Nissan is promising to have publicly-available, self driving taxis operational by the spring of 2028 in Japan following tests there and in the UK.

It’s a step towards the company's long-term vision, Nissan Ambition 2030, to solve transportation service issues faced by local communities in Japan. Certain areas have been facing challenges such as driver shortages, which are a result of an ageing population. With this service, Nissan says it will provide a broad range of new services that enable free movement.

Nissan has been testing business models for mobility services in Japan and the UK since 2017. These vicinities include the Minato Mirai area of Yokohama and Namie town, Fukushima Prefecture. Outside Japan, Nissan has been testing autonomous-drive mobility in London and other areas with the support of the UK government.

Nissan will begin trials in the Minato Mirai area in the next 12 months. During the trials, the level of autonomous driving will be gradually enhanced while assessing customer acceptance, with the aim to provide driverless services.

The current prototypes use heavily-modified Leafs and Serena MPVs. 

Modified Leafs have been testing in Japan and the UK