Tokyo (AFP) – Uber announced Thursday its first robotaxi partnership in Japan, teaming up with Nissan and British artificial intelligence autonomous driving startup Wayve for a trial this year in Tokyo. Companies worldwide, from Alphabet subsidiary Waymo to Tesla and China’s Apollo Go, are racing to roll out self-driving taxi services, although the actual level of autonomy on offer varies.
Wayve — which announced an $8.6 billion valuation last month — is a pioneer in the development of vehicle AI that learns from the environment instead of relying on pre-mapped routes. Nissan is integrating Wayve’s AI-powered systems into its cars, and Uber and Wayve are already planning commercial robotaxi trials in London this year. The three companies said Thursday they plan a pilot deployment of robotaxis in Tokyo “by late 2026,” subject to approval from authorities.
A trained safety operator will be in the Nissan car as part of the trial. “This will be an experience where AI will drive the vehicle, you can hail it through the Uber app, and it will be supervised by a safety operator,” Wayve co-founder Alex Kendall told a news conference. Wayve’s robotaxi rollout with Uber “includes planned services across more than 10 cities worldwide, including London,” the companies said.
Tokyo is “one of the world’s most challenging markets” for robotaxis due to its “dense traffic patterns, complex road layouts and high safety standards,” they added. Wayve has said it intends to deploy its autonomous driving software in consumer vehicles made by Nissan in fiscal 2027. Nissan is on a bumpy road to recovery after being squeezed by an ultra-competitive business environment and US trade tariffs — just a few years after former boss Carlos Ghosn’s shock arrest and escape from Japan.
© 2024 AFP
