Japan is moving to revise safety standards to facilitate the mass production of autonomous vehicles without steering wheels and brake pedals. Previously, each vehicle had to be individually certified for safety, but the new approach will apply common safety standards. This aims to reduce production costs for driverless taxis and buses while increasing design flexibility.
According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun on November 3, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism plans to implement these revised safety standards for 'Level 4' and 'Level 5' autonomous vehicles starting in December. Level 4 refers to vehicles that can operate without a driver under specific conditions, while Level 5 indicates full autonomy in all conditions. The revised standards will be discussed at a vehicle safety review meeting scheduled for November 4. The new international safety standards for vehicles without steering wheels, agreed upon at the United Nations World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP29) in June, are expected to be formally adopted in December, prompting Japan to align its domestic standards accordingly.
The new criteria will eliminate the requirement for steering wheels, pedals, side mirrors, and driver monitoring systems (DMS). This reduction in necessary components will lower production costs and allow for more spacious interior designs. Safety requirements will vary depending on whether the vehicle carries passengers. For vehicles like taxis and buses that transport passengers, crash tests using human-like dummies will still be mandatory. However, cargo transport vehicles that do not carry passengers will not need to undergo these tests. In both cases, safety must be ensured to prevent accidents even if the system fails.
The United States is currently leading in the development and commercialization of Level 4 vehicles. According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, American electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla began deploying its Level 4 driverless taxi, the 'Cybercab,' in September.
The Japanese government aims to increase the number of Level 4 autonomous buses and taxis to 10,000 by 2030. The revision of these standards is part of a plan to accelerate the deployment of such vehicles. A ministry official stated, 'We will make it easier to mass-produce these vehicles to support our deployment goals.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.