U.S. electric vehicle maker Tesla Motors unveiled its dedicated autonomous ride-hailing vehicle, the Cybercab, on Friday in Tokyo's Aoyama district, marking the model's first public display in Japan. The company has already initiated mass production of the Cybercab and launched ride-hailing services in select parts of the United States, yet there are currently no plans to sell the vehicle in Japan.
Tesla Motors' Japan chief, Satoshi Hashimoto, stated that the company hopes to introduce an autonomous taxi business in Japan "if the timing is right." He noted that Tesla intends to proceed with a gradual rollout, initially deploying its advanced driver-assistance system known as Full Self-Driving (FSD) on existing models.
The Cybercab is scheduled to be showcased in Osaka starting next Thursday, with a subsequent touring display in Nagoya, central Japan, from September 22 onward.