On October 14, Panasonic Holdings announced a service trial
using its autonomous delivery robot HAKOBO,
led by Pasona Group at Nijigen no Mori on Awaji Island.
The trial runs on weekdays from October 15 to 28.
It will assess the effectiveness, operability, and business viability
of daytime guidance and evening and nighttime security patrols.
What Is Being Tested: Guidance and Patrols Matched to the Time of Day
The announcement cites several challenges:
the burden of patrolling a large tourist facility in intense heat or at night,
patrols in areas where wildlife poses risks,
and the need for multilingual support as more visitors arrive from overseas.
During the day, the robot will travel around the park
and guide visitors to facilities and explain how to use them.
It will also share information about shops, events, and more
on its onboard display, and multilingual guidance is also planned.
In the evening and at night, it will be used to detect
pest animals, suspicious objects, and equipment abnormalities.
HAKOBO is a robot whose rear cabin can be changed to suit different uses.
In this trial, it will be combined with a display and cameras
and used for two services: guidance and patrols.
Effects such as reducing staff workload
are now being checked at an actual facility.
Switching to Remote Operation When Autonomous Driving Is Difficult
The remote monitoring and operation system X-Area Remote
is used to check the robot’s position, status, and surrounding video.
When autonomous driving is difficult,
the robot switches to remote operation
so it can be run according to conditions on site.
HAKOBO is also equipped with a safety control board
that integrates the safety functions mobile robots need.
The board was developed under Phase 3 of the
Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP),
led by Japan’s Cabinet Office,
and complies with the international standard IEC 62061.
Pasona Group is responsible for arranging on-site staff and remote operators,
running the service, and handling emergencies.
Panasonic Holdings provides the robot, the systems, and the safety control board,
and handles driving settings, on-site adjustments, and technical support.
LC Signal’s Perspective: Testing the Operating Structure Alongside the Robot
In addition to the technology that runs the robot,
this trial spells out who will handle on-site support and remote operation.
A system that switches from autonomous driving to human operation
seems likely to inform decisions about bringing robots
into a facility’s everyday work.
Through the trial, the two companies will identify operational challenges
and the structure needed to run the service.
Key Sources
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Panasonic Holdings official announcement (Japanese), October 14, 2026:
自動搬送ロボット「ハコボ」を活用したロボットサービス実証を淡路島「ニジゲンノモリ」で開始
(Robot service trial using the autonomous delivery robot HAKOBO
begins at Nijigen no Mori on Awaji Island)
This article was prepared with AI assistance using publicly available information
as of October 15, 2026.
Announcement dates follow the dates shown on the official pages.
This is an announcement of a trial, and the effects to be tested
are distinguished from proven results.
“LC Signal’s Perspective” reflects this publication’s interpretation
of the available information.