In April 2027, Nissan, a global automotive corporation based in Japan, plans to launch a self-driving taxi service in the country. The business is said to begin testing the commercial service in April of the next fiscal year in a part of Yokohama that is south of Tokyo. The service would be conducted using minivans.
“As a result of an aging population, local communities have been facing several mobility challenges, such as driver shortages.” Therefore, as part of the initiative, it will collaborate with local government agencies and transportation companies to offer a wide range of new services that facilitate free movement. Since 2017, Nissan claims to have tested self-driving mobility service business concepts both domestically and internationally.
Honda and General Motors, the massive US automaker, said last year that they would form a joint venture to launch a driverless ride service in Japan in the first half of 2026.
According to an AFP spokeswoman, Toyota, another large Japanese automaker, intends to begin an automated car test program in Tokyo’s Odaiba neighborhood in July.
“In what will be Japan’s first automated driving service on public roads with other vehicles, Toyota plans to launch a paid service in 2025 and expand it to other districts of central Tokyo,” according to Yomiuri Daily.
While other nations are researching autonomous vehicles, Japan has prioritized acceleration to solve its unique concerns of a labor shortage and an aging population that need mobility options.
Road traffic legislation have permitted Level 4 self-driving cars to drive on public roads under specific conditions since last year.