The Taiwan Telematics Industry Association signed a memorandum of understanding with the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India Feb. 3 in New Delhi aimed at strengthening bilateral industrial cooperation and exchanges.
Paul Chou, TTIA secretary-general, and Vinnie Mehta, ACMA director-general, signed the agreement on behalf of the two sides at the ACMA-sponsored New Delhi Automotive Summit. Tien Chung-kwang, Taiwan’s representative to India, and Girish Shankar, India’s deputy minister of heavy industries and public enterprises, witnessed the memorandum’s signing.
The accord seeks to foster technological cooperation and promote bilateral trade between Taiwan and India. Accordingly, the two associations will work closely with each other in areas such as market information, personnel and technology, as well as on the formation of relevant industrial standards for connected vehicles and telematics.
Vehicle telematics involves an array of technologies, including automatic driving assistance systems, GPS navigation and wireless safety devices.
“India’s market is huge. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched aggressive plans to build smart cities across the country, and smart transportation is an important pillar of a smart city,” Chou said. “This will create a good opportunity for Taiwan’s telematics industry, which has considerable long-term development experience.”
Both sides can work together in developing the international market to create a win-win situation, he added.
The MOU signed between the TTIA and ACMA is the latest in a series of measures to forge closer collaboration between the two nations in line with the government’s New Southbound Policy. A key component of President Tsai Ing-wen’s national development strategy, the policy seeks to deepen Taiwan’s agricultural, business, cultural, education, trade and tourism links with Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand.
Given the global trend of smart vehicle development, demand for automotive electronics will continue to expand, Chou said. He added that several Taiwan enterprises including Acer Inc., Advantech Co., ASE Group and Foxconn Technology Group have already tapped into the field of intelligent vehicle systems.
Taiwan’s auto and auto parts makers have been able to boost their export competitiveness and enjoy consistent business growth thanks to their advanced production technologies and flexible manufacturing capabilities characterized by small-volume orders of many customized products, as well as by teaming up with the nation’s vibrant ICT sector, according to the Taipei-based Taiwan Transportation Vehicle Manufacturers Association.
TTVMA statistics reveal that exports of Taiwan auto parts and accessories reached a record NT$214.5 billion (US$6.9 billion) in 2015, a 3.26 percent increase over 2014. (KH-E)
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