newmo, a startup taxi company, and KDDI announced a capital alliance. They aim to commence autonomous taxi operations in Sakai, Osaka, in 2028 and are proceeding with demonstration runs.
newmo and KDDI announced that they had entered into a capital and business alliance. They have set 2028 as the target for commencing commercial autonomous taxi operations in Sakai.
newmo has an operating track record involving approximately 1,900 vehicles in Osaka, Kanagawa and elsewhere, and is using KDDI's data centers to develop a new autonomous driving system. From spring onward, it plans to conduct demonstration runs in Sakai and Osaka, with a view to eventually rolling out the autonomous driving system to other taxi companies.
During the initial phase of commercial operations, a driver will ride on board, and the fare structure will be considered in the future. The government has set a target of expanding the adoption of autonomous taxis and buses to 10,000 vehicles by FY2030.