newmo and Macnica begin collaboration to develop autonomous driving experimental vehicles - Promoting development and demonstration toward commercializing autonomous driving taxis in Japan -

newmo Inc. (Minato-ku, Tokyo; Board Director: Naoki Aoyagi; hereinafter "newmo") and Macnica (Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture; Representative Director and President: Kazumasa Hara; hereinafter Macnica") are pleased to announce that they have begun collaborating on vehicle development toward the practical application of autonomous driving taxis. This collaboration will utilize autonomous driving vehicles and related technologies developed and provided by Macnica to accelerate newmo's development and demonstration of autonomous driving taxis.

■ Background of the collaboration
As the driver shortage due to aging and population decline becomes more serious across Japan, there is a need to create new regional transportation systems that utilize autonomous driving technology.

With the mission of "making communities colorful through mobility," newmo is promoting digital transformation in the taxi business and the social implementation of autonomous driving taxis. In July 2025, the company announced a partnership with Tier IV, and in September, it signed a partnership agreement with Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture, to realize a autonomous driving taxi service. The company is working to commercialize autonomous driving taxis originating in Japan.

In the field of autonomous driving, Macnica provides consistent engineering support from hardware to software, including vehicle modification, integration of sensors and control systems, and operational data analysis.

The two companies will collaborate on areas such as optimizing vehicle specifications, establishing a testing environment, and utilizing operational data, with a view to the practical operation of autonomous driving taxis.

■ Collaboration details
autonomous driving vehicles utilizing sensor/control technologies developed and provided by Macnica will be used for newmo's development and demonstration of autonomous driving taxis.
● Jointly carry out operational design, such as driving tests, based on actual operating scenarios
● Considering mechanisms to improve safety, efficiency, and user experience for future commercial operations

Through this collaboration, newmo aims to realize a safer and more efficient autonomous driving taxi service by combining its own operational know-how with Macnica 's autonomous driving technology.

that's all