Autonomous Bus Trial Launch in Kumamoto City- Aiming for year-round operation in Kyushu’s first Level 2 autonomous bus trial starting February 2025 -

Sumitomo Corporation will participate in an autonomous bus operation trial being conducted in Kumamoto City. The project will be led by BOLDLY Inc., which has been tasked by Kumamoto City to handle autonomous driving technology testing and operations. Collaborating to provide technology and operational support is TaKuRoo Inc., Tier IV Inc., Sumitomo Corporation and Sumitomo Mitsui Auto Service Co., Ltd. . The trial will commence in Kumamoto City in February 2025.

Trial Background

Kumamoto faces challenges such as reduced bus services due to a shortage of drivers, as well as traffic congestion due to an increasing number of people using their own cars. To address these issues, Kumamoto City will trial autonomous bus services as part of Japan’s national initiative to promote the "Social Implementation of Autonomous Driving." The trial will focus on verifying safety, assessing the impact on surrounding traffic and promoting efforts to improve public acceptance of autonomous driving.

Trial Overview

Starting on February 10, 2025 (*1) , free autonomous bus services will operate along selected routes of the "Shiromegurin" bus service, which loops around Kumamoto Station and Kumamoto Castle. Initially, the bus will operate at Level 2 (*2) of autonomous driving, with six round trips planned daily between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. From FY2026 onwards, the goal is to implement Level 4 (*3) autonomous driving, establish connections with nearby stations and bus routes, coordinate with the airport area and create partnerships with other modes of transportation including taxis.

Specific Verification Areas

Technical Aspects

The trial will evaluate the behavior of the autonomous driving system and identify issues in challenging driving environments, such as steep slopes, winding roads and areas with mixed pedestrian and vehicle traffic.

Social Acceptance

The trial will assess the level of acceptance and satisfaction of local residents, businesses and tourists.

Behavioral Changes of Users

The trial will explore how autonomous buses can improve tourist mobility around Kumamoto Castle, where accessibility has been reduced due to ongoing restoration work.

Vehicle Overview

Vehicle	:	Tier IV Minibus 2.0
Capacity	:	15 passengers (seated only)
Dimensions	:	L 7,240 x W 2,300 x H 3,060 mm
Maximum speed	:	35 km/h

Roles of Participants

Kumamoto City	:	Overall project coordination
BOLDLY	:	Vehicle procurement, operation and technical support, remote monitoring system provision, surveys and verification work
Tier IV	:	Provision of the autonomous driving system
TakuRoo	:	Operation and remote monitoring system management
Sumitomo Corporation	:	Project planning and management
Sumitomo Mitsui Auto Service	:	Vehicle leasing

Participant Statements

Kumamoto City

To address issues such as the shortage of bus drivers, ensure alternative transportation options, and promote the use of public transportation, Kumamoto City is considering the introduction of autonomous vehicles.
This fiscal year, we will conduct a Level 2 autonomous bus trial to verify safety, assess the impact on general traffic and test public acceptance, while also raising awareness about the technology.

BOLDLY Inc.

For this project, BOLDLY will provide the vehicles and configure the autonomous driving settings, as well as make available its proprietary operational management system, "Dispatcher." We will also provide training to TaKuRoo in the necessary skills and knowledge to assist in operation and remote monitoring.
In addition, a LINE reservation system will be integrated with Dispatcher to offer added convenience, a unique feature offered by BOLDLY. This initiative will pave the way for the operation of Level 4 autonomous buses in Kumamoto City and will lay the foundation for expanding this model to other parts of the city.

TaKuRoo Inc.

TaKuRoo will carefully monitor various challenging road conditions, such as areas with mixed pedestrian and vehicle traffic, railway crossings, narrow roads, etc., during the Level 2 operational phase, and will provide support for remote monitoring.

Tier IV Inc.

TIER IV is a deep-tech company with a vision to "democratize autonomous driving." As the leader in the development of "Autoware," the world’s first open-source autonomous driving software, TIER IV is advancing the social implementation of autonomous driving systems. The company offers a proprietary software platform based on Autoware and develops solutions to meet market demands using this product as a foundation. Through the ecosystem created by Autoware, TIER IV collaborates with partners around the world to expand the possibilities of autonomous driving systems and work toward the realization of a better society. Note: Autoware is a registered trademark of The Autoware Foundation.

Sumitomo Corporation

Sumitomo Corporation has been working to promote renewable energy and improve regional transportation infrastructure in Kumamoto City under the "Partnership Agreement with Kumamoto City for the Realization of Carbon Neutrality" signed in February 2024. This autonomous bus trial is an important step toward solving the city’s transportation challenges and achieving a sustainable society. The project is also Sumitomo Corporation’s first venture into autonomous driving. We will continue to strengthen our partnership with Kumamoto City, deepening public-private cooperation and expanding our contribution to surrounding communities, while maintaining compliance with the Kumamoto Metropolitan Area Global Warming Countermeasures Action Plan.

Sumitomo Mitsui Auto Service Co., Ltd. (SMAS)

As a leading company in the auto leasing industry, SMAS aims to improve overall mobility efficiency by supporting the introduction of autonomous driving, creating a society of mobility where everyone can move freely. The company will apply its knowledge and expertise gained through many public-private collaborative trials to help solve Kumamoto City’s transportation challenges.

(*1) Trial start date
scheduled for Monday, February 10. The start date may be delayed depending on preparation progress and weather conditions.
(*2) Level2 Autonomous Driving (Partial Automation)
The system performs longitudinal (acceleration and deceleration) and lateral (steering) vehicle motion control within a limited area, while the driver remains responsible for monitoring safety and responding when needed.
(*3) Level 4 Autonomous Driving (High Automation)
The system controls all dynamic driving tasks and handles any necessary responses if continuing operation becomes difficult, within a designated operational area.

Source

"Autonomous Driving System Framework"(PDF/475KB)

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