THE JAPAN NEWS

 

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Taxi operator Hinomaru Kotsu Co. and robotics startup ZMP Inc. said Wednesday they will jointly test an autonomous taxi on public roads in central Tokyo starting late next month.

This is the world’s first self-driving taxi service carrying passengers on public roads, according to the two companies. They aim to put the service to practical use by 2020.

In the service, a minivan equipped with a ZMP-developed self-driving system will shuttle on a 5.3-kilometer stretch between the Otemachi and Roppongi districts four times a day between Aug. 27 and Sept. 8.

A one-way fare will be set at ¥1,500. Passengers will be selected by lottery if the number of applicants exceeds limits.

A Hinomaru Kotsu driver will be in the driving seat and a system operator in the front passenger seat to prepare for possible emergency situations.