Honda to Launch Driverless Taxi Service in Tokyo

Tokyo, Oct. 19 (Jiji Press)--Honda Motor Co. said Thursday it will launch a driverless taxi service in central Tokyo in 2026 in partnership with General Motors Co. It will be the first service in the Japanese capital using Level 4 technology that provides fully automated driverless driving under certain conditions. The Japanese automaker plans to start the driverless taxi service using dozens of vehicles and grow the fleet to some 500 units later. It is considering expanding the service to areas outside of central Tokyo. Honda will establish a joint venture with GM and GM Cruise, the U.S. automaker's autonomous driving unit, in the first half of 2024. The Japanese company has already been in talks on collaboration with existing taxi operators Teito Motor Transportation Co. and Kokusai Motorcars Co. The driverless taxi service will use the Cruise Origin, a vehicle developed jointly by Honda, GM and GM Cruise to allow six people to ride simultaneously, face-to-face. All procedures, from hailing to payment, will be handled through a smartphone app. Passengers will be able to relax in the large cabin space without a driver, Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe told a press conference in Tokyo. Under the service, Honda, GM and GM Cruise are considering creating an environment comfortable for elderly people and people with disabilities, and providing music and videos to passengers, Mibe said. Japan lifted a ban on Level 4 autonomous driving in April. In Fukui Prefecture, central Japan, an electric cart transportation service using the technology started in May. Driverless taxis are expected to help address driver shortages in the country, but they must meet strict safety standards. Vehicles with no driver's seat face especially high hurdles to get regulatory approval, people familiar with the situation said. Mibe said that the three companies first need to obtain approval for the Cruise Origin. END