Creating a Future Where Everyone Enjoys Safe, Reliable Mobility Options through Our Automobility Business, Encompassing Auto Leasing, Autonomous Driving, and EVs

Hiroki Tanimoto from the Next Generation Automobility Business Division (left) and Hidaka Matsumoto from the Automobility Business Strategic Planning Division (right)

　

　

　

Providing Social Infrastructure that Enables Everyone to Enjoy Safe, Reliable Mobility

—Can you provide us with an overview of the automobility business?

　

　

Matsumoto: The Tokyo Century Group has subsidiaries and affiliates with excellent track records in their respective fields, such as car rental operator Nippon Rent-A-Car Service (NRS), corporate auto leasing specialist Nippon Car Solutions (NCS), and individual auto leasing pioneer Orico Auto Leasing (OAL). As the parent company, Tokyo Century Corporation is responsible for the business management and overall strategy of the entire Group, including these companies.

　

　

Tanimoto: In addition to businesses undertaken by NRS, NCS, and OAL, we also focus on next-generation businesses such as EVs, autonomous driving, and the use of data obtained from vehicles. We not only lease EVs to corporate fleets and taxi operators, along with providing maintenance and charging services, but we’re also exploring related services such as battery degradation diagnosis. In the field of autonomous driving, we have invested in and partnered with companies both in Japan and overseas to promote its social implementation. We’ve also concluded capital and business alliances with partner companies in data utilization to create new business models.

　

　

Matsumoto: We intend to become the number-one mobility service company by providing diverse services related to automobiles across the Tokyo Century Group.　

　

　

　

—What social issues do you feel Tokyo Century’s automobility business is helping to address?

　

　

Matsumoto: I believe that the automobility business undertaken by the Tokyo Century Group constitutes the social infrastructure that supports our customers’ mobility. Ensuring safety and reliability for customers is at the core of this business. NCS has 16,000 affiliated maintenance shops nationwide and offers auto leases with the added value of thorough servicing for leased vehicles, which directly contributes to protecting customer safety. NCS also ensures reliability for customers through services including telematics that analyze driving data from dedicated in-vehicle devices such as dashcams to offer safe driving guidance and help reduce accidents.

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

Tanimoto: I believe the widespread adoption of autonomous driving technologies can help resolve social issues. The practical implementation of this technology will bring us closer to a society in which everyone can move freely and safely. This can provide mobility for senior citizens with limited options, support access in underserved rural areas, and address driver shortages in sectors such as logistics.

　

　

Matsumoto: I mentioned that NCS has 16,000 affiliated maintenance shops, but we also operate our own service facilities as another distinctive feature. By running our own shops and performing repairs and maintenance, we can gain insight into the challenges facing the industry from the perspective of a service garage. We hope to share this knowledge within the company as well as with our affiliated maintenance shops to contribute to the growth of the entire industry.

　

　

Matsumoto: We contribute to the development of high-quality social infrastructure by not only leasing vehicles but also providing them as a safe and reliable mobility option.

　

　

　

Assessing Vehicle Value with Big Data and Expertise

—How does Tokyo Century’s discerning eye serve as the Company’s core strength in the automobility business?

　

　

Matsumoto: Our corporate auto leasing business boasts a formidable business foundation with an industry-leading fleet of around 700,000 vehicles under management. We leverage our big data and expertise to estimate future residual value to offer each customer the vehicles and leasing terms that are best suited for their needs. I believe that our discerning eye is demonstrated by assessing the value of each vehicle to propose an optimal plan for customers that matches the purpose and frequency of their vehicle use.

　

　

Tanimoto: Our Next Generation Automobility Business Division brings together professionals from various fields. More than half of the members are mid-career hires—some from major auto manufacturers and others from cutting-edge autonomous driving technology development teams. I believe the fusion of this wide-ranging expertise and knowledge is the source of our discerning eye.

　

　

　

　

　

　

The Excitement of Taking Part in the Dynamic Automobility Industry

—What would you say is rewarding and interesting about this business?

　

　

Matsumoto: I used the Career Challenge Program (internal recruitment system)*1 to transfer to the Automobility Business Strategic Planning Division in the hope of gaining expertise in the dynamic automobile industry. In my current capacity of managing the business and overseeing the strategy of the three Group companies, I find it rewarding to work with senior leadership on strategies for the entire business as well as crucial decisions that shape the Group’s future. It’s also important to think about the people who work there, especially when you’re in the position of managing the business of these Group companies. I feel I’ve personally grown by learning to view things from that perspective.

　

　

Tanimoto: My experience in the TC Biz Challenge Project inspired me to continue taking on new initiatives, and I requested a transfer to the Next Generation Automobility Business Division. The division’s mission is to create a fourth pillar for the automobility business in addition to NCS’s corporate auto leasing, OAL’s individual auto leasing, and NRS’s car rental services. Our focus on autonomous driving and EVs represents one of these efforts. We’re also working to create new businesses that will address social and environmental issues.

　

Tanimoto: I’ve been involved in developing new businesses by applying to the new business proposal system (TC Biz Challenge Project*2). It’s rewarding to create solutions from the ground up.

　

　

　

*1 Career Challenge Program: An internal recruitment system introduced in fiscal 2020, through which divisions and branches disclose their human resources requirements and appoint personnel from the applicants. An aggregate total of 64 employees have been assigned to their desired positions (as of April 2024).
*2 TC Biz Challenge Project: A new business proposal initiative, introduced in fiscal 2020, empowering employees to boldly tackle new challenges without fear of failure.

　

　

　

—What do you both hope to achieve?

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

*The contents of the article and the position titles are as of the date posted.

　

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