A van moves steadily through the city streets, gently braking when a car swerves into its lane. However, the steering wheel is turning on its own, and there’s no driver behind the wheel.
The driverless technology used in this van, developed by Nissan Motor Corp., relies on 14 cameras, nine radars, and six LiDAR sensors installed throughout the vehicle. This technology emphasizes Japan’s push to catch up with leaders in autonomous driving, such as Google’s Waymo in the U.S.
While Japan is home to some of the world’s top automakers, it has lagged behind in the global race toward autonomous driving, which has largely been led by China and the U.S. However, there is growing momentum.
Waymo is set to enter Japan this year. While specific details are still undisclosed, the company has formed a partnership with major taxi service Nihon Kotsu. This collaboration will bring Waymo’s all-electric Jaguar I-PACE sport-utility vehicles to Tokyo, with human drivers initially accompanying the ride.
During a demonstration by Nissan, the streets were busy with cars and pedestrians. The vehicle adhered to the area’s speed limit of 40 kph (25 mph) and followed its route, which was set using a smartphone app.
Takeshi Kimura, an engineer at Nissan’s Mobility and AI Laboratory, believes that automakers are better equipped to integrate self-driving technology with a vehicle’s overall system because of their deep knowledge of cars.
He explained, “To adapt sensors to a car’s movements and to monitor sensors and computers for reliability and safety, it’s crucial to understand the entire automotive system.” Kimura shared these insights during a recent demonstration, where reporters took a short ride.
Nissan’s technology, currently being tested on its Serena minivan, is still classified as Level Two in the industry. This is because a person is stationed at a remote control panel outside the vehicle, in this case, at Nissan’s headquarters, ready to intervene if the system encounters a problem.
During test rides, Nissan also has a human in the front passenger seat, ready to take control of the vehicle if necessary. Unless an issue arises, the people in the remote control room and the passenger seat remain inactive.
Nissan plans to have 20 such autonomous vehicles operating in the Yokohama area in the next few years, with the goal of reaching Level Four autonomy by 2029 or 2030. Level Four means no human involvement, even as a backup.
Autonomous vehicles could address real challenges in Japan, such as its shrinking population and the shortage of drivers.
Other companies in Japan, including startups like Tier IV, are also working on autonomous driving technology, with an emphasis on open-source collaboration.
While Japan has approved Level Four autonomous vehicles in rural areas of Fukui Prefecture, these vehicles resemble golf carts. A Level Four bus is currently operating in a limited area near Tokyo’s Haneda airport, but its top speed is just 12 kmph (7.5 mph). In contrast, Nissan’s autonomous vehicle is a fully functional car capable of operating at regular speeds and performing all its mechanical functions.
Toyota Motor Corp. recently unveiled its own “city” or living space near Mount Fuji, designed for its employees and partnering startups. This area is specifically being developed to test various technologies, including autonomous driving.
However, progress has been slow.
Takeo Igarashi, a professor at the University of Tokyo who specializes in computer and information technology, believes there are still significant challenges. He points out that people tend to be more alarmed by accidents involving driverless vehicles compared to traditional car crashes.
“In human driving, the driver is clearly responsible. But with no one at the wheel, it’s unclear who is accountable,” Igarashi explained.
In Japan, the expectations for commercial services are extremely high, he adds. Customers expect perfection, whether it’s from a restaurant, a driver, or any service. Autonomous driving, being a service offered by companies, must meet these high standards. Even a small mistake is unacceptable.
Nissan asserts that its technology is safe, noting that while humans can’t simultaneously monitor all areas around a car, the driverless car can, thanks to its sensors.
During a recent demonstration, when a system failure occurred, the car simply stopped, and everything was fine.
Phil Koopman, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, believes the autonomous vehicle industry is still in its early stages.
The primary challenge is dealing with “edge cases”—rare but potentially dangerous situations that the vehicle has not yet been programmed to handle. According to Koopman, it will take time and the use of large autonomous fleets to teach vehicles how to manage these edge cases.
Koopman also emphasized that each city will require unique engineering solutions and the establishment of specialized remote support centers. The deployment of autonomous vehicles will be a gradual, city-by-city process over many years.
“There’s no magic switch,” he said.