Akihabara News (Tokyo) — Fully autonomous vehicles are now driving Japanese public roads for the first time. From May 28, this will become a regular shuttle service for local residents.
This is the first initiative of its kind within Japan’s public transport system, and it has only become possible due to regulatory changes implemented from the beginning of April.
The cart-like vehicle is running in Eiheiji town, Fukui Prefecture, a rural municipality with a population under 20,000 people.
The shuttle services take place on weekends and public holidays along a two-kilometer route. The seven-seat vehicle needs about ten minutes to complete its journey, moving at a top speed of 12 kilometers per hour.
The self-driving vehicle was developed by a consortium led by Yamaha Motor Company.
The Eiheiji town project itself is supported by the national government, which plans to launch similar services in fifty other municipalities over the next two years.
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