Nissan to launch autonomous driving pilot in Yokohama

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., in collaboration with Moplus Co., Ltd. and KDDI Corporation, has announced a large-scale demonstration experiment for autonomous driving mobility services in Yokohama, Japan. Scheduled for 2026, the project will take place in the Minato Mirai, Sakuragicho, and Kannai urban areas.

The experiment will be conducted in two phases from October 1 to December 18, 2026. Utilizing Nissan Serena-based vehicles, the project aims to identify operational challenges, build a service ecosystem, and verify driverless capabilities through remote monitoring. The 2026 scale is an expansion from previous years, featuring 10 vehicles and 28 boarding/alighting locations.

The testing will utilize SAE Level 2 autonomous driving with safety drivers on board to gather data for future Level 4 implementation. Key focus areas include analyzing communication congestion during multi-vehicle operations and assessing the data quality required for remote monitoring. Recruitment for approximately 500 general monitors has commenced for the first phase.