Key facts
- Japan's transport ministry is considering uniform certification for Level 4 and Level 5 driverless vehicles, Nikkei reported.
- The ministry plans to apply revised safety standards from December, according to the Nikkei report.
- Vehicles certified under the rules would not need steering wheels, pedals, rearview mirrors or driver monitoring systems.
- An MLIT official said the revision is meant to help Japan reach its target of 10,000 Level 4-capable vehicles by fiscal 2030.
Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism is considering revising auto safety certification standards to include uniform rules for self-driving vehicles that lack steering wheels, brakes and accelerator pedals, according to a Nikkei report dated November 2, 2026. The ministry plans to apply the revised standards from December, the report said.