What’s Happening: SoftBank Corp. has announced the commencement of field tests in the Takeshiba area of Minato-ku, Tokyo, to achieve fully autonomous driving operations. The tests focus on verifying driving route design, AI remote monitoring, and other tasks.
Why It Matters: With the enactment of Japan’s amended Road Traffic Act in April 2023, Level 4 autonomous driving vehicles will be allowed to operate on public roads. While there are high expectations for the practical application of autonomous driving, implementing such services requires many functions and systems, and the cost of implementation and maintenance is considerable. SoftBank aims to address these challenges and achieve the early implementation of a highly sustainable autonomous driving service in Japan.
Key Points:
- SoftBank is conducting field tests to achieve the automation of driving operations to realize the early implementation of a highly sustainable autonomous driving service in Japan.
- The company is conducting research and development on remote operations to appoint autonomous driving operation supervisors to handle operations and emergency responses.
- SoftBank is developing an AI-powered remote monitoring system to monitor autonomous vehicles remotely and is conducting verification tests.
- The company is developing an in-vehicle operation support system that incorporates multiple functions to handle various tasks that a driver previously handled.
- SoftBank is utilizing a Digital Twin virtual space to efficiently analyze driving routes through simulations and verify the technology for automatically calculating optimal driving routes.
- SoftBank will work with May Mobility, Inc. to develop and verify the functions necessary for autonomous driving operation management and technical requirements for autonomous driving.
Bottom Line: SoftBank’s field tests are a significant step toward achieving a highly sustainable autonomous driving service in Japan. By addressing the challenges of implementing autonomous driving and developing multiple systems, the company aims to realize the early implementation of autonomous driving services in Japan.
