Last year, Japan made headlines for its plans to build an autonomous, self-sorting cargo highway. Now, the idea is starting to take shape, as reports by New Atlas revealed a clearer picture of the country's "Auto Flow Road."
The Japanese government is preparing for a dramatic decrease in transportation capacity. According to New Atlas, the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism projects the transportation industry will experience a 34% capacity shortfall by 2030.
To address this concern, the Japanese government developed its idea for an autonomous, self-sorting cargo highway. The new highway project plans on utilizing existing road space, making use of shoulders, medians, and possibly even underground tunnels.
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Since the autonomous cargo pods would essentially replace large transport trucks, goods would be shuttled day and night without causing traffic jams in car lanes.
The project also includes plans to build depots in major prefectures, which will function autonomously as well. As cargo arrives, autonomous forklifts will unload and pack it into pods. Once the pods arrive at their designated depot, trucks or other vehicles, perhaps drones, will take the cargo to its final destination.
"But the most intriguing part is that the pods actually sort themselves en route," wrote Michael Irving from New Atlas. "They can park themselves in a 'Buffering Lane' in the middle of the Auto Flow Road to wait for others going to the same place or to time their arrival better."
The Auto Flow Road will optimize package delivery across Japan, decreasing traffic and pollution from big diesel trucks. Gas-powered delivery trucks release harmful, planet-warming pollutants into the atmosphere, so by reducing the need for them, Japan is helping to decrease its pollution output.
While the project is a major undertaking, the first step is to construct a test track along the major highway connecting Tokyo and Osaka. In 2027, the Japanese government plans to start testing, with the goal of full operation by the mid-2030s.
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