Japan aims for 10,000 self-driving vehicles by fiscal 2030

Japan's government is establishing a nationwide communication infrastructure to support its goal of having 10,000 autonomous vehicles on the road by fiscal 2030. This initiative aims to spur domestic automakers to accelerate the development and adoption of Level 4 self-driving technology, which requires no human input.

The target, which includes buses, taxis, and trucks, replaces the current objective of establishing 100 self-driving service locations by fiscal 2027. The move is partly driven by Japan's worsening driver shortages.

Studies will be conducted to ensure the safety of these autonomous systems through accident analysis. The government also intends to promote cooperation between automakers and telecommunications companies to facilitate the rollout of this advanced technology.