A SoftBank Group Corp. affiliate has teamed up with an Estonian startup in a bid to accelerate Japan’s efforts to mobilize self-driving buses in 50 locations by 2025.
(Bloomberg) — A SoftBank Group Corp. affiliate has teamed up with an Estonian startup in a bid to accelerate Japan’s efforts to mobilize self-driving buses in 50 locations by 2025.
Tokyo-based Boldly Inc. plans to have self-driving buses operating in eight new areas in Japan this fiscal year to cater to rapidly aging communities. The diminutive, eight-seater driverless transporters will be manufactured by Estonia-based Auve Tech, Boldly said in a statement.
The SoftBank Corp.-owned startup is also in discussion with government officials on potential rule changes and a budget hike for next-generation public transportation systems in the world’s oldest country, according to Yuki Saji, Boldly’s chief executive officer. The first of Auve’s buses, branded MiCa, is expected to start commercial services this summer after seeking regulatory approval.
“SoftBank’s biggest strengths are in mobile networks and, going forward, cars will be among the products most in need of both mobility and connectivity,” Saji said in an interview. “I feel like I’m representing the whole country’s interest in this.”
Saji and his team introduced Japan’s first commercial self-driving vehicle in 2020 at the height of the Covid-19 outbreak by partnering with a French automaker. His goal is to cover 10 to 15 new locations every year with self-driving buses, helping the government reach its target.
It’s no easy task, as finding suppliers capable of addressing all technical needs and specifications has proven an ongoing challenge. Boldly decided on partnering with Auve after tapping more than 30 companies.
Still, Saji said it’s crucial for Japan to adopt next-generation technology to help its increasingly aging population move about freely. The government must push for change and secure a sufficient budget for the transition as Japan has a total of about 1,700 local governments to cover, the Boldly CEO said.
For Estonia’s ambassador to Japan, Väino Reinart, there’s only reason for optimism. He recalls his early days in his current post, bemoaning the imbalance in what goods were being traded between the two nations — Japan was selling various high-tech goods to Estonia, while his home country was selling timber to the Asian country.
“If someone back then had said that, before my tenure here in Japan comes to an end, Estonia starts selling self-driving cars to Japan, one would probably have faced encouraging smiles at best,” Reinart told a group of reporters this week. “For me, this is indeed a most unusual opportunity to celebrate.”
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