Sony takes on ride-hailing in Japan as Uber looks for partners


Sony says it’s partnering with Daiwa Motor Transportation and five other local taxi companies in Japan to build a new taxi hailing system to match drivers with riders via a mobile app, similar to how Uber and countless others manage their ride-sharing services. Sony, however, plans to use AI to better predict demand to dispatch taxis more efficiently, says Nikkei, by factoring in traffic, ride histories, weather, and local events. Sony has previously implemented its AI technology in products like its Aibo robot dog.

Sony aims to launch the new venture in spring alongside a new payment service. The six taxi companies (Green Cab, International Motor, Kusumi Transportation, Checker Cab Radio Cooperative Association, Hinomaruku...

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