January 13th, 2026
3 min read
A growing shortage of commercial drivers is putting increasing pressure on transportation systems globally. In fact, the world was short 3.6 million commercial truck drivers in 2024, according to road transport organization IRU. The number of taxi, bus and coach drivers is also dropping.
It is all part of an alarming trend toward fewer commercial drivers as the older generation retires and not enough young people take their place. It’s a big problem for logistics and public transportation, putting the safe, secure movement of people and goods at risk.
Autonomous driving can help to fill the gap – but it must be done safely and efficiently.
With this in mind, NTT has been conducting demonstration experiments in autonomous driving, starting in Japan, using our high-speed, highly reliable communication network services. We recently launched a new company, NTT Mobility, Inc., which will work together with partners and stakeholders to deliver practical, safe and efficient autonomous driving services in Japan by 2027.
The introduction of NTT Mobility builds on our 2024 announcement to develop a new Mobility AI Platform, and our October 2025 announcement of ultra-low-latency remote monitoring of autonomous vehicles (AVs) via NTT’s IOWN All-Photonics Network.
The role of NTT Mobility in an autonomous driving society
NTT Mobility’s work is beginning in Japan, where the government aims to introduce autonomous driving services in more than 100 locations by 2027. As a step toward that goal, Japan revised the Road Traffic Act in 2023 to allow Level 4 autonomous driving – which is fully autonomous driving under specific conditions – on public roads.
NTT Mobility will provide a one-stop service in Japan that will include procurement and provision, maintenance, servicing and management of AVs, including emergency dispatch. It will also include support services such as establishing driving areas, creating maps and providing training programs for operators, as well as remote monitoring system services.
And, to contribute to Level 4 autonomous driving with remote monitoring, NTT Mobility will offer AI-driven innovations that will support regional public transportation crew operations. With regional transportation networks for buses and taxis differing in every community, NTT Mobility will collaborate with NTT Group companies to provide services that are both customized to local communities and focused on establishing standard operations, processes and efficiencies – all in support of a nationwide autonomous driving framework.
We envision that our Mobility AI Platform will be used by a wide range of industry, government and academic partners who share the goal of a safe, efficient society with zero traffic accidents. For instance, NTT and Toyota Motor Company expect to invest a total of ¥500 billion (approximately US$3.3 billion) in the platform by 2030, when widespread adoption is anticipated.
Autonomous driving projects in development at NTT
At the NTT R&D Forum in November 2025, we demonstrated several examples of work we have underway to support the growth of autonomous driving.
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We are retrofitting existing utility poles into smart poles, providing real-time communication and power infrastructure for AVs without costly new installations.
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We are developing solutions to efficiently collect and use vehicle and road data with cooperative infrastructure and edge computing, improving service continuity over conventional wireless and cloud processing methods.
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We are working on roadside sensing to detect blind spots in real time, integrating vehicle safety systems such as sensors and driver assistance with road infrastructure to help reach zero accidents.
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We are creating predictive AI models that simulate real-world scenarios, forecast object movement, and enhance decision-making in complex environments, such as providing intersection alerts for AVs to prevent accidents.
NTT Mobility is innovating the future of autonomous driving
Making autonomous driving real and practical in Japan – and eventually around the world – will take a coordinated system that includes safe and secure autonomous vehicles, standardized operations, and an infrastructure adapted to the road environment.
NTT is committed to being a cornerstone of this system, with NTT Mobility taking the lead. We are bringing together deep, relevant expertise and technology from across NTT Group companies and coordinating with partners such as Toyota to move toward a safe and sustainable autonomous-driving society.
Together we can create a new transportation system for the efficient, secure and accident-free movement of people and goods.
