ANKARA

Wayve, a British startup developing self-driving technology powered by artificial intelligence (AI), has established a new testing and development center in Japan, marking its debut in Asia, a company statement said Tuesday.

The new center will help accelerate the development of AI-powered driving software in collaboration with automakers, supporting the testing and development of autonomous driving technology in Tokyo and surrounding regions.

"By incorporating training data from Japan's complex road environments, Wayve will strengthen the generalization of its foundation model and enhance adaptability across global markets," the statement said.

The startup is also testing its technology in the UK, Germany, the US, and Canada.

"The center will strengthen Wayve’s foundation model with real-world data from Japan’s unique urban environments, enhancing global adaptability," the statement added.

The move, it further said, positions Wayve as a strategic software partner for Japanese automakers seeking to deploy safe, scalable AI for assisted and automated driving.

Wayve’s entry into Japan follows the recent announcement of its planned collaboration with Nissan, as talks continue with other international automotive groups.

The expansion also comes after its launch earlier this year in Germany, with the company broadening its international footprint after last year’s $1.05 billion Series C funding round, led by SoftBank Group with participation from NVIDIA, Microsoft, and Uber.

*Writing by Aamir Latif