A new Level 4 autonomous driving EV bus NAVYA begins regular operation on public roads for the first time in Japan - Routes touring Hitachiota City Hall and the eastern part of the city can be used for free from February 16th -

The city of Hitachiota, Ibaraki Prefecture (Mayor: Tatsuo Miyata) will begin regular operation on February 16, 2024, the first time in Japan that the autonomous driving EV bus "NAVYA EVO," a state-of-the-art vehicle that meets Level 4 under specific environmental conditions provided by Macnica (Headquarters: Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture; Representative Director and President: Kazumasa Hara; hereinafter Macnica), will be in regular operation.

In the "Eastern District," where commercial and business sites are being developed in the central city area, Hitachiota City conducted a demonstration experiment from February 17 to February 23, 2023, as part of its efforts to respond to diverse mobility needs, build an environmentally friendly transportation system, and promote attractive urban development by integrating next-generation technologies. From February 17 to February 23, 2023, autonomous driving has conducted demonstration tests of EV buses in cooperation with Macnica and related companies. Based on the results, the autonomous driving service has now been put into practical use, utilizing the autonomous driving EV Bus "EVO" manufactured by GAUSSIN MACNICA MOBILITY (formerly NAVYA), which is capable of handling the Level 4 operations provided by Macnica.

autonomous driving EV bus “Joppi ^*1”

During this regular operation, Macnica will operate the autonomous driving EV bus, acquire and set up the data required for autonomous driving driving, and provide technical materials and acquired data. In addition, by linking the vehicle's driving data to Macnica 's remote monitoring system "everfleet," it will be possible to check the autonomous driving EV bus's driving information in real time from a remote location.
Furthermore, this autonomous driving EV bus will be a service that travels around shopping malls and the surrounding roads, and is an initiative that takes into consideration marketing collaboration with commercial facilities and collaboration with local government apps. Specifically, a digital map that integrates and visualizes the autonomous driving EV bus's real-time location information, as well as bus stop and surrounding store information, will be provided through Hitachiota City's administrative information app, "Jozurusan Navi ^{* 2}." Starting with the introduction of the autonomous driving EV bus, Macnica will develop new initiatives such as data collaboration and MaaS businesses by linking with digital maps and local apps, contributing to sustainable urban development.

Digital map on Jozuru-san Navi

■Operation route/stops

■ Timetable

*Service will be canceled in case of stormy weather. For more information, please check the city's homepage or Jozuru-san Navi.

■How to ride
There is no need to make advance reservations, so please arrive at the stop by the departure time of each train (ride fee: free).
*Please note that you may not be able to board if the bus is full (9 passengers).

*1: "Joppy" won the top prize out of 131 entries from all over the country in Hitachiota City's search for nicknames for autonomous driving vehicles. The ``jo'' of ``Jozuru-san'' and the ``pi'' of ``happy'' were combined together to include the meaning of ``pi'' in ``pink'' since the color of the bus was also ``pink.''

*2: Jozuru-san Navi https://www.city.hitachiota.ibaraki.jp/page/page008796.html

*Product names mentioned in this text are trademarks or registered trademarks of each company.
*The information published in the news release (including product price, specifications, etc.) is current as of the date of announcement. It is subject to change without prior notice.

Mobility solution department, Macnica,Inc.
Tel: 045-470-9118
Mail:auto-solution@macnica.co.jp

*Company names and product names mentioned in this text are trademarks or registered trademarks of Macnica and each company.
*The information published in the news release (including product price, specifications, etc.) is current as of the date of announcement. Please note that the information may be subject to change without prior notice.