zprávy

In recent years, Taiwan has emerged as a world-leading GNSS receiver and chipset manufacturer. In fact, Taiwan-based Mediatek is now positioned as one of the top 3 mobile chipset manufacturers and the country is also home to leading OEMs for LBS and automotive navigation equipment.

The GSA-funded GNSS.asia project is dedicated to developing and implementing GNSS industrial cooperation between European and Asia-Pacific GNSS industries, with a focus on the downstream market and has been actively working with Taiwanese stakeholders, including Mediatek.

“GNSS.asia in Taiwan has built a good network with key Taiwanese counterparts from both the public and private sectors,” says European Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan EU Programme & Technology Committee Assistant Director Angela Hsiao. “Our team has significant knowledge about the international and national policy frameworks relevant to industrial cooperation and high-tech businesses.” According to Hsiao, GNSS.asia is working closely with the governmental agencies under Taiwan’s Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) and Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), as well as key industrial associations and research institutions operating in various GNSS fields. 

Multiple opportunities 

Unlike its neighbouring countries, Taiwan is not developing its own GNSS system. Instead, it has positioned itself as an ideal testbed for multi-GNSS applications and services. “The size of Taiwan’s population, the plethora of tall buildings in Taipei and the variety of geographical characteristics of the island provide diverse challenges for GNSS applications to innovate solutions to,” explains Hsiao. “Key technologies, including smart transportation, telematics, autonomous driving, disaster prevention and search and rescue, all of which require GNSS applications, are being developed here in Taiwan.” 

Clearly, multi-GNSS is an essential opportunity that Taiwan wants to pursue. “Taiwan, which has a limited domestic market, has done an excellent job at positioning itself in the global high-tech industry,” says Hsiao. “As a result, it is now home to some of the largest chip manufacturers and semiconductor board integrators.” 

Other areas of interest to both Taiwan and the EU are car communications, the Internet of Things (IoT) and sensor fusion. “In Taiwan, the shift from a focus on computers to mobile devices has resulted in a steady decline in computer and related industries, such as display, power and memory,” says Hsiao. “However, the advance of digitisation is bringing new opportunities that are re-inventing the landscape of information technology.” 

Hsiao notes that although this transition will take time, progress is already being seen in the IoT, car communications and robotics sectors. “The evolution has in any case started and has been made possible by the availability of sensors in large volumes at low cost, by the continuous progress of Taiwan’s connectivity and by the power of computation that is brought about by faster and lower power micro-controllers,” she says. 

An ICT powerhouse

In just 30 years, Taiwan has become a strategic player in the design, testing and manufacturing of ICT products. This achievement was made possible because of a successful combination of public and private commitment to ensuring a high level of R&D spending, the strong entrepreneurial drive of Taiwanese businesspeople and an innovative business and industrial ecosystem. 

As a result, today ICT is another important field for R&D cooperation between European and Taiwanese entities, with many new areas of cooperation quickly emerging. For example, since the micro- and nano-electronics sectors were identified as major fields of joint interest in 2015, a series of novel and disruptive technologies aiming to address new applications and market segments (such as ICT for healthcare and robotics) have emerged. “Major trends such as IoT and Wearable Technologies are also driving innovation worldwide, and should be considered as major triggers to mobilise all players in Taiwan, both from the public and private sectors, to look for collaboration with Europe,” says Hsiao. 

Keeping the momentum going

Looking ahead, Hsiao sees car communications, IoT, autonomous driving, disaster prevention, search and rescue and healthcare services as the key future trends in the Taiwan market where GNSS applications can play an important role. “Future GNSS.asia activities in Taiwan will keep the momentum going, gathering key partners from the public and private sectors to share best practices on innovating GNSS applications,” she says. “As this happens, the GNSS.asia Taiwan team will continue to support industrial relations between the EU and Taiwan and facilitate EGNSS breakthroughs via effective and efficient communication.”

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Evropská kosmická agentura vyhlásila výzvu IBER na návrh experimentů sledujících dopad kosmického záření na živé organismy. Pochopení této problematiky je jedním z hlavních úkolů přípravy dlouhodobých pilotovaných misí mimo nízkou oběžnou dráhu kolem Země. Projektové záměry je nutné odevzdat do 27. října 2017.

