NAOKI KATO

Vehicle Management Service Reengineering Project
Overview: Led the reengineering of vehicle management services and migration from AWS to Azure environments, aligning with the client's connected system platform renewal. Optimized existing operations and redesigned systems for seamless migration to Azure.

Key Responsibilities: Prepared project proposals detailing scope, objectives, and budget, collaborating with the sales team on pricing and profit margins.
Conducted workshops with client engineers to define requirements, created As-is and To-be use case diagrams, and delivered requirement documents in Markdown format for ease of management.
Oversaw API specifications and data model documentation, facilitating reviews and discussions with internal teams and client engineers.
Acted as the project leader, reporting progress to clients during regular meetings.
Coordinated vendor estimates and proposals for detailed design, implementation, and testing phases.

Achievements: Gained client trust by demonstrating deep understanding of system design and providing clear guidance on system optimization.
Successfully onboarded new engineers, ensuring smooth project integration.
CAN Data Aggregation Platform Project
Overview: Planned, initiated, and completed a project to aggregate, process, and integrate vehicle data with third parties using AWS. Managed long-term collaboration with multiple stakeholders to deliver a robust CAN data aggregation service.

Key Responsibilities: Gathered and analyzed client requirements to draft and present system proposals.
Defined system sequences and requirements for vehicle data exchange among OEMs and third parties, ensuring compliance with consent protocols.
Led multi-vendor development, coordinating between internal subsidiaries and external vendors to align on specifications and designs.
Conducted integration and scenario testing, managing defect analysis and resolution with clients and third-party engineers.

Achievements: Designed and implemented an efficient data platform leveraging AWS services (e.g., S3, Lambda, API Gateway) for seamless vehicle data aggregation and processing.
Demonstrated exceptional project leadership, ensuring alignment among diverse stakeholders and driving the project from proposal to user acceptance testing.
Successfully managed a 2.5-year project, improving data quality and delivering reliable services through collaborative problem-solving and system optimization.
This experience highlights expertise in cloud-based system migration, multi-stakeholder coordination, and end-to-end project management in the automotive technology domain.4

Connected Strategy and Application Development (Mobility Services Division) POC Development and Startup Collaboration (Honda Innovations, Silicon Valley) Automotive Infotainment Development (Automotive Development Center)

• Overview: Led connected strategy planning for the European region, conducting technical strategy coordination and reporting at global strategy meetings. Involved in application development for two-wheel vehicles in Asia, addressing legal risks, product liability (PL), and drafting terms of service, disclaimers, and privacy policies in collaboration with internal departments.
• Key Responsibilities: Planned and proposed unified global connected services strategies, incorporating competitive market analysis and regional trends.
  Drafted terms of service and privacy policies for a two-wheel vehicle application while ensuring compliance with local regulations (e.g., GDPR, Indian data protection laws).
  Coordinated with internal legal and operational departments to finalize specifications without impacting mass production schedules.
  
• Achievements:Developed strategies to unify connected services across regions based on competitor analysis and market trends.
  Successfully mitigated legal risks and ensured timely completion of application development for the Asia market.
  
• Overview: Collaborated with startups in Silicon Valley for six months, focusing on proof-of-concept (POC) development related to connected cars. Proposed and developed a concept combining EVs and smartphone applications, including prototype development and demonstration.
• Key Responsibilities: Designed a route-planning system leveraging machine learning to optimize EV energy consumption, accounting for vehicle type, route conditions, and driving behavior.
  Built a data acquisition system using Raspberry Pi and an Android app to push vehicle data to a startup's server, conducting real-world validation as the test driver.
  
• Achievements: Independently managed technical discussions, built testing tools, and validated the POC environment.
  Although commercial deployment was not achieved, the concept was recognized and transferred to another division for further exploration.
  
• Overview: Managed Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionalities for in-vehicle infotainment systems, coordinating specifications with Apple, Google, and suppliers. Planned software validation and managed issues for flagship models such as the Civic and Vezel.
• Key Responsibilities: Defined and validated CarPlay/Android Auto functionalities, collaborating with suppliers such as Mitsubishi Electric and Denso Ten.
  Conducted local tests for region-specific features like network radio services and call quality.
  Used Jira to manage dependencies and critical paths across multiple suppliers, ensuring on-time deliveries.
  
• Achievements: Facilitated seamless certification processes with Apple and Google, negotiating solutions for failed certifications to align with release schedules.
  Streamlined cross-supplier project management, clarifying dependencies and ensuring coordinated efforts for critical functionalities.
  

• Overview: Contributed to the development and project management support for a hardware emulator project, utilizing C and Python for implementation and comparison with physical devices to enhance development efficiency. Acted as a bridge between Japanese engineers and Filipino developers, facilitating communication and progress management.
• Key Responsibilities: Developed and implemented a hardware emulator using C, Python, CentOS, Jenkins, and Git.
  Bridged communication between Japanese engineers and Filipino developers, addressing inquiries and consolidating feedback.
  Assisted project management by handling issue tracking, team coordination, and progress reporting to clients.
  
• Achievements:Delivered an emulator that significantly improved debugging efficiency for other development teams.
  Demonstrated practical expertise in C, Python, and development tools like CentOS, Jenkins, and Git.
  Built strong trust among team members through effective cross-cultural communication and leadership.
  Balanced technical and management responsibilities to drive project success.
  

• Overview: Participated as a bridge SE and programmer in a large-scale (500,000 lines) Windows application project integrated with Canon network cameras. Assigned to specific features, handling detailed design, implementation, and validation.
• Key Responsibilities: Conducted detailed design, programming, unit testing, integration testing, and defect tracking.
  Implemented features such as resizing and rotating recorded video displays for the application.
  Facilitated progress checks, specification alignment, and defect tracking with the Filipino development team, using English for all communications.
  
• Achievements: Successfully completed feature implementation and application release, contributing to the project's overall success.
  Maintained seamless communication with an international development team, showcasing strong English proficiency.
  Managed and aligned project expectations across diverse teams, ensuring smooth delivery of assigned tasks.