AI-Powered Ride-Share Data Collection Begins in Osaka for Self-Driving Taxis

Jun 16, 2026 | News On Japan

OSAKA - Taxi operator newmo has opened a data collection hub for autonomous driving in Osaka's Joto Ward, launching what the company says is Japan's first initiative to use ride-share services to gather road data for AI training.

Under the program, ride-share drivers will collect road and traffic information during their normal driving operations. The data will then be used to train artificial intelligence systems needed for self-driving vehicles.

The initiative is intended to address challenges facing the transportation industry, including a shortage of drivers and an aging workforce. By leveraging data gathered through ride-share operations, newmo aims to accelerate the development of autonomous driving technology.

The company is targeting the commercial deployment of self-driving taxi services in 2028, with the new Osaka facility serving as a key base for collecting and processing the data required to support that goal.

Source: Television OSAKA NEWS

Toyota to Launch Self-Driving Taxis in 2027

Toyota Motor will begin operating fully autonomous taxis in 2027 through a partnership with U.S. self-driving technology company Waymo, marking a major step in the Japanese automaker's efforts to expand driverless transportation services.

Mount Fuji Puts on First Snowcap

Mount Fuji has received its first snowcap of the season, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced on October 30, after temperatures at the summit plunged to minus 9.4 degrees Celsius, marking the arrival of winter conditions on Japan's highest mountain.

Chinese Female Spy Suspected of Targeting Nvidia Chief

U.S. intelligence agencies suspect that a Chinese female intelligence operative developed a close relationship with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang in an attempt to obtain confidential corporate and U.S. government information, according to a report published by The New York Times on October 29th.

Japan Blocks Websites Leaking GMO Personal Data

The Japanese government has asked major telecommunications operators to forcibly block access to websites believed to contain personal information stolen in a cyberattack on GMO, it emerged on October 29th, as authorities moved to prevent further exposure of sensitive data online.

Typhoon No. 31 Heads Toward Japan's Remote Islands

Typhoon No. 31 was located near Minamitorishima Island in the Pacific Ocean, as of 3 a.m. on October 30, and was expected to approach the Ogasawara Islands south of Tokyo over the October 31-November 1 weekend while maintaining very strong intensity, bringing a growing risk of dangerously high waves, powerful swells and extremely rough seas.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Web3 NEWS

Aeon Unveils AI-Powered Warehouse

Japanese retail giant Aeon unveiled a logistics warehouse on October 30 equipped with "physical AI" robots capable of independently sorting and stacking products, allowing the company to automate approximately half of its warehouse operations while increasing loading efficiency to four times that of manual labor.

PixAI Opens New Creative Possibilities for Anime Storytellers

Artificial intelligence is opening new possibilities for digital creativity, allowing people to transform ideas into illustrations, animated characters and short films without the extensive technical skills or expensive production equipment traditionally required, with platforms such as Japan-inspired AI art service PixAI bringing these capabilities to a growing community of creators.

Growing on TikTok on a Budget: 5 Services Worth Comparing

Building a TikTok presence on a limited budget means weighing every expense. For creators comparing paid follower, like, and view packages, the headline price is only part of the decision.

KDDI Plans 1,000 AI Robots to Tackle Labor Shortages by 2030

Japanese telecommunications giant KDDI announced on October 28 that it will invest 30 billion yen in physical artificial intelligence by fiscal 2030, aiming to deploy more than 1,000 autonomous robots across retail, logistics and manufacturing facilities as Japan searches for solutions to its worsening labor shortage.

Balmuda Announces Personalized AI Radio Service

Japanese home appliance maker Balmuda announced a personalized AI radio service on October 27 that uses artificial intelligence to create approximately 10-minute programs tailored to individual listeners, combining news, weather forecasts and topics based on their interests.

Can AI Predict Typhoons Better Than Supercomputers?

Artificial intelligence has demonstrated greater accuracy than conventional supercomputer models in predicting the path of Typhoon No. 30, which was forecast to approach Okinawa before turning northeast toward Japan, highlighting the growing potential of AI in weather forecasting while raising questions about how its predictions can be verified and used in disaster preparedness.

Why Crypto Casinos Are Winning Over Global Players in 2026

The appeal of cryptocurrency casinos has started to develop as we have gone through 2026.

11選：2026年に注目すべきNSFW系AIツール徹底比較

もしあなたが2026年版の最新NSFW系AIツールを検討中なら、ここではランキング形式で11種を紹介します。

< 2 3 4 5 >