“Demonstration Experiments Begin on Automated Logistics Roads Amid Severe Labor Shortages”

Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) has announced demonstration experiments for “automated logistics roads,” which involve developing dedicated lanes beneath highways and in central dividers to transport cargo using autonomous carts. The ministry aims to begin partial operations on sections between Tokyo and Osaka by the mid-2030s.

With the shortage of truck drivers becoming increasingly serious, estimates suggest that by 2030, transport capacity will fall short by about 940 million tons. The implementation of automated logistics roads is expected to cover 8–22% of this shortfall.

While trucks on expressways typically travel at around 70–80 km/h, the autonomous carts are also designed to operate at comparable speeds, with the goal of running 24 hours a day.

As a new system to address the severe labor shortage, automated logistics roads are drawing high expectations.