Category: 3. Business

The first-ever civil penalty award of $5.8million is one of four recent decisions signalling the OAIC’s enforcement-lead approach.

The Australian privacy landscape has undergone a significant shift, with regulators demonstrating an unprecedented willingness to pursue enforcement action and impose substantial penalties for privacy breaches. Recent decisions by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) and the Federal Court, including the first ever civil penalty of $5.8M for breaching the Privacy Act, signal new era of accountability for organisations handling personal information.

Privacy reforms: A strengthened regulatory framework

The first tranche of Privacy Act reforms, passed in December 2024, has fundamentally altered the enforcement landscape. The OAIC now wields significantly broadened powers through a new three-tiered civil penalty regime that reflects the seriousness with which Parliament views privacy compliance.

Under the new framework, organisations face escalating consequences for privacy failures. Tier 1 penalties for specified administrative failures allow the Privacy Commissioner to issue infringement notices of up to $330,000 per contravention for corporations and $66,000 for individuals. Tier 2 addresses interferences with privacy that fall short of being ‘serious,’ with penalties reaching $3.3 million for corporations. Most significantly, Tier 3 penalties for serious interferences with privacy now carry maximum penalties of $50 million, three times the value of any benefit obtained, or 30% of adjusted turnover during the relevant period.

Additional reforms already in effect include requirements for notification of automated decision-making involving personal information, the introduction of technical and organisational measures to protect personal information as a compliance framework, and offences for doxxing. The new statutory tort for serious invasions of privacy is now also in force, allowing individuals to bring damages claims against a wrongdoer where that person intrudes on the ‘individual’s seclusion’ or that person ‘misuses information’ that relates to the individual, which is defined to include collecting, using or disclosing information about the individual (see here for more details).

Understanding APP 11: Data security obligations

Australian Privacy Principle 11 forms the cornerstone of data security obligations under the Privacy Act 1988. APP 11.1 requires that APP entities, which includes businesses and not-for-profits with more than $3M annual revenue, must take ‘reasonable steps’ to protect personal information they hold from misuse, interference and loss, and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Additionally, APP 11.2 requires entities to destroy or de-identify personal information in certain circumstances when it is no longer needed.

The concept of ‘reasonable steps’ is deliberately flexible and dependent on context. What constitutes reasonable protection for a small business holding limited customer contact details will differ significantly from what is required of a healthcare provider managing sensitive medical records for hundreds of thousands of patients. The assessment is always made ‘in the circumstances,’ taking into account factors such as the sensitivity of the information, the volume of data held, the potential harm if the information were compromised, the size and resources of the organisation, and the current threat environment. Until the recent decision in the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner v Australian Clinical Labs, discussed further below, there has however been no judicial guidance on what ‘reasonable steps in the circumstances’ required in practice.

APP 11 does not prescribe specific technical measures or security standards. Instead, it requires organisations to assess their particular circumstances and implement appropriate safeguards.

A recent critical enhancement: Technical and organisational measures

The first tranche of privacy reforms in late 224 also introduced a significant enhancement to APP 11, with the concept of ‘reasonable steps’ now expressly including ‘technical and organisational measures’ to protect personal information. This amendment, which commenced in December 2024, elevates the importance of APP 11 compliance and aligns Australia’s privacy framework with international standards such as the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

While APP 11 still requires organisations to take ‘reasonable steps in the circumstances,’ the law now makes explicit what was previously implicit: that data security cannot be achieved through technology alone. When assessing what constitutes reasonable steps, organisations must now demonstrate they have considered and implemented both. 

The ACL case, decided after these reforms commenced, demonstrates that even without the amendments, inadequate organisational measures will attract the same scrutiny and penalties as failures of technical security.

What does ‘reasonable steps’ mean? Guidance given in the Australian Clinical Labs case

The Australian Clinical Labs (ACL) decision¹ has become the touchstone for understanding APP 11 obligations in the modern cybersecurity environment. On 29 September 2025, ACL agreed to pay a $5.8 million penalty following a 2022 data breach affecting 223,000 customers. The OAIC’s successful prosecution alleged serious and systemic failures that left ACL vulnerable to cyberattack, exposing sensitive personal health information.

Under the civil penalty regime, the settlement needed to be approved by the Federal Court to ensure the penalty was legally justified, within the appropriate range and publicly accountable. 

