Advanced Smart Mobility Co (AS Mobi) will deploy emergency vehicle detection software from Cerence Inc in its autonomous bus fleet across Japan, a critical safety upgrade as the country accelerates driverless public transport to serve its rapidly ageing rural population.

The Cerence software uses exterior microphones and audio analytics to detect the sirens of approaching ambulances, fire engines, and police vehicles. This allows the autonomous buses to identify emergency responders—often before they are visible to cameras or light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors—and yield appropriately in complex traffic.

The deployment supports the Japanese government’s broader smart city initiatives, which aim to maintain essential civic services in provincial towns. As younger demographics continue to migrate to major urban centres such as Tokyo, regional municipalities are left with majority-elderly populations and a severe shortage of working-age residents to operate conventional buses and taxis.

To combat this demographic shift, Japan is funding the rollout of autonomous public transport to ensure elderly residents retain mobility. However, integrating these driverless vehicles into live traffic requires them to safely interact with emergency services, making acoustic detection systems a necessary operational safeguard.

“Emergency vehicle awareness is an important capability for autonomous bus operations, and our collaboration with Cerence AI supports our efforts to advance transportation services that are safer, more accessible, and better equipped for the dynamic challenges of real-world environments,” said Masaya Segawa, President at AS Mobi.

The field trials represent Cerence’s first autonomous bus programme in Japan. AS Mobi plans to scale its autonomous transportation services for full commercial deployment by 2027.