Japan Govt revises Road Traffic Law, change will require no Drivers License for some Vehicles

From Jiji

March 4 2022

TOKYO – The Japanese government Friday adopted a bill to revise the road traffic law to realize mobility services with Level 4 autonomy, which does not require a driver in the vehicle.

The bill, to be introduced during the current session of the Diet, Japan’s parliament, calls for a permit system for businesses providing such services.

Also planned are new rules on the use of electric kick scooters and automated delivery robots, attracting attention as new means of transportation and delivery.

If the bill is enacted, the new rules will come into force within a year for automated driving and delivery robots and within two years for electric scooters.

The government aims to realize by around fiscal 2022 mobility services using unmanned autonomous vehicles with remote monitoring as means of transportation for elderly people in depopulated areas.