, Nagano, Hakuba village, residents and tourists who visit the village car during the deterioration in profitability in the village bus is forced to repeal a new transportation will have high hopes. In resort area located in the northern part of Nagano Prefecture in

, the white horse village is approximately 2300000 per year tourists visit to skiing or snowboarding. Buses circulating village four years ago, deterioration in profitability, decreased 6% from the peak, while the population of the village is approximately 9,000 people and 0/2004 have been deprecated.

under these circumstances, Hakuba-Mura then focuses on "automatic operation", has signed a cooperation agreement late last month, a subsidiary of the giant telecommunications company Softbank, conducts automated driving technology development toward practical use of SB drive with automatic driving.

It is thought automatically operation bus between main station and ski

to run on a regular basis, trying to secure the feet of residents living as well as to enhance the convenience of the tourists. Welcome from the local activities of these village echoed these sentiments.

Maruyama Toshiro (41 years old) and run a hotel in the village

it is not only reduces the cost, leading to appeal as a tourist destination and am looking forward to the practical. Visitors by car is approximately 8% of the
hotel guests are foreigners, mostly not, borrowed the car for winter almost every day in between the bus and train station, and conducts the transfer.

Get interactive shuttle guests to Ski Ski shuttle bus

in addition, the limited period of service, taxis are long when waiting for two hours, Maruyama himself away from the Inn and dining.
Mr./Ms. Maruyama "winter several times in one day or in the transfer to and fro. Development of automatic operation becomes profitable for lodging because you want ahead "with talks.

also in temporary housing in one continues to live in shelters and homes destroyed in the earthquake shaking intensity 6 lower observed two years ago, Kashiwara, Akemi (83), I also believe the move would be useful on the introduction of automatic driving bus. Utilizes a shared taxi, farming has become a life worth living for is now operated by the village, but service only on weekdays but frequent low through the destinations of the others also takes time.
kashiwabara's "feels shared taxi is a little inconvenient. And transportation more accessible when I think "and talk.

This G7 Minister meeting in Hakuba-Mura

, does not accelerate moves towards commercialization of the automatic operation and high hopes, Seigo shimokawa Mayor "you want talking about safety first. Be the feet of the elderly and children and tourist visitors to move smoothly as it would really appreciate "and talk.