TIER IV Partners with Newmo to Commercialize Autonomous Taxi Services in Japan

On July 2, TIER IV, an open-source software provider for autonomous driving, announced a strategic partnership with mobility startup Newmo to commercialize autonomous taxi services in Japan. As Japan faces an aging population, the demand for commercial autonomous services to meet regional transport needs is increasingly urgent. The Japanese government aims to operate autonomous vehicles at over 100 locations by 2027 and is actively promoting the deployment of commercial autonomous taxi services, which are already operational in some cities in the USA and China. According to the 2025 Bond Capital Trend Report, autonomous taxis booked through ride-hailing apps account for 27% of the travel volume in San Francisco. With international autonomous taxi operators beginning to collect public road data in major Japanese cities, the collaboration between TIER IV and Newmo aims to advance the development of domestically developed autonomous driving technology in Japan. TIER IV and Newmo will work together to develop a safe and reliable autonomous driving system based on Autoware, the open-source software for autonomous driving. TIER IV has extensive experience in concept validation testing under various global environmental conditions, which will lay the groundwork for the commercial deployment of autonomous taxi services in Japan. TIER IV will continue to grow its partnerships to accelerate the deployment of autonomous taxi services across Japan, supporting the government’s efforts to build autonomous public transportation. Newmo operates over 1,000 taxis and has a well-established Japanese ride-sharing business in Osaka Prefecture, planning to expand and commercialize autonomous taxi services as a new transportation solution. Shinpei Kato, founder and CEO of TIER IV, stated, 'TIER IV is committed to accelerating the deployment of autonomous driving through Autoware and collaborating with communities and partners worldwide. Newmo is a company actively addressing regional transport challenges through taxi and ride-hailing services, and this new collaboration with Newmo will drive the development of autonomous taxi technology. Through this partnership, our goal is to establish a Japan-rooted autonomous taxi service that becomes an integral part of the local community's transport infrastructure.' Naoki Aoyagi, CEO of Newmo, said, 'As traffic challenges intensify due to changes in Japan's population structure, autonomous taxis will play a key role in shaping the next generation of infrastructure. Newmo leverages our operational and technical expertise in local taxi and Japanese ride-sharing services to actively tackle transport issues. By partnering with TIER IV, a leader in the autonomous driving field, we will steadily advance the commercialization of autonomous taxi services originating from Japan, combining our operational experience with cutting-edge technology. We will continue to work with stakeholders to fulfill our mission of 'Unlocking colorful journeys with Newmo, releasing the potential of individuals and communities through new transportation services.'