American robotaxis will soon arrive in Japan, following an agreement between Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors, and Honda. The first vehicles of this type are planned to be deployed in 2026 in selected neighborhoods in Tokyo, before expanding to offer a broader service in the city.
Everything we know about driverless taxis in Tokyo
Cruise is a company specialized in autonomous mobility. It has already deployed its robotaxis in San Francisco and plans to bring them to certain areas of Los Angeles in the near future. These driverless taxis are also beginning to expand abroad.
After an initial test in Dubai this year, there are now plans to bring them to the streets of Tokyo by 2026. Cruise, GM and Honda are creating a joint venture to launch the first driverless ride-hailing service in Japan. The plan is for Origin of the cruisea fully autonomous vehicle that operates without the presence of a driver, to pick up its customers at a specific location and then take them to their destination, all with the help of a dedicated application that will facilitate the entire process, from ride-sharing to payment.
The Cruise Origin is an autonomous vehicle without a driver’s seat, steering wheel or joystick. Of course, it has a spacious interior with space for six people to travel, sitting face to face. This will be a big first in Japan, where people should initially be invited to try the service in 2026, once all the necessary administrative formalities and authorizations have been obtained.
While the service is expected to launch with around 10 vehicles, the joint venture’s ambition is to quickly put a fleet of more than 500 Cruise Origins on the road around the United States. japanese capital. Potential users will be able to discover this vehicle at the Japan Mobility Show, which will be held in Tokyo from October 28 to November 5, 2023.
This story was published via AFP Relaxnews
(Main and Main Image Credit: Photography Courtesy of Honda©)
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