Aging at home
Haneda grew its fleet to 37 self-driving wheelchairs across the domestic areas of Terminals 1 and 2. WHILL says the airport handles about 10,000 rides a month.
A dated step forward on the record · Company-reported · Sets Self-driving wheelchairs's stage
What the source says
“the service will operate 37 units across the entire domestic terminal areas of Haneda's Terminal 1 and Terminal 2”
What it means
Self-driving wheelchairs, from WHILL, LUCI, is at stage 4 of 5 on our ladder: paying customers. This event is one of the milestones that placed it there. This line rests on the company's own announcement; no regulator, customer or independent report confirms it in our sources yet.
Human help: Our sources report it working without human help.
More on Self-driving wheelchairs
- Singapore's Changi Airport began full use of the service, with up to 18 self-driving wheelchairs to be added in stages in Terminals 2 and 3. It is WHILL's largest airport rollout so far.
- WHILL said it had started a trial of its self-driving service at London Heathrow's Terminal 3.
- WHILL said its self-driving wheelchair service was running at 25 airports and other sites around the world.
- WHILL's self-driving service started at Anchorage airport in Alaska, with Alaska Airlines and NANA Management Services.
- LUCI, an add-on kit of sensors that fits between a power wheelchair's base and seat, went on sale in the US. It helps avoid collisions and stops the chair before steps and drop-offs. It does not drive the chair by itself.
- WHILL's self-driving wheelchair service began at Haneda Airport in 2020. WHILL calls it the first such service at any airport.