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Robot Taxi Plans to Launch Autonomous Taxis in Japan by 2020 |
NEWS |
Robot Taxi, a start-up company in Japan, has started testing its technology solution supporting driverless taxis on public roads, specifically, in Fujisawa, Japan, on March 29, 2016. During the road test, local residents are able to book a driverless taxi online or via a mobile app using their smartphone, summon it to their location, and have it drive them to a supermarket and back home. The road test uses Toyota’s Estima minivans equipped with Robot Taxi’s "Robovision" technology consisting of sensors, Lidar technology, 3D high-definition maps, and a data processing system. Robot Taxi aims to make driverless taxis commercially available by 2020 and to provide road transportation services during the Tokyo Olympic Games.
The company’s business model is to forge strategic partnerships with automotive companies and integrate their ADAS solutions supporting autonomous taxi capabilities. Robot Taxi Inc., founded on May 28, 2015, is a joint venture between DeNA Co. and ZMP Inc.
Transformative Mobility in Asia |
IMPACT |
Similar initiatives can be seen in Singapore, and Korea geared towards expanding the horizon of autonomous vehicles on public transportation such as taxi, and not limited to private passenger cars.
Ecosystem Catalysts and Challenges Shaping Driverless Taxis in Asia |
COMMENTARY |
Singapore and Japan have acted as ecosystem catalysts in Asia. Their governments support the fast-track development of autonomous taxis wherein road infrastructure was allocated allowing autonomous vehicles (AV) to be trialed on public roads (e.g., One-North in Singapore was identified as test-bed for AV technology). This is vital for understanding the technical capabilities and infrastructure requirements of AV, which in turn, enhances the safety profile of AV when navigating public roads.The South Korean government has yet to allow autonomous vehicles to be tested on public roads; hence, Snuber’s tests are limited to campus areas only.
Indeed, driverless taxis offer various benefits such as enhancing mobility in Japan, particularly among the elderly, children, and residents in rural areas where public transportation is limited due to the shortage of drivers. In Singapore, autonomous taxis offer eco-friendly transportation and efficient use of the roads, addressing Singapore’s land and manpower constraints.
However, this scenario means driverless taxis will be travelling more frequently on public roads, making them more vulnerable to collisions with other vehicles, particularly traditional, non-autonomous vehicles,as well as with pedestrians. Cyberattacks represent another issue requiring that vendors develop robust and secure platforms. The ecosystem needs to ensure that autonomous vehicles are equipped with reliable ADAS, precise and localized on-board maps, with real-time updates, and perform comprehensive road tests.