Isuzu to Open Japan’s First Autonomous Truck Test Course by a Commercial Vehicle Maker

• Isuzu will open a 190,000 m² test site in Hokkaido in 2027 to trial its Level 4 autonomous trucks and buses in controlled, complex traffic scenarios.
• The course will serve as a testing and data hub for large-class vehicles and be open to startups and external partners.

Isuzu Motors will launch a dedicated autonomous driving test course at its Hokkaido Proving Ground, marking the first such facility in Japan established by a commercial vehicle manufacturer. The 190,000 m² course, roughly the size of 35 football fields, will include simulated urban roads, highway merges, and rural routes, designed to recreate complex driving environments that are difficult to test safely on public roads.

The site will support testing of Isuzu’s large-class autonomous vehicles, including articulated buses and truck trailers. It will be used to verify sensors, AI models, and control systems, with real-time data sharing across Isuzu’s global facilities. A new adjacent research center will house vehicle maintenance areas and shared workspaces for collaboration with external partners.

Isuzu aims to begin partial use in summer 2026, with full-scale operations starting in September 2027. The course is intended as a central development hub to support the company’s push toward Level 4 autonomy. It will eventually be open to third-party companies, including startups, suppliers, and infrastructure partners.

🌀 Tom’s Take:

Closed-course environments that mirror real-world roads are key to accelerating autonomy. Facilities like this give Isuzu a controlled edge in preparing its models for public deployment.

Source: Isuzu