Autonomous bus test starts at “michi no ekiˮ rest area

September 3, 2017

TOCHIGI- A test of self-driving bus services organized by the transport ministry started on Saturday at a "michi no eki" roadside rest area in Tochigi Prefecture, eastern Japan, ahead of any other places in the country.

The Japanese ministry hopes to launch the autonomous bus services in fiscal 2020, aiming to provide a means of transportation to elderly people living in hilly and mountainous areas with falling populations.

On Saturday, a ceremony to mark the launch of the test and a test-ride event were held in the city of Tochigi, with participants including transport minister Keiichi Ishii.

According to the ministry, 80 pct of michi no eki rest areas in Japan are in hilly and mountainous areas. Of them, 40 pct are located within one kilometer from municipal government offices or medical institutions. Jiji Press