World’s First Autonomous Mobility Service Linked to Elevator System Allows Transportation between Multiple Floors at Narita International Airport
WHILL aims to realize seamless travel by expanding its operation area across multiple floors at airports
22 Oct 2024
San Francisco, CA, July 21, 2022 – WHILL, Inc. (WHILL) announced today that they will start a trial at Narita International Airport in Tokyo where the WHILL Autonomous Mobility Service, which automatically transports passengers to their destinations, will work in conjunction with an elevator to travel across different floors. This is the world’s first trial in which autonomous personal mobility vehicles carrying people are linked to an elevator, and the entire journey from the departure point to the destination boarding gate is automated. The trial will begin on July 28, 2022.
The WHILL Autonomous Mobility Service enables passengers to simply select their boarding gate from a touch panel and then safely move around the airport. In this trial, the elevator in Narita Airport and WHILL’s autonomous mobility vehicles will be linked. As soon as the vehicle approaches the elevator, it will stop at the floor where the vehicle is located, open and close the door, and then take the passenger to their desired floor. The autonomous service, which has been limited to operating on the same floor so far, can now move across different floors, expanding the range of destinations that can be reached. This allows the service to provide a more convenient means of transportation for all customers.
The service will also provide a function that allows users to select from multiple language options on the touch panel. In addition to English and Japanese, the service will also be available in Chinese, Korean, and other languages that are in high demand. This will make it easier for international passengers to use the service and navigate to their desired boarding gate within the large airport facility. The number of languages available will be increased as needed to meet future demand.
The WHILL Autonomous Mobility is not considered to be a medical device and has not been submitted to the Food and Drug Administration for review or clearance.