Japan's Automated Cargo Corridor: Solving the '2024 Problem'

Japan plans to build an automated cargo transport system between Tokyo and Osaka to address a truck driver shortage. The system, named the 'conveyor belt road,' aims to reduce driver workloads and carbon emissions. Test runs are expected in 2027, with full operations by the mid-2030s.

Japan is embarking on an ambitious project to address its truck driver shortage by developing an automated cargo transport corridor between Tokyo and Osaka, informally named the 'conveyor belt road' by the government.

The initiative aims not only to compensate for the dwindling number of truck drivers but also to decrease carbon emissions substantially, as stated by Yuri Endo, a senior deputy director at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism.

This innovative logistics solution is set to undergo testing in 2027, with hopes for a fully operational system by the mid-2030s, marking a significant shift in Japan's transportation landscape.

(With inputs from agencies.)