DENSO Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Canatu of Finland for Practical Application of Carbon Nanotube Technology

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Dec 04, 2024, 11:11 ET

KARIYA, Japan, Dec. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- DENSO Corporation has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Canatu to advance the practical application of carbon nanotube technology. By strengthening their partnership, the two companies aim to deepen their collaboration to contribute to the advancement of autonomous driving technology and the realization of carbon neutrality.

As autonomous driving technology continues to evolve, vehicles must accurately detect their surroundings using cameras and other sensors. However, issues such as frost and condensation can obstruct visibility and complicate detection. To address these challenges, DENSO is developing products that utilize transparent conductive films made from flexible, transparent materials. Carbon nanotube technology is key to these developments.

Carbon nanotubes are carbon-based materials with extremely fine structures, characterized by high strength, light weight, and excellent electrical and thermal conductivity. They hold great promise for a wide range of applications. Canatu has innovative technology that enables the efficient production of high-purity carbon nanotubes using proprietary materials and has strengths in transparent conductive film formation.

DENSO has been collaborating with Canatu by combining Canatu's advanced transparent conductive film technology with DENSO's expertise in automotive technology and mass production. In April this year, the companies successfully developed a reactor^* at Canatu's production facility in Finland, significantly enhancing the productivity of carbon nanotubes. They have also been jointly developing transparent heaters for vehicle cameras and windshields. Moving forward, DENSO and Canatu will continue to drive efforts toward the commercialization of transparent heaters while also expanding their application to environmental technologies. Their goal is to establish technologies that contribute to carbon neutrality.

Key Areas of Collaboration
DENSO and Canatu will accelerate initiatives in the following three areas to achieve practical applications of carbon nanotube technology:

1.Research and Development
Develop new applications, including transparent heaters and solar power technologies, utilizing carbon nanotubes.

2.Mass Production Technologies
Collaborate on improving manufacturing equipment and processes to achieve the quality required for mass production.

3.Global Supply Chain Development
Begin exploring the establishment of a reliable supply system to ensure the stable and consistent delivery of high-quality products.

DENSO will continue advancing technology development in collaboration with partners across various fields, contributing to sustainable mobility for people and the planet.

^*Reactor: Equipment used for manufacturing carbon nanotubes.

About DENSO
Globally headquartered in Kariya, Japan, DENSO is a $47.2 billion leading mobility supplier that develops advanced technology and components for nearly every vehicle make and model on the road today. With manufacturing at its core, DENSO invests in around 180 facilities worldwide to provide opportunities for rewarding careers and to produce cutting-edge electrification, powertrain, thermal and mobility electronics products, among others, that change how the world moves. In developing such solutions, the company's 162,000 global employees are paving the way to a mobility future that improves lives, eliminates traffic accidents, and preserves the environment. DENSO spent around 7.7 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024. For more information about DENSO's operations worldwide, visit www.denso.com/global.

In North America, DENSO is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, and employs 27,000+ engineers, researchers, and skilled workers across nearly 50 sites in the U.S, Canada and Mexico. In the United States alone, DENSO employs 17,500+ employees across 14 states (and the District of Columbia) at 41 sites. In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, DENSO in North America generated $11.7 billion in consolidated sales. DENSO is committed to advancing diversity and inclusion inside the company and beyond – a principle that brings together unique perspectives, bolsters innovation and pushes DENSO forward. To learn more about DENSO operations in the region and to review current career opportunities, please visit www.denso.com/us-ca/en/.