Macnica, Inc.（Kohoku Ward, Yokohama）

1 Business

Autonomous driving demonstration experiment in Thailand

2 Country, region (city, etc.)

Thailand（①EECi Wangchan, Rayong/②Bangsue Grand Station）

3 Contribution to SDGs

４　Project Results

(1) Local issues and project background

In Thailand, public transportation is still under development, and traffic congestion is a significant issue. In particular, traffic jams have become chronic in densely populated urban areas. There are also challenges in adhering to traffic rules. Utilizing technologies such as autonomous driving to create a system that can consistently transport passengers is one of the solutions to address these challenges.

In 2019, Macnica participated in the event ‘Amata Smart City Showcase’ at ‘The ASCN Conference & Exhibition 2019’ organized by the major industrial estate developer Amata Corporation. At this event, Macnica demonstrated autonomous driving using a low-speed autonomous vehicle within Amata Industrial Park in Thailand. The background to Macnica’s timely participation in this notable event in Thailand was largely due to its continued discussions with Amata Corporation regarding smart city development plans, as a member company of the general incorporated association YUSA (YOKOHAMA URBAN SOLUTION ALLIANCE).

Through this event, relationships were built with researchers and private companies in Thailand, who later became partners in this project (demonstration experiment). Additionally, Macnica’s technology gained recognition in Thailand’s autonomous driving market, which led to the recent contract for the demonstration experiment from a Thai government agency.

(2) Demonstration and further outlook

In the 2022 fiscal year, Macnica collaborated with local startups and delivered an autonomous vehicle (passenger car type) to the Department of Science Service (DSS) under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation. This was Thailand’s first autonomous driving experiment with a passenger car, conducted on a dedicated course at the Eastern Economic Corridor Innovation Zone (EECi). Macnica’s engineers performed mapping and other preparations, conducting necessary verifications for autonomous driving through test drives. Additionally, the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) ordered autonomous carts to support local startups and conducted a service verification by operating five autonomous carts around Bangsue Station in Bangkok. The vehicles used in these demonstration experiments were equipped with Autoware, an autonomous driving software developed by TierIV, supported by Macnica. There are expectations for the expansion and implementation of these technologies in other locations across Thailand in the future.

5 Reference

https://www.macnica.co.jp/business/maas/columns/143290/(Japanese)