newmo (Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO Naoki Aoyagi), a taxi operator and ride-hailing app provider, began collecting road data in Osaka City and Sakai City from May 2026 using dedicated vehicles, aiming for the commercial launch of Level 4 autonomous taxi services in fiscal 2028.
June 15, 2026 · newmo
Japan's First Dedicated Robotaxi Data-Collection Base Opens in Osaka
Mobility startup newmo launches "JOTO Base" in Osaka's Joto Ward, starting full-scale field testing — deploying ride-share drivers on shifts to gather driving data, aiming for Level 4 commercial service in a limited area by 2028.
2028
Target for Level 4 commercial service in a limited area
80+
Driver applicants filled all slots immediately
15
Vehicle garage capacity at JOTO Base (3 housed now)
Road to Commercial Robotaxi Service
May 2026
Data collection begins — dedicated vehicles run in low-traffic areas
Jun 15 2026
JOTO Base opens — Japan's first dedicated data-collection & testing base
Autumn 2026
New autonomous vehicles deployed for phased verification
2028
Level 4 commercial service in a limited area (goal)
The differentiation
"Autonomous driving that only a taxi company can deliver."
1,400 taxis
Ride-share drivers
LiDAR · camera · radar
Tailwinds
Positive feedback from government partners
Sakai City named a national priority area for AV implementation
Answers driver shortages & aging-population mobility loss
Hurdles
No end-user service evaluation yet — data stage only
Rising costs: engineer pay & AV investment, hiring competition
Regulation, data accumulation & social acceptance still to build
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