Japanese company T2 has taken a significant step in the development of autonomous transport. Its Level 2 self-driving truck has, for the first time in the country’s history, independently traveled approximately 500 kilometers along a highway between the Kanto and Kansai regions — without the driver ever needing to take the wheel. What T2’s Achievement Represents The route ran from the Ayase Smart IC interchange on the Tomei Expressway to Kobe Nishi IC on the Sanyo Expressway. The total distance covered was approximately 500 kilometers, making this the longest autonomous Level 2 freight run in Japan’s history. Notably, during the test the vehicle independently changed lanes and adjusted its speed according to road conditions. What the Different Levels of Autonomy Mean Before discussing the technology, it is worth clarifying the classification: - Level 2 — the system controls the vehicle under certain conditions, but under constant driver supervision - Level 4 — the system takes full control of all operations within a predefined zone without any human involvement Achieving Level 4 is precisely the ultimate goal of T2. Commercial operations in this mode are planned to begin in fiscal year 2027. Key Next-Generation Technologies The main challenge in transitioning to Level 4 had been handling non-standard road situations. Previously, when encountering roadworks or merging traffic, the driver had to manually take over control. This problem has now been solved through three new developments: - onboard sensors detecting barriers and roadwork signs, enabling timely lane changes in advance; - automatic reading of speed limit signs and smooth adjustment of driving mode; - improved handling on inclined road sections with maintained lane stability. The Company’s Next Steps T2’s specialists have no intention of resting on their laurels. The company’s near-term plans include establishing dedicated transfer hubs near the Ayase Smart IC and