacturing facilities located in the United States, Canada and Mexico. In the U.S. alone, DENSO employs more
than 14,000 people in California,
Alabama, Michigan, North
Carolina, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Iowa, Ohio,
Arkansas and Pennsylvania. DENSO's North American
consolidated sales totaling $8.0
billion for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2015.
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140521/90198
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/denso-is-investing-in-pelotons-truck-platooning-technology-300089549.html
SOURCE DENSO International America, Inc.
