Macnica and Hoshinoya Okinawa Begin Japan's First Demonstration Test of Navya autonomous driving EV Bus at the Resort Hotel

Macnica, a global leader in the field of autonomous driving electric buses, and Hoshinoya Okinawa, a luxury accommodation provider in Yomitan Village, Okinawa Prefecture, will conduct an autonomous driving demonstration experiment (autonomous driving level 2) in February 2026.
In this demonstration, the companies will operate an autonomous driving electric bus ^*1 within the facility, aiming to improve the experience value of customers and employee satisfaction, while also verifying the creation of a new service model aimed at further increasing the value of the entire facility.
This demonstration will be the first initiative for Macnica 's autonomous driving EV buses to be introduced to resort hotels in Japan.

1. Background/Purpose
At resort facilities with expansive grounds, such as Hoshinoya Okinawa, efforts are underway to build sustainable mobility networks and further improve service quality in response to changes in social conditions and customer needs. By optimizing responses to diverse customer mobility needs through autonomous driving using technology, staff will be able to focus more than ever on providing personalized hospitality.
This demonstration will test autonomous driving technology as a new means of transportation at Hoshinoya Okinawa. This will not only provide smooth transportation, but also create a new service model for the resort and revitalize the entire facility, aiming to provide a sustainable mobility service that embodies next-generation hospitality.

2. Overview
A demonstration test of an autonomous driving EV bus will be conducted within the Hoshinoya Okinawa hotel grounds in the following areas and during the following period. Hotel guests are welcome to ride the bus.

(1) Overview of this project
● Business entity: Macnica
●Operated by: Macnica
● Demonstration content: Aiming to realize unmanned operation and create a service model within a resort hotel,
This project will carry out a Level 2 demonstration run (with a Macnica operator on board)
● Operation area: Hoshinoya Okinawa
● Demonstration period: 28 days from Sunday, February 1, 2026 to Saturday, February 28, 2026, on fixed schedules and routes
Vehicle used: autonomous driving EV bus "EVO" (manufactured by Navya Mobility)
● Fare: Free

3. Roles of each company
● Macnica: Project owner, demonstration project manager, questionnaire survey,
autonomous driving system introduction engineering (autonomous driving EV bus), establishment of operator member system, etc.
● Hoshinoya Okinawa: Coordination and provision of demonstration and implementation fields, cooperation in coordinating with related parties, etc.

4. future development
Based on the results of this demonstration, we will identify issues and measures necessary to realize the future implementation of unmanned services in society, and will continue to conduct demonstration runs in the following fiscal years and beyond, with the aim of implementing unmanned services in society.
In addition, the project aims to create new demand and human flow at "Hoshinoya Okinawa" and other resort facilities, ranging from the enhancement of value, experience, and happiness in line with the theme and worldview of each facility, to secondary effects such as the promotion of facility use, a new all-inclusive way of living, and the creation of new demand and human flow for tourism and town bustle, We will examine the potential use of autonomous driving in mobility networks.

*1: autonomous driving EV bus "EVO" (manufactured by Navya Mobility)
The EVO is an autonomous driving shuttle bus equipped with an autonomous driving EV system. It is an EV (electric vehicle) and can travel autonomously for approximately 9 hours (100km) on a single charge.

Vehicle size:
Total length: 4,776mm Total height: 2,652mm
Overall width: 2,098mm Weight: 2,689kg
Maximum speed: 18km/h
Passenger capacity: 12 people
During the demonstration experiment: Maximum of 9 passengers can ride
Power source: electric motor
autonomous driving level: Level 2/4 ^*
*During the demonstration experiment, driving will be at Level 2, with an average speed of approximately 15km/h
Level 4 is only applicable when the driving environment conditions based on the ODD (Operational Design Domain) are met.
Other: In case of emergency, the driver will manually intervene

<Contact for inquiries regarding this matter>
Macnica Smart City & Mobility Division
TEL: 045-470-9118
E-mail: auto-solution@macnica.co.jp

*Company names and product names mentioned in the 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. Please note that the information may be subject to change without prior notice.

<Contact for media inquiries>
Macnica https://www.macnica.co.jp
Public Relations Office Miyahara Email: macpr@macnica.co.jp
Macnica 1st Building, 1-6-3 Shin-Yokohama, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, 222-8561