One of the modern technological trends of developed countries is the automation of logistics to increase efficiency and environmental friendliness in conditions of labor shortage. The demand for delivery of goods has increased significantly during the covid pandemic. People are used to fast delivery and a greater selection of products online. This became a challenge for logistics companies, which had to look for new ways to meet the growing demand. The answer to this challenge can be the creation of automated cargo corridors.
In many developed countries, the population is aging, and the market is experiencing a shortage of personnel. This creates problems in areas that require physical labor. The shortage of workers in the field of logistics is due to both demographic changes and difficult working conditions, in particular, excessive working hours, which make this industry less attractive to young people. Automating trucking helps solve these problems without relying on older workers or immigrants who may be in short supply.
Japan has always been at the forefront of technological innovation. Now it has reaffirmed its status by building a state-of-the-art automated freight road.
The new format of the connection between Tokyo and Osaka
The Guardian conducted an interesting analogy: 60 years ago, a high-speed train first connected Tokyo and Osaka, and now the Japanese government plans to launch an automated freight route between the two cities. This 515 km long highway is expected to meet the growing demand for deliveries in a labor-scarce country. It is expected to help reduce the burden on couriers and reduce CO₂ emissions through the use of driverless vehicles.
A video released by the government shows large containers moving along the center lane of the road, with regular vehicles plying on either side. The project, costing about ¥3.7 trillion, is expected to begin testing in 2027 and be fully operational in the mid-2030s.
The new automated freight route between Tokyo and Osaka eliminates the need for truck drivers, reducing the need for human labor and lowering labor costs. Such systems can perform routine tasks instead of humans, freeing them for other things. According to estimates, this highway will be able to replace up to 25 thousand drivers every day, which is especially important, because the country has a law that limits overtime work.
Among the obvious advantages of the innovation: automated vehicles can work without interruption and deliver goods faster. This is important for businesses that need fast delivery, reduce wait times and improve customer service.
How automation will solve the problems of modern logistics
One of the problems of modern logistics is the concentration of cargo in large hubs – ports and airports. An automated road in Japan will connect important transport facilities to reduce the burden on individual hubs and ensure a continuous flow of goods. The use of such systems between industrial cities in, say, Germany or the United States would make it possible to deliver goods at night without drivers, reducing costs and speeding up delivery. In the US, there is also a need to speed up delivery, as the country has significant distances between major logistics hubs. Let’s imagine that automated corridors will connect the key cities of New York and Chicago, which will significantly reduce delivery times and reduce congestion on highways. This could be useful for both Los Angeles and Shanghai, where congested ports cause delays.
Automation and fast shipping will help reduce transportation costs, which will ultimately lower prices for consumers. For example, Amazon is testing self-driving trucks in the US, and if such roads are used around the world, it will further reduce the cost of delivery.
Automated freight roads can improve not only domestic transportation, but also integrate into international networks. For example, Japan can connect these roads with ports for faster delivery of goods to other Asian countries. This will help reduce delivery time and cost.
The automated road project in Japan is a good example of modernizing logistics, which can be useful for other economies that want to improve the efficiency and reliability of the supply of goods.
“Green” arguments for the introduction of automated cargo corridors
One of the main motivations for developing automated freight corridors, such as the new road between Tokyo and Osaka, is the environmental component. The use of unmanned and automated vehicles in specially designated lanes will allow to optimize energy consumption, reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions and minimize the negative impact on the environment. This system can become a model for other countries in reducing carbon emissions in the field of logistics.
Automated vehicles operate on fixed routes and in stable conditions, which reduces fuel consumption. They maintain a constant speed and do not make frequent stops, so they use less fuel than conventional vehicles, which often brake and accelerate. For example, cargo drones or electric trucks on special lanes consume less energy than conventional trucks on public roads.
Dedicating separate lanes for automated vehicles speeds up deliveries and reduces pressure on other roads, which reduces congestion. In big cities like Tokyo or New York, this will help reduce air pollution as regular cars will be less stuck in traffic.
In places with intensive traffic flows – ports and airports – automated corridors will reduce the number of trucks on diesel and gasoline fuel, which usually accumulate for loading and unloading. This will help reduce emissions in logistics areas. For example, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are already working to reduce emissions by switching to electric transportation. Automated corridors can significantly support these environmental changes.
If the Japanese project is successful, other countries can take it as an example to reduce carbon emissions. For example, large European logistics centers Rotterdam and Frankfurt could use a similar model to reduce emissions. The creation of ecologically clean transport corridors can become a new standard for future logistics in the society of the future with a new “green” paradigm.
The introduction of such transport solutions will help achieve the goals of sustainable development, in particular environmental stability and reducing the impact of climate change. The more countries join such projects, the faster the world economy will switch to environmentally friendly technologies, which will help achieve global carbon neutrality.
How the labor market will change due to the automation of transportation
Automation of transportation can significantly change the labor market, especially in the transport and logistics sectors. The most obvious result of these transformations may scare some, as automated freight corridors and driverless vehicles will reduce the need for drivers. At the same time, automation will create a demand for workers with other skills: engineers, technicians and specialists in the maintenance of automated systems, that is, professions that require a higher level of technical training than traditional driving.
In addition, automated systems generate large amounts of data to monitor and optimize operations. This creates a demand for analysts who will deal with data processing and improvement of logistics processes, as well as managers who will coordinate the functioning of these systems.
Increasing the level of automation requires retraining workers so that they can adapt to new conditions. Public reskilling programs can help workers who lose their jobs to automation acquire in-demand technical skills.
Automation will help reduce logistics costs, which will eventually stimulate economic growth. This will create new jobs in new services and product chains.
It is likely that the automation of logistics can serve as an example for other industries where there is a shortage of workers. For example, in agriculture, robots and drones can reduce dependence on seasonal workers. Likewise, in the construction and mining industries, automation can help solve labor shortages, as Japan has already done.
It is quite expected that automated transport corridors can change approaches to work in different countries. Countries with a high share of manual labor in logistics can use Japan’s experience to improve efficiency.
Public opinion regarding the new project
Such projects, as a rule, cause various reactions. Japanese society often welcomes technological innovations, especially those that address pressing social and economic issues such as labor shortages and environmental sustainability. It is quite understandable that part of the public has concerns about road safety, especially in view of the introduction of unmanned technologies. If there is a lack of information about the security of the system and its testing, a restrained reaction may occur. While the country’s labor shortage is already a serious problem, some may worry about the long-term impact of technological innovation on the labor market. For a society that traditionally values stable employment, the issue of replacing 25,000 drivers with drones may be debatable.
Tetyana Viktorova
