Hitachi Automotive Systems to Strengthen Connections with Start-Ups Through Collaboration with Plug and Play

TOKYO, Jul, 31 2019; Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. today announced a partnership for collaboration with Plug and Play, a global innovation platform that brings together the best startups with the world's largest corporations. Through this collaboration, Hitachi Automotive Systems will strengthen connections with leading start-ups in the mobility space including autonomous driving and connected cars, and accelerate its innovation capabilities.

Based in Silicon Valley in the United States, Plug and Play has offices in over 20 locations globally, and has developed accelerator programs and corporate innovation services. Plug and Play has developed a unique ecosystem of start-ups and entrepreneurs, and runs accelerator programs across a range of industries including mobility, IoT, supply chain and logistics, and smart cities.

Hitachi Automotive Systems Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Kimiya Yamaashi, said, "We are very excited about this collaboration. As a global automotive system integrator and key component supplier, we supply a range of technologies that are enabling a shift towards autonomous driving and electrification, such as on-board controllers, sensor systems, high power motors, high efficiency invertors, and high precision sensors. Our aim is to contribute to a sustainable mobility society by enhancing our capabilities through business tie-ups with unique start-ups that possess various technologies and insights. We believe this collaboration with Plug and Play will help to strengthen these connections and bring new opportunities for co-development."

"We're excited to welcome Hitachi Automotive Systems to our ecosystem. Working with them will help us drive forward innovation in the mobility area," said Sobhan Khani, VP of Plug and Play's Mobility programs.

About Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.

Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The company is engaged in the development, manufacture, sales and services of automotive components, transportation related components, industrial machines and systems, and offers a wide range of automotive systems including Powertrain Systems, Chassis Systems and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. For more information, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi-automotive.co.jp/en/.

About Plug and Play, LLC

Plug and Play, LLC is a global innovation platform. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, they have built accelerator programs, corporate innovation services and an in-house VC to make technological advancement progress faster than ever before. Since inception in 2006, their programs have expanded worldwide to include a presence in over 20 locations globally giving startups the necessary resources to succeed in Silicon Valley and beyond. With over 10,000 startups and 280 official corporate partners, they have created the ultimate startup ecosystem in many industries. They provide active investments with 200 leading Silicon Valley VCs, and host more than 700 networking events per year. Companies in their community have raised over $7 billion in funding, with successful portfolio exits including Danger, Dropbox, Lending Club and PayPal. For more information, visit www.plugandplaytechcenter.com.

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi, Ltd. , headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, delivers innovations that answer society's challenges, combining its operational technology, information technology, and products/systems. The company's consolidated revenues for fiscal 2017 (ended March 31, 2018) totaled 9,368.6 billion yen ($88.4 billion). The Hitachi Group is an innovation partner for the IoT era, and it has approximately 307,000 employees worldwide. Through collaborative creation with customers, Hitachi is deploying Social Innovation Business using digital technologies in a broad range of sectors, including Power/Energy, Industry/Distribution/Water, Urban Development, and Finance/Social Infrastructure/Healthcare. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi.com.