Japan sets approval criteria for driverless vehicle road tests

The National Police Agency on Thursday officially adopted approval standards for tests of driverless vehicles on public roads. The standards require safety measures such as a system that stops vehicles automatically in case of emergency. The NPA released a draft of the standards in April and solicited opinions from the public and experts. After prefectural public safety commissions amend related regulations, applications will be accepted for tests, possibly as early as this summer. With the government aiming to introduce services using driverless vehicles ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, major automakers are expected to speed-up development.