News On Japan

Toyota to Conduct Autonomous Driving Trials on Odaiba's Public Roads

TOKYO, Feb 12 (News On Japan) - Toyota Motor Corporation has announced plans to conduct a demonstration experiment using autonomous vehicles on the public roads of Odaiba, Tokyo, as early as July this year.

Previously, Toyota operated autonomous vehicles during the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

This upcoming experiment will be led by MONET Technologies, a joint venture funded by Toyota, SoftBank, and others.

The trials, set to commence in July, will operate under "Level 2" autonomy, where an in-vehicle operator will control the vehicle in response to specific conditions.

The ultimate goal of these experiments is to achieve "Level 4" autonomy, where vehicles can operate unmanned under certain conditions.

Honda is also advancing plans to launch an autonomous taxi service by early 2026, marking a significant step towards integrating autonomous vehicles into public transportation and addressing mobility challenges in urban environments.

Source: ANN

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