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Global News

16 February 2018

Suzuki Foundation Announces Research Funding for Fiscal 2017
- Total disbursements of ¥100.57 million
- Of which 36 research funding worth a total of ¥70.52 million

On 16 February 2018, the Suzuki Foundation (Chairman: Osamu Suzuki) selected 36 scientific technology and proposed subject research initiatives from universities and other research institutes in Japan to receive fiscal 2017 financial assistance worth a total of ¥70.52 million. The Foundation also announced other financial assistance, bringing its overall fiscal 2017 disbursements to ¥100.57 million.

Financial assistance for fiscal 2017 Number of
assistance
Disbursements
(1) Scientific technology research projects 34 ¥42.01 million
(2) Proposed subject research projects 2 ¥28.51 million
Total of (1) + (2) 36 ¥70.52 million
(3) Other financial assistance and activities - ¥30.05 million
Total amount of disbursements   ¥100.57 million

(1) Financial assistance for scientific technology research projects

The Suzuki Foundation has decided to support 34 original, advanced scientific technology research projects on seven fields: production technologies; environmental and resource energy technologies; measurement, control, and analysis technologies; material technologies; electric, electronics, and information technologies; human engineering and medical technologies; and robot technologies. The Foundation’s financial assistance for these 34 projects totals ¥42.01 million.

(2) Financial assistance for proposed subject research projects

As well as supporting fundamental and original research projects in the field of natural sciences, since fiscal 2003, the Suzuki Foundation has been selecting contemporary problems that it believes need to be resolved, inviting proposals for research projects to address them, and selecting the most outstanding proposals for funding. It funds each selected project for two years and has selected 25 projects in the past 15 years.

For fiscal 2017, the Foundation has decided to fund the following two researches that raise subjects anticipated in maintaining safety driving during automated driving, and propose measures toward their solutions.

  • 1) “Cooperative Automated Driving Technique based on Mutual Understanding between Automated Driving System and Human Operator”, that researches right-sharing mode in which both driver and system make driving operation.
  • 2) “Development of Sensing Technology for Monitoring the Psychological and Physiological Conditions of a Car Driver and a Passenger”, that measures feeling and discomfort of driver and passenger during automated driving, and feed back to driving character.

The Foundation will disburse a total of ¥28.51 million for these two projects and for four projects that it selected in previous years.

(3) Other financial assistance and activities

The Suzuki Foundation also conducts a wide range of other activities. Notably, it promotes awareness of research results and further development of research projects by funding symposiums, subsidizing transportation and accommodation for Japanese researchers attending overseas academic meetings, supporting International Automobile Centre Of Excellence (i-ACE) located in Gujarat, India, and subsidizing programs in Japan for researchers from overseas including Budapest University of Technology and Economics. The Foundation’s fiscal 2017 support for such activities totals ¥30.05 million. The Foundation also publishes a Foundation newsletter.

About the Suzuki Foundation

Suzuki Motor Corporation established the Suzuki Foundation in March 1980 to mark its 60th anniversary. Thus far, the Foundation has supported 1,581 scientific research projects with financial assistance worth a total of ¥1,817.17 million. The latest round of financial assistance for scientific research is the 38th to be announced by the Foundation.

Overview of the Suzuki Foundation

Chairman: Osamu Suzuki
(Representative Director and Chairman of Suzuki Motor Corporation)
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Total assets: ¥10,330.79 million (as of the end of March 2017)
Goals: The Suzuki Foundation aims to contribute to the development of the Japanese machinery industry and to the national welfare by supporting scientific research related to the production and use of machinery and by disseminating the fruits of such research to the general public.