Компания S&B Foods проведет четырехдневный тест автономных грузовиков и поездов на 850 км между регионами Канто и Чугoku

S&B Foods joins 850-km autonomous truck-rail freight test KEY POINTS - S&B Foods, Otafuku Sauce, Ebara Logistics and T2 start a four-day Kanto-Chugoku freight test on Sept. 8, 2026 - Demonstration combines Level 2 autonomous trucks, JR Freight rail service and a shared 31-foot container for round-trip joint transport - Trial examines transport quality and operations as T2 targets Level 4 trunk-route service from fiscal 2027 S&B Foods, Otafuku Sauce, Ebara Logistics and autonomous trucking developer T2 will conduct a freight transport demonstration in September between Japan's Kanto and Chugoku regions using a combination of autonomous trucks and cargo rail, the companies said on Sept. 3. The four-day test, starting on Sept. 8, 2026, will cover a round trip of about 850 km between the two regions. The companies will examine whether a more efficient transport model can be established by jointly transporting products from multiple companies on separate outbound and return legs, as Japan's logistics industry faces a worsening shortage of truck drivers. The initiative marks an industry first in Japan for a modal combination service using autonomous trucks and freight rail to jointly transport products from multiple companies on outbound and return routes. In Japan, Level 4 autonomous driving refers to a system in which automated driving equipment performs all driving tasks within limited conditions and areas, while Level 2 refers to advanced driver assistance under driver supervision. The outbound leg will use a 31-foot shared container jointly developed by T2 and Japan Freight Railway Co., known as JR Freight. S&B Foods will ship products manufactured in the Kanto area, including its Red Can curry powder and Honnama Hon Wasabi. On the return leg, Otafuku Sauce will transport its 500-gram Okonomi Sauce. For the outbound route, T2's autonomous truck will carry cargo from S&B Foods' logistics center in Saitama Prefecture to Ebara Logistics' Kansai No. 2 logistics center in Osaka Prefecture. An empty shared container will then be moved by JR Freight from Suita Freight Terminal in Osaka to Hiroshima Freight Terminal in Hiroshima, before being transported by a conventional truck to Otafuku Sauce's head factory in Hiroshima. On the return route, cargo will be loaded into the shared container at Otafuku Sauce's head factory and moved by a conventional truck to Hiroshima Freight Terminal. The container will then travel by freight train to Suita Freight Terminal, and from there T2's autonomous truck will transport it to Ebara Logistics' Kawasaki logistics center in Kanagawa Prefecture. The Level 2 autonomous driving section on both outbound and return legs will span about 410 km between Ayase Smart Interchange on the Tomei Expressway in Kanagawa Prefecture and Kumiyama Junction on the Meishin Expressway in Kyoto Prefecture. T2 and JR Freight began this modal combination initiative in 2025, combining T2-developed Level 2 autonomous trucks with freight rail. T2 is aiming to start long-haul transport using Level 4 autonomous trucks from fiscal 2027 onward. S&B Foods, Otafuku Sauce and Ebara Logistics are deepening coordination with T2 with a view to further demonstrations geared toward Level 4 operations and possible participation in commercial transport services that T2 plans to offer to companies that have completed demonstration trials. Japan's logistics sector has been under pressure since tighter overtime rules for truck drivers took effect in 2024, increasing industry focus on rail, coastal shipping and other alternatives to long-distance trucking. © Copyright 2026 IBTimes JP. All rights reserved.