Next week, Waymo's self-driving vehicles will begin testing on public roads in Japan. Waymo has yet to confirm whether it will launch a commercial robotaxi service in the country, but it calls these first tests a "significant milestone."
Waymo describes it as a simple “road trip” to collect data on the peculiarities of Japanese driving (e.g., left-hand traffic and navigating a dense urban environment). The vehicles will be manually driven for the purposes of collecting mapping data and will be managed by a local taxi fleet operator, Nihon Kotsu.
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Around 25 vehicles are being shipped, with the first one already spotted in a parking lot in Tokyo.
The company needs to carefully control the data it collects, given that Tokyo is a unique environment, with many "narrow winding streets" and thousands of pedestrians and cyclists mixing with vehicle traffic.
Waymo says trained drivers employed by Nihon Kotsu will operate the vehicles in seven areas of Tokyo, including Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Chūō, Shinagawa and Kōtō. Waymo opts for manual driving when arriving in a new city so its engineers can collect data on local traffic patterns and road characteristics.
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Although the company's vehicles have only just arrived, Waymo says it has already laid the groundwork, training drivers and fleet managers from GO, a popular taxi app in Japan. The company has also been coordinating with local officials, government agencies and first responders for the test.
Waymo currently operates a commercial robotaxi service in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Austin and plans to expand to Silicon Valley, Atlanta, Miami and Washington. The company also said it will conduct road trip tests in San Diego and Las Vegas.
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The testing in Japan is an exciting development for Waymo and the future of autonomous driving. By expanding its technology to international markets, Waymo is taking a significant step toward realizing its vision of safe, efficient, and accessible transportation for all. With continued advancements in safety, artificial intelligence, and global partnerships, Waymo is paving the way for a world where autonomous vehicles are not just an idea, but a reality.
Source: www.theverge.com
