What is the “I-Pro 001”!? They are working on the EV concept model “LDK+” that seamlessly connects cars and homes!
September 6, 2024
“The “Next Innovation I-001 Project Team”
Many of you might have wondered, “What’s it?” It is a company-wide innovation acceleration project, commonly called as I-Pro※1. Today, the content that the I-Pro is working on has been released!
That’s right! It’s the EV (electric vehicle) concept model “LDK+”!
This concept model was planned and developed in collaboration with Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn), based on an EV open platform※2. It was also realized with the cooperation of Folofly Corporation※3 which handles the development and sales of EVs.
※1 In the past, this kind of project was called the Emergency Project. But now it evolved from the old emergency project system into a project involving multiple Business Groups.
※2 Developed by the Hon Hai technology Group.
※3 Headquarters: Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto City, CEO: Hiroyasu Koma. A company that develops, sells, and provides after-sales service for EVs, as well as charging infrastructure services.
Here is the promotional movie for “LDK+” released today!
■Why will Sharp make EVs!?
First, it is expected that the shift to EVs will progress globally to achieve carbon neutrality. With the electrification of cars and the expansion of autonomous driving, how we spend time in the car will become increasingly important.
Yes, this is where Sharp comes in. As new lifestyle needs emerge and become more segmented, we already handle home appliances and energy systems. We have an AIoT platform that connects these. By combining our proprietary AI technology “CE-LLM” and sensing technology, we thought we could propose a new lifestyle that seamlessly connects EVs and homes according to each user’s style. We believed this could be realized through collaboration with Foxconn in terms of EV development.
※4 Abbreviation for “Communication Edge-Large Language Model.” Our proprietary AI technology that utilizes large-scale language models (LLMs) as edge AI. Processing is done on the device, so real-time performance is high and more natural communication is possible. For questions that cannot be answered by edge AI, detailed information is obtained from cloud AI.
■Creating a space where the EV becomes like the next room
“LDK+” is an EV that focuses on the time when the car is stationary, viewing the interior as an extension of the living room. The rear seats rotate backward, and when the doors close, the liquid crystal shutters on both side windows close, creating a private space.
We propose a comfortable and sustainable lifestyle that connects EVs with living spaces, people, and energy.
Living Space
The rear of the car is equipped with a 65-inch display. It can be used as an immersive theater room, a play area for children, or for focused remote work. It also allows seamless communication with family members inside the house through the large screen, providing a safe and convenient space as if they were in the next room.
People
We have been making proposals that are close to people by linking home appliances and energy systems with our proprietary AI cloud service. “LDK+” learns preferences, including activities inside the car, and automatically adjusts the interior space, such as temperature and lighting, to suit the person and the scene.
Energy
The battery and solar cells installed in the EV are connected to the entire house, and AI realizes optimal total energy management between the house and the EV. In the event of a power outage due to a disaster, the electricity stored in the battery can be used in the home.
The EV concept model “LDK+” will be unveiled at the SHARP Tech-Day’24 “Innovation Showcase”held at Tokyo International Forum on September 17-18. We will also deliver the highlights of Tech-Day ’24 in the company news, so stay tuned for further updates!
【Related Links】
News Release
Sharp to hold Sharp Tech-Day ’24 Innovation Showcase | Press Releases |