On June 28, 2023, Yasutoshi Nishimura, the Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry, visited SoftBank’s autonomous driving field test being carried out in Takeshiba area.

During the visit, demonstrations were given of an AI platform* optimizing autonomous driving operations and remote monitoring. The Minister asked specific questions regarding the AI technology being utilized.

The Minister commented, "I have great respect for SoftBank’s efforts in working on various projects without forgetting the startup venture spirit. While various companies are competing to gather technology using their own methods, SoftBank is making progress in efficient remote monitoring using AI while ensuring safety. I have high expectations for these efforts and wish to encourage your initiatives and challenges.”

The SoftBank Research Institute of Advanced Technology plans to continue various initiatives aimed at the implementation of autonomous driving. As for the specific contents related to this field test, it is planned to be published after August, so please look forward to it.

■ The Inspection Visit

*Press Release: SoftBank Corp. Begins Conducting Autonomous Driving
Field Tests to Realize Fully Automated Driving Operations
https://www.softbank.jp/en/corp/news/press/sbkk/2023/20230310_01/