Panasonic to launch autonomous cart ride-share in 2021

Panasonic is to launch a ride-sharing service of autonomous electric carts in Japan in 2021 for small towns and other ‘confined’ areas. A report by The Mainichi says the company is now using four carts to transport more than 14,000 employees around its headquarters in Osaka Prefecture ahead of the commercial launch. The carts operate at 20 km/h per hour on a 2.4km loop around the premises, which is around 468,000 m2 in size. An spokesperson is quoted as saying during a press conference: "We are not tryin
November 6, 2019 Read time: 1 min

598 Panasonic is to launch a ride-sharing service of autonomous electric carts in Japan in 2021 for small towns and other ‘confined’ areas.

A report by %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external The Mainichi false https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20191017/p2g/00m/0bu/098000c false false%>says the company is now using four carts to transport more than 14,000 employees around its headquarters in Osaka Prefecture ahead of the commercial launch.

The carts operate at 20 km/h per hour on a 2.4km loop around the premises, which is around 468,000 m2 in size.

An spokesperson is quoted as saying during a press conference: "We are not trying to make high-speed autonomous cars because we are not an automaker. We would like to create slow and human-friendly mobility.”

Each cart comes with four seats, sensors, cameras and telecommunications equipment.

Panasonic is hoping the service will be introduced in theme parks or venues for large events such as the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • WPS wins Viggo airport parking deal at Lelystad
    March 21, 2018
    WPS Parking Systems – a division of Dynniq – has inked an airport parking deal at Intertraffic. WPS and Viggo signed a co-operation agreement for parking services at Lelystad Airport, in Flevoland, central Netherlands. WPS will supply, install and maintain the parking management system at the airport, which is in the process of major change. Lelystand is evolving from an airport used only for general aviation (with predominantly small planes) to becoming an international holiday airfield. As a result of t
    Read More
  • Getaround brings car-sharing service to San Diego
    November 7, 2018
    Getaround has expanded its peer-to-peer car-sharing service in San Diego in the US. The service allows car owners to earn money by renting vehicles to people in their neighbourhood. The company says it expects many car owners who subscribe to the service to earn more than £1,000 per month. Each car is equipped with Getaround Connect, a proprietary technology which allows renters to locate and unlock the vehicle by using the company’s app. James Correa, the firm’s general manager of Southern Califor
    Read More
  • Keolis deploys shared mobility service in Bordeaux
    December 6, 2018
    Keolis has launched an on-demand shared mobility service in Bordeaux, France, in a bid to reduce congestion and the impact on the local environment. The Ke’op service operates in a 50km2 area and provides connections to the public transport network of the metropole, including tram lines A and B. Jean-Pierre Farandou, executive chairman of Keolis, says the service should enable the company to meet the needs of transport authorities in areas where density does not justify the installation of major transpor
    Read More
  • Mobeewave demonstrates embedded contactless technologies
    November 20, 2013
    Sebastien Fontaine, Chief Technology Officer at Mobeewave, jumps into a taxi at the CARTES 2013 Smart Shopping Zone to demonstrate the company’s offerings – embedded contactless technologies for solutions which include payments in taxis
    Read More

Highlighted Content