Stable winter driving of an autonomous “robot taxi” (robotaxi) on snowy roads has been confirmed in a trial held here, a step toward year-around operations in the northernmost Japan prefecture of Hokkaido.
The Kamishihoro Municipal Government and autonomous driving system developer MoveEz Inc., based in the city of Kanazawa, conducted a trial run of the self-driving vehicle in January, and has announced it as a success. The company claims this is Japan’s first long-distance trial of the robotaxi on snowy roads.
MoveEz is a venture company founded in 2024, originating from Kanazawa University. The trial was conducted at “Level 2 autonomous driving,” where manual intervention is only required in emergencies.
From Jan. 5 to 27, the robotaxi traveled a total distance of 650 kilometers in Kamishihoro, including public roads connecting rural and urban areas.
The trial used a specially equipped vehicle with cameras, laser sensors and millimeter-wave radar. Unlike many self-driving technologies that use high-precision 3D maps, this trial utilized a uniquely developed simple 2D map to reduce costs.
This was the second trial, following the one conducted in October 2025 before the snowy season begins. The aim this time was to verify the possibility of year-round operation, adapting to changing weather conditions.
The robotaxi safely traveled at the legal speed of 60 kilometers per hour on roads where snow had accumulated, and its safety was confirmed.
On the final day, MoveEz’s Eric Wei, the Taiwan-born CEO, and Naoki Suganuma, the company’s chief technology officer, held a press conference in the town to explain the autonomous driving system and the trial’s overview.
Suganuma emphasized the experiment’s significance, “As a demonstration of low-cost autonomous driving, stable driving was achieved on winter roads just as in summer. Year-round operation is crucial for local residents.”
The town and the company plan to continue trials, aiming to progress to “Level 4 autonomous driving,” where no driver is present under specific conditions, by fiscal 2027.
Kamishihoro Mayor Mitsugi Takenaka, who took a test ride, stated, “I felt no anxiety riding on roads where snow had accumulated, and the implementation feels imminent.”
Since December 2022, the town has been operating self-driving buses at Level 2 on a regular basis, primarily in urban areas, to ensure transportation for the elderly and others.
The municipal government is working on robotaxi operations to further enhance residents’ convenience.
Sumber : The Mainichi. MoveEz Inc. CEO Eric Wei, left, and Kamishihoro Mayor Mitsugi Takenaka, who took a test ride in the robotaxi, are seen in the Hokkaido town on Jan. 27, 2026. (Hitoshi Suzuki)
