Tobetsu Town, Hokkaido, and Macnica Conduct Long-Term Demonstration of autonomous driving EV Bus, Including Winter Season - A More Realistic Initiative Aiming for the Social Implementation of autonomous driving EV Buses -

Tobetsu Town, Hokkaido (Mayor: Masahiro Goto) and Macnica (Headquarters: Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture; Representative Director and President: Kazumasa Hara; hereinafter referred to Macnica) will conduct a public road demonstration run with the aim of implementing an autonomous driving electric bus in society. This year marks the third year of Tobetsu Town and Macnica 's autonomous driving electric bus demonstration run, and this year will be a more realistic effort toward social implementation.

■About the demonstration operation of the autonomous driving EV bus
This demonstration operation will run on two routes with different operating times: one from JR Royce Town Station to the front of the Royce Town Factory, and the other from JR Royce Town Station via the front of the Royce Town Factory to Nordic Wind Road Station Tobetsu.
This year, we will conduct a long-term demonstration, including winter, with a view to implementing autonomous driving EV buses in society. In Tobetsu Town, which is an area with particularly heavy snowfall, stable operation in winter is key to implementing autonomous driving EV buses in society.
Using this demonstration operation as a stepping stone, it is expected that the future implementation of autonomous driving EV buses will contribute to mitigating the impact of driver shortages and creating a lively atmosphere in the areas surrounding the buses' operation.

Macnica is using the world's most advanced technologies, such as AI, IoT, and autonomous driving, to tackle various social issues in collaboration with partner companies, research institutes, and local governments. As part of this initiative, we are working with local governments across the country to create safe, secure, and livable cities of the future, starting with demonstration experiments of autonomous driving buses.

■ Demonstration operation of new mobility utilizing autonomous driving technology, etc.
autonomous driving is a system that uses cameras, sensors, and GPS location information systems to recognize the surrounding situation, make predictions and decisions, and then operate the autonomous driving wheel, accelerator, and brakes.The vehicle used this time is the NAVYA EVO ^{* 1}, an autonomous driving EV bus that has no steering wheel, accelerator, or brake pedals.
In addition, vehicle driving information and infrastructure information will be visualized using Macnica 's remote operation management system "everfleet ^{* 2}," allowing the real-time operation status of the autonomous driving EV bus to be monitored remotely.To ensure safe operation, signal coordination ^*3 will also be implemented in some sections through infrastructure linkage, whereby signal information will be obtained on the vehicle side.

■ Bus wrapping design unique to Tobetsu Town
As the route this time runs from JR Royce Town Station to Tobetsu, the Nordic Wind Road Station, the Tobetsu town mascot "Tobenosuke" is superimposed on a background that evokes a Nordic image. Considering the demonstration period from autumn to winter, the overall design is done in warm colors.

[Outline of this demonstration]
●Dates: Wednesday, October 1, 2025 - Saturday, January 31, 2026
*Excluding the New Year's holiday period from December 28, 2025 (Sunday) to January 4, 2026 (Sunday)
※Cancelled in case of bad weather
●Time: 9:15-17:45 (9 flights per day)

● autonomous driving vehicle: Navya Mobility's autonomous driving electric bus (EVO)
●Route:
Route 1: JR Royce Town Station to Royce Town Factory Distance: 660m one way
Route 2: JR Royce Town Station - Royce Town Factory - Nordic Wind Road Station Tobetsu Distance: 2.8km one way

Capacity: 8 people per flight
●How to board: No advance reservations are required, and boarding will be on a first-come, first-served basis at the bus stop.
*You may not be able to board depending on the congestion situation.
●Fare: Free

*1: autonomous driving electric bus EVO (Manufactured by Navya Mobility)
EVO is an autonomous driving shuttle bus equipped with an autonomous driving system. It is an EV (electric vehicle) that can travel autonomously for approximately 9 hours (100km) on a single charge.
Total length: 4,780mm
Overall height: 2,670mm
Overall width: 2,100mm
Weight: 2,600kg
Total vehicle weight: 3,450 kg
Number of passengers: Maximum 15 people (this time the bus is operating with a passenger capacity of 8 people)
Power source: electric motor
Maximum speed: 25km/h (average speed during operation: 15km/h)
autonomous driving level: Level 2 (technically equivalent to Level 3)
Other: In case of emergency, the driver will manually intervene

The autonomous driving EV bus used in this demonstration experiment will be provided through the "autonomous driving Demonstration Experiment Support Service Program" jointly established by Macnica, Fuyo Sogo Lease Co., Ltd., and Fuyo Auto Lease Co., Ltd. Please refer to the URL below for details.
https://www.macnica.co.jp/business/maas/news/2021/136501/

*2: Everfleet
Practical application of autonomous driving requires remote monitoring of passengers in the vehicle and the situation around the vehicle. everfleet integrates and visualizes vehicle data such as vehicle speed, steering, and remaining battery level in addition to vehicle location information and camera footage inside and outside the vehicle, and can also link with external data in coordination with traffic infrastructure such as traffic lights. This allows for real-time remote monitoring of operational status, enabling safe and secure operation of autonomous driving vehicles. Furthermore, the system can simultaneously manage a wide variety of mobility vehicles across multiple regions and automatically detect and notify of operational anomalies. This allows for efficient operation management of autonomous driving vehicles by a single remote monitor, reducing the number of personnel required for operations and contributing to improved transportation profitability.

*3: Signal coordination
Signal coordination refers to a system that quickly and accurately exchanges information between traffic signals, autonomous driving vehicles, and road infrastructure. This coordination helps prevent traffic accidents, ease congestion, and assist autonomous driving.
・System overview
1. autonomous driving vehicle requests traffic light information from the distribution server to determine whether it is safe to pass through an intersection.
2. The traffic light controller provides the current traffic light information to the distribution server.
3. The distribution server converts the traffic light information obtained from the traffic light controller into a format suitable for autonomous driving vehicles and provides the traffic light information to the autonomous driving vehicles.
4. autonomous driving vehicle passes through or stops at the intersection based on the traffic light information received from the distribution server.
・System control
The vehicle determines whether it can pass through the intersection based on traffic light information (current light color, number of seconds remaining until the light color changes) obtained from the distribution server 10 meters before the stop line.

<Contact information for inquiries regarding this demonstration operation>
Tobetsu Town Planning Department Planning Division Tanaka
TEL: 0133-23-2393
MAIL: kotsu@town.tobetsu.hokkaido.jp

Macnica Public Solutions Promotion Office Hokkaido Office
TEL: 045-470-9191
MAIL: gpo-h@macnica.co.jp

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*Information (including product prices, specifications, etc.) in the news release is current as of the date of the announcement. Please note that it is subject to change without prior notice.