Japan is working on a 500km automated logistics highway connecting Tokyo to Osaka. The ‘Autoflow-Road’ project will feature conveyor belts along medians and in underground tunnels.
Japan’s Transport Ministry expects the project to address labor shortages and make parcel deliveries, which have doubled in size due to the growth of e-commerce, more efficient. Minister Tetsuo Saito said the expressway would also ease traffic congestion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The conveyor belts can carry pallets of up to a ton of small products, equivalent to the work of 25,000 truck drivers a day.
Construction of a conveyor highway
“Automated logistics roads are designed to make the most of road space by using emergency lanes, medians and tunnels under the carriageway. “Our study examines the impact on road traffic, including surrounding roads, and the costs,” a senior ministry official, Shuya Muramatsu, told reporters.
The project is expected to cost 21 billion euros and could be completed in 2034. The government is exploring financing options, including private sector partnerships and the involvement of multiple companies.
Bron: Warehouse Total
