Start of Social Experiment Using Multiple Language Voice Translation System in Tourist Taxis for Visitors to Japan

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―Achieving Multiple Language Tourist Guidance with the 1000 Yen Taxi Service in Tottori City, Tottori―

  • KDDI CORPORATION
  • KDDI R&D Laboratories

November 18,2015

From November 18, 2015, KDDI and KDDI R&D Laboratories will begin a social experiment using their Multiple Language Voice Translation System in the 1000 Yen Taxi tourist service in Tottori City, Tottori for visitors to Japan.

The 1000 Yen Taxi service began in January 2011 as a tourist taxi service for foreign tourists visiting Tottori City. Taxi drivers certified as Tottori Tourist Meisters guide tourists to tourist spots throughout Tottori City so they can experience hospitality and learn about the history and culture. Users can use the service for three hours for \1000 (tax included, per person), allowing foreign tourists to the tourism of Shimane easily and affordably.

KDDI's aim with this social experiment is to overcome the differences in public services caused by language barriers by equipping the Multiple Language Voice Translation System [1] into 1000 Yen Taxi [2] vehicles to achieve communication between taxi drivers and foreign visitors, which has always been an issue. Furthermore, KDDI R&D Laboratories will continue with research and development of translation accuracy improvement technology using location information and users' smartphones to continually improve the accuracy of the voice translations.

KDDI and KDDI R&D Laboratories will continue its efforts to achieve hospitality that utilizes ICT for the improvement of customer satisfaction and sense of security, the increase of the number of tourists and repeater rate, and the contribution to the spread of local economies through tourism.

  • [1]
    The Multiple Language Voice Translation System is constructed by KDDI utilizing technology developed by the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NCIT). Translations to English, Simplified Chinese, and Korean are supported. (As of November 18, 2015)
  • [2]
    Installation of the Multiple Language Voice Translation System into 1000 Yen Taxi vehicles is done with technological cooperation from Toyota Info Technology Center Co., Ltd. and FUJITSU TEN LIMITED.

For more details, see the Attachment.
Attachment：Start of Social Experiment Using Multiple Language Voice Translation System in Tourist Taxis for Visitors to Japan

  • The information contained in the news releases is current at the time of publication. Products, service fees,service content and specifications, contact information, and other details are subject to change without notice.