A TOWN in Japan’s Gunma Prefecture will kick off trials for an autonomous amphibious tour bus this winter as part of a project to foster tourism and facilitate the transport of goods between islands. The trial will be the first of its type in the world, according to the town of Naganohara. The amphibious bus began manned operations last month around Yamba Dam, a long-delayed project that was finally completed in March. The project team involving the Saitama Institute of Technology and other organizations plans to conduct research and development on the vehicle for two years, with an eye to putting it into practical use in five years, the private university said. The team has secured a fiscal 2020 budget of around US$2.36 million for the project, with a contribution from the Nippon Foundation. Making full use of artificial intelligence technology, engineers must develop a new sensor for the vehicle because oscillation on land and in water differs, the institute said. “If this is realized, we can transport goods between remote islands without transshipment or changing drivers and can keep the operation cost low as well,” said Daishi Watabe, an engineering professor at the university. The driverless test will be carried out mainly in winter, when the bus, which can carry 40 people, is not being used for tours. (SD-Agencies) |