Vietnam’s leading technology company FPT has entered into a strategic collaboration with Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors to advance software and digital capabilities, including the potential formation of a joint venture targeting the automotive sector, the two companies announced on Thursday.
The memorandum of understanding outlines plans to deepen cooperation across IT services, software development, and artificial intelligence, as global automakers accelerate the shift toward connected, software-defined, and AI-enabled vehicles. The agreement signals a broader alignment between technology providers and traditional manufacturers as the industry undergoes structural transformation.
Under the partnership, Mitsubishi Motors will leverage its long-standing expertise in mobility and vehicle engineering, while FPT will contribute its strengths in AI, software engineering, and digital transformation. Both sides confirmed they are assessing the feasibility of establishing a joint venture to support long-term collaboration and scale innovation initiatives.
FPT founder and chairman Truong Gia Binh said the agreement reflects Japan’s broader push toward technology-led growth, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, regenerative medicine, and marine robotics. He described the partnership as a milestone in FPT’s expanding engagement with Japanese corporations and emphasized its potential to accelerate data-driven transformation across the automotive value chain.
Mitsubishi Motors CEO Takao Kato said the collaboration is designed to unlock new business opportunities by combining the automaker’s experience in mobility solutions with FPT’s software capabilities and access to a large pool of engineering talent. The move comes as automakers increasingly rely on external technology partners to remain competitive in next-generation vehicle development.
FPT has steadily expanded its footprint in Japan, where it now operates 18 offices and research centers supported by around 5,000 employees. Globally, the company employs approximately 18,000 technology specialists. In 2023, FPT established a dedicated automotive technology subsidiary, building on more than two decades of experience in automotive software development.
Mitsubishi Motors, part of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, maintains a global workforce of roughly 28,000 employees and operates manufacturing facilities across Japan and ASEAN markets. The company has traditionally focused on SUVs, pickup trucks, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and is now accelerating its transition toward software-centric mobility solutions.