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...