Japan will start testing driverless public buses from 2027

Japan plans to start testing driverless public buses from the fiscal year 2027, aiming to promote the automation of public transportation.

Japanese media reported that the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan stated that this experiment will introduce a remote monitoring system on buses, allowing the vehicles to automatically perform driving and passenger services. This is equivalent to the fourth level of autonomous driving classification, meaning that the vehicles can operate autonomously under specific conditions without human intervention.

Autonomous driving is divided into five levels, ranging from the zeroth level where there is no automation at all, to the fifth level where the vehicle can drive completely autonomously.

Japan has previously conducted fourth-level autonomous driving tests, but these were mostly limited to small vehicles or those with drivers present. To truly promote driverless buses, a supporting system needs to be developed so that the vehicles can automatically open and close doors, display destination information, and handle passenger services and other requirements.

Bus operators, commercial vehicle manufacturers, and developers of remote monitoring systems can apply to participate in this trial. The application deadline is July 29th.