Mobileye and WILLER Partner to Bring Robotaxi Services to Japan and Southeast Asia

Mobileye, a subsidiary of Intel, announced a strategic partnership with WILLER, one of the largest transportation operators in Japan and Southeast Asia. The two parties will launch autonomous taxi (Robotaxi) services in Japan and Southeast Asia. In addition, the two parties will jointly test and deploy autonomous driving travel solutions based on Mobileye's autonomous vehicle (AV) technology, starting in Japan.

Mobileye and WILLER Partner to Provide Autonomous Driving Mobility Solutions in Japan and Southeast Asia

Professor Amnon Shashua, Intel senior vice president and president and CEO of Mobileye, an Intel subsidiary, said: "This collaboration with WILLER will add another important partner to our mobility ecosystem and will further expand Mobileye's global presence. We look forward to working with WILLER to jointly launch autonomous driving mobility services in Japan and Southeast Asia, bringing new ways of travel to users in these regions."

“This collaboration with Mobileye is a significant step for WILLER as it brings us one step closer to innovating transportation services and making mobility accessible to everyone, anywhere, at any time,” said Shigetaka Murase, founder and CEO of WILLER. “We believe that innovation in transportation will create a smarter, safer and more sustainable society where people can enjoy a higher quality of life.”

According to this cooperation, Mobileye and WILLER will use their own advantages to realize the commercialization of self-driving taxis and self-driving customized shared buses in Japan. Mobileye will provide self-driving cars equipped with Mobileye's self-driving system, while WILLER will provide corresponding services based on the characteristics of each region and user preferences, ensure that the services comply with local regulatory requirements, and provide travel services and solutions for fleet operators.

Mobileye and WILLER aim to begin testing autonomous taxis on public roads in Japan in 2021, and plan to implement fully autonomous ride-hailing and shared mobility services in 2023. In addition, the two parties will also explore opportunities to provide related services in other Southeast Asian markets.

For Mobileye, the collaboration with WILLER further expands its global Mobility as a Service (MaaS) ambitions. After announcing its move into a comprehensive mobility services provider, Mobileye has launched a series of collaborations with major cities, transportation service agencies, and mobility technology companies to jointly develop and deploy autonomous mobility solutions in key markets. Mobileye's collaboration with WILLER builds on Mobileye's existing MaaS partnerships, including a collaboration with the Daegu Metropolitan City to deploy autonomous taxis using Mobileye's autonomous driving system in the city, and a joint venture with Volkswagen and Champion Motors to operate an autonomous ride-hailing fleet in Israel. The collaboration with WILLER also greatly expands and strengthens Mobileye's ambition to provide MaaS globally.

WILLER is committed to providing a unified user experience for users in various countries in the areas where it is deployed. WILLER released the MaaS APP in 2019 and adopted a QR code payment system this year. In recent years, WILLER has reached cooperation with Kuo-Kuang Bus, the largest bus operator in Taiwan, China, and Mai Linh, the largest taxi company in Vietnam, and invested in Car Club, a car-sharing service provider in Singapore. It has also reached cooperation with 150 local transportation operators in Japan. In addition, WILLER will provide autonomous driving online car-hailing and car-sharing services in the areas where it is deployed, and work with Mobileye to bring users the best travel service experience.

The cooperation between WILLER and Mobileye will add a new mode of transportation based on existing transportation service modes such as highway buses, railways, and shared cars. With the addition of self-driving cars, customized functions and shared services, users' travel experience will be greatly improved. Not only that, this set of services can also solve travel problems such as traffic accidents and traffic congestion, as well as many social challenges brought about by driver shortages and Japan's aging population. In the future, Mobileye and WILLER will jointly promote the development of autonomous driving transportation solutions and bring more social benefits, thereby improving people's quality of life and making society smarter, safer and more sustainable.