Last year Californian autonomous driving company Waymo partnered with Japanese taxi platform GO, and Nihon Kotsu, Tokyo’s largest taxi company.
The partnership was formed to introduce Waymo’s autonomous vehicles to Japan. Since then, Waymo conducted training sessions with Nihon Kotsu and GO teams, focusing on best practices for autonomous fleet operations management.
Soon Nihon Kotsu drivers will begin manually driving Waymo’s vehicles in Tokyo, across several wards of Japan’s capital city including Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Chūō, Shinagawa, and Kōtō.
Nicole Gavel, Senior Director, Head of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships, Waymo, said:
“After months of strong collaboration with Nihon Kotsu and GO, Waymo has reached a historic milestone— our first venture on international public roads.”
During these drives in the Japanese capital, the cars will collect data to create 3D maps of the city and gather experience from professional drivers to inform the development of Waymo’s technology for Japan.
Ichiro Kawanabe, Chairman of GO, Board Director of Nihon Kotsu and Chairman of the Japan Taxi Association, said:
“I took my first ride with Waymo in Phoenix a year and a half ago and was amazed that there was really no one in the driver’s seat. That was the moment I was convinced that autonomous driving technology could absolutely benefit Japan.”
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