Osaka City, newmo, and Yumeshima Kotsu Sign Partnership Agreement to Realize Autonomous Taxi Services

Osaka City, newmo Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Naoki Aoyagi, hereinafter "newmo"), and newmo group company Yumeshima Kotsu Inc. (Headquarters: Osaka City, Osaka; President and CEO: Yoko Imoto, hereinafter "Yumeshima Kotsu") have signed a "Partnership Agreement for the Realization of Autonomous Taxi Services."

■ Background and Purpose of the Agreement 

This agreement aims to provide a new transportation service using autonomous taxis, with the three parties collaborating and cooperating with each other.

newmo and Yumeshima Kotsu will work on the social implementation of a new transportation service using cutting-edge autonomous driving technology, based on the fact that mobility is positioned as a growth industry field in the "Beyond EXPO 2025 ~Growth Strategy for Post-Expo Growth and Development as a Vice-Capital~" advocated by Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City.

Through this, they will contribute to the materialization of Osaka's growth strategy and aim to solve social issues such as improving safety and convenience and addressing the shortage of taxi drivers by "promoting the introduction of autonomous taxis."

Under this agreement, the three parties will collaborate and cooperate on the following matters:

1. Regarding demonstration experiments for autonomous taxis

2. Regarding the establishment of a system with related organizations

3. Regarding the coordination and securing of demonstration driving areas, etc.

4. Other matters necessary to achieve the objectives

■ Future Outlook and Roadmap 

The newmo group will promote the social implementation of autonomous taxis by combining its taxi business infrastructure of 1,400 vehicles nationwide with the latest technology.

1. Demonstration experiment in the Maishima area (from May 2026) As an immediate initiative, we will begin driving experiments in a closed space and demonstration experiments on public roads with low traffic volume in the Maishima area of Konohana-ku, Osaka City.

• Technology stage: Level 2 (autonomous driving under specific conditions, with a safety driver on board)

• Content: Data collection of the driving environment and verification of safety

2. Development for commercialization (target 2028)