Kawasaki City to Equip Autonomous Buses with New "Route Generation AI"

Kawasaki City will equip its autonomous driving system with a new "route generation AI" that independently determines the optimal driving path, aiming for Level 4 implementation of autonomous buses in fiscal year 2027. This year's test runs will incorporate this new AI.

Previously, AI was only used for object recognition around the autonomous bus, and the driving route was determined by the autonomous driving system based on pre-set rules. By newly incorporating the "route generation AI," the AI will now handle action planning and prediction, such as how to proceed, aiming for smoother driving closer to human operation and further improvement in the autonomous driving rate.

Under the "KAWASAKI L4 Bus Project," the city aims to implement Level 4 (L4) autonomous buses in urban areas to foster a sustainable transportation environment. This project has been selected as a priority support project by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's "Project for Promoting the Social Implementation of Autonomous Driving." This marks the third consecutive year of selection.

*1 Level 4 refers to fully autonomous driving where the system handles all driving operations under specific conditions such as location, weather, and speed.

Project Website

Implementation Overview

Driving Period

Early July 2026 to late January 2027 (driving with manual and Level 2*2 operation).

This year, there are no plans for public trial rides as the focus will be on learning runs with the introduction of the route generation AI.

*2 Level 2 refers to autonomous driving where the system partially controls both the accelerator/brake and steering, assisting the driver.

Vehicle

Vehicle Size

Medium-sized bus

Vehicle Name

Minibus 2.0

Vehicle Manufacturer

Tier IV

Passenger Capacity

16 people (including the driver's seat during autonomous operation).

Maximum Speed

40 km/h (during autonomous operation) *3

*3 This is an improvement of 5 km/h from the previous speed.

Driving Route

Name

Haneda Line

Section

Daishibashi Station to Tenkubashi Station *4

Distance

Approximately 8.9 km (round trip)

*4 The route will change from Tonomachi Street to National Route 409.

* The driving period, vehicle, and driving route are based on information available at the time of this press release and are subject to change.

About the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's "Project for Promoting the Social Implementation of Autonomous Driving"

This project aims to build and continuously provide sustainable mobility services utilizing autonomous driving technology by subsidizing expenses for initiatives that promote community development using autonomous driving. This includes implementing year-round autonomous driving operations rooted in the community, enhancing technologies for Level 4 autonomous driving mobility services, and examining business viability, thereby increasing societal acceptance. The application period was from March 27, 2026, to April 30, 2026.

By being selected for this project, Kawasaki City will receive subsidies for expenses related to demonstration experiments for Level 4 autonomous driving implementation. This will enable the city to systematically and efficiently achieve Level 4 autonomous driving implementation to secure mobility options for its citizens. Furthermore, it will contribute to enhancing the city's brand as a model region for the social implementation of autonomous driving technology.

【Project Category and Subsidy Details】

Project Category

Details

Subsidy Rate

Maximum Subsidy Amount

Priority Support Project

Projects that can be replicated as pioneering/excellent examples of regional public transportation

4/5

400 million yen

General Support Project

Projects, excluding Priority Support Projects, where Level 4 implementation is expected in the near future

4/5

200 million yen

Labor Saving Support Project

Projects that have already implemented Level 4 and are addressing technical challenges to reduce labor

2/5

20 million yen

* Kawasaki City was selected as a Priority Support Project.

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism HP

Inquiries

Fujishima, Transportation Policy Office, Urban Development Bureau, Kawasaki City

Phone: 044-200-1485