On October 6, Tokyu Land Corporation and T2 announced that they have entered into a strategic business alliance to jointly concretize the concept of logistics facilities that will enable the acceptance of autonomous trucks from highways, and to consider the development of bases for vehicle maintenance, with a view to T2's trunk line transportation service using Level 4 autonomous trucks, which the two companies aim to start in 2027.
<Image of the "next-generation core logistics facility" planned for Yokohama City>
<T2 autonomous truck>
In conjunction with this, in order to strengthen the collaboration between the two companies, Tokyu Fudosan Holdings has also completed its investment in T2 through its corporate venture capital (CVC) fund, "TSVF2 Investment Limited Partnership."
Amidst the anticipated worsening shortage of truck drivers due to factors such as the "2024 problem," T2 plans to utilize "next-generation core logistics facilities" directly connected to expressway interchanges, which Tokyu Land Corporation, Mitsubishi Estate, and others are planning to deploy in major cities across Japan, including Yokohama City in Kanagawa Prefecture and Joyo City in Kyoto Prefecture, as departure and arrival hubs for trunk line transportation using Level 4 autonomous trucks.
In addition to the "next-generation core logistics facilities" mentioned above, Tokyu Land Corporation is also planning to develop logistics facilities that are networked with industrial parks nationwide, as part of its industrial urban development project, in areas close to expressway interchanges (smart interchanges) in major industrial hubs in Kyushu, including Saga Prefecture, and Ibaraki Prefecture.
T2 aims to extend its current service route from Kanto to Kansai to Kyushu by fiscal year 2029, and has entered into a strategic business alliance with Tokyu Land Corporation to utilize the logistics facilities it is planning as a new departure and arrival hub.
Taking this partnership as an opportunity, the two companies will jointly concretize the ideal form of logistics facilities that can accommodate autonomous trucks from highways, including the design of facilities and the formulation of operational rules. Separately, they will also consider developing vehicle maintenance bases necessary for trunk line transportation, thereby further expanding logistics facilities that realize seamless transportation and labor savings using fully autonomous trucks throughout Japan. In addition, they will also explore the possibility of new initiatives that combine Tokyu Land Corporation's renewable energy business, which it is focusing on, with autonomous trucks.
