Tsukuba City to launch autonomous bus service in October 2026

Tsukuba City, the University of Tsukuba, Kanto Railway, KDDI, and KDDI Smart Mobility will launch full-scale autonomous bus operations on the ‘Tsukuba University Circulation’ route starting October 2, 2026. The initiative is part of the ‘Tsukuba Autonomous Driving Social Implementation Promotion Project Consortium,’ which aims to address bus driver shortages and maintain regional public transport.

During the 2026 fiscal year, the service will operate at Level 2 automation, where systems assist with driving operations. The city aims to achieve Level 4, fully driverless automation, by the 2027 fiscal year. The buses will have a maximum speed of 40 km/h, a capacity of 15 passengers, and fares ranging from 190 to 310 yen.

This project utilizes a first-of-its-kind legal exception allowing a national university corporation to lease land for business purposes. Under this arrangement, Kanto Railway has established a new bus depot on the University of Tsukuba campus to serve as the operational base. The service will run Monday through Friday, excluding weekends, public holidays, and the New Year period.