To address the shortage of truck drivers, the government has formulated a plan to establish a designated lane for self-driving vehicles on the Shin-Tomei Expressway in Shizuoka Prefecture by 2024. Trials will be conducted before implementing distribution services using autonomous trucks, which are expected to commence no earlier than 2026. The self-driving vehicles will operate during the nighttime on the approximately 120-kilometer (75 Mile) stretch between the Surugawan-Numazu service area and the Hamamatsu service area. This section of the Shin-Tomei Expressway consists of three lanes in each direction. In March, the government finalized important aspects such as whether the lane will be exclusively dedicated to automated driving and which types of vehicles will be permitted.   Due to the shortage of drivers in the transportation industry, which is predicted to worsen in 2024 with the implementation of overtime regulations and penalties, Mitsubishi Estate Co. plans to coll...

The government has proposed a plan to create dedicated lanes exclusively for autonomous vehicles and delivery drones in Japan. This initiative aims to address labor shortages in logistics and the decreasing utilization of transportation networks in depopulated areas. The blueprint, presented during a meeting of the government's Council for the Realization of the Vision for a Digital Garden City Nation on March 31, outlines the intention to establish a designated lane along a section of the Shin-Tomei Expressway. This lane will span approximately 120 kilometers (74 Miles), stretching from the Surugawan-Numazu Service Area to the Hamamatsu Service Area, both located in Shizuoka Prefecture.   In the initial stages, self-driving trucks are anticipated to have access to this lane during a late-nighttime slot, possibly commencing in 2024. To ensure the safety of these vehicles, sensors and cameras will be installed along the shoulder of the road and in other strategic locations to ...