AI creates routes for 'On-demand buses'

Oct 03, 2023 | News On Japan

OSAKA - A trial combining artificial intelligence (AI) and reservation-based shared buses has commenced in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture.

The "On-Demand Bus" operates without fixed timetables or routes; instead, passengers who make reservations share the ride to their respective destinations.

In Sakai City, the experiment involves using AI to efficiently create routes based on information from multiple reservation points and destinations. Drivers then operate the On-Demand Bus accordingly.

An executive at Nankai Electric Railway said, "We firmly believe that offering new forms of buses and transportation services is essential for urban development and the growth of the Izumi-Kita Newtown."

Sakai City primarily envisions the use of this service for the aging population in the Izumi-Kita Newtown, aiming to increase opportunities for elderly residents to go out and about.

The demonstration experiment runs from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM and is scheduled to continue until January 31 of next year.

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