The Tokyo Civil Aviation Bureau, a part of Japan’s transport ministry, ordered NEC to manufacture and install vehicle control equipment at Tokyo Haneda Airport. The equipment will be used to enable the operation of Level 4 autonomous driving within the airport’s restricted area.
The equipment’s primary components will include:
- Signal equipment to manage a mix of manned and autonomous traffic at intersections
- Cameras that will monitor areas with difficult visibility and provide images to autonomous vehicle operators
- Ability to share information among related parties
Installation of the equipment will provide the infrastructure necessary for full-scale operation of Level 4 autonomous vehicles within Haneda Airport’s restricted area. Commercial operation is expected to begin in December 2025.
Earlier this year, ANA and Toyota Industries conducted a demonstration project in which the two companies used autonomous towing tractors to move containers along a predetermined route. The introduction of autonomous vehicles is seen as one of the ways to tackle a staff shortage.
