Japan

Testing infrastructure and Procedure Description

Testing of automated driving systems on public roads, may happen according to:

• the Guidelines for Public Road Testing of Automated Driving Systems (National Police Agency, May 2016);
• another procedure not complying with the Guidelines, always with preliminary advice of the police.

The basic conditions for running these tests are as follows:

• the test vehicle complies with the Safety Regulations for Road Vehicles (Ministry of Transport Ordinance nr 67 of 1951);
• the driver is seated in the driver’s seat and ensures safety, he always has to be able to operate the vehicle all by himself;
• the vehicle is driven in compliance with the rules of the Road Traffic Act.

Prior to testing on public roads, sufficient driving testing should be conducted at test facilities. Testing on public roads should start in a road environment with few unpredicted situations. Implementing Entities should check in advance the traffic environment of the public road they plan to use. A second person aboard in the test vehicle is necessary to monitor the automated driving systems. The test driver needs the drivers’ license required for the used test vehicle. The test driver keeps all legal driver responsibilities. He or she is not obliged to hold the steer but is required to monitor the surrounding traffic.

The actors that plan or implement public road testing, are called the “implementing entities”. They should take adequate measures to ensure safety and make a Public Road Testing Plan. Furthermore, the implementing entities are responsible for

• the required qualities of the test driver;
• an appropriate cybersecurity when testing on public roads;
• the recording of various data about the driving and the condition of the vehicle.

With regard to testing infrastructure, public roads, as defined in article 2(1)-1 of the Road Traffic Act (= law Nr 105 of 1960) and private testing facilities can be used. The automated driving system used in public road testing, has to be able to be operated by the test driver.

 

Organisation(s) in charge

• FOT (National Police Agency)
• Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

 

Contact information

N/A

 

Link to procedure website

• https://www.npa.go.jp/english/

 

Link to documents

• National Police Agency: Guidelines for Public Road Testing of Automated Driving Systems (May 2016).
• National Police Agency: Criteria for the permission for use of roads for public road testing of Driving Automation Systems with Remote Control Technology (June 2017)

 

Further Comments

N/A