On the afternoon of September 15, 2025, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT) signed a cooperation agreement with Azapa Co., Ltd. (Japan) – a “Tier 0.5 integrator” in the automotive industry. This designation signifies that the company is an intermediate systems integrator, involved in developing software and products that combine control software, sensors, electronics, and control systems in the automotive sector.
The signing ceremony was attended by Mr. Kondo Yasuhiro, President and CEO of Azapa, along with members of the company’s executive board. Representing Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Tran Vu, Vice President, and department leaders.
Azapa’s core value lies in its ability to deconstruct and reconfigure systems to optimize vehicle functionality and performance. The company is currently expanding its focus on batteries and energy, with the long-term goal of creating a market where vehicle batteries can be traded based on their residual value. Aligned with this direction, Azapa proposed a partnership with HCMUT to research measuring battery degradation, integrating AI to assess the degradation process, and pricing batteries based on their remaining capacity.
According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Tran Vu, Vice President of the University, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, is expanding its research in renewable energy and energy storage. Therefore, this cooperation with Azapa represents a valuable opportunity for both parties to undertake practical research projects in this field.
In the near future, Azapa is expected to hand over two T-BOX devices for collecting data from automobiles, as well as specialized software and systems to support HCMUT in in-depth research.