The Court’s decision was delivered by Justice Halley on 8 October 2025. The Court imposed three separate penalties that together illustrate the full spectrum of obligations when handling personal information. ACL was penalised $4.2 million for breaching APP 11 (failure to take reasonable steps in the circumstances to protect personal information), $800,000 for breaching section 26WH(2) (failure to carry out a reasonable and expeditious assessment of whether a data breach had occurred), and $800,000 for breaching section 26WK(2) (failure to make a statement about the data breach setting out specific required information). This breakdown demonstrates that significant penalties can arise not only from the security failures that enable a breach, but also from inadequate response once a breach is discovered. Organisations must have robust incident response capabilities to ensure they can promptly assess breaches and comply with notification obligations under the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme. Importantly, the parties agreed that the breach was sufficiently serious it should have been notified within 2-3 days, and the Court agreed. 

Justice Halley’s judgment provides crucial guidance on what constitutes ‘reasonable steps’ under APP 11.1. The Court found that circumstances requiring consideration include the sensitivity of personal information, potential harm to individuals, the size and sophistication of the organisation, the prevailing cybersecurity environment, and any previous threats or attacks.

The specific deficiencies identified in ACL’s security posture included failing to implement application whitelisting to prevent unauthorised programs from running, behavioural-based analysis to detect malicious activities that might evade antivirus products, and the failure to deploy Data Loss Prevention tools on affected systems. Multi-factor authentication was not required for VPN access, and firewall logs were retained for only one hour, limiting security monitoring capabilities.

From a governance perspective, the Court accepted that ACL’s incident response playbooks lacked clear role definitions and contained limited detail on containment processes. It further found that testing of incident management procedures had been inadequate following the acquisition of the relevant IT systems and the IT Team Leader responsible for incident response had received no formal cybersecurity training and had never used the incident response playbooks provided. The decision underscores that technical measures alone are insufficient; organisations must also implement robust governance frameworks, training programs, and incident response capabilities.

Another noteworthy aspect of the case is that the findings against ACL involved one part of its business only, which had belonged to Medlabs, an entity purchased by ACL roughly three months prior to the cyber incident. The decision therefore also has important implications for cybersecurity due diligence during M&A activity and the importance of promptly and effectively integrating technology systems post-acquisition.  

Facial recognition technology: Drawing the line

Most recently, on 23 October 2025 the Privacy Commissioner found that online wine wholesaler Vinomofo interfered with the privacy of almost one million individuals by failing to take reasonable steps to protect the personal information it held from security risks which ultimately lead to a data breach.⁴ In particular, the Commissioner founds that Vinomofo could have taken the following steps: 

• additional security logging capability;
• adopting appropriate cloud infrastructure security controls;
• using access monitoring controls to alert the respondent to suspicious or unauthorised activity; 
• implementing and using more robust security policies and procedures; and
• addressing a poor culture of information security awareness and capability.”
  
   

The OAIC’s investigations into Bunnings Group Limited² and Kmart Australia Limited³ have also established clear boundaries around the deployment of surveillance technologies, even when motivated by legitimate business objectives such as fraud prevention and safety.

Between June 2020 and July 2022, Kmart collected personal and sensitive information using facial recognition technology in 28 stores to detect refund fraud. Similarly, between November 2018 and November 2021, Bunnings deployed facial recognition in 68 stores, capturing the faces of all shoppers for comparison against a database of identified risks.

In determinations issued by the Privacy Commissioner in October 2025 and September 2025, both organisations were found to have breached multiple Australian Privacy Principles. Under APP 1, they failed to include information about facial recognition technology in their privacy policies and did not implement adequate practices and procedures for compliance. Under APP 3, they collected sensitive information without consent, as no applicable exception justified the collection. Under APP 5, they failed to take reasonable steps to notify individuals about the collection of their biometric information.

Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind’s statement accompanying these determinations articulated a crucial principle: ‘Customer and staff safety, and fraud prevention and detection, are legitimate reasons businesses might have regard to when considering the deployment of new technologies. However, these reasons are not, in and of themselves, a free pass to avoid compliance with the Privacy Act.’

The message is clear – organisations must conduct thorough privacy impact assessments before deploying surveillance technologies, obtain genuine consent for the collection of sensitive information, ensure privacy policies accurately reflect data handling practices, and consider whether less intrusive alternatives could achieve the same business objectives.

