On June 13, 2025, the Mobility Working Group (the “WG”) established within the Digital Agency announced the Mobility Roadmap 2025 (the “Roadmap”).¹

Since the formulation of the Public-Private ITS Initiative/Roadmap in 2014, cross-sectoral efforts between the public and private sectors toward the social implementation of automated driving technology have been steadily advancing. However, in many initiatives, the efforts have not yet moved beyond the demonstration stage, and commercialization has not progressed. In light of this situation, in 2024, from the perspective of future commercialization, the WG compiled the Mobility Roadmap 2024.² 

As of 2025, some overseas operators have begun considering business development of services utilizing autonomous driving technology in urban areas, and some progress toward commercialization can also be seen in Japan. However, in rural areas, where eventual autonomous or fully automated driving is most needed, prospects for commercialization are still not in sight.

This Roadmap, while taking into account the Mobility Roadmap 2024, added new considerations from the perspectives of redesigning mobility services to integrate supply and demand, and establishing appropriate business structures, such as reducing the burden of initial capital investment. The Roadmap summarizes the direction of measures for the appropriate commercialization of automated driving technology.

Based on the following circumstances, this Roadmap defines three points as the basic concepts underlying policies for the advancement and implementation of automated driving technology:
 

• The necessity of establishment of domestic technologies that can compete with overseas autonomous driving technologies, and acceleration of the commercialization of autonomous vehicle services tailored to local circumstances
• Cost issues and technical challenges for autonomous driving technology in Japan
• A vicious cycle of shrinking demand for transportation services and supply shortages is occurring due to the worsening declining birthrate and aging population, leading to a disparity in mobility between those who can drive themselves and those who must rely on others for transportation
• The importance of identification of unmet mobility demand, and intentionally creating a virtuous cycle in which demand generates supply, and further generates demand
   

1.  Redesigning Mobility Services Integrating Supply and Demand

In rural areas, declining demand due to population decrease and aging is leading to reduced efficiency and profitability of mobility services themselves. In those regions, although it is assumed that there are unmet mobility needs, such as the burden of providing transportation for others or the lack of options for elderly people who have surrendered their driver’s licenses, transportation services continue to be scaled back. Given this situation, it is necessary to reconsider mobility services by integrating both demand and supply, and to shift away from the vicious cycle of declining demand and insufficient supply toward a virtuous cycle of increasing demand and expanding supply.

In this Roadmap, such integrated consideration and coordination with mobility services is referred to as the “Mobility Trading Company Function”. In order to realize this function, it is necessary to establish a common digital platform that centrally manages the allocation of demand and dispatching arrangements for various mobility services.

2.  Development of an Environment for the Implementation and Commercialization of Autonomous Driving Technology

The introduction of autonomous vehicles entails a wide range of costs, not only for the vehicles themselves but also for the development of operation management systems, high-precision maps, maintenance, and infrastructure improvements. Since these costs place a significant burden on local governments and transportation operators, it is necessary to consider support measures for securing medium- to long-term funding.

Furthermore, given the unique road conditions in Japan it is expected that efforts to support mobility services from the infrastructure side, such as “road-vehicle cooperation” initiatives that provide vehicles with road-side information like traffic signal data, will continue to improve convenience and safety. In addition, it is necessary to consider measures for collaboration relating to infrastructure that supports the realization of autonomous driving, such as systems and rules for collecting and providing such information, as well as information and communication infrastructure.

Moreover, it is necessary to continue examining the specifics of the Safety Standards and guidelines, mechanisms for ensuring compliance, the role of accident investigation agencies, and compensation for damages under the Act on Securing Compensation for Automobile Accidents, in anticipation of possible accidents involving autonomous vehicles.

3.  Gradual Introduction of Automated Driving Technology

When introducing automated driving technology, it is essential to thoroughly consider the actual conditions of each region. Specifically, it is necessary to examine whether it is best to introduce Level 4 automated driving immediately, or to start with Level 2 and gradually increase the level of sophistication and the number of vehicles—a phased approach—taking into account factors such as vehicle type, technology, the area to be covered, and the features of demand.

1.  Development of Support Measures for the Implementation of Autonomous Driving Technology

To develop and widely use autonomous driving technology, cross-ministerial support measures will be taken, as follows:
 

• Development and dissemination of necessary technologies such as road-vehicle cooperative systems 
• Development of systems to respond to accidents, and improvement of social acceptance 
• Reduction of initial introduction costs, establishment of a rational division of roles, and setting of areas for cooperation 
   

2.  Intensive Implementation of Policies by Relevant Ministries and Agencies

Going forward, while keeping in mind the regional characteristics and sustainability of mobility services, it is necessary to realize a transportation system that is a best mix of conventional, manned transportation and autonomous driving. To this end, specific targets for the desired transportation system will be set, and policies of relevant ministries and agencies will be intensively implemented to promote the early commercialization of automated driving services in leading regions. Specifically, the following three cases are envisioned as situations where there is a need for autonomous driving but it has not yet been utilized:
 

• Latest technology utilization type: Satisfying mobility demand that cannot be avoided due to driver shortages, through autonomous driving
• Operating area expansion type: Expanding the operation of Level 4 automated vehicles to other areas and routes within municipalities and resolving issues such as cost
• Technical issue resolution type: Solve technical issues, replace existing bus routes with automated driving, and aim for operation at Level 4 automated driving 

When introducing autonomous driving, it is necessary to establish an appropriate business model by taking into account a wide range of information, such as the demand from local residents in light of changes in population and age composition, the demand from visitors such as tourists, and the overall road conditions in the surrounding area. This should be done while closely collaborating with stakeholders such as local governments and businesses. Furthermore, with regard to common platforms such as operation management and reservation systems, it is also important to define areas for cooperation and promote joint use, so that even small municipalities can implement them. The government should actively support these efforts to help reduce costs.

This Roadmap envisions that, in FY2025, appropriate evaluations of the progress of the foregoing measures will be conducted, and that new issues identified through projects carried out in 2025 will be organized and clarified, leading to further revisions leading to the Mobility Roadmap 2026. Mori Hamada will continue to closely monitor government trends related to mobility services.