Wayve Technologies, a U.K.-based artificial intelligence startup backed by SoftBank, has tapped Japan as the next location in its global expansion.

On Tuesday, it announced the opening of a test center in Yokohama, making Japan its fourth market after the U.K., U.S. and Germany as it looks to work with major carmakers in developing AI-driven autonomous driving technology.

"The platform we provide can give a safer and more reliable driving performance than any single manufacturer can build on their own,” Chief Executive Officer Alex Kendall said during an interview.