Nissan Motor Co has announced its roadmap to commercialise its in-house-developed, autonomous-drive mobility services in Japan.
This it says is a significant step towards the company’s long-term vision, Nissan Ambition 2030, to empower mobility by solving transportation service issues faced by local communities in Japan.
Local communities have been facing several mobility challenges, such as driver shortages, which are a result of an ageing population. With this service, Nissan aims to provide a broad range of new services that enable free movement.
The OEM says it has been testing business models for mobility services in Japan and abroad since 2017. These vicinities include the Minato Mirai area of Yokohama and Namie town, Fukushima Prefecture, where a manned mobility service called Namie Smart Mobility has been in operation since 2021. Outside Japan, Nissan has been testing autonomous-drive mobility in London and other areas with the support of the UK government.
Equipped with this knowledge, Nissan plans to begin offering autonomous-drive mobility services starting in FY2027, working with third parties such as local authorities and transport operators. Nissan will begin trials in the Minato Mirai area in FY2024, and eventually scale up the trials the following fiscal year. During the trials, the level of autonomous driving will be gradually enhanced while assessing customer acceptance, with the aim to provide driverless services.
