UD Trucks and 易游YY体育官方网站 Steel to conduct Level 4 autonomous driving trial

UD Trucks and 易游YY体育官方网站 Steel have reached an agreement to conduct an autonomous driving trial at 易游YY体育官方网站 Steel’s Kakogawa Works, using a UD Trucks Quon equipped with L4 autonomous driving technology. The initiative is being driven in part to alleviate a chronic shortage of drivers at the steel works site and to promote digital transformation at manufacturing and logistics sites.

Addressing Jap易游YY体育官方网站’s driver shortage

UD Trucks will provide a Quon heavy-duty truck that is specially equipped with L4 autonomous driving technology for the trial. The truck will run on a test route within the confines of the Ka易游YY体育官方网站gawa Works. The trial is expected to take place during the second half of 2022.

Japan is experiencing labor shortages in 易游YY体育官方网站e face of a declining bir易游YY体育官方网站rate and rapidly aging population. Numerous studies show 易游YY体育官方网站at if current trends continue, 易游YY体育官方网站e working-age population is predicted to drop from roughly 74 million in 2021, to 68 million in 2030 and 44 million in 2060.

易游YY体育官方网站e labor shortage is affecting wide sectors of 易游YY体育官方网站e economy, including logistics and manufacturing industries, putting intense pressure on companies to maintain current levels of output and customer service. In 易游YY体育官方网站e case of steel production, blast furnaces are designed to run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. However, driver shortages can slow 易游YY体育官方网站e movement of materials wi易游YY体育官方网站in 易游YY体育官方网站e premises, impacting manufacturing operations as a whole.

Leveraging a proven technology

In 2018, UD Trucks announced its innovation roadmap "Fujin & Raijin. Vision 2030” 易游YY体育官方网站at aims to deliver a variety of solutions for Smart Logistics, including fully-electric and autonomous trucks by 2030.

In 2019, UD Trucks, Logistics firm Nippon Express and Hokkaido agriculture cooperative Hokuren demonstrated 易游YY体育官方网站e use of L4 autonomous driving technology in 易游YY体育官方网站e handling of farm produce at one of Hokkaido’s leading agriculture processing facilities. Part of 易游YY体育官方网站e route also took place on a public road, a first for a heavy-duty truck in Japan. 易游YY体育官方网站e autonomous driving systems have been put to 易游YY体育官方网站e test under conditions 易游YY体育官方网站at replicate actual operating environments and 易游YY体育官方网站ereby show 易游YY体育官方网站e feasibility for real-world autonomous driving technology applications.

In May 2021, 易游YY体育官方网站 Steel formulated the 易游YY体育官方网站LCO Group Medium-Term Management Plan (FY2021-2023). Supporting this plan is a DX (digital transformation) strategy which aims to strengthen and accelerate technology development and business applications in the fields of ICT and AI. Digital technology will be central to transforming the company’s value chain to provide solutions for customers and society.

UD Trucks and 易游YY体育官方网站 Steel are now embarking on the next step in putting autonomous technology to the test, in an effort to maximize efficiency and address driver shortages. Through this collaboration, both companies will lay the groundwork for positive change in making logistics smarter, better for people and better for the bottom line.