Japan steps up self-driving to revive rural areas, help elderly

Japan is expanding the use of self-driving vehicles to more locations by 2025, with the aim to assist the elderly in rural areas. —Bloomberg

Japan is bolstering its autonomous driving ambitions with a new project to be formally introduced Wednesday to expand the use of self-driving vehicles in more than 40 locations around the country by 2025.

The "Road to the L4” project aims to popularize advanced mobility services including Level 4 autonomous driving, wherein vehicles can operate without a human at the wheel. It will include demonstrations of the technology to promote acceptance and understanding, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. One of the goals is to help revitalize communities.