The social experiment of autonomous taxis starting in Tokushima is so cutting-edge that the mainland is being left behind. The day drivers disappear, we will redefine 'freedom'
"Akira-san, will humans no longer be needed?"
A junior colleague once asked me this in a trembling voice when I was working in operations management, staring at dispatch schedules and adjusting driver rest times by the minute. Honestly, I was speechless at the time. Faced with a severe driver shortage and an aging workforce of veterans who were our only hope, and with the reality that even maintaining routes was in jeopardy, the best I could do was tell myself, "Someday, machines will help us."
But now, in March 2026, that "someday" is right before our eyes.
The autonomous taxi demonstration project that has begun in Tokushima Prefecture is not just a "high-tech experiment." It is a clarion call for those of us involved in mobility to fundamentally rewrite our survival strategy.
"Domestic First" signifies the comfortable collapse of vested interests
What is so amazing about this project in Tokushima is that it has taken the step of integrated operation, "replacing part of the existing taxi service with autonomous driving." This is actually a first-of-its-kind attempt in Japan.
Previous demonstration experiments were, so to speak, stories within a "well-behaved sandbox." But this time, the local lifeline, Kintoki Taxi, is teaming up with South Korea's A2Z, which has a world-class autonomous driving system.
7th in the world: A2Z's technology, ranked 7th in the world by Guidehouse, is finally driving on Japanese public roads.
The strongest lineup: NEC for communication and control, Kanematsu for creating the commercial flow, and the local taxi company on the ground. This triangle is trying to turn a "dream story" into a "business."
From someone who knows the field, even though it is Level 2 (with a driver on board), operating across 27 boarding and alighting points is already a real-world operation.
A "survival strategy" for mobility found in the depths of despair
During my time as an operations manager, I felt crushed by the pressure of being an "irreplaceable human." The guilt of asking someone to come to work on a snowy day. The dispatch schedule turning blank due to sudden absences. I wish I could show this news to the me from back then.
Autonomous driving is not an "enemy" that steals jobs from drivers.
It is a "partner" that frees us from "unsustainable labor."
The level used in this demonstration is Level 2.
In other words, a human is still sitting there, capable of taking the wheel.
But the goal is Level 4, a world where the system replaces all operations under specific conditions.
If this is realized, even in depopulated areas late at night, or for elderly people who have returned their licenses, everyone will be able to move freely 24 hours a day. Don't you think that's a future that makes you grin?
Your "investment in the future" that you can start today
Do you think, "It has nothing to do with me"? What is happening in Tokushima is the daily life of your city in a few years.
If you want to ride the wave of this change, start by incorporating the "experience" into yourself.
If you are near Tokushima, call now!: Call Kintoki Taxi (088-689-3331) and book this "future."
Business people should watch the "collaboration" closely: How NEC and Kanematsu are connecting "existing systems" with "new technology." The next business opportunity lies in that "knot."
Let's put an end to being worn out by being bound by old common sense, like I used to be.
By the way, this autonomous taxi. You can get on and off at 27 locations closely tied to daily life, such as the 'Toku Toku Terminal' in Naruto and 'Halows Naruto Store'. If you were to ride this locally, what would you want to do at your destination?
Next, shall we dig deeper into the technical side of how this autonomous driving technology is specifically trying to overcome Japan's 'complex alleys'? Are you interested?
Akira Inada's Monologue
While some are saying, 'We'll introduce it once safety is confirmed,' Tokushima is already in the phase of 'creating safety while using it.' This gap will manifest as an irreparable 'mobility divide' in a few years.