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Japan Plans To Replace Trucks With Autonomous Pods, Reaffirming Its Leadership In Technology Innovation. The Asian Country Is Developing A New Highway Designed Exclusively For These Futuristic Vehicles!
To address the growing shortage of truck drivers, the Japanese government has unveiled a unique new project based on a new highway for autonomous pods transporting goods. The idea for replacing trucks was outlined a few months ago and has gained new details, making it clearer how it might work.
Japan Will Face 34% Capacity Deficit
In addition to the potential to revolutionize local logistics by replacing trucks, the solution is considered efficient for congestion and pollution problems. Currently, trucks are the backbone of goods transportation in cities, but they face challenges such as environmental impact and a lack of drivers.
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The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) of Japan predicts that by 2030 the country will experience a 34% capacity deficit in the transportation sector, due to the retirement of drivers and the lack of new professionals.
On the new highway for autonomous pods, vehicles will be able to operate day and night without interfering with conventional traffic, using extra lanes on the shoulders or central medians, and even in underground structures.
The facilities for replacing trucks along the route will also be automated, with systems that autonomously load and unload goods, including self-driving forklifts and drones.
Strategic points along the new highway for autonomous pods may be used by vehicles to adjust arrival times, allowing greater accuracy in the flow and distribution of goods, without the need for large warehouses. A glass dome is expected to protect the lanes, preventing external interferences and accidents, while ensuring the safety of the goods.
New Highway For Autonomous Pods Will Have 500 Km
The autonomous pods will be developed to carry pallets 1.1 m wide and 1.8 m high, with the capacity to also transport smaller and irregularly shaped packages. If successful, the project has the potential to reduce the dependence on human labor by up to 17,000 people per day.
The first step in replacing trucks will be the construction of a 500 km test section between Tokyo and Osaka, with operations beginning in 2027 and full implementation in the 2030s. The Japanese government has already begun searching for private companies interested in contributing to the development of the necessary infrastructure for the autonomous pods.
The transportation will be carried out using AGVs (automated guided vehicles), transporting standardized pallets of goods. The AGVs will transport pallets with standardized dimensions of 110 cm x 110 cm, with the total height of the payload and pallet limited to 180 cm. These vehicles, commonly used in warehouses and factories, will be adapted for road use.
New Highway For Autonomous Pods Will Operate At 30 Km/h
An experiment to replace trucks is expected to be conducted by 2027 on a stretch of the Shin Tomei Expressway between Hadano (Kanagawa) and Gotemba (Shizuoka), including tests to assess transport stability, impact on roads, adaptation for automatic loading and unloading, and deficiencies in tracking systems using RFID tags and barcodes.
The operating speed of the new highway for autonomous pods will be around 30 km/h but can be adjusted as testing progresses.
The government expects the initial project between Tokyo and Osaka to be completed by the mid-2030s. The construction of tunnels would cost around US$ 23 billion, leading to the belief that the short-term option of conveyor belts or autonomous carts on the roads may be considered.
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