TOKYO, Mar 24, 2025 - (JCN Newswire) - DENSO CORPORATION today announced it has acquired the EcoPass(1) certification from Catena-X(2), a dataspace(3) for securely exchanging data across automotive supply chains in Europe. DENSO achieved the certification on February 14, 2025, making it the first Business Application Provider(4) of Catena-X globally headquartered in Japan to do so.
This certification demonstrates that the DENSO application under development for Digital Product Passport(5) (DPP), conforms to Catena-X rules and ensures secure data exchange between approved stakeholders.
In recent years, there has been rising demand for society as a whole to become carbon neutral and to shift to a more circular economy, in which resources are circulated in the economic system. To manufacture products in a more eco-friendly manner, DPP initiatives are under way around the world to digitalize information about manufacturers, materials used, CO2 emissions, and the recyclability of products. There is a demand to build a mechanism for data linkage initiative across companies, industries, and national borders.
In Japan, a project to build the Ouranos Ecosystem, led by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, started in April 2023. DENSO has identified issues and studied business requirements for data collaboration in the automotive industry.(6)
In Europe, Catena-X is being operated as an initiative for data collaboration in the automotive industry, and DENSO has joined Catena-X in 2021 as an automotive parts manufacturer with global operations. And now DENSO has acquired EcoPass certification from Catena-X as first company headquartered in Japan.
Since then, based on the European Battery Regulation(7), introduction of the Battery Passport for battery products, such as automotive and industrial batteries, is expected to be legally required from February 2027 as the first use case of DPPs.
DENSO has been developing(8) a Battery Passport application for the future. The completed application will be deployed in-house and made available to users in the supply chains as a secure data exchange service verified by the EcoPass certification to assist the auto industry in ensuring compliance with laws and regulations.
This application uses a Software-as-a-Service product, including EDC(9) connector for dataspace connectivity, developed by T-Systems, an IT services subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom—one of Europe’s largest telecommunications companies and a global leader. T-Systems is one of the key developers of the Catena-X software stack and holds multiple Catena-X certifications, including as a Business Application Provider.
DENSO remains committed to contributing to the realization of a sustainable society by promoting a circular value chain around the world.
(1) EcoPass: A function to realize data exchange among companies in conformity with the Catena-X rules based on data models defined by Catena-X
(2) Catena-X: A platform operated by German automakers and suppliers to securely share data, such as parts information, among concerned companies
(3) Dataspace: A standardized mechanism for data sharing and linkage across companies and organizations while ensuring mutual reliability
(4) Business Application Provider: A company which provides solutions that meet specific business needs based on use cases defined by Catena-X
(5) Digital Product Passport: A digital certificate which records various kinds of information, including manufacturers, materials used, recyclability, and dismantling methods, that proves the sustainability of products to ensure traceability throughout the product life cycle
(6) NTT DATA and DENSO Start to Build an Industry-wide Ecosystem for EV Batteries | Newsroom | News | DENSO – DENSO Corporation / Crafting the Core /
(7) European Battery Regulation: Regulation effective in Europe in August 2023 to promote the production and use of sustainable battery products
(8) Developing the Battery Passport: A Foundation for Japanese Industry | DRIVEN BASE – DENSO
(9) EDC: Short for Eclipse Dataspace Components. A standard component for secure communication among companies while ensuring data sovereignty in Catena-X