Tokyo plans to transform itself into a hub of self-driving vehicles over the next four years. Janet Burns writes for Forbes that the effort is part of a Japanese government campaign to introduce autonomous vehicles to the nation’s roads before Tokyo hosts the 2020 Summer Olympics.
According to the Nikkei Asian Review, Tokyo-based Dynamic Map Planning will create precise high-definition, three-dimensional maps for self-driving cars. The maps would instruct vehicles to slow down for traffic lights, sharp turns and roadworks, and allow them to recognise slopes in roads.
The technology would supplement sensors that help driverless vehicles stay within their lanes and detect other cars around them. The new venture was established by Mitsubishi Electric; Zenrin, a Japan-based navigation technology company; and nine automakers, including Toyota. Dynamic Map Planning will outfit Tokyo with digital infrastructure that would relay critical information to autonomous vehicles, Burns writes.
This story was published with permission from Citiscope, a nonprofit news outlet that covers innovations in cities around the world. More at Citiscope. org.