Practical steps forward

The recent enforcement actions and regulatory reforms require a thoughtful and considered response from organisations handling personal information. Boards and executive leadership should prioritise cybersecurity governance, ensuring that technical and organisational measures are commensurate with the sensitivity and volume of personal information held. Regular testing of incident response procedures, meaningful security awareness training for all staff, and engagement of appropriately qualified cybersecurity personnel are no longer optional.

Before deploying any new technology that collects or uses personal information, organisations must conduct thorough privacy impact assessments and ensure privacy policies accurately reflect actual data handling practices. Where sensitive information is involved, genuine consent must be obtained unless a specific exception applies.

The clear message from recent enforcement action is that accountability in privacy and cybersecurity is no longer aspirational – it is expected, scrutinised, and rigorously enforced. Organisations that fail to prioritise privacy compliance do so at significant financial, legal and reputational risk.

For further information about privacy compliance obligations or assistance with cyber incident response plans, privacy impact assessments and governance frameworks, or please contact our Cyber and Privacy team.

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¹ Australian Information Commissioner v Australian Clinical Labs Limited (No 2) [2025] FCA 1224

² Commissioner initiated investigation into Bunnings Group Limited (Privacy) [2024] AICmr 230 (29 October 2024)

³ Commissioner Initiated Investigation into Kmart Australia Limited (Privacy) [2025] AICmr 155 (26 August 2025)

⁴ Commissioner Initiated Investigation into Vinomofo Pty Ltd (Privacy) [2025] AICmr 175 (17 October 2025)

Google, Meta and Microsoft spent almost $80bn over the last quarter on artificial intelligence infrastructure, but investors had markedly different reactions to their plans to increase this historic spending spree.

Alphabet shares rose almost 7 per cent in after-hours trading on Wednesday as the Google parent boosted its capital expenditure plans for 2025 by $8bn to $93bn, and delivered a record $100bn in quarterly revenue.

By contrast, Meta plunged almost 9 per cent — potentially wiping $160bn from its valuation when markets open on Thursday — as Mark Zuckerberg’s company signalled much higher AI spending, which could top $100bn next year.

The varied reaction to their earnings and spending plans “underscores how sensitive investors are to how quickly the AI build-out can deliver revenue”, said Dec Mullarkey, managing director of $300bn asset manager SLC Management. 

“Investors are worried that the rush to grab market leadership may cause an overshoot,” he added. “No one needs reminding that history is full of episodes of technology exuberance that eventually left the early investors battered.”

Microsoft — which became the third company to surpass a $4tn valuation this week after finalising its restructuring pact with OpenAI — also suffered a share price drop.

Its stock fell 4 per cent, despite beating profit estimates and posting a 39 per cent jump in revenue at its key Azure cloud computing unit.

It reported capital expenditure was $35bn in the quarter, a 74 per cent increase year-on-year and $5bn more than expected. Executives forecast spending of almost $140bn next year.

Chief executive Satya Nadella told analysts that the software group was building “planet scale” cloud infrastructure and plans to double Microsoft’s data centre footprint over the next two years.

Google and Microsoft, which both sell cloud computing to other businesses, had an easier time showing investors that elevated spending on chips, data centres and electricity will lead to income.

After a slow start in the AI race, chief executive Sundar Pichai said that the Gemini App, its main consumer AI product, now has 650mn monthly users, up from 450mn in July, and closing in on ChatGPT’s 800mn.

Pichai added that growth in its cloud unit “was driven by enterprise AI products, which are generating billions in quarterly revenues” and that it had an order backlog for computing services worth $155bn.

The 15 per cent boost to core search advertising revenue also helped address concerns that ChatGPT is taking market share and AI is cannibalising traditional search.

“We believe this performance demonstrates successful AI integration across ad-based platforms,” said Angelo Zino, an analyst at CFRA Research. “Google’s ability to maintain margins while scaling AI infrastructure demonstrates effective use of spending.”

Zuckerberg, meanwhile, had to defended huge spending on infrastructure for Meta’s own use, as the tech group vies to be the first to build artificial superintelligence. 

He said it was “the right strategy to aggressively frontload building capacity”. He added that any excess data centre space could be repurposed to serve Meta’s core advertising functions, which he said were “compute starved”.

A 26 per cent increase in quarterly revenue to $51.2bn failed to mollify the market, as investors fretted that Meta’s huge outlay on chips and staff has yet to produce a large language model as capable as rivals.

