Tesla’s “Cyber Cab” robo-taxi. Nothing is installed at the position where the left steering wheel should be. Basic operations are performed via a touch panel. Japan’s self-driving technology continues to lag behind. The Waymo I rode was based on the Jaguar I-PACE electric vehicle, but the Tesla “CyberCab,” which made headlines worldwide when it was announced in October, is a robotaxi developed from the ground up as a driverless vehicle. In fact, it doesn’t even have a steering wheel. There are no accelerator pedals, side brakes, or meters. The “taxis” we are familiar with typically have seating for 3-4 passengers in sedans or 6-7 passengers in minivans like the Alphard, but the CyberCab only has two seats. Passengers will actually sit where the driver’s seat would normally be. And this isn’t some far-off dream—production is set to begin in 2025, with a price of $30,000 (about 4.5 million yen), which is remarkably affordable for a self-driving vehicle. I can’t help but think back to Japan’s unmanned taxis. Unmanned vehicles using “Level 4” autonomous driving technology, just one step below full automation, began commercial operations in May 2023 in Eiheiji, Fukui Prefecture. At the time, former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (67) and former Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Yasutoshi Nishimura (62), test drove the vehicle, making headlines with comments like, “Japan’s first! Japan’s automotive industry leads the world!” However, the operational range of this autonomous vehicle is only about 2 kilometers. Its top speed is slower than a bicycle, and it can only move along paths embedded with electromagnetic induction wires, meaning it can only operate in very limited areas. Japan, which was a global leader just 2-3 years ago, has now fallen far behind. Autonomous driving technology is advancing rapidly worldwide. Japan, grappling with taxi shortages in urban areas and the “2024 problem” in logistics, should take a cue from the rest of the world and once again polish its autonomous driving technology.