Self-driving trucking company TuSimple is making strides outside of the United States despite its recent challenges. The company has announced the commencement of Level 4 autonomous testing on a significant freight corridor in Japan. Additionally, TuSimple has become one of the first companies to receive a license for fully driverless testing in Shanghai’s Pudong area in China.
These achievements come in the wake of a turbulent period for TuSimple, which underwent two major restructurings. In December, numerous employees were laid off, followed by another significant reduction in May that resulted in 300 U.S. workers losing their jobs, equating to approximately 30% of the global workforce. The company made it clear that it would focus on exploring freight opportunities in the Asia-Pacific markets.
The testing in Japan is being conducted on the Tomei Expressway, a route that gained attention earlier this year due to its plan to introduce a lane dedicated to autonomous haulage vehicles. Level 4 autonomous driving, defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers as a vehicle’s ability to operate independently in specific scenarios without human intervention, has been incorporated into Japanese traffic law. The government aims to accelerate the implementation of this technology over the next decade due to concerns about a national shortage of drivers. Commercial operations of Level 4 trucks could potentially commence as early as 2026.
Cheng Lu, President and CEO of TuSimple, addressed the company’s plans for Japan, stating their intention to forge business partnerships with local companies and develop technology that caters to the demands of the local market. Their objective is to provide reliable, safe, and efficient autonomous truck solutions for the long-haul transportation industry.
TuSimple plans to advance from testing on the Tomei Expressway to conducting full runs between Tokyo and Osaka, a distance exceeding 300 miles, later this year. Currently, two trucks equipped with TuSimple’s Domain Controller are undergoing testing, with more vehicles scheduled to join the fleet in the coming months.
In China, TuSimple will undertake fully autonomous and driverless testing in Shanghai’s designated areas, namely Yangshan Deep-water Port and Donghai Bridge. Shanghai is poised to become the first city in China to enact legislation allowing Level 4 fully driverless testing of autonomous trucks. TuSimple obtained the license after a series of validation tests, including assessments conducted over thousands of miles in closed areas and open roads, without human intervention.
According to TuSimple, the company has already accumulated over 372,800 miles of test mileage in China without any accidents or road violations.
