As reported earlier by SoftBank News, BOLDLY Inc., an autonomous driving systems development and service subsidiary of SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434), brought a new autonomous EV shuttle called “MiCa” from Estonia to Japan for initial demonstration runs in May 2023. On October 4, 2024, the Japanese version of MiCa developed by Auve Tech in collaboration with BOLDLY received license plates from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. This means the Level 4* autonomous EV shuttle achieved a significant milestone toward being operated on Japan’s public roads.
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Level 4 vehicles can conduct driving tasks without human intervention in limited areas.
BOLDLY plans to conduct demonstration runs using MiCa on public roads at six locations across Japan in the 2023 fiscal year, which ends on March 31, 2024, in collaboration with local governments. BOLDLY will continue to conduct demonstration runs using its operation management platform called "Dispatcher" and promote the use of MiCa for public transportation. As the exclusive agent for MiCa in Japan, BOLDLY is aiming to sell 15 MiCa vehicles before the end of fiscal 2023.
To address mobility challenges, an increasing number of local governments and companies in Japan are looking to introduce autonomous vehicles. The supply of these vehicles, however, is not keeping up with demand. As Japan’s leading company for the practical application of autonomous shuttles, BOLDLY is leveraging its expertise and track record to continuously survey autonomous vehicles from Japan and around the world to address Japan’s mobility challenges. By strengthening collaborations with manufacturers, BOLDLY will work to ensure that vehicles from various manufacturers meet Japan's specific safety standards.
(Posted on October 27, 2023)
by SoftBank News Editors
