Autonomous Bus Trial Launch in Kumamoto City (Update)

Sumitomo Corporation, BOLDLY Inc., TaKuRoo Inc., Tier IV Inc. and Sumitomo Mitsui Auto Service Co., Ltd. (SMAS), have partnered to participate in an autonomous bus trial in the city of Kumamoto. This is an update to inform the public that although operations were scheduled to begin February 10, 2025, the trial will now start March 21, 2025. During the trial, the public will be able to ride for free.

This project is being run through a collaboration between BOLDLY, responsible for testing and operating the autonomous driving technology under commission from the city of Kumamoto, and the other partners, including Sumitomo Corporation, TaKuRoo, Tier IV and SMAS. The aim is to promote the social adoption of autonomous driving technology, improve safety and enhance the convenience of public transportation through the trial taking place in Kumamoto.

During the preparation period leading up to the original start date, an incident occurred in which the autonomous bus, during a test run on public roads, was rear-ended by a vehicle behind. Although the autonomous bus was operating normally at the time of the incident, the contact caused damage to the vehicle, requiring repairs. As a result, the planned start of the trial was delayed. Repairs and inspections were carried out in February 2025, and some parts were repaired or replaced. It was confirmed that there was no impact on the sensors or the autonomous driving system resulting from the accident. Testing resumed on March 4, 2025, and after strengthening safety measures and raising awareness, the trial is now scheduled to officially start on March 21, 2025.