Considering that Korea and the EU are amongst the largest car manufacturing regions in the world, there is immense potential for collaboration in the automotive telematics industry. The commercial vehicle telematics market experienced a growth rate of 5% over the last five years, as Hyundai and KIA increasingly turn to GNSS as an integral part of future Information Technology Services (ITS). 

Korea also has one of the world’s most advanced LBS portfolios, driven by the country’s superior IT infrastructure, commercial based services and favourable regulatory environment. 

Furthermore, the EU-South Korea Free Trade Agreement has eliminated duties for most industrial goods, further enhancing the business environment for European entities. 

Add all of this up and you get ample opportunities in Korea for European GNSS companies. 

Collaboration is key

In the road sector, many Korean automobile manufacturers and their IT/electronic partners are turning to European made chips and devices. The sector is also relying on EU experts for help with certification, testing and implementing – particularly as the country works towards adopting an eCall system of their own. And in the LBS sector, several Korean smartphone and electronic manufacturers are implementing Galileo capability into their devices.

To ensure European industry is able to take full advantage of opportunities like these, the GNSS.asia Korea team is on the ground working with companies and collaborating with organisations. The GSA-funded GNSS.asia project is dedicated to developing and implementing GNSS industrial cooperation between European and Asia-Pacific GNSS industries, with a focus on the downstream market. The initiative is part of the EU-Korea GNSS Cooperation Agreement of 2006.  

For example, the team has a strong partnership with the Institute of Positioning, Navigation and Timing (IPNT) (formerly the Korean GNSS Society (KGS)), an organisation established to stimulate the GNSS field in academia and business. The two meet monthly to discuss national and international multi-GNSS activities and how they can better collaborate to address these issues.

One of the key outcomes of this partnership is an intensive match making programme between European companies and Korean customers and partners. Such companies as NavCert, Syntony F, 3M Systems, Thales, Catapult, Easymile and Enertopia have all benefited from this valuable initiative. GNSS.asia also helps European companies engage with Korean government officials and navigate the complex bureaucratic system. 

Thanks to this close collaboration, several business results have been achieved. For instance, as Korea looks to implement their own eCall system, modelled off the European system, the two partners have successfully positioned the multi-constellation, Galileo-enabled chipset as the standard. They have also actively supported Korea SBAS to adopt European structures and systems – including getting Korea SBAS to choose Thales as their system provider. 

Just getting started

The successes that EU companies are seeing in Korea are testament to the power of collaboration – and this is only the tip of the iceberg. “As the multi-GNSS initiatives in Korea continue to mature, we will see more and more opportunities for European businesses, particularly in the areas of Korea SBAS, eCall and eLoran,” says GNSS.asia Managing Director Hyemi Hwang. “And we’re just getting started.”

According to Hwang, in order to implement Korea SBAS, the Korean government and industry have a preference for European technology and applications. “This is why they ultimately chose to partner with Thales,” she says. “The Korean government is confident that this partnership will result in the introduction and implementation of massive, real-life applications in the area of autonomous driving, maritime security and safety, and LBS-based drones for security, agriculture, logistics, mapping, and media/entertainment.” Hwang adds that the Korean government is also leveraging EGNOS and European applications to help make their aviation sector more efficient. 

Likewise, as the country works towards implementing eCall, it regularly refers to the European system as the standard and is constantly on the lookout for chances to collaborate more closely. “European companies should look to Korean partners in order to take full advantage of this unique business opportunity,” adds Hwang. “To get started, all you have to do is contact your GNSS.asia team here in Korea.”

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Hledáme absolventy SŠ a VŠ na pozice:
  • projektant dopravních staveb (polní cesty, místní komunikace)
  • projektant vodohospodářských staveb (malé vodní nádrže, poldry ...)
  • operátor letecké měřické kamery
 

Nabízíme práci v mladém kolektivu se špičkovým vybavením a možností seberealizace. V případě vašeho zájmu piště nebo volejte na:

e-mail:  georeal@georeal.cz
Tel.: 377 237 343
GSM:  602 452 607

Hledáme absolventy SŠ a VŠ na pozice:

  • projektant dopravních staveb (polní cesty, místní komunikace)
  • projektant vodohospodářských staveb (malé vodní nádrže, poldry ...)
  • operátor letecké měřické kamery
 

Nabízíme práci v mladém kolektivu se špičkovým vybavením a možností seberealizace. V případě vašeho zájmu piště nebo volejte na:

e-mail:  georeal@georeal.cz
Tel.: 377 237 343
GSM:  602 452 607