Ai Taxi

AI taxi service on Japan's roads.

Teaming up with Sony, Sony is planning to manage a new JV project to create an AI taxi for Japan. Sony and six taxi operators - Green Cab, International Automobile, Kusumi Transportation, Daiwa Motor Transportation, Checker Cab Radio Cooperative Association and Hinomaru Transportation - will make up the new company, according to a Tuesday declaration (translated).

s AI technology for forecasting and similar support activities. The new entity will be responsible for the development and operation of dedicated document handling solutions. According to Sony, the six combined businesses manage over 10,000 cabs in Tokyo and beyond, and the integration of AI will improve client care by "preparing the necessary number of cabs when necessary".

The CI projections for taxi and carpooling needs could, for example, be used to improve access at peaks while at the same time decreasing the number of trips when low levels of traffic are foreseen. Whilst this type of information and prediction can be obtained through easy processing of figures and information, AI could improve these projections to improve efficiencies and reduce the company's operating costs.

Should it be a success, the joint venture could also become a rival to existing operators in the sector, notably Toyota and SoftBank, a major overinvestor. It is however anticipated that AI use will continue in the Ride-Hailing sector. Sony also states that the joint venture will be developing'applications and associated activities for the use of disposition service, the use of taxi information, the supply of payments service and day-to-day assistance'.

Finally, these AI-based schemes will be available to taxi businesses throughout the nation, offering one-stop shopping for everything from single source solution and package. Japan's regulations for independent cars and driving service are stringent. Enterprises can only "synchronize" passengers with existing taxi fleet via portable application. For example, only a taxi business with a long tradition is permitted to act and therefore could not quickly grow throughout the state.

However, technological mega-people continue to strive to gain a foothold in this field and by using AI to enhance the taxi services infra-structure, rather than pressing for stand-alone fleet or fully portable schemes using non-traditional and nonprofessional driver, they can build relations that will be priceless when regulations are changed.

SoftBank, Ubers Investors, is one such firm that has already recognized the value of introducing new ride-hauling capabilities into the state. Early this week, the firm, along with Didi Chuxing, said it would introduce a taximatching facility in Japan. Recently Toyota has also acquired a share in JapanTaxi's inland bicycle tailing group.