Aucnet Inc. (Aucnet), based in Tokyo, Japan, announced that it has joined the Mobility Open Blockchain Initiative (hereinafter “MOBI”) headquartered in Los Angeles in the U.S. state of California, a global nonprofit consortium that develops blockchain-based technologies and standards for next-generation mobility. Through its participation in MOBI, Aucnet seeks to contribute to a sustainable society by developing circular distribution platforms for electric vehicles (EVs) and their batteries.
Aucnet claims to have launched the world’s first real-time virtual used-car auction in 1985. Based on its philosophy of “Shaping the Future of Commerce,” Aucnet has expanded beyond used cars to create circular distribution platforms for a wide variety of industries, including digital products, motorcycles, luxury brand items, flowers, and medical equipment. To enable remote transactions with peace of mind, Aucnet has developed industry-leading de facto standard inspection and grading systems for each of its product lines. In the automobile business, Aucnet inspects and grades more than one million used cars per year through its subsidiary AIS Inc., which was established with investments from Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, and Subaru.
MOBI’s mission is to create standards and build the digital infrastructure for connected vehicles and IoT commerce in order to accelerate the adoption of blockchain/DLT and make transportation more efficient, equitable, decentralized, and sustainable.
MOBI provides Aucnet the opportunity to collaborate with leading organizations around the world to be at the forefront of the development of inspection technologies and circular distribution platforms for EVs and their batteries. Aucnet’s systems will facilitate transparent transactions of used EVs and enable the efficient reuse of lithium-ion batteries, thereby contributing to the achievement of the U.N.-led Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
