Japan to uniformly certify steering-wheel-free L4/L5 robotaxis from December, targeting 10,000 by FY2030
whurley · x · 2026-11-02
Nikkei reports Japan's MLIT will revise vehicle safety standards to certify Level 4/5 driverless vehicles under a single uniform framework starting December, replacing case-by-case approvals.
- Certified vehicles won't need steering wheels, pedals, rearview mirrors or driver monitoring systems, cutting costs and freeing cabin space
- Passenger-carrying vehicles (taxis, buses) still require crash tests with dummies; unmanned cargo vehicles are exempt, but both must have fail-safe measures
- The change supports Japan's target of 10,000 Level 4-capable buses, taxis and other vehicles by fiscal 2030
whurley uses the news to voice his preference for a wheel-free Tesla Cybercab.
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