TIER IV, a Japanese open-source software developer for autonomous driving systems, announced a new robotaxi prototype on 21 March 2025. The company believes its offering can help streamline entry into the nascent robotaxi market for aspiring autonomous vehicle (AV) players.

While companies in China and the US have been at the forefront of the global AV segment, and Europe realises it must catch up fast, Japan has generally made slow progress. But in August 2024, TIER IV was chosen by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to lead the digital transformation of mobility. The company introduced the nation’s first SAE Level 4 vehicle—an electric bus—in Tokyo just three months later.

The new robotaxi prototype will be exhibited around the city from 22 March. Shaped like an electric people carrier, its sensor hardware is fine-tuned for Autoware open-source software. The vehicle will also feature a large language model-powered conversational AI, enabling passengers to request their destination automatically.

Pilot tests and data collection initiatives to enrich the robotaxi’s performance will be ongoing. TIER IV expects to establish a service model for AV companies by 2027. The company claims that the reference design will be sufficient to commence robotaxi operations in select locations within just three months. This feeds into a ‘democratisation of AI’ trend exhibited by Asian tech players. Earlier in the year, BYD and DeepSeek made similar efforts to broaden access to automated driving and generative AI, respectively.