Japan Plans Automated Cargo Transport System

Japan is planning to construct an automated cargo transport corridor between Tokyo and Osaka, referred to as a “conveyor belt road” by the government, to address a shortage of truck drivers, Yuri Kageyama reported for the Associated Press (AP).

A trial system is scheduled to begin test runs in 2027 or early 2028, with full operations planned by the mid-2030s.

The project’s funding has not yet been determined, but it is considered essential to help Japan cope with rising delivery demands.

A government computer graphics video depicts large, wheeled boxes moving along a three-lane corridor, also known as an “auto flow road,” positioned in the center of a major highway.

A trial system is scheduled to begin test runs in 2027 or early 2028, with full operations planned by the mid-2030s.

“We need to be innovative in how we design roads,” said Yuri Endo, a senior deputy director overseeing the project at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism. In addition to addressing labor shortages and reducing drivers' workloads, the system will also aid in cutting carbon emissions, she said.

“The key concept of the auto flow road is to create dedicated spaces within the road network for logistics, utilizing a 24-hour automated and unmanned transportation system,” Endo explained.