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Autonomous Semi-Trailer Road Demonstration Completed in Consortium with Toyota Tsusho, Otsuka Warehouse, Seino Transportation, and Fukuyama Transporting
— Verifying Real-World Driving Performance in Anticipation of Trunk Route Deployment —

2026.04.10

Robotruck Inc. ("Robotruck") has completed a public road demonstration of an autonomous semi-trailer truck as part of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) project titled "Demonstration Project Toward Social Implementation of Autonomous Driving Trucks for Trunk Transport," carried out within a consortium comprising Toyota Tsusho Corporation ("Toyota Tsusho"), Otsuka Warehouse Co., Ltd. ("Otsuka Warehouse"), Seino Transportation Co., Ltd. ("Seino Transportation"), and Fukuyama Transporting Co., Ltd. ("Fukuyama Transporting").

Semi-trailers offer greater cargo capacity than standard van-type trucks. By separating loading and unloading operations from driving at logistics hubs, they enable reduced dwell times and improved vehicle utilization rates, promising a significant boost in logistics efficiency.

For this demonstration, the consortium conducted autonomous driving trials between logistics hubs in Shizuoka and Aichi prefectures, verifying both vehicle performance and operational design. Driving data collected during the trial will be used to improve the accuracy of the autonomous driving technology, and insights from consortium discussions regarding operational challenges will inform joint deliberations with logistics operators on semi-trailer operations.

Robotruck will continue working in close collaboration with Toyota Tsusho, Otsuka Warehouse, Seino Transportation, and Fukuyama Transporting toward the realization of an autonomous trunk transport service between logistics hubs.

Demonstration Details and Results

The demonstration was designed to verify vehicle performance and operational design based on the premise of integrating autonomous trucks into the actual operations of logistics providers, with a view to realizing autonomous trunk transport.

Implementation Details

•  Demonstration period: February 2026
•  Total distance driven: Approximately 4,400 km
•  Route: Logistics hub in Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture → Shin-Shizuoka IC → Tomei Miyoshi IC → Logistics hub in Nisshin City, Aichi Prefecture (autonomous driving limited to the Shin-Shizuoka IC – Tomei Miyoshi IC section)

The route and driving conditions were established based on the needs of each consortium member. On the final day of the demonstration period, a live vehicle inspection session was held for senior executives from all companies, who observed the vehicle in operation and engaged in active discussions on current technical progress and future operational challenges.

Actual logistics routes in commercial operation present a range of high-difficulty scenarios, including: tunnel driving, where GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) signals are blocked and accurate vehicle positioning becomes challenging; driving in backlit conditions, where sensor visibility is reduced; and merging, which requires advanced recognition and judgment of surrounding vehicles while integrating a 16.5-meter vehicle into live highway traffic.

The demonstration confirmed stable driving performance under all of these challenging conditions.

Autonomous driving of semi-trailers presents significant technical challenges due to the complexity of steering inherent to the vehicle's full length and articulated structure, as well as the need for stable control during lane changes. Robotruck has addressed these challenges through proprietary AI algorithms and technology, confirming that control errors remained within the defined tolerances throughout the demonstration.

The successful implementation of autonomous semi-trailer driving is expected to dramatically improve vehicle turnover rates in trunk transport.

All consortium members have mutually confirmed their intent to collaborate on joint demonstrations and commercialization efforts in the coming years. Going forward, the parties will work together to select routes and cargo for full-scale autonomous driving deployment, and to identify the assets and capabilities that logistics operators will need to establish.

Comments from Consortium Members

Yosuke Komatsu, General Manager, Smart Society Department, Toyota Tsusho Corporation

"First and foremost, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for the successful completion of this demonstration project. The path to commercializing autonomous driving requires a careful balance of vehicle technology, business viability, social acceptance, and regulatory development. This year's verification — conducted together with Robotruck and the logistics operators — allowed us to assess viability from multiple perspectives, and we consider this tremendously meaningful. We look forward to seeing Robotruck continue to refine the performance of its autonomous driving system, and to making a major contribution to resolving driver shortages and improving logistics efficiency through the widespread adoption of autonomous trucks."

Yoshihiko Otani, General Manager, Logistics Division, Otsuka Warehouse Co., Ltd.

"After observing the live driving demonstration on the Shin-Tomei Expressway, I came away with a strong sense that the commercialization of autonomous driving technology is steadily advancing. The safety and stability of the vehicle — including safe following distances from vehicles ahead and secure lane changes — were confirmed, giving us confidence in the future practical deployment of this technology for transport between our own logistics hubs. As the technology continues to advance and achieve broader social implementation, I believe this initiative holds tremendous potential as a new transportation option for the logistics industry. We look forward to continued progress toward practical deployment."

Tadashi Yano, Senior Specialist, Operations Division, Seino Transportation Co., Ltd.

"At the autonomous driving semi-trailer demonstration inspection, together with the other consortium members, we were able to witness the actual autonomous vehicle in operation and confirm the technical progress that has been made — giving us a real sense that practical deployment is within reach in the near future. This demonstration involved a semi-trailer, which presents significantly higher technical difficulty than a standard single-unit truck, and it has only heightened our expectations for what lies ahead. With an eye toward practical deployment in trunk transport, we will continue exploring possibilities — not only as individual companies, but also through collaboration among all participating companies — to help address the broader challenges facing the logistics industry."

Shinji Kitamura, Executive Officer and General Manager of Transport Management Division, Fukuyama Transporting Co., Ltd.

"This demonstration confirmed stable driving performance in a semi-trailer — a vehicle with inherently high control complexity — under conditions close to real-world operations, including tunnel driving and highway merging. We came away with a clear sense of the steady technical progress being made toward practical deployment. Our company will advance our study of operations designed with autonomous driving in mind, with a view to specific applications in trunk transport, and will continue to work with all relevant parties to drive forward efforts toward practical implementation."

Yusuke Haga, CEO, Robotruck Inc.

"First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the logistics companies who participated with us in this year's demonstration. Our company aims to be a 'systems company' — one that provides autonomous driving systems rather than operating the trucks or logistics operations themselves — creating an environment in which logistics operators can take the lead in building their own service infrastructure. We believe this division of roles is the foundation for a sustainable and scalable next-generation logistics ecosystem. This demonstration gave our partners the opportunity to observe our autonomous driving system in real operational conditions, and revealed concrete challenges and requirements in connecting our technology to on-site operations — insights that we recognize as indispensable for social implementation. Going forward, it will be critical to work with diverse stakeholders — including commercial vehicle manufacturers, logistics real estate developers, insurers, telecommunications carriers, leasing companies, and trading houses — to collaboratively design business models that leverage each party's strengths. Robotruck will continue to refine implementable technology grounded in real-world needs, as a core contributor to the development of autonomous driving systems."

About Robotruck Inc.

• Company Name: Robotruck Inc.
• Headquarters: Odanaka Building, 1-15-11 Shinkawa, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
• Representative: Yusuke Haga, CEO
• Founded: April 2024
• Business: Research and development of autonomous driving systems for trucks
• Official Website: https://robotruck.jp/company.html

Press Contact

Robotruck Inc. — Business Development & Communications
Email: info@robotruck.jp