Japan’s leading truck manufacturers, including Isuzu Motors, Hino Motors, Mitsubishi Fuso, and UD Trucks, have launched road tests for Level-4 autonomous driving heavy-duty trucks on the Shin-Tomei Expressway in Japan. This project is sponsored by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Tourism (MLIT), with the aim of demonstrating advanced autonomous driving technologies using high-performance trucks on public highways.
In addition to the truck manufacturers, companies such as Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Advanced Smart Mobility Company Ltd, Nippon Koei Company Ltd, and Mizuho Research & Technologies Ltd are also involved in the project. The main goal of this initiative is to address the shortage of truck drivers in Japan by working towards the public implementation of autonomous driving trucks on expressways starting from fiscal 2026.
Previous projects sponsored by METI and MLIT have focused on autonomous truck platooning on public highways. The current project, running from fiscal 2021 to fiscal 2025, aims to achieve fully autonomous driverless trucking between relay areas along expressways. It will also evaluate the need for additional support in terms of infrastructure, monitoring, management, and vehicle functions.
By fiscal 2025, the project participants plan to verify the entire autonomous driving process, from vehicle departure at a service area to parking at the destination, under conditions that simulate real-world driving scenarios. Trials will also be conducted using priority lanes for autonomous vehicles, with the goal of establishing Connected Autonomous Vehicle corridors on Japan’s highways.
Overall, the project aims to pave the way for the widespread adoption of autonomous driving technologies in the trucking industry, addressing challenges such as driver shortages and improving efficiency and safety on the roads. The collaboration between government agencies and private companies underscores the importance of public-private partnerships in driving innovation and progress in the transportation sector.
