Nissan has detailed the next phase of its autonomous mobility service trial in Kobe, Japan, with a larger service area and smartphone ride-booking. The fiscal year 2026 pilot uses Serena-based Level 2 vehicles and tests whether one remote centre in Yokohama can monitor operations in two cities at the same time. Applications to take part are now open.

Nissan is moving its autonomous mobility programme in Kobe into a new phase. The Japanese carmaker has published the details of its fiscal year 2026 pilot in the city’s Nada Gogo area, a district known for its sake breweries, and is now taking applications from people who want to try the service. The company says the trial builds on field tests it ran in fiscal year 2025, which it describes as successful.

A bigger area and on-demand booking

This year’s trial makes two main changes. The service area is larger, and passengers can now book a ride and call a vehicle on demand through a smartphone.

The fleet is made up of autonomous-drive development vehicles based on the Nissan Serena minivan. They are rated SAE Level 2-equivalent, and a safety driver stays on board throughout. According to Nissan, the pilot will test how autonomous transport can make it easier for tourists to get around, whether the public accepts it, and whether it can help revitalise the region.

The pilot runs on weekdays (Tuesday to Friday) from 8 December to 18 December 2026. It covers Nada Gogo and the surrounding districts of Kobe City.

One control room for two cities

The main focus this year is centralised monitoring. Nissan’s Remote Operations Center in Yokohama will watch the Level 2 vehicles in real time, covering both Kobe and the Yokohama Minato Mirai/Kannai area at once.

Nissan says that monitoring several operating areas from one site should make future mobility services more efficient. It also expects this to reduce the burden on local communities when such services are introduced. Remote supervision is widely seen as one of the cost hurdles autonomous ride services must clear before they can run as viable commercial businesses.

Who is involved

The project has four partners, each with its own role:

  • Kobe City: overall project administration
  • Nada Gogo Sake Brewers Association: provides pickup and drop-off points and is exploring how the service could link with the sake breweries
  • Moplus Inc.: supports service operations and helps build the operational framework
  • Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.: plans and runs the pilot, and supplies and operates the vehicles

The trial is part of the Digital Agency’s “Leading Project for Early Commercialization of Autonomous Driving Services” for fiscal year 2025. It also falls under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s fiscal year 2026 “Subsidy Program for Securing, Maintaining and Improving Regional Public Transportation (Project for Promoting the Social Implementation of Autonomous Driving)”.

What comes next

Nissan plans to start a paid service in 2027 and aims for full commercial operations in the Nada Gogo area by 2030. The company says it will keep running pilots in other regions and tailor solutions to the transport needs of each community.

Facts: Nissan autonomous mobility pilot, Kobe (FY2026)

  • Area: Nada Gogo and surrounding districts, Kobe City
  • Dates: 8–18 December 2026, Tuesday to Friday only
  • Vehicle: Nissan Serena-based autonomous-drive development vehicle
  • Autonomy level: SAE Level 2-equivalent, safety driver on board
  • New features: larger service area, on-demand booking and dispatch by smartphone
  • Monitoring: Remote Operations Center, Yokohama, covering Kobe and Yokohama
  • Targets: paid service in 2027, full commercial operation by 2030

Applications to join the December 2026 trial are open now.

Source: global.nissannews.com