Volvo unit's autonomous truck goes the distance in test as Hokkaido faces driver shortage

SHARI, HOKKAIDO – The Japanese unit of Sweden's AB Volvo on Thursday demonstrated before journalists a highly autonomous truck at a sugar factory in Hokkaido, where it moved for about 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) without the involvement of a human driver. UD Trucks Corp. said the test, which began in early August, is the first level 4 experiment using a large truck in Japan. A level 4 vehicle -- a notch below being completely autonomous -- can perform all driving tasks without a driver, even in emergencies, in designated areas and routes. The truck maker has teamed up with Nippon Express Co., one of the country's major logistics firms, and the Hokuren Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives to conduct the test as part of efforts to address a severe driver shortage in the graying country. At the test site, the autonomous truck ran the distance, including about 200 meters on a public road around the factory, at a speed of 20 kph (12 mph).