Yamato Transport, Mitsubishi Fuso and TIER IV join Japanese government autonomous trucking project

Yamato Transport Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Seiichi Awa), Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (Headquarters: Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, President and CEO: Karl Deppen; hereafter “MFTBC”), and TIER IV, Inc. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and CEO: Shinpei Kato; hereafter “TIER IV”) have been selected for a Japanese government project to test autonomous trucks for long-haul transportation. Featuring a tractor developed by MFTBC and TIER IV, paired with a Yamato Group trailer, the proof of concept aims to validate vehicle performance, safety and operational feasibility under real-world conditions on Yamato Group’s Kanto–Kansai route.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism project will inform ongoing development of autonomous driving technology, paving the way for the deployment of Level 4 *1 autonomous semi-trailer trucks for long-haul operations on Yamato Group’s route.

Overview

• Period: January–February 2026
• Vehicle: Autonomous semi-trailer truck
• Route: Yamato Group’s Kanto–Kansai transportation route
• Roles:
  • Yamato Transport: To operate long-haul transportation at Level 2+ *2
  • MFTBC: To supply Super Great vehicle for the development of a tractor designed for autonomous driving functions
  • TIER IV: To provide autonomous driving technology for the development of the autonomous tractor
• Areas of verification:
  • Vehicle performance, safety, and travel time
  • Logistics hub services tailored to Yamato Group’s operations
  • Remote vehicle management operations
  • Collection of baseline driving data

*1 The vehicle can operate fully autonomously under specific conditions, such as designated areas, weather, or speed.
*2 A human driver is in the vehicle, but the system allows hands-off operation in certain scenarios.

Contact

Yamato Transport Co., Ltd.
Corporate Communications Department
TEL: 03-3248-5822

Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation
Global Communications & Marketing Department
Mail: fuso.news@daimlertruck.com

TIER IV, Inc.
Marketing Communications Department
Mail: pr@tier4.jp