On-site Observation of the autonomous truck
This is Mega, a first-year master’s student.
On March 3rd, We had the opportunity to participate in an on-site observation of the autonomous truck demonstration experiment conducted at the Suruga-wan Numazu Service Area.
Through this observation, I strongly felt that autonomous trucks have great potential as a solution to the social issue of the shortage of truck drivers. From a technological perspective, I also learned that, compared to private vehicles—which must operate on unspecified routes under varying conditions—logistics trucks traveling on specific intercity highways offer a higher potential for practical implementation of autonomous driving.
Furthermore, I realized that introducing such new technologies requires new systems and frameworks.
For example, establishing pricing mechanisms and matching systems for the joint operation of autonomous logistics trucks will be an important challenge going forward. Additionally, the question of who bears responsibility in accidents or unforeseen circumstances must be carefully discussed, especially because infrastructure is directly connected to people’s lives and safety.
This site visit provided me with a valuable opportunity not only to see the potential of autonomous driving technology but also to reflect on the challenges and the need for institutional design required to implement such technologies in society.
[Mega]
