Hino Motors has teamed up with road construction company Taisei Rotec to launch Japan’s first commercial Level 4 autonomous truck operation, using unmanned vehicles to put road surfaces through full-scale durability testing.
Five heavy-duty Hino Profia (700 Series) prime mover and trailer combinations will operate around the clock without drivers on a 909-metre test track in Fukushima prefecture.
Richard Emery, president and chief executive of Hino Australia, says the project is a milestone for both the company and the industry.
“Level 4 autonomous vehicles are capable of performing all driving tasks without human intervention and this is the first commercialised example within a designated operational area,” Emery says.
“This is an excellent example of the cutting-edge technology and innovation that Hino Motors is capable of.”
The testing programme aims to cut the time and labour needed for evaluating new road surfaces, while improving durability and lowering emissions. Lidar and camera systems on the trucks detect obstacles, while GPS-based navigation and automated traffic control manage spacing and movements between the track and truckyard without human input.
In 2022, Australia’s first highly automated truck trial was conducted by Transurban using a Hino Profia (700 Series). Emery says the Taisei Rotec project reinforces Hino’s leadership in emerging vehicle technology.
“The autonomous truck testing with Taisei Rotec is more than just another example of Hino’s ongoing leadership in technology and innovation – it also demonstrates our commitment to trialling new and emerging technologies to ensure they meet the needs of our customers,” Emery says.
Hino Australia is also running customer trials with its light-duty Dutro (300 Series) Z-EV battery electric trucks and is the only brand in the country currently developing hybrid electric, hydrogen, and battery electric drivetrains.
“Hino 300 Series Hybrid Electric trucks have been reducing fuel costs and CO2 emissions for over 15 years with customers able to save up to 24% in Wide Cab variants and 22% in Standard Cab. Meanwhile our parent company, Hino Motors, Ltd. started trials for a heavy-duty Profia (700 Series) hydrogen truck more than two years ago,” Emery adds.
