Demonstrating All-Weather, Low-Cost Autonomous Driving with Proprietary “Mapless Technology,” Completing Over 650 km in Snowy Conditions
KANAZAWA, Japan — January 27, 2026 — MoveEz Inc. (Headquarters: Kanazawa City, Ishikawa; CEO: Eric Wei; hereinafter “MoveEz”), an AI robotics startup boasting world-class technology and a proven track record in autonomous driving, announced today that it has successfully conducted Japan’s first* autonomous robot taxi (hereinafter “Robo-taxi”) field test on snowy public roads. The test was conducted in cooperation with Kamishihoro Town, Hokkaido, from January 5 (Mon) to January 27 (Tue), 2026. MoveEz is pleased to report that the vehicle completed all scheduled runs without any accidents.
*Based on internal research of publicly available information regarding autonomous driving field tests conducted in Japan (including those by foreign companies), as of January 2026.
■ Background
MoveEz is a startup spinning out of Kanazawa University, founded in May 2024 with the mission to “liberate mobility for everyone and create a society without transportation gaps” through the realization of fully autonomous robot taxis. The company’s foundation lies in 27 years of R&D at Kanazawa University, which began in 1998, the dawn of this field. MoveEz began testing on public roads in 2015, ahead of the industry, and currently holds a track record of over 40,000 km driven and 2,000 passengers carried, along with numerous patents.
In October 2025, as part of a priority support project under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s “Subsidy for Regional Public Transportation Maintenance and Improvement (Autonomous Driving Social Implementation Promotion Project),” MoveEz conducted a Robo-taxi operation test for local residents in Kamishihoro Town. This initiative covered a total route extension of 100 km on public roads—the longest in Japan—and served general passengers.
[Autonomous Driving] MoveEz Launches Japan’s Longest and Fastest Robot Taxi Field Test in Kamishihoro, Hokkaido. | MoveEz Inc. Press Release (Japanese only)
■ MoveEz Technology
A key feature of MoveEz, which operates under the mission “Beyond the human,” is its “Mapless” technology. This system generates necessary and sufficient 2D simple maps in-house just by driving the route, eliminating the need for external high-precision 3D maps. This technology drastically reduces the time and financial costs associated with expanding to new regions, enabling short-term, low-cost, and highly reliable service launches.
Furthermore, MoveEz possesses one-of-a-kind “All-Weather” technology capable of stable driving even under severe weather conditions, including snow. The company has been conducting verification tests for snow driving at 60 km/h at Kanazawa University since 2018. MoveEz believes that its “Mapless Technology,” which does not require special winter mapping, can sufficiently ensure safety, reliability, and operability during winter operations. Consequently, this demonstration in a snowy environment was planned as part of the FY2025 roadmap from the outset.
■ Details of the Field Test
MoveEz conducted the Robo-taxi field test covering a total distance of over 650 km, including driving on public roads at a maximum speed of 60 km/h, in areas subject to snow and freezing. This marks Japan’s first autonomous Robo-taxi field test on public roads in snowy conditions.
On January 27 (Tue), Mitsugi Takenaka, Mayor of Kamishihoro Town, participated in a test ride, verifying the safety and comfort of the vehicle on snowy road surfaces.
Usually, autonomous driving in snowy regions is considered technologically difficult due to landscape changes caused by snow accumulation and sensor noise. However, the MoveEz vehicle, equipped with proprietary “Mapless Technology” and “All-Weather Control Technology,” achieved smooth vehicle control—including lane keeping and the absence of sudden braking or steering—even in environments where white lines and road shoulders were difficult to see due to snow and ice. This demonstrated that Robo-taxi vehicles equipped with the MoveEz autonomous driving system enable stable autonomous driving without the need for prior special snow mapping.
■ Field Test Overview
- Dates: January 5 (Mon) – January 27 (Tue), 2026
- Location: Kamishihoro Town, Hokkaido
- Total Distance: Over 650 km
- Participants: Total of 50 people, including local government officials
- Vehicle: 1 Toyota Alphard
Through this demonstration, MoveEz is convinced that the early realization of year-round Robo-taxi operations is feasible, even in regions where securing winter transportation is a challenge. MoveEz will continue to promote its business toward the early social implementation of Robot Taxis.
■ About MoveEz Inc.
MoveEz is a Kanazawa University-originated startup founded in May 2024, aiming to realize fully autonomous robot taxis. Building on 27 years of research since 1998, the company has successful track records of field tests in Tokyo, Hokkaido, Chiba Prefecture, and other locations in Japan.