PETALING JAYA: HI Mobility Bhd
is exploring a collaboration with a unit of China’s Transport Ministry to accelerate the adoption of autonomous vehicles, robotics, automation and other smart mobility technologies in Malaysia and across South-East Asia.
Handal Indah Sdn Bhd, which is wholly-owned by HI Mobility, inked the memorandum of understanding with China’s government-linked Global Sustainable Transport Innovation and Knowledge Centre (GSTIKC) to identify and introduce Chinese technology enterprises matched to Handal Indah’s technology, partnership and sourcing needs.
The partnership will also facilitate direct engagement with Handal’s commercial and technical teams.
“The two parties will jointly plan pilot projects, organise participation of Chinese enterprises and institutions, assess outcomes and, where appropriate, set up working groups to drive implementation,” said HI Mobility in a statement.
The areas of cooperation include autonomous vehicles and autonomous systems, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, general automation, new energy vehicles, low-altitude technologies, electric vehicle charging optimisation, mobility-as-a- service including cross-border passenger mobility, and rail maintenance, repair and overhaul.
“Our ambition goes well beyond operating buses and goes into building an integrated smart mobility business.
“Malaysia is where we will apply autonomous, robotics and automation technologies, so that we can help develop the standards that allow these technologies to be adopted safely and quickly and proven solutions can move from China to Malaysia and on to the rest of South-East Asia,” said HI Mobility executive director and chief executive officer Lim Chern Chuen.
HI Mobility is an integrated smart mobility group principally involved in bus transportation services, commercial vehicle assembly, distribution, maintenance and after-sales services.
Through its subsidiaries, the group operates one of Malaysia’s largest private bus fleets.