The social media company said capex could hit $72bn by year-end and that spending growth would be “notably larger” in 2026, implying a number far in excess of an earlier forecast for $105bn.

Zuckerberg has also been luring engineers to his elite “TBD” lab with pay packages in the hundreds of millions of dollars, which Meta warned would be a big contributor to expenses as full-year costs appear in its results.

Investors were disappointed by a rise in research and development costs, which accounted for 30 per cent of revenue, the highest level in more than two years. Its operating margin narrowed 3 percentage points to 40 per cent.

“Expenses are growing faster than revenue,” said Gene Munster at Deepwater Asset Management. “Next year it’s going to be more like 18 per cent revenue growth and 35 per cent expense growth.”

Meta disclosed a $15bn one-off charge related to changes in President Donald Trump’s tax bill that depressed net income 83 per cent to $2.7bn.

Meta has indicated that its AI efforts are unlikely to generate meaningful revenue this year or in 2026. Zuckerberg on Wednesday promised that his new superintelligence team were focused on “novel” work that could be rapidly rolled out to 3.5bn users on Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, and could make money via advertising, commerce or subscriptions. 

Investors worry Zuckerberg’s quest to dominate advanced AI is disconnected for Meta’s underlying business despite his insisting that it can improve advertising ranking and recommendations.

Brian Wieser, an analyst at advisory firm Madison and Wall, said Google and Microsoft “are doing much more from a tech perspective. Meta’s actual business is selling ads.”

“There [are] so many more arrows in the quiver for Google and Microsoft,” he added.

Tokyo, October 30, 2025 – Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Systems, Ltd. (MHI Thermal Systems), a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, has added two new models to its “Hydrolution EZY” series of air-to-water (ATW) heat pumps for the European market that utilize R290 (propane). This is a natural refrigerant with low environmental impact and high energy efficiency. The new models have capacities of 6kW and 7.1kW and are scheduled for release this winter.

ATW heat pumps extract heat from the air to supply cold and hot water for domestic water supply, heating, and cooling, replacing traditional fossil-fueled boilers.
The models added to the lineup are monobloc types in which the water heat exchanger is housed in an outdoor unit, with only water piping required. Compared to split-type ATWs, which require the refrigerant pipe connections between an outdoor unit and an indoor unit, installation is easier.

The R290 refrigerant used in these models has a very low environmental impact(Note1) while retaining high energy efficiency. This is particularly important for the European market, as environmental regulations are tightened.

Modifications that allow the use of R290 also enable the units to maintain a flow temperature of 75℃ in a wide range of environments, from an outside temperature of -25℃, to 43℃, meaning the unit can be relied upon for heating and domestic hot water applications even in the coldest regions. These latest models, in addition to high-temperature water-heating capabilities, are silent and easy to install, with only water piping and an electricity supply to the outdoor unit required. When operating at maximum capacity, the 6kW model has a sound pressure level, a measure of noise intensity, of just 34dB(A)(Note2). The unit also has a quiet mode for reduced operating noise, providing flexibility to comply with noise regulations in densely populated residential areas.

In addition, as a safety measure, the units are equipped with a refrigerant leak detection sensor. In the event of a leak, the unit will stop running, and a fan engaged to dissipate any escaped refrigerant.

In order to better integrate into a range of installation environments across Europe, including residential areas, the models have been visually redesigned with an understated, modern appearance. The front of the now all-black unit is fitted with a fan guard accented with a silver vertical line and is designed to make it difficult to see the fan from an oblique direction.

By promoting the transition from boiler combustion using fossil fuels that emit high concentrations of CO₂, to ATW using electricity, Hydrolution EZY can make a significant contribution to carbon neutrality in European countries, and the achievement of MHI Group’s MISSION NET ZERO.

In October 2021, MHI Group announced its MISSION NET ZERO declaration to achieve carbon neutrality across the entire corporate group by 2040 by reducing CO₂ emissions from its own plants and other production-related facilities, as well as through reductions in the CO₂ emissions at customer facilities that use MHI Group products.

Going forward, MHI Thermal Systems will continue to develop environmentally friendly technologies and products that take advantage of the breadth of the refrigeration and heating sector, and contribute to carbon neutrality in Europe and countries around the world.

• 1 R290 has a global warming potential (GWP) of only 0.02. Global Warming Potential (GWP) is a coefficient expressing the greenhouse effect of a gas relative to carbon dioxide (CO₂), which has a fixed GWP of 1.0. The lower the value, the lower the greenhouse effect and the better for the environment. The GWP value of “0.02” is adopted based on the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report.
• 2 Value measured at three meters in front of the unit.

