Akihabara News (Tokyo) — California-based Joby Aviation has tightened its links with the Japanese market by forming a partnership with All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan’s largest airline, and existing patron Toyota Motor Corporation, Japan’s largest automaker.
Through this agreement, Joby and ANA are expected to collaborate on all aspects of establishing aerial ride-sharing services in Japan, including the development of infrastructure, pilot training, flight operations, and air traffic management systems. They will also collaborate to gain public acceptance of eVTOLs, and to assist the authorities in establishing the needed regulatory framework.
Integration with ground transportation will also be considered, with Toyota supporting this effort should it materialize. (Toyota is Joby’s largest outside investor, with nearly US$400 million invested to date.)
Joby founder JoeBen Bevirt commented, “Joby exists to help people save time while reducing their carbon footprint. Japan offers us a spectacular opportunity to do just that with 92% of the population living in urban areas and Tokyo registering as one of the top twenty most congested cities in the world.”
Koji Shibata, ANA’s representative director and executive vice president, added, “ANA has seventy years of experience delivering safe and reliable flights to customers across the world. We’re proud to bring that operational experience to the table as part of this partnership and to be at the forefront of introducing this revolutionary form of transport to Japan.
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