Marubeni Corporation（hereinafter, “Marubeni”）hereby announces that it is a part of a consortium (hereinafter, “the Consortium”), which was established on August 29, 2018 by The Japan Research Institute, Limited (hereinafter, “JRI”), to formulate a business structure for a suburban automated mobility service.

The Japanese population is experiencing rapid aging, not just in rural areas, but in the suburbs too. As such, public transportation operators like buses and taxis are facing a shortage of drivers. Automated driving technology has recently been gaining a lot of traction as a potential solution for such issues. The Consortium was established for the purpose of formulating a business structure for a service that supports lastmile mobility for the elderly (and others) by utilizing automated mobility within a limited scope that includes residential areas. The aim of the service is to provide a detailed means of transportation, and construct a new and convenient transportation network that works alongside existing public transportation systems. The Consortium, consisting of industry, academic and government entities (including residents' associations and municipalities) that desire this service, will work together in assessing the vehicles, system structure and business hypotheses necessary to launch this service.

Through participation in this Consortium, Marubeni will employ its understanding of the needs of the service’s consumers, as well as its knowledge and experience in launching new mobility services, in order to proactively advance into mobility service and fleet management*, in anticipation of the future advent of a mobility society, both domestically and abroad.

*Fleet Management:
Management of the lifecycle (Procurement, Operation, and Disposal) of commercial vehicles used for transporting people/things.

Reference:
・JRI’s Press Release　https://www.jri.co.jp/page.jsp?id=33228　(Japanese only)