Auve Tech autonomous vehicle to drive in Japan
Vehicle developed in Estonia cleared to drive without security operator in Japan.
Press Release
MiCa, an autonomous vehicle developed by the Estonian company Auve Tech, has been certified as meeting Japan’s Level 4 requirements and successfully began operations in the city of Taki, in Mie Prefecture, early on 29 November 2024.
“Level 4, meaning operation without a safety operator, is the holy grail for any company developing autonomous technology,” said,Väino Kaldoja founder of Auve Tech. “Achieving Level 4 maturity in Japan and in open traffic is a significant leap forward for a young Estonian company.”
Kaldoja said that, at present, around 20 vehicles produced by Auve Tech are operating in open traffic in Japan, serving residents of small towns on a daily basis. Most of these are operated by Boldly, a subsidiary of SoftBank, with funding from the Japanese government.
“The permission to serve passengers in open traffic without a safety operator provides great opportunities to expand the service, and we believe that Japan’s approval will open markets elsewhere as well,” he noted.
To get a Level 4 clearance, 64 different tests had to be passed over a period of nearly 12 months in one of the most comprehensive testing procedures known to be applied in the field of autonomous mobility worldwide.
MiCa is an eight-seat autonomous vehicle developed and manufactured in Estonia. In addition to Japan, MiCa has been operating in Estonia, Finland, Germany, the United States, and several countries in the Middle East.
Auve Tech is a technology company founded in 2019. With nearly 50 autonomous vehicles produced, it is one of the largest car manufacturers in Estonia’s history.