(Bloomberg) — Gold staged a partial recovery following a run of losses as traders weighed conflicting views from Federal Reserve policymakers about the chance of more rate cuts.

Bullion rose as much as 0.9% to trade near $3,967 an ounce after falling almost 5% over the previous four sessions. Fed Chair Jerome Powell downplayed the likelihood of a December reduction after a widely expected quarter-point cut on Wednesday. Still, despite Powell’s unusually direct remarks, the vote marked the third straight meeting in which officials lodged dissents against the majority decision — a run not seen since 2019.

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The divisions at the Fed add to challenges for investors seeking signals on the path ahead for monetary policy, with the US government shutdown that began in early October creating a vacuum of official data. Higher interest-rates tend to pose a headwind for non-yielding gold.

The precious metal has retreated sharply following a scorching rally that drove prices to a record above $4,380 an ounce last week. Technical indicators had shown the ascent was overheated, while growing signs of progress in US-China trade relations have eroded bullion’s haven appeal.

Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping are set to finalize a détente when they meet Thursday in South Korea, putting the world’s biggest trade fight on hold — at least for now. Initial signals indicate the leaders are readying a pact that could roll back some tariffs, fees and export restrictions either threatened or enforced in recent months.

Still, even after its recent pullback, gold has gained about 50% this year, supported by central-bank buying and interest in the so-called debasement trade, in which investors avoid sovereign debt and currencies to protect themselves from runaway budget deficits.

“The market has experienced a natural correction, but we continue to view this bull market as incomparable with prior bull markets in terms of the breadth and depth of potential monetary demand,” Sebastian Mullins, head of multi-asset and fixed income at Schroders, said in a note.

The surge had drawn institutional and retail buyers to gold-backed exchange-traded funds, although outflows this week have removed some of this support. Total gold ETF holdings fell for a fifth consecutive day on Tuesday — the longest streak of declines since May, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Lachlan Murdoch’s top adviser – News Corp’s Australian broadcasting chief Siobhan McKenna – has resigned from the company following the sale of the Foxtel Group to global sports streaming service DAZN.

As chief executive of broadcasting for News Corp, McKenna’s role had significantly diminished after the pay TV and streaming business, which includes Kayo, Binge and Hubbl, was sold to the European broadcaster in April.

A former partner at McKinsey & Company, McKenna was Murdoch’s key adviser in the epic family trust case, which saw him take control of his father’s global media empire and secure the future of the Australian stable of newspapers, magazines and news channels.

The 53-year-old businessperson was heavily involved in the negotiations with Rupert Murdoch’s three “objecting children” in the Nevada court case, which was settled in the US last month. The three oldest siblings received an estimated US$1.1bn each for their shares in the business.

McKenna will leave the company at the end of the year, staff were told by News Corp’s global chief executive, Robert Thomson, in an email on Thursday morning.

“Her decision, and it is her decision, is essentially epochal as Siobhan has been a transformational force during her years with News Corp,” Thomson said.

“The word ‘visionary’ is often abused, but not in Siobhan’s case, as her ability to perceive the future from the haze-shrouded shapes on the horizon is nonpareil. She is irreplaceable.”

McKenna and Lachlan set up the private investment company Illyria 20 years ago, having both great success with Nova Entertainment and significant losses when he took over the Ten network in 2012 before it went into voluntary administration in 2017.

The Albanese government appointed McKenna as chair of Australia Post in 2022, citing her commercial, strategic, digital and technology experience.

Thomson said McKenna navigated Sky News Australia and Foxtel through a “treacherous tech landscape” and made them into “global success stories”.

“The worth of Foxtel was instinctively appreciated by the global leader in sports streaming, DAZN, which recently acquired the company, and with whom we have an ongoing partnership,” he said.

“Sky was transformed from a traditional broadcaster to a digital powerhouse whose efficacious impact stretches far beyond the borders of Australia. The success of both companies marks a profound turning point for our company and a professional inflexion point for Siobhan.”

Lachlan is the chair of News Corp, the parent company of more than two dozen publications including the Wall Street Journal, The Times and the New York Post, after he succeeded his father in 2023 and executive chair and CEO of Fox Corporation.

