Isuzu Motors Limited has announced plans to establish Japan’s first dedicated autonomous driving test course for commercial trucks and buses.
The facility will be built within the Isuzu Hokkaido Proving Ground (IHPG) in Mukawa, Hokkaido, with full-scale operations scheduled to begin in September 2027.
The project will provide a controlled environment for the testing of autonomous trucks and buses, with the aim of accelerating their practical deployment. Initial use of the course is expected in summer 2026.
The course will cover approximately 190,000 square metres and will include simulated urban streets, highway entry and exit sections, and rural roads. Traffic infrastructure will also be installed to allow complex scenarios to be reproduced more safely than on public roads.
The course is designed to accommodate large vehicles, such as articulated buses and heavy truck trailers. It will serve as a hub for testing sensors, artificial intelligence systems and control technologies, with real-time sharing of data between domestic and international facilities.
A new research and maintenance facility will be constructed alongside the track to provide workspace for partners. The company intends to open the test course to external organisations, including startups, suppliers and infrastructure specialists, to support wider industry collaboration.
The initiative forms part of Isuzu’s mid-term business plan, which identifies autonomous driving as a key area for development. The company has stated its intention to introduce Level 4 autonomous trucks and buses in the 2027 financial year.
Japan’s logistics and passenger transport sectors face pressures from demographic change, including an ageing population and a shortage of drivers. Isuzu has positioned autonomous driving as one response to these challenges.
In addition to technical trials, the test course is expected to support the creation of safety standards, certification processes and operational guidelines. Collaboration with national and local governments, as well as research institutions, is planned.
Collecting data from real-world driving is essential for refining autonomous systems, but certain high-risk scenarios are more effectively tested in controlled environments. The Hokkaido course is intended to provide this capability, enabling repeated testing of critical situations without endangering other road users.
Hiroshi Sato, Senior Executive Officer, VP of Isuzu's Engineering Division said;This test course is essential infrastructure for the Isuzu Group as we strive to lead the world in autonomous driving for commercial vehicles. We hope that in a few years, it will become a hub for open innovation, a center for autonomous driving where various companies and organizations collaborate on research and development.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held on 27 August 2025, attended by around 40 participants.
