Building Partnerships and Bridging Cultures – Satoru Abe on His New Role as Country Manager for WirelessCar Japan

We are pleased to announce that Satoru Abe has been appointed Country Manager for WirelessCar Japan. With its unique history of innovation, not least in the automotive sector, Japan is one of WirelessCar’s most dynamic and important markets. It is also home to some of our closest business partners and customers, and to one of our global offices: the WirelessCar Japan office in Tokyo, which Mr. Abe will now lead.

With more than 35 years of experience in the global automotive and high-tech industries, Mr. Abe brings expertise in business development, technical marketing, and system engineering. His background includes senior leadership roles in companies such as MathWorks Japan, AVL, Continental, Cobra Automotive, and Honda R&D.

With a proven track record of revenue growth and building high-performing teams, he is the ideal person to lead not only WirelessCar’s Japanese organization, but also our partnerships within the Japanese automotive industry.

We sat down with Mr. Abe to talk about his new role, the work ahead, and what it all will mean for Japanese automakers.

What do you see as the most important aspects of your role as Country Manager for WirelessCar Japan?

- Three things, primarily. First, to drive strategic business development in Japan. WirelessCar already has long-running partnerships with several Japanese automakers, and with our business in Japan accelerating, my mission is to build on that momentum together with our team in Tokyo.

- Second, to strengthen and expand that team. It is essential that our specialists understand the business culture and unique development processes of the Japanese automotive industry. Our organization can then be a truly dedicated, innovative business partner.

- And third, to act as a bridge — between Japan and WirelessCar’s global teams, and between cultures and markets. Insights from WirelessCar’s Japanese specialists must be shared across the organization so that both our company and our customers worldwide benefit. I look forward to leading this work, which has our close collaborations with Japanese automakers at its basis.

How would you summarize your vision for WirelessCar Japan?

- WirelessCar Japan should be a catalyst for enabling Japanese automakers to deliver the best mobility solutions and connected vehicle services to their customers worldwide. We will deepen and expand our partnerships within the Japanese automotive industry, especially around EV solutions and software-defined vehicles (SDVs). These are areas where we will leverage our proven connected solution capabilities, including our growing in-vehicle software expertise.

- We also have a long history of helping Japanese automakers succeed in emerging markets and meet global competition. My vision is to continue that tradition in new, innovative ways.

You mentioned the importance of partnerships, and that a Country Manager should bridge cultures, markets, and teams. Can you elaborate a little on that, and your own background in this context?

- Throughout my career, I have worked with Japanese, European, and American automakers and suppliers. This has meant living in several countries and serving in many different leadership roles. My mindset is very partnership-oriented, because long-term collaboration is critical to success. It comes down to being able to see and understand things from your business partner’s perspective. Not only because you are knowledgeable and engaged, but because you know them well and have earned their trust.

- That kind of trust sustains long-term business relationships. It is an experience and philosophy that I bring to my role at WirelessCar, a company that already operates in this tradition.

Very briefly, what are the main challenges facing Japanese automakers?

- There are several major challenges.

1. Software-defined vehicles are often limited to infotainment in Japan.
Japan’s strict certification system, while ensuring safety and security, makes it harder to expand into areas like vehicle control systems. This delays broader SDV development.

2. Developing connected vehicle services in-house puts significant pressure on Japanese automakers’ resources.
Building and maintaining connected vehicle services internally requires extensive systems and compliance management. Navigating increasingly complex international cybersecurity regulations adds further strain on resources.

3. The rapid adoption of new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence.
AI is already everywhere. Automakers must integrate AI-driven features securely and creatively, while also keeping pace with the fast speed of development and implementation.

How does WirelessCar support Japanese automakers in addressing these issues?

- WirelessCar provides a connected vehicle platform that is secure-by-design. Automakers can leverage our software development capabilities, through step-by-step implementation. They may start with infotainment services and then expand their connected vehicle offerings.

- Our platform also helps automakers handle complex regulatory compliance, freeing resources to focus on their core strengths, and the development of software-defined vehicles.

- In short, WirelessCar supports Japanese automakers through every stage of development, implementation, and operations, so they can deliver mobility solutions that set them apart in the global market.

Lastly, how would you summarize WirelessCar's long-term commitment to the Japanese automotive industry?

- I’m eager to build on our existing partnerships and create new ones that are based on innovation and action. That is what WirelessCar has always brought to the table, as our history, our products, and our mobility solutions demonstrate.

- Our commitment to the Japanese automotive industry goes back to our early company history, and we look forward to remaining—and becoming—a trusted, long-term business partner as Japanese automakers grow and compete globally.

Find out more about WirelessCar’s work and presence in Japan, and our collaboration with Subaru.