Seino Transportation and T2 Utilize Autonomous Trucks for 'Relay Transport' Ahead of Level 4 Implementation
Seino Transportation and T2 began integrating autonomous trucks into their relay transport operations between Kanto and Kansai starting April 20, 2026. This initiative aims to address the driver shortage and double transport capacity by achieving Level 4 autonomy by FY2027.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 27, 2026 at 23:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 27, 2026 at 14:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 28, 2026 at 01:34 (11h 2m after Collected)
Seino Transportation Co., Ltd. and T2 Co., Ltd. have launched an initiative to incorporate T2's autonomous trucks into part of the 'relay transport' routes Seino operates between the Kanto and Kyushu/Chugoku/Shikoku regions. Starting April 20, 2026, this operation began on specific highway sections between Kanto and Kansai. This marks the first time in Japan that autonomous trucks have been used in relay transport for 'Special Consolidation Freight' (a form of transportation where goods from multiple shippers are loaded onto a single vehicle for regular trunk line transport between hubs).
Anticipating a serious shortage of truck drivers in the future, Seino Transportation has been an early participant in the commercial operations using Level 2 autonomous trucks, which T2 started in July 2025 as a stepping stone toward achieving Level 4 autonomous trunk line transport services by FY2027. To further expand the potential of autonomous trucks for Level 4 realization, this new initiative integrates T2's trucks into the Kanto-Kansai section (Kanagawa to Hyogo) of Seino's long-distance relay transport network, which spans over 1,000 km. The goal is to verify a series of operations in coordination with Seino's standard trucks.
The outbound route covers approximately 550 km from Seino's Sagamihara branch (Kanagawa) to the Himeji branch (Hyogo), with Level 2 autonomous driving active for about 430 km between the Atsugi IC and Suita JCT. The return route covers about 515 km from the Shimmei branch (Kobe) back to Sagamihara. Seino is responsible for hub/route selection and freight arrangements, while T2 handles overall management and vehicle provision.
Verification items include the efficiency of routes and lead times in relay transport and the validity of assumed operational patterns. During this run, the trucks also stopped at 'Transgate Kobe West,' a facility T2 established near the Kobe-Nishi IC. This hub is designed for switching between driverless highway operation and manned local road operation, and the trial successfully confirmed the procedures for drivers getting on and off. Currently, due to work regulations, one driver can only handle a one-way trip between Kanto and Kansai. However, with driverless Level 4 autonomy, a single truck could complete a round trip in a day, at least doubling transport capacity. This trial successfully confirmed that the designated route could be completed within 24 hours. Both companies plan to continue this collaboration to establish a regular service and deepen their coordination for Level 4 deployment.
Anticipating a serious shortage of truck drivers in the future, Seino Transportation has been an early participant in the commercial operations using Level 2 autonomous trucks, which T2 started in July 2025 as a stepping stone toward achieving Level 4 autonomous trunk line transport services by FY2027. To further expand the potential of autonomous trucks for Level 4 realization, this new initiative integrates T2's trucks into the Kanto-Kansai section (Kanagawa to Hyogo) of Seino's long-distance relay transport network, which spans over 1,000 km. The goal is to verify a series of operations in coordination with Seino's standard trucks.
The outbound route covers approximately 550 km from Seino's Sagamihara branch (Kanagawa) to the Himeji branch (Hyogo), with Level 2 autonomous driving active for about 430 km between the Atsugi IC and Suita JCT. The return route covers about 515 km from the Shimmei branch (Kobe) back to Sagamihara. Seino is responsible for hub/route selection and freight arrangements, while T2 handles overall management and vehicle provision.
Verification items include the efficiency of routes and lead times in relay transport and the validity of assumed operational patterns. During this run, the trucks also stopped at 'Transgate Kobe West,' a facility T2 established near the Kobe-Nishi IC. This hub is designed for switching between driverless highway operation and manned local road operation, and the trial successfully confirmed the procedures for drivers getting on and off. Currently, due to work regulations, one driver can only handle a one-way trip between Kanto and Kansai. However, with driverless Level 4 autonomy, a single truck could complete a round trip in a day, at least doubling transport capacity. This trial successfully confirmed that the designated route could be completed within 24 hours. Both companies plan to continue this collaboration to establish a regular service and deepen their coordination for Level 4 deployment.