Demonstration of autonomous driving Vehicle Control During Level Crossings Using Communication Systems and Roadside Infrastructure Begins in Shima City, Mie Prefecture -autonomous driving Demonstration Project for Realizing Sustainable Regional Public Transportation and Secondary Transportation for Tourism -

A consortium of three companies—NTT West Corporation Mie Branch (Branch Manager: Akira Saito), Macnica (Representative Director and President: Kazumasa Hara), and Kyosan Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (Representative Director and President: Ryoji Kunisawa)—has been selected for the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' "Regional Society DX Promotion Package Project (autonomous driving Level 4 Verification Type)." In this project, in collaboration with cooperating organizations ^*1, Shima City, Mie Prefecture (Mayor: Masayoshi Hashizume), Kintetsu Group Holdings Co., Ltd. (Representative Director and President: Takashi Wakai), and Kintetsu Miyako Hotels Co., Ltd. (Representative Director and President: Shigenobu Oya), will begin verification of autonomous driving vehicle control when crossing railway crossings using communication systems and roadside infrastructure in Shima City, where a shortage of drivers and securing means of transportation are urgent issues.

*1 The cooperating organizations will support the demonstration toward the social implementation of autonomous driving services by providing demonstration fields and related facilities, and coordinating with local and related organizations.

1. Background and Objectives
In Shima City, the declining population and aging society are making it a challenge to secure sustainable local public transportation. Furthermore, as a major tourist destination representing Ise-Shima National Park, it attracts many visitors, and there is a need to improve secondary transportation options to support sightseeing within the city. While new mobility services utilizing autonomous driving technology are expected to address these challenges, establishing a system for autonomous driving vehicles to safely cross railway crossings remains a crucial technical challenge. This demonstration aims to improve safety and resolve technical challenges toward the social implementation of Level 4 autonomous driving by coordinating communication systems, roadside infrastructure, and railway operators to transmit various information about railway autonomous driving vehicles.

2. Business overview
This project aims to address challenges in the demonstration area by developing a sustainable transportation environment that allows for smooth travel around the city. It involves creating infrastructure that controls stopping and starting by linking real-time information on level crossing opening/closing status, crossing space information, and adjacent level crossings to autonomous driving vehicles. The project will also be a demonstration experiment to verify the effectiveness and safety of level crossing passage control using level crossing opening/closing status and crossing space information, as well as smooth passage through level crossings utilizing adjacent level crossing information.

・Business period: June 2026 to January 2027
• Demonstration period: November 10th to November 30th, 2026 (planned)
• Route: Shima Kanko Hotel - Kashikojima Station - Tourist Parking Lot (1.6km one way) ^*2
• Vehicle to be used (planned): autonomous driving EV bus vehicle "EVO3" (manufactured by Navya Mobility)
*2 In order to increase the number of railroad crossings, we may set up a service that runs between Kashikojima Station and the tourist parking lot.

Demonstration run route
Shima Kanko Hotel The Classic ~ Kintetsu Kashikojima Station ~ Shima City Tourist Parking Lot

3. Roles of each company
(1) NTT West Japan
Operation of demonstration runs, progress management, reliability evaluation of communication systems, administrative liaison, creation of maps for autonomous driving, risk assessment, adjustment autonomous driving vehicles, support for demonstration runs, etc.

(2) Macnica
Provision of autonomous driving vehicles, their maintenance and operation, and support for demonstration operations, etc.

(3) Kyosan Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
Construction of level crossing information sharing equipment and roadside infrastructure equipment, etc.

 4. Future Developments
This project aims to accumulate knowledge on improving safety when autonomous driving vehicles cross railway crossings through demonstrations, and to solve technical challenges toward the social implementation of Level 4 autonomous driving.
Furthermore, by utilizing the knowledge and expertise gained from this demonstration regarding "safe level crossing crossing control technology utilizing level crossing opening and closing information, etc." and "construction and operation of a cooperative infrastructure platform in conjunction with railway operator equipment," we will proceed with considering the implementation of autonomous driving services aimed at maintaining and securing regional public transportation and improving the convenience of sightseeing for tourists, thereby contributing to the realization of sustainable regional transportation.

* The information contained in this news release is current as of the date of publication. Please note that it may be subject to change.