Japan’s Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) have unveiled its plans to embark on testing driverless vehicle technology in collaboration with Toyota Motor. Moreover, NTT intends to invest approximately 10 billion yen (USD 66.91 million) in the U.S. startup May Mobility. This move underlines the increasing momentum behind self-driving technology in Japan.
Driverless vehicle tests by 2025
NTT is setting its sights on commencing tests involving autonomous buses and taxis by as early as 2025. Such tests represent a crucial step toward the development and deployment of autonomous transportation solutions.
Investment in May Mobility
The decision to invest in May Mobility aligns with NTT’s strategy to actively participate in the advancement of autonomous driving technology. May Mobility, a U.S.-based startup, has previously garnered interest from Japanese firms. In 2021, insurer Tokio Marine participated in a USD 111 million funding round for May Mobility. Additionally, a venture capital unit associated with Toyota co-led a seed investment in the company back in 2018.
Collaboration with Toyota
While initial reports suggested that both NTT and Toyota would jointly develop autonomous vehicles, both companies have clarified that they have no such plans for collaboration beyond the driverless vehicle testing initiative. Toyota has not provided further comments on the matter.
Growing interest in autonomous driving
NTT’s increased involvement in autonomous driving technology mirrors the growing interest in self-driving vehicles within the Japanese automotive industry. Just last month, Honda announced its intention to establish a joint venture with General Motors and GM’s robo-taxi subsidiary, Cruise. The goal is to launch a driverless ride service in Japan as early as 2026.
Cruise’s recent setback
However, it’s worth noting that autonomous driving technology still faces challenges. In the same month when Honda made its announcement, Cruise suspended all of its driverless vehicle operations in the United States. The decision followed an accident that led California regulators to order the removal of Cruise’s driverless cars from state roads. Such incidents highlight the complexities and safety concerns associated with self-driving technology.
As autonomous driving technology advances, the collaboration between NTT and Toyota, along with NTT’s investment in May Mobility, will be closely monitored for the developments they bring to the evolving landscape of driverless transportation solutions.