～MOU for future deployment with Singapore Public Transport Company SBS Transit signed～

INFORICH INC. (HQ: Shibuya, Tokyo, President & CEO: Hironobu Akiyama), operator of the Mobile Battery Sharing Service “ChargeSPOT™” is please to announce at INFORICH’s business strategy presentation “INFORICH CONFERENCE ExSPOT 2024” the development of “NaviSPOT”, a battery stand with AI Concierge functions. The first such battery stand is expected to be installed in December in Singapore and we look forward to expand such installations in Japan in urban areas and tourist destinations with high foot traffic.

In addition, INFORICH and the Singaporean Public Transportation operator SBS Transit Ltd (hereafter, SBS Transit) have, on the 6th November 2024 concluded a Memorandum of Understanding for a Business Partnership. Together the companies expect to install “NaviSPOT” units in SBS Transit operated stations and bus stops starting from this year as part of collaborative efforts to build an integrated platform to improve customer experience.

Through NaviSPOT, we aim to provide functions that support communication while sightseeing, such as multilingual transportation guidance and virtual support in stores, in order to improve convenience for users, including inbound tourists from both Japan and overseas, and to expand the infrastructure of stores and facilities.

※SBS Transit Ltd. is a subsidiary of ComfortDelGro, a leading multimodal transport operator with an extensive network that includes public transport such as buses and rail, point-to-point taxi and hire car services, and business-to-business mobility solutions in Singapore.

■ Behind the “NaviSPOT” development
While the increase in inbound tourists has brought great benefits to the Japanese economy, it has also revealed several issues, such as a lack of tourism infrastructure, language and cultural barriers, and labor shortages in the service industry. In particular, the language barriers that inbound tourists encounter when using public transportation in Japan or when trying to understand directions at stores and tourist spots have been a major source of stress. The same is true in Europe, where some areas have introduced tourist taxes and restricted private lodgings due to the problem of overtourism.

In addition, in Japan, labor shortages have been occurring mainly in the food and beverage industry since the COVID-19 pandemic, and many stores are unable to provide sufficient support. (※)

In response to these issues, we have developed the new “NaviSPOT” to further improve customer experience at tourist spots and stores.

※ Reference: Suzumo Machinery Co., Ltd. / “Survey on labor shortages in restaurants (2024)”

■ Details on “NaviSPOT” service
NaviSPOT is a battery stand equipped with AI functions on our ChargeSPOT battery stand, and has a concierge function that can quickly respond to the information required by travelers and users of stores and facilities. The functions that can be provided vary depending on the AI ​​installed, and the functions to be installed can be determined according to the needs of the installation location. Examples of future planned functions are as follows.

[Functions to be installed on NaviSPOT (examples)]
・Transportation and route guidance
・In-store and facility guidance
・Communication support through virtual response in stores
・Recommendation of campaign products in stores
・Collection and analysis of store customer attributes and data

[Development partners]
・AKA Co., Ltd.
・Pantheon Lab Ltd.

※We plan to expand the number of partners in the future in line with the functions we provide, and are currently in discussions with several companies.

The battery stations are scheduled to be installed sequentially in areas with high foot traffic, such as urban areas and tourist destinations, with the aim of being rolled out throughout Japan from 2025. All of these functions are also expected to be available in multiple languages. Currently, only Japanese and English are supported, but there are plans to expand the number of supported languages ​​in the future.

By using “NaviSPOT”, travelers can easily find the route to their destination, and even complicated transfer information is displayed in an easy-to-understand manner. At the stores, AI will answer questions in multiple languages, ensuring smooth communication. “ChargeSPOT” battery rentals are also available at the same time, further increasing convenience while out and about.

■ About the Business Partnership with SBS Transit and future deployment
On November 6, 2024 (Singapore time), we signed a memorandum of understanding for a business partnership with SBS Transit, a public transport operator in Singapore. In the future, we will work with SBS Transit to develop an integrated digital customer experience platform (integrated platform) that will provide mobile battery sharing, route guidance, infotainment, and AI-generated digital concierge services.

We are currently in discussions to install “NaviSPOT” in Singapore by the end of the year, and plan to gradually install “NaviSPOT” on new subway lines operated by SBS Transit as part of the integrated platform.

We will not only provide charging environments, but will also continue to maximize the value of locations and strive to ensure that tourists and store and facility users who visit those locations can obtain the maximum value. We will also aim to realize our “INFORICH VISION 2030” vision of “a world where excitement and ‘nice to have’ blend into everyday life.”

※ChargeSPOT™ is a registered trademark of INFORICH INC.