Japan’s SmartDrive to help Malaysia increase use of electric vehicles

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 — Tokyo-based SmartDrive inc., a specialist in mobility data platform, has announced its plan to establish an EV Mobility Data Platform in Malaysia.

Helmed by the company’s local subsidiary, SmartDrive Malaysia, the platform’s main objective would be to help drive the country’s shift towards the increased use of EV while augmenting the expansion of the local EV industry.

The move was first initiated by SmartDrive after being awarded a grant by the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) – a Japanese government-related organisation – to spur digitalisation transformation within the ASEAN region.

“Realising Malaysia’s tremendous progress in mapping out its Electric Mobility agenda, we are confident that this grant is a step in the right direction, which will enable SmartDrive’s EV Mobility Data Platform to catalyse this progress,” said Mrs. Mai Onozawa, Managing Director of JETRO Kuala Lumpur.

Director of SmartDrive Malaysia, Khairul Khalil Ishak

The grant is dedicated specifically towards the development and demonstration of EV Mobility Data Platform in Malaysia together with local stakeholders.

Director of SmartDrive Malaysia, Khairul Khalil Ishak said that using the grant from JETRO, the company intends to leverage on SmartDrive’s unique expertise to build this EV Mobility Data Platform in Malaysia, which will seek to gather meaningful information and data, particularly on the use of EVs and the development of charging stations.

“Potential users – both at the private and government level – can then plug in and effectively use the extrapolated data from the platform to enhance their services or open up new avenues for business opportunities,” he said.

To further maximise the potential of the EV Mobility Data Platform, SmartDrive plans to collaborate with two Malaysian entities – the Management & Science University (MSU), which will support in several resources, including R&D and future business potential; and Garisan Industries Sdn. Bhd., which will apply its knowledge and technical know-how in Automotive Software Engineering.

This move affirms SmartDrive’s confidence in Malaysia and the certainty that the EV Mobility Data Platform will greatly benefit the country in its push towards the promotion of low-carbon mobility and the increased use of EVs.

“We are truly honoured to collaborate with MSU and Garisan Industries, who are experts in their respective fields and look forward to a mutually-beneficial partnership towards the fruition of the mobility platform,” Khairul added.

So far, SmartDrive’s proposed Mobility Data Platform has been well received in Malaysia, with the Smart Selangor Delivery Unit (SSDU) showing keen interest in the project.

Set up under the auspices of the Selangor State Government, SSDU is mandated to lead smart initiatives, which will form the base to realise the Selangor Smart State as a liveable Smart State in ASEAN by the year 2025.

The Smart Selangor Action Plan 2025 aims to empower people, businesses and the public sector to future-proof Malaysia’s most advanced state by providing suitable technological solutions for smart state applications.

“Towards this end, we see a huge potential to benefit from SmartDrive’s proposed EV Mobility Data Platform as an invaluable resource to encourage the use of EVs within the state,” said Dr. Fahmi Ngah, Managing Director of SSDU.

Since its inception in March 2020, SmartDrive Malaysia, which is the company’s first overseas subsidiary with full-fledged business operations, has already established itself as a dynamic provider of a number of business-to-business (B2B) products and solutions in the insurance, Internet of Things (IoT) and management space. One of the company’s maiden offerings upon its entry into Malaysia was a service that allows companies to monitor real-time locations of its fleet and track vehicle travel times.

Edited By Suraya Abdullah

–WE