Tokyo, October 30, 2025 – Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Machinery Systems (MHI-MS), a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, will conduct demonstration testing of finished vehicle logistics (FVL) using vehicle transport robots to autonomously move automobiles. Following a proposal adopted for “Testbed Support Subsidy Program”(Note1) conducted by Okinawa Prefecture, demonstration testing is scheduled to begin on December 1 this year at the prefecture’s temporary vehicle storage yard (motor pool) at Nakagusuku Port (Uruma, Okinawa Prefecture).

Vehicle transport robots are used to autonomously move finished vehicles at automobile manufacturing plants, motor pools, and for automated valet parking at shopping malls, theme parks, and airports.(Note2) The system enables automated transport even if the vehicle itself is not equipped with autonomous driving capabilities or communication functions, and can be widely utilized in motor pools for both new and used cars without the need for vehicle modification or extensive installation of equipment on the infrastructure side, and without major changes to current operations.

MHI-MS has been jointly developing the first advanced automated transport robot business in Japan with Stanley Robotics, a French venture company, since 2021. As of October 2025, seven core patents have been registered in Japan for automated transport robots, which will drive market expansion. In consideration of the unique conditions in Japan, domestic development of a customizable system was completed in March this year.

Okinawa, the site of the demonstration testing for finished vehicle transport, is a region with a high rate of private car ownership, with the number of private cars owned per capita of the population over the age of 20 exceeding the national average. Used cars especially are preferred by many prefectural residents because they are less expensive than new cars, and play an important role in the infrastructure supporting everyday life. In addition, because of the many tourist arrivals in Okinawa from Japan and abroad, the number of rental car registrations is one of the highest in Japan. Registered rental cars are replaced every few years and sold on the market as used cars. In this way, the used car market supports Okinawa’s industry and the everyday lives of people.

The Nakagusuku Port Motor Pool is mainly used for temporary storage of used cars prior to shipping, and transport services such as the loading and unloading of used cars are conducted at the site on a regular basis. In addition, the outdoor work environment has become harsher due to global warming, so reducing the physical burden on workers and ensuring a sustainable working style is an urgent matter. Strategies to address labor shortages due to the declining birth rate and aging population have also become a concern. In addition, the application of DX (digital transformation) technologies for vehicle management, such as visualization of the storage location of used cars, was also a factor for future consideration.

MHI-MS decided to participate in this program in Okinawa Prefecture to demonstrate the effectiveness of vehicle transport robots as a solution to such challenges. The demonstration testing will evaluate the potential for improving the working environment, and responding to labor shortages, as well as “human-centered robot utilization” such as robot-based yard management systems and DX to handle vehicle location information. The tests will also evaluate the potential contribution to decarbonization efforts by confirming supplemental benefits such as curbing CO₂ emissions through reduced driving of gasoline-powered vehicles.

Going forward, as a company committed to creating new value for society and solving future societal issues through mechatronics, MHI-MS will establish a new future for finished vehicle transport that is friendly to both people and the planet.

• 1 “Testbed Support Subsidy Program (Okinawa Prefecture Subsidy Program)” provides support for proof-of-concept experiments within Okinawa Prefecture by companies with innovative digital technologies and services, with the aim of furthering innovation and solutions to societal issues.
  See the following website for more information about the program.
  https://testbedislandokinawa.com(Japanese)
• 2 When the driver stops at a designated berth close to the facility, the vehicle transport robot moves the vehicle to a vacant space, taking over parking on behalf of the driver. The process is reversed when retrieving the vehicle, with the robot transporting the vehicle back to the berth at the time specified by the driver in advance using the smartphone app. For drivers, there is no need to find a parking space or park, and no concerns about brushing against the adjacent car when opening the door.

　

Related Press Releases

“MHI Group to Deliver Japan’s First Systems for Automated Valet Parking and Automated Transportation of Finished Vehicles” (October 27, 2021)
https://www.mhi.com/news/21102702.html

“MHI Group to Begin Demonstration Testing of Automated Valet Parking System Using AGV Robots at Outlet Mall in Chiba” (June 13, 2022)
https://www.mhi.com/news/220613.html

“MHI-MS Completes Domestic Registration of Core Patents for Vehicle Transport Robots” (September 11, 2024)
https://www.mhi.com/jp/news/24091101.html (Japanese)

“MHI-MS Completes Domestic Development of Vehicle Transport Robot” (March 4, 2025)
https://www.mhi.com/news/250304.html