

A controlled proof of concept brought together autonomous driving, an agreed operating boundary, remote monitoring and redundant communications to test a new approach to restricted-area mobility at Narita International Airport.
The proof of concept had to address a workforce constraint and a safety ambition while respecting the tightly defined operating conditions of a restricted airport environment.




NTT DATA worked with the airport operator, an autonomous driving specialist and a telecommunications provider to design a proof-of-concept vehicle and the connected operating environment around it.
The partners designed a proof-of-concept vehicle to drive autonomously in a restricted area of Narita International Airport, directly testing an alternative to fully manual driving.
The system was designed to allow autonomous vehicles to operate without driver intervention inside the predefined area, addressing the initiative’s labor and human-error objectives without claiming measured results.
Vehicle developers, operators and airport managers agreed the operational design domain that set the boundaries for the test.
A private 5G and carrier network system provided communications redundancy, alongside remote monitoring of autonomous vehicles.
The demonstration provides a practical basis for examining autonomous driving in a restricted airport area and for informing future operating rules. It also establishes a pathway for evaluating Level 4 autonomous driving at Narita International Airport and possible replication at other airports. The source does not report measured improvements in safety, labor capacity or operating efficiency, so these outcomes should not be presented as achieved.