The Tokyo University of Technology (TUT) has signed a consortium agreement with Hachioji City to introduce autonomous driving technology for public transport in western Tokyo. The initiative has been selected under Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) Regional Public Transportation Securing, Maintenance and Improvement Projects – Project for Promoting the Social Implementation of Automated Driving for fiscal year 2026. Under the agreement, the partners will jointly conduct autonomous bus demonstration trials, undertake technical verification of autonomous driving technologies, and develop AI- and digital transformation (DX)-based operational models to address driver shortages and improve regional mobility.
The consortium will implement demonstration services during fiscal year 2026 between the new Soto no Mori multipurpose facility, scheduled to open in October 2026, and JR Hachioji Station, as well as between the Tokyo University of Technology’s Hachioji campus and JR Hachioji Station. The project builds on autonomous school bus trials launched by the university in March 2026. Technical activities will include evaluating vehicle safety, operational methods, and AI-enabled management systems. The autonomous buses will utilise LiDAR sensors, cameras, and onboard monitoring systems to support automated operation.
The initiative forms part of Japan’s broader efforts to strengthen regional public transport through autonomous mobility solutions. Hachioji City aims to maintain and expand local transport services amid a growing shortage of bus drivers, while recent legislative amendments promoting the revitalisation of regional public transportation provide additional support for the deployment of autonomous mobility. The Tokyo University of Technology, which entered into an AI/DX cooperation agreement with Hachioji City in 2025, will contribute its expertise in artificial intelligence and digital technologies to support the project’s implementation.
