Problems Found in 1st Year of Level 4 Self-Driving Service in Japan

From Jiji

June 3 2024

Eiheiji, Fukui Pref. – Technical and financial problems have been identified in the year since Japan’s first transportation service using so-called Level 4 autonomous driving began in the town of Eiheiji, Fukui Prefecture.

Amid the country’s declining population, Level 4 autonomous driving, or fully automated driving under certain conditions, is viewed as a promising means of transport. The service in the central Japan town, however, has shown hurdles that must be cleared.

On May 28, 2023, the service was launched on a 2-kilometer section of a walkway in Eiheiji. It is available only on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays.

A one-way trip on a seven-seat vehicle, with a top speed of 12 kilometers per hour, takes around 10 minutes.

Level 4 operations became possible on public roads and ways when the revised road traffic law went into effect in April last year. A public-private entity in Eiheiji became the first in Japan to obtain permission for such operations, in order to run the autonomous service in the town.