The Saitama Institute of Technology (SIT) is set to launch Japan’s first autonomous driving major starting next April. The university aims to educate engineers who are knowledgeable in the field of self-driving vehicles. This initiative is part of SIT’s efforts to restructure its faculty of engineering, with the goal of increasing the number of students who are experts in digital transformation.
The autonomous driving course will be offered by SIT’s information systems department, and 40 new students will be accepted into the program. Along with the autonomous driving major, the university will introduce four additional majors: IT applied machinery, artificial intelligence robotics, bioscience, and environment/clean energy. These majors aim to provide students with a comprehensive education from basic to advanced applications in their respective fields.
The IT applied machinery course will focus on integrating IT with machinery, including the study of internet-connected devices and digital twin technologies. These technologies involve creating and learning from digital copies of physical objects in a virtual environment. The AI robotics major will cover the intersection of artificial intelligence and robotics, providing a comprehensive education that spans from basic to advanced applications.
The bioscience major will span a wide range of life sciences and biochemistry, while the environmental and clean energy course will concentrate on environmental science, addressing energy and sustainability issues. SIT, which was established in Fukaya, Saitama Prefecture in 1976, currently enrolls 2,182 undergraduate and 91 graduate students.
Overall, this initiative by SIT reflects its commitment to keeping up with technological advancements in the field of self-driving vehicles while also expanding its offerings to meet the growing demand for skilled workers in digital transformation.
