ZMP Inc. President and CEO Tsune Taniguchi

2024.11.23

Contributing to Japanese society through autonomous driving and robotics

ZMP Inc. President and CEO Hisashi Taniguchi

■ Profile
ZMP was founded in 2001. It develops and sells bipedal robots and musical robots for the home, and entered the automotive field in 2008. It provides autonomous vehicles to manufacturers and research institutions. Its founding philosophy (mission) is to create a fun and convenient society.
Currently, with a vision of using robots as part of social infrastructure, he is promoting the RoboTown® strategy, which aims to create Smart Cities, Smart Airports, and Smart Hospitals, where ZMP's various products and services will play an active role. In March 2019, he completed the doctoral program at the Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School of Fine Arts, earning a Doctor of Fine Arts.

After building a career as an engineer, ZMP President and CEO Hisashi Taniguchi is now an entrepreneur venturing into the autonomous driving technology and robotics businesses. ZMP's growth is supported by the broad perspective he cultivated through his sales experience at a trading company and his strong belief in contributing to society through technology. We spoke with President Taniguchi about his vision of resolving the worsening labor shortage throughout society and striving for a more prosperous and convenient future.

During my student days, I tried a variety of part-time jobs. I started as a golf course caddy, then worked on a factory assembly line, tutored, and even worked at a karaoke dojo. After graduating from university, I planned to return to my hometown of Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture. My family owned a temple, and my father encouraged me to continue working while taking over the temple. However, as I continued my job search, I came across a control equipment manufacturer and ended up being transferred to Yokosuka. This was an unexpected turn of events, but working as an engineer allowed me to become deeply involved in the field of mechatronics, which combines mechanics and electricity. I found my work, particularly the development of anti-lock braking systems and the provision of technology for specialized vehicles such as large trucks, to be particularly stimulating.

■ Always act with an eye to the future

As I built my career as an engineer, I began to feel that I wanted to work with a broader perspective. While an engineer's main job is to design and develop products, I wanted to interact more directly with people and think about how to impact society through technology. So I changed jobs to a technology trading company, where I learned sales skills. Sales is not just about selling products; it's about building relationships of trust with customers and thinking about how to provide technology as value. This experience was a major turning point for me. Through my experience at the trading company, I gained the ability to see the business as a whole, and gradually my desire to have my own company grew stronger.
Then, during the Internet bubble, I started an Internet-related company with an acquaintance from an advertising agency. While working on website production and content sales, I learned the importance of branding and marketing, and realized how interesting it would be to develop a business with a broader perspective. However, when the Internet bubble burst, I began to search for my next step. That's when I turned my attention to robotics technology. I felt there was an opportunity to showcase Japan's technological capabilities to the world, so I started a robotics-related business. Now, I'm involved in work that supports society as a whole from an infrastructure perspective, through the development of autonomous driving technology and smart cities.

■ Aiming to solve social problems

ZMP's business and our philosophy have always been rooted in the strong belief that "we contribute to society through robots." From the very beginning when I founded this company, I have had the desire to utilize autonomous driving and robotics technologies to make our lives richer and more convenient.
Among these, ZMP's business has three major pillars.
The first is "industrial mobility," or autonomous driving technology for industry. Our goal is to enable unmanned operation of vehicles that perform specific tasks, such as airport vehicles and cleaning trucks. We believe this technology is extremely effective as a solution to the current issue of labor shortages. In fact, this technology has already been introduced in airports and large facilities, where it has resulted in dramatic improvements in work efficiency. When I see ZMP's autonomous driving technology solving real-world problems and being useful in the field, I feel a strong sense of accomplishment.
The next area we value is "Life Mobility." This involves the development of robots that support our daily lives by utilizing autonomous driving technology in our living areas. For example, we imagine a future in which robots that help with shopping or provide nursing care are used as a means of daily transportation. We believe that realizing this technology will have a major impact on Japan's aging society, and will help provide a richer and more convenient way of life.
The third is a platform called "ROBO-HI®." This is a system that centrally manages not only the self-driving vehicles and robots we have developed, but also robots around the world from the cloud, making it truly a "multi-robo OS." ROBO-HI allows for efficient control of the movements of multiple vehicles and robots, making it a powerful tool in places like smart cities and hospitals. I believe this system will become an important tool for making entire cities more efficient and sustainable.
When it comes to design, we always aim for "human-centered design." I am particularly passionate about the idea of giving robots "eyes." I feel that if a robot has eyes, humans will naturally trust it and a dialogue will emerge. The robots we create will work alongside people and support their lives. For this reason, I believe they should be more than just machines; they should be more approachable.
I have great hopes for the future of ZMP. When I imagine autonomous driving technology and robots playing an active role in various fields of society, I feel that there are still many challenges to be overcome. How much can our technology contribute to society, and how much can it enrich the lives of many people? That is the reason why I continue to pour my passion into this work.

■Message to university students

Japan once led the world, and America in particular studied Japan's success. However, while Japan stagnated, other countries grew. Now is the time for the younger generation to aim to bring back "Japan as Number One." To achieve this, it is important to have not only technical skills, but also artistic and creative perspectives. Creativity is also necessary for problem-solving and design, and I believe that this will be the power that will lead the next generation of Japan to once again become a global leader.

Interviewed by Student Newspaper Online on October 11, 2024 by Chuo University third-year student Renpo Maeda