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The Malaysia Automotive Institute (MAI), an agency operating under the purview of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), has been rebranded as the Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii).

Speaking at a press conference at MARii’s office in Cyberjaya, CEO Dato’ Madani Sahari reiterated that MARii’s focus will, as before, centre around all things related to the automotive industry, and that the rebranding effort has more to do with keeping pace with current trends in the automotive sphere, which in some circles, has already been referred to as the mobility industry.

Now that in-car internet connectivity – not just for infotainment but also telematics and services – play a greater role in the next generation of cars, and self-driving car services are being prepared for commercial sales, the automotive industry is no longer just about manufacturing cars.

As such, the former MAI’s scope of work needs to be expanded to include serving as a focal point, coordinating centre, and think tank for integration of Robotics and Internet of Things (IoT) into the local automotive sector.

“The automotive sector is one of, if not the main driver of Robotics and IoT, especially within the manufacturing and services sectors of the future. The sheer scale and competitive environment of the sector spurs the need for new technologies that bring a higher value of cost efficiency, productivity and even eco-sustainability”, said Dato’ Madani.

Dato’ Madani added, “We look forward to greater collaborations between MARii and all relevant stakeholders, in creating a technology ecosystem that brings a multitude of new societal benefits at all levels. Together with MITI, MARii aims to unlock new avenues in accelerating the adoption of robotics and IoT within the automotive sector, at the same time aspiring to create technology spin-offs and applications in other areas and fields”.

Over the next 12 months, MARii will still continue to use its old MAI logo and branding in parallel with its new name, as required by the Companies Commission of Malaysia when renaming an existing company.