Good afternoon.
October 19, 2023.
Honda has announced plans to offer a self-driving cab service in Tokyo in 2026 and is partnering with GM-Cruise in the U.S. The article jumped out at me.

I am writing this note as a reminder to myself for later memorization.

I was surprised at this announcement that popped in yesterday, and at the same time I thought it was surprisingly quick. However, I also believe that most of the Japanese people in the world probably would not even consider it as an announcement that they had never even dreamed of.

When I saw this article yesterday, I immediately searched for related information on Youtube. I found that images of the same type of vehicle were already uploaded on YouTube 3 years ago. Also, Honda has already partnered with GM-Cruise in the U.S. and has experience in demonstration tests. Perhaps this vehicle is already on the West Coast. (Please comment if you have any information)

Why do I think this announcement is realistic?
This is because Honda already has a proven track record.
It is the "Honda Jet".

If you recall, a few years ago, Honda was competing with Mitsubishi in the development of a small jet airliner. The "HondaJet" now exists as a private jet that flies around the world, while Mitsubishi's plan was abandoned.
This was a victory for Honda, which had obtained certification in the U.S., over Mitsubishi, which had insisted on type certification in Japan.
It is very difficult to start something new in Japan.
Honda understands this.
I believe that Honda will also break through the certification of self-driving cabs by importing them from the U.S. or something.

Another important factor is electric vehicles.
I currently drive an electric car called "Nissan LEAF" to work every day.
I have been in the automobile industry for 40 years. The LEAF, which I have been driving since June of this year, is a completely different vehicle from gasoline-powered cars.
As you all know, it runs on a motor.
So it doesn't need gears, plugs, or gasoline like a gasoline car. This means that computer control is easy.
I have been driving with "one pedal drive" since I got into LEAF. This means that during normal driving, the car stops by regenerative braking even if the brake pedal is not pressed. (For more information, please search for "regenerative braking") In other words, you can drive with just the accelerator pedal. In other words, you can drive with just the accelerator pedal.

Next, sensors.
Even the Leaf (lol) has sensors in the front, rear, diagonally, and vertically.
The control to avoid collision by this alone is amazing.
Even though I drive every day, it is a world of difference from the previous Crown cab cars that only had simple backward sensors.
Almost all new cars these days are equipped with this collision safety device.
An auto mechanic I know lamented that "sheet metal repairs have been decreasing recently," but I am sure that these devices have contributed to the decrease in the number of accidents.

Finally, and I think this is the most important keyword, self-driving cars are "smartphones.
Unfortunately, "Nissan LEAF" is a motor-driven car.
It is not a "running smartphone.
Tesla and Honda's cab are also "smartphones" in the same way.
So it is understandable why they are suddenly in "Tokyo". It is also understandable.
Communication infrastructure is essential for automated driving.
The latest 5G and 6G communication systems will be necessary. To realize this, I think Tokyo is the only choice, not a rural area.
At first, they are probably thinking about deployment in the central part of Tokyo. After that, I can imagine that the services will be expanded as the infrastructure is developed.

The iPhone was born in 2007, right?
The world has changed drastically in 16 years.
AI is already changing the world.
Times will change much faster than I can imagine, won't they?
Should I be happy about it? How about it?

#smartphone
#taxi
#auto-driving