Tokyo Paralympics: Toyota’s Self‑Driving Pods Pull the Plug
What Went Wrong?
Just a day after one of Toyota’s fully autonomous e‑Palette pods hit a visually‑impaired pedestrian, the company decided to pull the plug on all of its self‑driving vehicles stationed in the Paralympic village.
- Driverless pod halted at a T‑junction.
- The operator, using the joystick, was about to turn the pod.
- Suddenly, the pod slammed into an athlete moving at roughly 1–2 km/h.
Own Words from the CEO
Akio Toyoda stepped onto the stage at a YouTube briefing and, with a hint of regret, said:
- “A vehicle is stronger than a person, so I was obviously worried about how they were.”
- “The accident shows the difficulty for the self‑driving vehicle to operate in the special circumstances of the village during the Paralympics.”
- “It shows that autonomous vehicles are not yet realistic for normal roads.”
He also confessed that he wanted to meet the injured athlete but didn’t get the chance.
Aftermath and Investigation
- The athlete, still conscious, was rushed to the village medical centre and later managed to return home.
- He is slated to compete again on Saturday at 10:30 local time.
- Toyota is working closely with the local police to pin down the cause of the mishap.
- They will also conduct an internal investigation and coordinate with the Tokyo Organising Committee to prevent future incidents.
Why It Matters
Even as the 2020 Paralympics opened in a city battling a record Covid‑19 surge, this incident shines a light on the challenges of deploying autonomous tech in crowded, high‑stakes environments. After all, a glitch in a driverless pod turns into a real‑world human moment.
For now, Toyota has opted for a cautious approach: stop the pods, investigate, and keep the folks moving safely.
