Yokohama Participates in Autonomous Truck Trials
Yokohama will participate in the testing of autonomous trucks with a 4th level autopilot on public roads, which will be conducted by the Japanese company T2. The vehicles will be equipped with new tires for trucks and buses, which will go on sale in the spring of next year, and during the tests, the requirements for tires when operating on autonomous transport will be evaluated. The tests will take place from November 2024 to March 2026 on a section of the highway between Kanto and Kansai.
The company adds that autonomous trucks of the 4th level can be used on limited territories, which will help solve problems in the logistics industry, as well as potentially increase the level of safety of transportation and improve fuel efficiency. T2 plans to start using trucks with a 4th level autopilot in highway transportation in 2027.
"We are very pleased that Yokohama Rubber shares our desire to support the logistics industry in Japan and will help us master highway transportation using autonomous trucks of the 4th level," said Seijo Morimoto, CEO of T2. "We are working closely with various partners to support and strengthen the competitiveness of the Japanese industry by developing new solutions taking into account the decline in birth rates and aging of the population, as well as to revitalize the logistics industry and turn it into a growing industry."
Shinji Kiyomiya, President and COO of Yokohama, added that "T2's work will greatly contribute to the creation of a new logistics system necessary for people's lives, and the tests will be of great significance."
"For many years, Yokohama Rubber has constantly contributed to the development of the logistics industry through the development of high-performance tires for trucks and buses, as well as tire management systems," he said. "In the future, we will use our extensive knowledge and technological capabilities to enable transportation services to be provided using autonomous trucks."