Stephen Zhu, vice president of Didi Chuxing and CEO of DiDi Mobility Japan, says the new platform is intended to help taxi companies improve their efficiency, enhance user satisfaction and build more broad-based demand for taxi services.
Through the agreement, DiDi will deliver its artificial intelligence-based transportation platform with SoftBank’s business base and advanced network infrastructure.
Additionally, the DiDi Greater China app will include new roaming features such as real-time in-app Chinese-Japanese instant message translation and local language customer support. Users from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan will be able to use the app to hail taxis in their native language.
The trial will be available for riders, drivers and taxi operators in cities such as Osaka, Kyoto, Fukuoka and Tokyo.
China-based DiDi Chuxing will deploy its ride-matching app in Japan in partnership with investor SoftBank. The joint venture, DiDi Mobility Japan, intends to offer on-demand services and smart transportation to citizens and tourists in the autumn.
