Global autonomous driving company Autonomous A2G (CEO Ji-hyung Han, hereinafter A2G) announced on the 6th that it will provide its technology to the autonomous taxi demonstration project being conducted in Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan.
This demonstration, jointly promoted by Tokushima Prefecture, Nippon Electric Corporation (NEC), and Tenno Kotsu, will run for approximately two months, from February 6 to March 31. The goal is to verify the operational stability and technological reliability of autonomous taxis by operating them on actual public roads in the western part of Naruto City.
A2Z's participation in this demonstration follows a business agreement signed with Japanese general trading company Kanematsu last August for entry into the Japanese and global markets and joint commercialization. A2Z provided the autonomous driving technology and vehicles, while Kanematsu acted as a Japanese business partner to drive the demonstration.
The demonstration will involve a Hyundai Ioniq 5 equipped with A2G's Level 4 autonomous driving system. A2G holds the record for the longest driving distance in Korea, with 82 vehicles driving 940,000 km in 14 cities and provinces, including Seoul, Gyeongju, and Hadong. It also has experience conducting demonstrations in Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.
Self-driving taxis operate free of charge at 27 pick-up and drop-off points, including Naruto City's Awaodori Airport, from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM daily. Local taxi operator Passenger Soft is in charge of operations, and a safety driver is on board to intervene when necessary.
This demonstration will utilize a hybrid operation management model that links A2G's autonomous driving control system, NEC's service platform, and Tenno Kotsu's dispatch system. This allows for integrated operation with existing taxi dispatching, improving human and material efficiency. Plans are also underway to introduce Level 4 fully autonomous vehicles in Tokushima Prefecture.
A2Z plans to collaborate with Kanematsu to build a self-driving taxi model suitable for local taxi operators in Japan, complement local transportation services weakened by population decline and aging, and create a safe and sustainable next-generation mobility environment.
Han Ji-hyung, CEO of A2G, said, “This demonstration is a meaningful case that verifies autonomous driving services in the local Japanese traffic environment. Based on our domestic and international demonstration experience and operational know-how, we will gradually verify a service model suitable for the Japanese market.”
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