Tier IV has been selected for a project funded by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to explore opportunities to accelerate the adoption of autonomous driving in the public sector.
Building on the technologies and expertise developed through this project, the company aims to accelerate solutions to pressing social challenges, such as an aging population and driver shortages, in municipalities beyond the metropolitan area.
Tier IV’s autonomous driving technology will power a National Diet shuttle service, connecting government buildings in central Tokyo along an approximately 3.5km route. This pilot deployment aims to address the technical challenges of operating autonomous vehicles in dense urban environments, while also establishing standardized specifications and operational processes that can serve as a reference for future public procurement.
The autonomous shuttle began operation on November 20, 2025, with Suzuki’s Solio selected for the service. The system is powered by Autoware, an open-source software for autonomous driving, and implemented using Tier IV’s robotaxi reference design.
Through analysis of real-world driving data and user feedback, the project will involve quantitative and qualitative evaluations of the operational design domain and development challenges specific to complex cityscapes. The resulting insights will be used to help shape frameworks and procurement processes tailored to advanced autonomous mobility services, to accelerate adoption across national and local government agencies in Japan.
In related news, WeRide approved for driverless robotaxi operations in Switzerland