Racing for Olympics:

Japanese robotics maker ZMP Inc has partnered a taxi operator in Tokyo as part of its plans to launch a self-driving taxi in the city in time for the 2020 Olympics.

TOKYO: Japanese robotics maker ZMP Inc has partnered with a taxi operator in Tokyo, as part of its plans to launch a self-driving taxi in the city in time for the 2020 Olympics, CEO Hisashi Taniguchi said.

Japan’s taxi industry, faced with a labour crunch due to an ageing population, has been looking at new technologies to drive growth.

The sector may also have to deal with more competition in the future if the government allows ride-sharing services such as Uber to operate across the country.

“Autonomous taxis and the taxi industry can grow and prosper together,” Taniguchi told reporters, after announcing ZMP’s partnership with Hinomaru Kotsu.

Hinomaru said it had 607 cars and that it was one of the top ten Tokyo taxi firms by fleet size.

“We have been trying to improve diversity by hiring more new graduates, women and foreigners, but this will not be enough to ease labour shortages,” Hinomaru president Kazutaka Tomita said.

“We will have to compensate for the lack of supply by using autonomous driving technology.”

ZMP is developing automated driving hardware and software based on laser and stereo cameras, which it hopes to sell to transportation companies and automakers.

In a country famous as much for its auto industry as its fascination with robots, ZMP is one of a few start-ups developing self-driving cars to compete with foreign firms including US’ nuTonomy and China’s Future Mobility.

ZMP has been testing self-driving vehicles that also have someone in the driving seat on Tokyo roads since 2016, and is planning to set up a fleet of such taxis to ferry athletes and guests around the city for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It hopes to test autonomous cars without a driver this year.—