Nissan Motor, Boldly, Premier Aid, and Keikyu Corporation have announced details of an autonomous mobility service pilot program to be conducted in Yokohama.
The pilot will run from November 27, 2025 through to January 30, 2026, in urban areas of Yokohama, including Minato Mirai, Sakuragi-cho and Kannai. In collaboration with the City of Yokohama, the four companies will operate a fleet of five autonomous vehicles based on the Nissan Serena minivan.
A dedicated remote monitoring control center named PLOT48 will be established in the nearby Minato Mirai district. The pilot program aims to identify operational challenges and develop an ecosystem that supports the launch of commercial services in FY27.
In conjunction with the launch of the pilot, recruitment of up to 300 members of the public, who will act as general monitors during the trial, has also been introduced. Those who sign up as monitors will receive free transportation within 26 locations along the route, in return for providing feedback that will be used to enhance operations.
Diverse expertise
Nissan Motor will lead the planning and execution of the pilot program, and supply and operate the autonomous vehicles. Boldly will provide the remote monitoring system to support the autonomous driving services. Premier Aid will operate the onboard monitoring system and provide passenger support in the event of an incident or emergency. Keikyu Corporation will support the development of operational and management frameworks from the perspective of a transportation operator.
In April, AAVI caught up with EvolvAD, a consortium of five industry partners leading the UK’s most comprehensive autonomous driving research project, on the completion of its Nissan-backed projects across the UK.
